Darwin hostels target new markets to reignite struggling industry

Managers of a Darwin hostel are travelling to Central and South America in a bid to entice more young people to the Northern Territory.

UK backpacker Jordan Lambe outside Chilli's Backpackers on Mitchell Street. Picture: GLENN CAMPBELL

• Darwin hotels feel pinch as occupancy rates fall

Managers of a Darwin hostel are travelling to Central and South America in a bid to entice more young people to the Northern Territory.

Nikki Moss and Deb Turner — the manager and marketing manager of adjoining CBD hostels Chilli’s and Youth Shack Backpackers — said Darwin’s youth tourist numbers were so low they would be travelling to tourist expos in Mexico, Colombia and Guatemala in coming weeks to rustle up interest in the NT from what they see as a key emerging youth tourism market.

“Latin American countries are almost up there with the Chinese for tourists coming into Darwin, so they’re an emerging market,” Ms Moss said.

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“We have to become diverse with what we’re doing to attract people here … because the backpacker market that Tourism NT focuses on — the usual Europeans — they’re not coming out in the droves they used to come out in.

“The feedback and the amount of bookings we have got from South American travel agents … as to how many people want to see us is huge — we’re so excited about it.”

The pair also identified Spain and the US as emerging markets for Australian backpacker tourism.

In recent weeks the once popular Melaleuca Backpackers Hostel, also on Mitchell St, closed its doors.

Ms Turner said declining backpacker numbers had affected both businesses, to the point where it had been a “race to the bottom” between their hostels and Melaleuca as to which one closed first.

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A Tourism Department spokesman said Tourism NT would continue to work in its traditional youth tourism markets while “monitoring demand from non-traditional markets”.

Chilli’s guest Jordan Lambe, who as a UK tourist represents Darwin’s traditional youth tourism market, said he had heard Darwin was a lively “party town” but had been surprised to find so few backpackers during his stay so far.

“I came here with the expectation that I’d meet groups of people who are heading in (my) direction, but so far it’s been kind of scarce,” he said,

“It just seems like people are here to do their farm work, and it doesn’t seem like many people are here to actually go out and enjoy themselves and see some sites.”