NT domestic tourism industry income halved as pandemic spurs longer holidays at home
TERRITORIANS are spending more time holidaying in their own back yards – but industry heads warn the NT’s population is too small to sustain the pandemic-battered sector for much longer.
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TERRITORIANS are spending more time holidaying in their own back yards – but industry heads warn the NT’s population is too small to sustain the pandemic-battered sector for much longer.
The coronavirus pandemic has halved the Territory’s domestic tourism market, wiping an estimated $1.1bn from the industry, according to new Tourism Research Australia data released yesterday.
In the year ending September 2020, Aussie tourists spent $1bn travelling the Territory, a decrease on the $2.1bn spent during the same period in 2019.
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In a heartening sign for the sector, Territorians didn’t slow down during the pandemic, with the number of nights spent exploring the NT increasing 18 per cent in the year ending September 2020 compared to the same period the year before.
However, Central Australia Tourism chairman Patrick Bedford said unlike WA and South Australia, the NT didn’t have a population large enough to solely sustain the local tourism sector.
Mr Bedford said the “reactive” border control measures by jurisdictions like Queensland and Victoria meant travellers had “no confidence” in the domestic market to book in advance.
“(This means) there’s a short lead book-in time with businesses who then don’t have any confidence about whether or not to open in the coming season,” he said.
“Most tourism operators in Central Australia are not open, or the ones that are open are operating at 5 per cent of capacity.”
Mr Bedford also called for the extension of JobKeeper and “restart packages” to help tourism businesses reopen after being forced to go into “hibernation”.
Acting Tourism Minister Eva Lawler, acknowledging border restrictions had driven interstate travel declines, attributed the increase in intra-Territory holiday travel to the government’s tourism voucher scheme.
The third and final round of the scheme, designed to incentivise Territorians to explore their own back yard by providing them with up to $200 in cash to holiday at home, will be launched on February 1.
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The government also launched a $5m national campaign in June to incentivise interstate holiday makers by chopping up to $1000 off holiday bookings.
Results of the campaign won’t be known until data for December 2020 and March 2021 quarters is released, Ms Lawler said.
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