Are alcohol restrictions bad for tourism? An exploratory study of tourism trends in Western Australia

Objective: Potential negative impacts of alcohol policy on tourism are a controversial issue, particularly for regional Australia. We aimed to understand tourism activity in the context of Section 64 area-wide alcohol restrictions implemented in Western Australia. Methods: Restrictions information allowing placement of conditions on liquor licences limiting alcohol sales in specified communities was collated (e.g. off-premises trading hours). Time-trends in visitor trips across tourism regions with/without restrictions were examined for changes. For domestic trips, regional trend-fitting and time-series cross-correlations were conducted for restricted versus non-restricted non-metropolitan regions. Results: Subsequent to restrictions in North-West and Golden Outback regions, areas affected by restrictions increased over time. International trips contributed < 20 % of total trips. All domestic series were either stable or in decline up to 2009/10, and thereafter all experienced growth. Combined trip numbers for restricted versus non-restricted non-metropolitan regions were significantly cross-correlated (0.48, p=0.03). Conclusions: Restrictions aimed at reducing alcohol-related harms in regional WA do not appear to have negatively affected tourism. Implications for Public Health: Evidence-informed policies that reduce community-wide alcohol availability are critical to addressing risks to public health and safety. Objection to restrictions on the basis of negative tourism effects may be misguided and counter-productive to sustainable tourism growth.