A $16m drone light show to cash in on the European, US tourist dollar

Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia hopes the ambitious $16m light and sound show involving more than 1000 drones will draw European and US tourists back.

Wintjiri Wiru is a light and sound show at Ayers Rock Resort.

Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia is pinning its hopes on increasing its cashed-up European and American tourism arrivals via a $16m light and sound show involving more than 1000 drones illuminating the night sky around Ayers Rock Resort.

Voyages chief executive Matt Cameron-Smith says the Wintjiri Wiru show was the most expensive single investment in Indigenous tourism for the sector, which is still recuperating after the pandemic.

“We are still a business in recovery,” Mr Cameron-Smith, said, adding that coming out of summer, occupancies across Voyages’ five hotels around Uluru plus its caravan and camping grounds were quite strong. All up, the Indigenous-owned ­resort controls more than 900 accommodation rooms around Uluru.

Mr Cameron-Smith said the international tourism market usually drove business from October through to March which he believed would still be led by tourists from the UK, European and US markets.

Voyages chief executive Matt Cameron-Smith.

He said domestic travellers drove the school holiday market, which was strong, and April and May forward bookings were good.

Wintjiri Wiru was the largest ongoing drone show in the world and had taken three years to develop, Mr Cameron-Smith said.

“We are seeing stronger numbers coming through continental Europe and we are looking forward to welcoming the Japanese back,” he said. “We think the demand is there … there’s been a consolidation of flights across the nation.”

Qantas is flying direct Sydney to Uluru flights, while Jetstar flies Melbourne to Uluru routes. Virgin Australia has not returned to Uluru services as yet, but Mr Cameron-Smith said he was in regular dialogue with all three airlines about increasing flights to Uluru.

“We are confident we will get (flights) restored,” he said.

The Wintjiri Wiru sound and light show runs every night from March until December, costing from $190 to $385 per person. Visitors view the show on a sustainably built platform atop a desert dune, with views of Uluru and Kata Tjuta on the horizon.

Meanwhile, Voyages Indigenous Tourism has just reopened the 125-room Outback Hotel and Lodge at Ayers Rock Resort following a multimillion-dollar refurbishment. The rejig of the hotel, the first in 20 years, enhanced the guest rooms and included a major upgrade to the swimming pool and public areas.

Mr Cameron-Smith said the Field of Lights experience at Uluru was still running.

It is described as a spectacular coloured light display in the desert, and is still as popular as it was five years ago, when it was first introduced.

The Discovery Resort Group-owned Kings Canyon Resort is about to introduce a Light Towers sound and light installation experience by Bruce Munro at Kings Canyon, about three hours drive from Uluru.

Originally published as A $16m drone light show to cash in on the European, US tourist dollar