Leading operator says fluctuating border restrictions will mean the ruin of the NT tourism market
A LEADING tourism operator says consistency across Australia’s border restrictions is key to keeping the NT tourism industry afloat this year
Northern Territory
Don't miss out on the headlines from Northern Territory. Followed categories will be added to My News.
CONSISTENCY across Australia’s border restrictions is key to keeping the NT tourism industry afloat this year, according to a leading Territory tourism operator.
AAT Kings Group CEO Matt Fuller said surviving solely on intrastate business was not ideal.
Mr Fuller said tourism partners, particularly in regional and remote areas of the NT, were under “enormous duress”.
“We’re really concerned that if things stay the way they are, that is just relying on their own backyard, that many of the smaller operators won’t come out at the other end of it. They are critical to the overall delivery of products in the destination.”
MORE CENTRALIAN NEWS
VIDEO: Allegedly stolen truck rolls over in the middle of Alice Springs street
Girl, 10, in ICU after being bitten on both feet by King Brown snake that slithered into her bed
Temperatures forecast to drop 10C, rain and storms on the way for Central Desert
Mr Fuller’s comments come after recent Tourism Research Australia data showed the coronavirus pandemic had halved the Territory’s domestic tourism market, wiping an estimated $1.1bn from the industry.
In the year ending September 2020, Aussie tourists spent $1bn travelling around the Territory, a decrease on the $2.1bn spent during the same period in 2019.
Mr Fuller said AAT Kings had been part of a call this week for further government support, proportionate to the impact within the tourism industry.
“If we are to survive on domestic business alone, there absolutely needs to be greater consistency about how you maintain open borders,” he said.
“Because the domestic market, given confidence, will absolutely help fill that void. They may not fill all of that void, but I think the demand will be greater than what it would be in any normal year.
“When there is a bit of confidence in the borders maintaining for a period of a few months, we certainly see the demand in forward bookings for later in this year.
“But that’s heavily impacted when you have decisions like we’ve had in the last month around the different clusters, and then borders being used in the first line of defence.”
$1 FOR ALL YOUR NEWS? HERE’S HOW: Sign up now to our amazing deal of $1 for 28 days
Mr Fuller said, pending open borders, he felt optimistic about what the domestic market would offer, and NT Tourism and NT Health had been very supportive.
“I think the harsh reality is none of us really know, and we have to wait to see. We maintain a healthy optimism around vaccines and the impact that they will have.”
He said another challenge for the Territory was no access to “source markets that are the major metropolitan centres”.
Home owner recounts frightening fire reality as danger period declared
A fire danger period has been declared in the wake of a 4500 sq km bushfire burning in the Barkly region, with one homeowner describing the ‘intense’ blaze that came within metres of his home.
‘Get the damn thing built’: Gov ‘committed’ to $149m gallery despite opposition
Calls to cut federal funding to a proposed Red Centre art gallery have been handballed between federal politicians – ending back in the hands of the NT government, that wants to ‘get the damn thing built’.