Media Release - New three-year deal for Manjimup truffle event

• ​​Three-day festival celebrates region's spectacular food and wine
• Manjimup is largest producer of black truffles in southern hemisphere
• Supported by State Government through Tourism WA and Royalties for Regions 

The State Government has signed a three-year deal to sponsor Manjimup's Truffle Kerfuffle Southern Forests Food Festival.
Premier and Tourism Minister Colin Barnett said the three-day event celebrated the region's food and wine with a particular focus on the black truffle.
"Manjimup is the largest producer of black truffles in the southern hemisphere with more than 70 per cent of those produced in Australia coming from the Southern Forests region of WA," Mr Barnett said.
"Truffle Kerfuffle started in 2011 as a way of recognising the region's connection to this highly prized delicacy and has become a popular feature of the State's culinary events calendar.
"The new agreement, through Tourism Western Australia, will help the event attract more intrastate and interstate visitors by offering nationally recognised culinary talent and extra activities such as wine seminars."
The Premier said about 400,000 people visited WA each year because of its food and wine.
"They are key factors in holiday decision making, second only to the State's world-class natural beauty, and events like Truffle Kerfuffle will help us take advantage of the trend towards food and wine tourism," he said.
The event, now in its sixth year, will be sponsored until 2018 through Tourism WA's Regional Events Program, made possible by Royalties for Regions.
Regional Development Minister Terry Redman said events such as Truffle Kerfuffle strengthened local tourism-related businesses and enhanced the vibrancy of regional communities.
"Tourism has a strong influence on regional development and I am pleased to see Royalties for Regions invest in the Regional Events Program to bring significant social and economic benefits throughout regional WA," Mr Redman said.
Mr Barnett said tourism generated $9 billion in 2015, including $4 billion in regional WA.
"Our strategy is to increase this value to $12 billion by 2020," he said.
"Culinary events such as Truffle Kerfuffle contribute to this goal by attracting visitors to regional areas."
​Fact File

• Truffle Kerfuffle runs from June 24-26, 2016
• Tickets on sale now
• For more information, visithttp://trufflekerfuffle.com.au 

Premier and Tourism Minister's office - 6552 5000
Regional Development Minister's office - 6552 6700