8000 people still waiting to get their hands on a $200 tourism voucher

MORE than 14,000 of the Territory’s highly popular tourism voucher scheme have been spent so far, with thousands of people on the waiting list still hoping to get one

MORE than 14,000 of the Territory’s highly popular tourism voucher scheme have been spent so far, with close to 8000 people on the waiting list still hoping to get their hands on one.

Tourism Minister Natasha Fyles said yesterday they were confident the 8000 people still on the round two waitlist would receive a voucher.

Tourism NT deputy chairman Andrew Hopper said the vouchers had provided a lifeline for many tourism operators during the wet season.

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00seven Jet Ski Adventures director Darren Lynch said the tourism vouchers were making up about 30 per cent of their bookings at the moment.

“It’s allowed us to continue operating right through the wet season and we’ve been able to employ another six people,” he said.

Mr Hopper said the Northern Territory was in a prime position to appeal more to domestic markets, with no definitive date yet set on when Australia’s borders will open to international travellers.

“Typically 80 per cent of our visitors are domestic visitors, so the Territory is already well versed in what those domestic visitors are looking for.”

Terrina Fernando enjoying 00seven jet ski tour in Darwin Harbour. Picture: Natasha Emeck

It comes after Tourism NT released its Regional Destination Management Plans yesterday for the regional tourism areas including the Big Rivers, Barkly, Alice Springs, and MacDonnell Ranges.

Mr Hopper said the plans outlined opportunities for potential investments in the regions over the next 10 years.

The plans show the government looking for opportunities for the Mutitjulu to establish a campground/camping within their lease at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

They are also looking into developing a hub for “world-class adventure experiences” at the MacDonnell Ranges.

The plans also highlight opportunities to bring in night time experiences at Nitmiluk National Park and develop multi-day high-end walking options for the Jatbula Trail.

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Mr Hopper said some facets of the regional plans had been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I mean, ideally we would be building flight capacity in the Northern Territory but obviously what we’re doing right now is trying to re-establish the capacities we had,” he said.

“So certainly we’ve changed our focuses in some areas, but in the main the 2030 strategy still holds.

“We need to do product development work; Aboriginal tourism is such a critical part of the Northern Territory.”