The NT’s tourism sector has revealed it is ‘feeling the impact’ of WA and Tasmania’s border closures

THE Territory’s tourism sector says it is “feeling the impact” of major states keeping their borders closed

THE NT’S tourism sector is “feeling the impact” of states such as Western Australia keeping their borders closed, as Premier Mark McGowan today planned easing of COVID-19 restrictions in the state would be pushed back by another two months.

Tasmania’s Premier Peter Gutwein also announced today the state’s borders will remain closed until at least December.

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WA was tentatively set to enter ‘Stage 5’ of COVID-19 restrictions easing at the end of this month but that is now not set to happen until late October because of the coronavirus outbreak in Victoria.

“This will enable our community and our businesses to understand and prepare for border relaxations, and to ensure appropriate planning and risk mitigation processes are in place,” Mr McGowan said.

Tourism Top End general manager Glen Hingley said although Tasmania and WA were not primary markets for NT tourism, tourism operators were still feeling the negative impacts.

“It creates obvious challenges for us in relation to the Savannah Way which is a classic and highly sought after drive route from Cairns, through the Top End to Broome,” Mr Hingley said.

“From a tourism perspective, certainty a drive market, while the NT borders are open to some places, we definitely feel the impact of that.”

Hard border controls in place in Western Australia means no one can enter the state unless they are an exempt traveller and border controls in Tasmania require all non-exempt travellers to quarantine for 14 days.

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Mr Hingley said Tourism NT would continue its “soft marketing” of the NT to interstate markets in the hope that “the Top End and NT stays on their to-do list when the health advice allows them to do so”.

NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner said he supported the decision of the other states to keep their borders closed.

“They have to do what they think is right for them. I don’t get told what to do by them and I won’t tell them what to do,” he said.

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