Alcohol restrictions in WA may boost numbers in tourist hotspots according to study

Alcohol restrictions in WA tourism hotspots like the Kimberley have not hurt visitor numbers and may have significantly boosted them.

An analysis of WA Government data from tourism precincts affected by various alcohol restrictions in communities between 1999 and 2019 found visitor numbers increased after restrictions were introduced, despite fears the bans could hurt the local economy.

The research, led by Curtin University’s National Drug Research Institute and published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health on Wednesday, is the first of its kind.

Senior author Tanya Chikritzhs said the research challenged the popular perception that alcohol regulation damages tourism.

She said it made sense that tourism increased after alcohol restrictions were brought in because tourists would likely avoid areas that were in the news for alcohol-related violence. The tourist spots covered by the bans were also favoured for their natural beauty — rather than as a destination for alcohol tourism.

“This research flips the script on a long-held assumption that community-wide alcohol restrictions implemented to address alcohol-related issues necessarily undermine tourism and suggests that alcohol restrictions may in fact help bolster tourism numbers,” said Professor Chikritzhs.

“Alcohol’s role in crime is well established and travellers, particularly females and older travellers, want to feel safe when they travel. Negative tourist perceptions of alcohol-related crime and anti-social behaviour at potential destinations can strongly influence travel plans, reduce the likelihood of return visits and discourage positive recommendations to others.”

Overnight tourist stays in the tourism precinct known as the North West, which includes Roebourne, Newman, Derby and Broome, were steady until 2012-13 and then increased “rapidly” when liquor restrictions were introduced. In the precinct known as the golden outback, which includes Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Meekatharra and Wiluna, visitor numbers were falling until alcohol restrictions were introduced in 2010-11, at which point they increased.

Community alcohol restrictions are a sometimes-controversial measure intended to reduce harm from alcohol. They typically work by restricting how much takeaway alcohol can be bought and do not affect the ability to buy a drink at the pub or with dinner.

Alcohol and Drug Foundation State manager Greg Williams welcomed the research.

“The key finding of this study, that alcohol restrictions don’t hinder tourism, is great news for communities in terms of benefits to the economy and health outcome,” he said. “It has important, positive implications for travellers, the communities they visit, tourist operators and government policymakers.”

The study was jointly funded by Curtin’s NDRI and WA’s Mental Health Commission.