Kakadu’s dry season bookings boom turns into ‘bust’ due to Melbourne hot spot restrictions

Tourism operators in Kakadu say bookings have gone completely ‘bust’ for the next two weeks due to a wave of cancellations after Melbourne’s Covid-19 outbreak.

• NT’s travel restrictions for Melbourne may remain for another fortnight, says chief health officer Hugh Heggie
• ‘Their confidence is shot’: NT hotels devastated as Covid border closures force mass cancellations

TOURISM operators in Kakadu say bookings have gone completely ‘bust’ for the next two weeks due to a wave of cancellations after Melbourne’s Covid-19 outbreak.

Kakadu Tourism spokesman Peter Hook said Crocodile Hotel and Cooinda Lodge had been fully booked throughout June before the NT placed restrictions on Melbourne travellers three weeks ago.

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The NT’s hot spot declaration saw Cooinda Lodge stripped of $20,000 in bookings within 24 hours.

“There was a heavy loss of group and individual bookings, and while the NT government may re-open the borders to Melbourne visitors in the next week, the uncertainty surrounding the situation has meant that most bookings up to July 1 have been cancelled,” he said.

In the grounds of Cooinda Lodge and camping ground, there are 20 permanent up-market outback retreat tents are nestled beneath a leafy canopy.

“Victoria’s loss, though, is the Territorians’ gain, as Kakadu Tourism was previously advising visitors that we had limited or even no accommodation at both The Croc and Cooinda until September. Currently, there is a two-week window for Territorians to get Kakadu bookings, but after July 1 there are just a scattering of bookings available during the dry season.”

Hospitality NT boss Alex Bruce said hotels across the Top End had reported cancellations due to the ongoing Covid situation in Victoria.

“Large hotels are saying; unfortunately, there’s been lots of cancellations, and not all have been replaced,” he said.