Intro
Western Australia’s Night-Time Economy includes the activities, services and industries that operate between 6pm and 6am.
It extends beyond the bars, clubs and restaurants traditionally associated with nightlife, encompassing hospitality, live music and entertainment, cultural and sporting events, festivals, tourism experiences, and the essential services and workers that support our communities after dark.
In 2024-25, WA's night-time economy employed over 140,000 people and generated $23 billion in sales turnover.1
The Western Australia Night-Time Economy Strategy provides a statewide, whole-of-government framework to guide how night-time activity is supported, enabled and coordinated.
It recognises that night-time economies are shaped locally, but benefit from clear State level direction, consistent settings and coordinated investment.
This Strategy brings together policy, reform and delivery across government to support sustainable night-time activity that works for residents, businesses and visitors.
Significant reform and investment are already helping to strengthen conditions for night-time activity across WA. The Strategy aims to build on what is already being delivered by aligning and strengthening outcomes.
The Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport acknowledges the input of WA Government agencies and industry stakeholders in developing this Strategy. This has helped to shape its overarching vision, outcomes and strategic direction.
Through the next phase of partnership and consultation, the WA Government will work with all levels of government and with industry and sectors more broadly to develop the Strategy’s detailed action plan. The action plan will build on the foundational actions and will be tailored to respond to the local context.
WA’s Night-Time Economy Strategy aims to support active, well managed, safe and sustainable night-time environments throughout the State, contributing to economic diversification, improved access to after-dark experiences, and better outcomes for communities and visitors.
1 Night-time economy data refers to food, drink, leisure and entertainment businesses (Source: Edwards, A., and License, A. (2026). Measuring the Australian Night-Time Economy 2026. Ingenium Research Pty Ltd | Council of Capital City Lord Mayors. Available at: https://ingeniumresearch.com.au/nte-2026/).