More tourists coming to the Northern Territory

THE lure of the Territory’s great outdoors is back on the holiday planner for Aussie travellers

Nicolai Bojlesen, 38, from Denmark takes photos of the wildlife at Fogg Dam. He has visited the Northern Territory six times and prefers visiting rural areas as it is easier to meet local people. PICTURE: Elise Derwin

THE lure of the Territory’s great outdoors is back on the holiday planner for Aussie travellers.

Statistics from Tourism Research Australia show in the year to September domestic visitor nights in regional parts of the country grew almost five per cent, compared with 1.7 per cent growth in capital cities. The Territory has outstripped the nation by a country mile.

Growth in domestic visitors to the Northern Territory boomed 17.5 per cent, in contrast to a 3.3 per cent increase in Darwin.

The weaker dollar making overseas travel less attractive, cheaper petrol prices, better campaigns and a desire to escape holiday crowds is driving the regional rush.

Tourism Accommodation Australia chief executive Carol Giuseppi said it was a “good result” for regional areas which still struggled with poor dispersal of international visitors.

Nicolai Bojlesen, 38, from Denmark can’t get enough of the Territory’s bush and says he is not surprised the NT is so popular with Aussies.

He has visited the Territory six times and this time around plans to spend seven weeks in the Top End.

Nicolai loves taking photos of nature in particular birds or prey — kites, eagles and owls.

He has been here in the Dry but says the Wet season is his favourite season with the storms, heat and humidity.

“I have visited places like Katherine, Edith Falls, Dundee, Kakadu,” he said.

“I love places like Sydney but I prefer to travel to bush destinations like the Northern Territory as it is easier to meet local people and it is free from too many tourists and the threat of terrorists.

He said that if he could live in the NT, he would.

“I feel at home. At first the heat was unbearable but now I love it and can’t stand returning to Denmark to the snow.”

Uluru continues to be the most popular drive destination for Australians with Alice Springs also benefiting. Katherine had healthy growth in domestic Aussie visitor numbers while Kakadu/Arnhem suffered a fall.

The average length of stay in both Central Australia and the Top End was 5 nights.