The Pilbara Tourism Association says a decision to cancel the popular Karijini Experience in WA's Pilbara region is understandable but hopes people will still explore the stunning area.
Last week, Banjima Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (BNTAC) announced the festival, which was planned to run from April 13 to 17, would be cancelled due to the ongoing uncertainty and potential risks the virus could pose for Indigenous people.
The event, which has been running since 2013, is held on the Banjima people's traditional lands and showcases culture, food, music and art in the picturesque Karijini National Park.
Ashburton shire president Kerry White said the cultural event was a major drawcard for the region, with more than 1,500 people in attendance last year.
According to data from the Nintirri Centre, the event's previous organiser, last year's Karijini Experience saw $939,000 injected into the local economy.
Ms White said the shire was disappointed over the cancellation but understood the community's safety was a priority.
The Karijini Experience was also cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Pilbara Tourism Association (PTA) president Barry Harrison said a lack of staffing in the region was an issue that would make the large festival hard to run.
"I believe the parks people have got some issues with staff numbers, and probably for the event to go ahead was always going to be difficult," he said.
BNTAC chair Slim Parker said he understood and shared the disappointment of those who were looking forward to attending the popular event.
"The beauty and magic of our homeland — yurlu — is always there with or without the showcase and spectacle," he said.
Ms White said she hoped people who had planned to attend the Karijini Experience and booked accommodation would still visit the region.
"We have seen an increase in tourism in the Shire of Ashburton and wider Pilbara region since the outbreak of COVID, and we anticipate that these numbers will continue to rise as more people discover the beauty and history of the region," she said.
Cancellations 'in the back of everyone's mind'
Over the weekend, WA Health named the Auski Roadhouse, located 82 kilometres from Karijini National Park, as a COVID-19 exposure site.
A positive case was at the roadhouse on Great Northern Highway between 3pm and 4:15pm on January 28.
Anyone who visited the roadhouse during this time is being urged to monitor for symptoms and to get tested and isolate if any develop.
In the past two weeks, five COVID cases have been recorded at BHP's Yandi iron ore mine, located almost 180 km north-west of Newman.
Mr Harrison said he expected there would be more cancellations when case numbers rise in WA.
"It's in the back of everyone's mind. We've been so lucky, everything in Western Australia has been relatively untouched," he said.
