A new AI-powered tourism platform aimed at Indian visitors is being launched across Melbourne’s west, using WhatsApp and a dedicated website to help travellers discover local attractions, restaurants, events and community experiences.
Namaste Westside, developed by Western Melbourne Tourism Inc, is the centrepiece of an 18-month visitor servicing project focused on the rapidly growing Indian tourism market.
Around one in 10 Indian visitors to Australia are now spending time in Melbourne’s west, prompting a push for more culturally relevant and easily accessible visitor information.
The platform combines a WhatsApp-based AI chatbot with an interactive website, allowing travellers to ask questions and receive instant recommendations based on their interests.
Visitors could, for example, ask where to find a popular butter chicken or jalebi shop, what family activities are available nearby, which cultural attractions to visit or how to plan a weekend itinerary across Melbourne’s western suburbs.
The service is designed to bring together restaurants, festivals, cultural landmarks, local businesses, attractions and community stories through one conversational platform.
Victorian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Natalie Suleyman said the initiative was about celebrating and promoting the brands and experiences that make Melbourne’s west distinctive.
She said she looked forward to a strong partnership that would help boost the visitor economy across Melbourne’s west.
Suleyman said the region attracted around 200,000 Indian visitors last year, generating approximately $700 million for the local visitor economy.
“Culturally relevant information would be particularly important when targeting the Indian market, with the platform providing information in Hindi and English about tourism experiences and destinations across the west.”
The project is intended to make it easier for Indian travellers and visiting friends and relatives to find places that match their interests rather than relying entirely on conventional tourism websites.
Major western Melbourne attractions, cultural experiences and family destinations — including experiences connected with Victoria’s zoo network — are among the types of destinations the platform can help visitors discover.
Member for Point Cook Mathew Hilakari said it was an exciting opportunity to showcase the western suburbs to visitors from Australia and overseas.
Mr Hilakari said It’s a privilege to represent Melbourne’s west, and this project gives us another opportunity to show visitors what those of us who live here already know — the west has incredible food, culture, people and places to discover.”
“When visitors come to Melbourne, we want them to look beyond the CBD and discover Point Cook, Wyndham and the wider west. Namaste Westside makes that easier by putting local knowledge directly into people’s hands.”
“Our Indian Australian community has helped shape Melbourne’s west, and this is a great way of connecting visitors with the restaurants, festivals, businesses and local experiences that make our region special.”
Western Melbourne Tourism Board member and Maribyrnong councillor Pradeep Tiwari said community knowledge was one of the strengths behind the new platform.
“Namaste Westside is about making visitors feel welcome from the moment they arrive and giving them information that is relevant to the way they actually travel.”
Indian visitors are not only looking for major tourist attractions. They want to know where locals eat, where communities gather, what festivals are happening and what experiences they may not find in a traditional tourist brochure.
He added,
“The real strength of this project is that technology is being combined with community knowledge. AI can provide information instantly, but local residents bring the stories, cultural understanding and hidden gems that make the west worth exploring.”
Western Melbourne Tourism said extensive research was undertaken before developing the platform to better understand the travel patterns, motivations, information gaps and barriers experienced by Indian visitors.
Those findings led to WhatsApp being selected as one of the key delivery channels because of its widespread use among Indian consumers.
Rather than asking travellers to download another dedicated tourism application, visitors can interact with the AI-powered service through a platform many already use every day.
The project has also involved extensive engagement with Melbourne’s Indian community.
Community organisations, local hosts and residents have contributed recommendations and insights designed to create an “insider’s guide” to the west rather than simply reproducing information already available through search engines.
When visitors want to learn more about the history, traditions or local stories behind a destination, Namaste Westside can also help connect them with community groups and people who can provide firsthand knowledge.
Melbourne’s west is home to one of the largest concentrations of Indian Australians in the country and has increasingly become a centre for South Asian restaurants, grocery stores, temples, cultural organisations and major community festivals.
Western Melbourne Tourism CEO Richard Ponsford said our communities are an important part of the region’s tourism offering.
“Melbourne’s West is one of the most diverse and creative parts of the city and home to the highest concentration of the Indian diaspora — full of stories, flavours and neighbourhoods that often get overlooked,” he said.
“We’re here to change that, by spotlighting the people, traditions and hidden spots that locals already love.”
Namaste Westside is being coordinated by Western Melbourne Tourism Inc in partnership with Brimbank City Council, City of Maribyrnong, Melton City Council, Moonee Valley City Council, Hobsons Bay City Council and Wyndham City Council, along with Victoria University and multicultural consultancy Culture Kite.
Western Melbourne Tourism hope the service will encourage visitors to spend more time exploring the western suburbs, support local businesses and strengthen tourism connections between Victoria and India.
With Indian visitor numbers continuing to grow, the project also represents an attempt to move tourism promotion away from a one-size-fits-all approach and towards information tailored to individual communities and travel habits.
For Melbourne’s west, the proposition is simple: visitors already know the city centre. Namaste Westside wants to show them what is waiting beyond it.
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