Industry urges Territorians to redeem tourism vouchers, with more than half not yet used days out from expiry

TERRITORIANS are being urged to book their staycations with more than half of Tourism NT’s $200 vouchers yet to be committed.

Tourists at Ellery Creek Big Hole in Tjoritja/ West MacDonnell National Park, 161km west of Alice Springs. NT tourism industry figures say it is time for Territorians to step up and use their $200 vouchers. Picture: Tourism Central Australia

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TERRITORIANS are being urged to book their staycations with more than half of Tourism NT’s $200 vouchers yet to be committed.

Tourism Central Australia chief executive Danial Rochford said as of Monday about 16,000 vouchers in the Territory Tourism Voucher scheme had yet to be redeemed.

Mr Rochford asked Territorians to redeem their vouchers immediately, especially on tourism in Central Australia which was in dire need of assistance.

“The message is really clear, Central Australia needs your help,” he said.

“We’re facing our darkest hours as an industry in the Red Centre and I encourage all Territorians from the Top End to the south to get behind tourism in Central Australia.”

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The Territory Tourism Voucher scheme, worth $5.2 million, opened on July 1 at midnight with more than 26,000 vouchers allocated within nine hours.

They need to be redeemed by July 31.

Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce said local support for tourism and hospitality was critical given the growth of coronavirus hotspots.

“We’ve lost Melbourne, we’ve lost Sydney, we’re losing contents out of Brisbane and Adelaide,” he said.

“We are blown away by the support that we’ve got by locals and we really need them to be all they can be for us, and we’re very appreciative.”

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Chamber of Commerce NT chief executive Greg Ireland said locals needed to step up.

“The opportunity for visitation through our borders is reduced due to the hotspots around the country, so it’s becoming more critical to take up the good will of those vouchers and spend them on local businesses,” he said.