AAP FactCheck Investigation: Has there been a significant and sustained downturn in the amount international tourists are spending in WA while other states are thriving on the tourist dollar?
The Statement
"It has been a significant, unusual and sustained loss and it's also been unique to Western Australia. The rest of Australia has been doing very well."
WA Tourism Council chief executive Evan Hall. June 21, 2019.
The Verdict
Somewhat False - Mostly false, but there is more than one element of truth.
The Analysis
WA Tourism Council chief executive Evan Hall claimed the latest tourism data should be ringing alarm bells because the state had lost significant revenue over the past few years. He said the number of nights tourists were staying was down and they were staying for shorter periods. [1]
AAP FactCheck examined Mr Hall’s claim there has been a “significant, unusual and sustained loss” of revenue from foreign tourists and this was “unique to Western Australia” while the rest of Australia had been “doing very well”.
Mr Hall told AAP FactCheck that his claim referred to international visitor expenditure in WA between March 2017 and March 2019. He stated WA’s decline was “unique” as it was the only state to experience a revenue fall across each survey during this period.
Data from Austrade’s website Australian Tourism Research (ATR) shows international tourist spending in WA fell $300 million or 12 per cent from 2017 to 2019. The data shows international tourists spent $2.2 billion in WA for the year ending March 2019, down slightly from $2.26 billion in March 2018 and $2.5 billion for the year ending March 2017. [2] [3]
Regarding Mr Hall’s claim that WA’s decline was unique, AAP FactCheck found over the same period international tourism spending also fell in South Australia. For the year ending March 2019 $1.08 billion was spent in SA, down from $1.16 billion in March 2018 and $1.1 billion in March 2017 - a fall of $80 million from 2018-19 or almost seven per cent. Tasmania also experienced a fall of $69 million or just over 12 per cent between March 2019 ($490 million) and March 2018 ($559 million). [2] [3]
The ATR data shows WA was ranked fourth nationally for international tourism revenue for the year ending March 2019. WA trailed NSW ($11.1 billion), Victoria ($8.5 billion) and Queensland ($5.9 billion) but was ahead of South Australia ($1.08 billion), ACT ($603 million), Tasmania ($490 million) and the Northern Territory ($473 million). [2]
Based on this data AAP FactCheck found Mr Hall was correct in claiming WA had suffered a "sustained" decline in international tourism spending between March 2017 and March 2019. However, his claim that it was “unique to Western Australia” is not true as other states have also suffered revenue falls in this category.
The Verdict
Somewhat False - Mostly false, but there is more than one element of truth.
The References
1: ‘Triponomics’: WA’s tourism industry should be our pride and joy, so why are experts worried?’, by Nathan Hondros. The Sydney Morning Herald. June 21, 2019: https://www.smh.com.au/politics/western-australia/triponomics-wa-s-tourism-industry-should-be-our-pride-and-joy-so-why-are-experts-worried-20190620-p51zoy.html
2: ‘International Visitor Survey - Charts. Year ended March 2019’. Tourism Research Australia. Austrade. Australian Government: https://www.tra.gov.au/charts/ivs
3:’Data and research’. International Visitors in Australia Year Ending March 2017'.Tourism Research Australia. Austrade. Australian Government: https://www.tra.gov.au/data-and-research
* AAP FactCheck is accredited by the Poynter Institute's International Fact-Checking Network, which promotes best practice through a stringent and transparent Code of Principles. https://factcheck.aap.com.au/
