NT Tourism promoting school excusion trips to Central Australia

Forget that boring trip to Canberra - the other Territory is encouraging schools to take their kids out to the Red Centre. Find out how.

Tourism leaders are encouraging schools to look to the other Territory when booking their excursions, hoping to make Uluru as popular as Aussie kids’ trip to Canberra.

Northern Territory Learning Adventures has promoted the Red Centre to teachers and education travel agents from Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria in a bid to boost tourist numbers.

Kym Powell, left, Louisa Davis, Erin Welgus, Sophia Clements, Heidi Turton, Kelli Gray, Brooke Gregory, David Gahan, Natasha Craig and Stuart McLeod with Mal Ellwood, front, on the The Northern Territory Learning Adventures familiarisation tour at Uluru.

Ten teachers and travel agents recently took part in a familiarisation tour, which included watching the sunrise at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, a Maruku Arts Dot Painting Workshop at Uluru, Walpa Gorge Walk, Sounds of Silence dining experience, Field of Light exhibition and an Uluru Camel Tour.

The most recent tourism expenditure figures found the average school trip to the Territory spent $99,470 over nine days in 2021-22.

Tourism Minister Nicole Manison said school visits were a crucial part of the tourism sector.

“Tours like this keep the NT front of mind for school excursions, growing the education tourism sector in the Territory,” Ms Manison said.

She said funding was available incentivise interstate school groups to book a Territory trip through the Save and Learn Program.

Ms Manison said 47 schools had already applied for the 2022-23 program.

Visitors interact with one of the art installations at Parrtjima.Parrtjima takes place in Alice Springs with light installations from a number aboriginal artists set against the majestic MacDonnell Ranges.

It comes as the government also releases a new Australia-wide tourism campaign promoting Aboriginal tourism.

The ‘Culture is closer than you think’ celebrates the Territory’s rich and diverse Aboriginal cultural experiences in art, food, artefacts, dance, music and storylines.

Venture into Arnhem Land and be immersed in Aboriginal culture on Venture North's 4 Day Arnhem Land and Cobourg Peninsula Tour.Guided by Venture North's first class NT guides guests travel in luxury four wheel drives and experience some of the best Aboriginal culture, scenic locations and wildlife the Top End has to offer. See more than just Kakadu. Discover Arnhem Land where you meet local Aboriginal people and see some of the oldest and most spectacular rock art in the world.

Aboriginal Tourism Committee chair Paul Ah Chee Ngala said the NT’s Aboriginal Tourism Strategy found that 80 per cent of visitors wanted an Aboriginal tourism experience.

Mr Ah Chee said the campaign would promote over 150 Territory tourism products and experiences.

“(It’s) continuing to develop a sustainable and prosperous Aboriginal tourism sector across the NT, and one that is at the forefront of Aboriginal tourism in Australia,” he said.

Ms Manison said domestic Aboriginal tourism generates $218m for the NT economy.