Research finds restrictions aimed at reducing alcohol-related harms do not appear to have negatively affected tourism.
Are alcohol restrictions bad for tourism? An exploratory study of tourism trends in Western Australia
September 2025
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Symons, M, Gilmore, W, Henrickson, N and Chikritzhs, T. Are alcohol restrictions bad for tourism? An exploratory study of tourism trends in Western Australia. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health (2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anzjph.2025.100256
Potential negative impacts of alcohol policy on tourism is a controversial issue, particularly for regional Australia. This study examined visitor numbers to understand tourism activity in the context of Section 64 area-wide alcohol restrictions implementation in Western Australia.
It found that restrictions aimed at reducing alcohol-related harms in regional WA do not appear to have negatively affected tourism, reinforcing that 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.
Click here to read the full paper or read the media release here.
