Surfers show region to world
As she toured Margaret River with her family, keeping her constantly growing fan base updated through social media, Alana Blanchard was showcasing the South West to an international audience of almost one million people.
Caves, wineries and - the reason she was there - waves, the exposure the world's most popular female surfer has given WA this week is something money cannot buy.
The 24-year-old fell in love with the area five years ago and wanted her family in Hawaii to experience it too.
"There's just so much cool stuff to do," Blanchard said.
"It's so nice here and you feel part of nature."
Since descending on Margaret River last week for the second stop of the surfing world tour, the top 41 international surfers have promoted the region to their millions of fans, one filtered sunset at a time.
Blanchard's 900,000 Instagram followers exceed even Kelly Slater's 700,000 and when combined with other big names such as Taj Burrow and Stephanie Gilmore, their star power has "extraordinary reach".
"It's global, people are watching us, reading us, looking at photographs and realising this region is extraordinary," Augusta-Margaret River Tourism's Simon Latchford said.
"The surfers are telling it how it is. It's the best form of advertising . . . you can't buy promotion like that."
During last year's Margaret River Pro the tourism association's website crashed three times because of the increased traffic.
This year, with the event included on surfing's world tour for the first time in more than 20 years, the system is prepared to handle even greater demand.
"We knew this was a good event, but we did not know how positively impactful it was going to be," Mr Latchford said.
The competition is held over 12 days to account for days with no swell.
During those "lay days" the surfers explore the region's restaurants, beaches and wineries.
Yesterday was one of those days, and Slater, girlfriend Kalani Miller and fellow pro surfer Fred Patacchia and his family took part in a grape stomping competition at Xanadu winery.
Slater has also visited local restaurant Morries Anytime twice. Manager Sara Strand said he was friendly and happy to pose for photos with staff.
When they are not eating out Slater and a number of other surfers are catered for by local chef Andrea Ilott, who prepares fresh, healthy meals using local produce, while also meeting "requests for Simmo's Ice-cream".
A photo of a hamper Ms Ilott gave Slater, containing goods from the Margaret River Chocolate Factory and sister company Providore, attracted more than 24,000 "likes" on the surfer's Instagram page.
Chocolate Factory co-owner Patrick Coward said the exposure was a welcome surprise.
"Slater loves Margaret River," he said.
"For him to take that photo, we're very, very grateful. We love having them here.
"The thing that makes it such a great tourism destination is it is so close to the beach. The Hunter, the Barossa, they don't have this magical seaside excitement that people want."
