One of the Territory’s biggest ever years set to turn NT into the place to be this Dry Season
The Northern Territory has an opportunity to establish itself as a global powerhouse for major events this dry season, according to the CEO of NT Major Events Tim Watsford.
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THE Northern Territory has an opportunity to establish itself as a global powerhouse for major events this dry season.
NT Major Events chief executive Tim Watsford told the NT News today he wanted to make the Territory’s events the best in the country.
“What the board is living and breathing at the moment is we want to be the best and we’ve got a light of opportunity,” Mr Watsford said.
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“Yes, COVID provided that opportunity … we need to capitalise on it and we will through putting on some great events but also the experience piece, making sure people really enjoy themselves.”
With events like the BassintheGrass, NRL and AFL blockbusters, Barunga and Garma festivals there will be something to reel in all sorts of southerners to the Top End and hopefully keep them coming back.
Mr Watsford said the Territory had a great opportunity with international borders predominantly closed for the next couple of year.
“This is a couple of years, while international borders are closed, that we can actively promote what we have on our doorstep and we should be doing that,” he said.
“We want as many people being advocates for the Territory so when they go back home to their miserable cold lives in Melbourne after BassintheGrass as an example, they can say ‘that was pretty special’ or ‘hey, I’m booking a ticket for Supercars next month’.”
While there is pressure for NT’s major events to succeed, there is already evidence it will be a big year.
“There’s pressure in this industry full time, we operate in risk whether that be through reputational risk, through people enjoying themselves or operational risk through the infrastructure we put together on events,” Mr Watsford said.
“(Ticketing) is tangible, so we can see there’s 14,000 people, 9000 are coming from interstate for Bass – we know they’re coming.
“They’re booking now and we’re seeing results now through tickets as well as hotels.”
With a full-on calendar complete with events across the Territory on every weekend across the dry season, Mr Watsford is confident he has landed on a winning formula and already has his sights set on the next challenge.
“I’m quite confident we’ll be up there with the other states, obviously it’s hard to compete with how big they are but we’ll be nipping there for quite some time, doing things and doing them really well,” he said.
“Where we want to focus on now is generating our low season or wet season portfolio ... we need to really advocate and produce content on a regular basis.
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“Whether that be arts and culture, sport, whatever that might be to bring people to the Top End and central desert over that Christmas period is the next stop for us from a strategic sense.”
Mr Watsford said the stage was set and the pieces were already in place for what he hoped would be one of the biggest dry season’s ever.
“I personally want to make events in the Territory hum … we want to be the best,” he said. “We will succeed, I’ve got no doubt there’ll be nothing short of A+ this year based on who we’ve got working behind the scenes.”
NT’s MAJOR Events
NRL: Eels vs Broncos – April 23
BassintheGrass – May 15
AFL: Suns vs Hawks – May 29 (TBD)
AFL: Dees vs Lions – June 5 (TBD)
Barunga Festival – June 11–13
Darwin Supercars – June 18-20
Territory Day – July 1
Darwin Cup Carnival – July 3-August 2
Garma Festival – July 30 – August 1
Darwin Festival – August 5-22
Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair – August 6-8
Red CentreNats – September 3-5
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