Alice Springs accommodation numbers significantly down for Finke weekend

Alice Springs hotels still have available rooms for this weekend’s Finke Desert Race, a far cry from years when accomodation was booked out months in advance.

Accommodation numbers in Alice Springs for the week of Finke Desert Race are significantly down, as tourism operators continue to report a slow start to the season.

Tourism Central Australia chief executive Danial Rochford said there was still availability at most of the major bigger hotels in Alice Springs for this weekend, which was “very unusual” for the Finke Desert Race weekend.

The weekend is widely known as one of the busiest in Alice Springs, with spectators and competitors descending on the town from the start of the week.

“Last year we had to put people in the Scout’s hall because it (accomodation) sold out,” Mr Rochford said.

Tourism Central Australia chief executive Danial Rochford said there was “no doubt” tourism operators were hurting, with some operators reporting numbers down 57 per cent on previous years.

He did note town was still “busy”, with some accommodation providers full.

However, he said there was “no doubt” tourism numbers were down this season, with one tourism operator reporting numbers down 57 per cent on previous years.

“We still have a lot of operators hurting,” he said.

“There’s no doubt we are tracking south.”

Organisers of Finke Desert Race have previously said they are expecting up to 12,000 spectators at the race this weekend.

Alice Springs local and bike race record holder David Walsh said he had noticed hesitation around people coming to Alice Springs.

Finke Desert Race organisers previously said they expected up to 12,000 people to view the race. Pictured: Spectators rise early in the morning to catch the first cars during prologue in 2017.

“I do think there’s been a hindrance in people coming to Alice Springs as a result of the troubles we’re having,” Mr Walsh said.

“But there seems to be a lot of people here still, which is good to see and hopefully more people keep showing up.”

It comes after tourism operators earlier reported a slow start to the season, with Alice Springs Reptile Centre owner Rex Neindorf describing it as the quietest start to the tourism season he’d seen since 2000.

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro, who attended the Tourism Central Australia general quarterly meeting on Wednesday evening, said operators had seen a huge drop in visitation to the region.

“People here aren’t feeling that tourists feel safe enough to come, that’s creating a huge problem for the industry who are struggling to come back after Covid-19,” she said.

“We know that the impacts of crime are having a devastating impact on our economy, but the Labor government doesn’t seem to understand the link between crime and economic outcome.”

Namatjira MLA Bill Yan and CLP Leader Lia Finocchiaro said there was no doubt the significant downturn was due to the impact of crime. Picture: Laura Hooper.

She said interim alcohol restrictions were not explicitly preventing people coming to the Territory, but were impacting tourists experience once they arrived.

“Tourists aren’t familiar with the unique and haphazard alcohol approach this government has, so it is causing problems for tourists once they’re on the ground,” she said.

Namatjira MLA Bill Yan disputed a suggestion cost of living and inflation was behind the drop, with crime causing a downward trend in tourism numbers for “quite a while now”.

“I know talking to people from interstate, they’re not coming here because of the crime issues that we’re seeing in our community,” he said.

“They are choosing other destinations, sadly, rather than Central Australia.

“I have no doubt the increase in inflation and the cost of living and the price of airfares are having an effect, but that’s only recently, the crime issues have been going on for quite some time.”

Tourism Minister Nicole Manison disputed the claims, saying there were more people in Alice Springs hotels than a similar period last year.

Tourism Minister Nicole Manison said demand for Alice Springs hotels was 8.7 per cent higher for May 1 to June 3 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.

Finke Desert Race 2022 took place on the weekend of June 10 and June 11 2022, and will take place on the weekend of June 9 and June 10 2023.

“So there are more people in Alice Springs hotels than last year, however they are dispersed across a greater number of properties,” she said.

“However, with the rest of the world now open to explore and competing for tourists, government is investing heavily in attracting more people to the NT.

“Finke is an incredible Territory event and an important asset to our Central Australia economy generating $12 million for Alice Springs.”