Katherine experiences weekend tourism rush with accommodation almost entirely booked out

ONE Top End town’s tourism industry has just experienced one of its busiest weekends of the year so far, with accommodation close to fully booked out on Saturday and Sunday.

THE Katherine tourism industry has just experienced one of its busiest weekends of the year so far, with accommodation in town close to fully booked on Saturday and Sunday.

Katherine Visitor Information Centre manager Annika Berendes said all accommodation except for some camp sites had been booked out at the weekend.

Ms Berendes said it had been a particularly busy weekend for tourism in the town due to major events including the BMX NT Titles, Motocross NT Titles and the final round of the Katherine Speedway coinciding with the school holidays and rising numbers of interstate travellers.

She also said Territorians keen to use their NT government tourism vouchers had been providing a welcome boost to the economy in Katherine.

A tourist enjoying a helicopter flight over Nitmiluk National Park with North Australian Helicopters. Picture: Katherine Visitor Information Centre

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“Since the first rollout (of) tourism vouchers, Katherine has experienced a significant increase in visitors,” Ms Berendes said.

“We are also seeing an influx of interstate ‘grey nomad’ travellers from South Australia and Queensland since the border reopened in July.

“The overall visitor numbers have decreased compared to the usual dry season numbers, however thanks to the NT tourism vouchers the visitor spend has increased by 38.97 per cent.”

Knotts Crossing Resort site manager Muhammed Afghar said the hotel had been “completely booked out” at the weekend.

A tourist at Katherine Hot Springs. Picture: Katherine Visitor Information Centre

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“There were literally no accommodation options in the entire town, because we checked different places around the town for a few of our regular guests who wanted to visit,” he said. “It gives a good boost to the tourism industry here which has been really badly effected by COVID.”