Victorian visitor numbers rise as more than 200,000 come to the NT in 2019-20 financial year

VICTORIAN visitor numbers to the NT increased by 7 per cent, despite the onset of COVID-19 last financial year, with 207,000 travellers spending $286m.

• Chief Minister flags the NT could reopen borders to Melbourne residents soon
• The NT surpasses Victoria’s number of active COVID-19 cases

VICTORIAN visitor numbers to the NT increased by 7 per cent, despite the onset of COVID-19 last financial year, with 207,000 travellers spending $286m.

Tourism NT deputy chief executive Andrew Hopper told the NT News that Victoria had become one of the NT’s largest interstate holiday source markets in the year ending June.

The growth in their visitors occurred primarily during 2019, before COVID-19.

Tourism NT deputy chief executive Andrew Hopper.

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Mr Hopper said Tourism NT was currently targeting Victorian visitor markets and would focus on Melbourne once the city’s hot spot status had been revoked.

“(We have) a summer long partnership with Australian shopfront retailers, including Holiday of Australia, Helloworld Travel, Viva Holidays and Flight Centre,” he said.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the NT was “pretty close” to finally making a decision to reopen its border to Melbourne.

The city recorded no new COVID-19 cases for the 12th straight day yesterday.

The latest arrivals show more than 6300 Victorians have come to the Territory since the borders opened on July 17.

Mr Hopper said he was still expecting the NT to get fewer visitors than usual from Victoria when Melburnians were finally allowed to travel again.

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“(It’s) due to a number of factors, including a reduction in corporate travel and low consumer confidence, reduced air connectivity compared to previous years, and the likelihood that Melburnians will be inclined to prioritise visiting friends and relatives in their initial trips,” he said.

“The competitive nature of the domestic travel market with all states and territories targeting Victorian travellers over the next 12 months will also be a challenge.”