Visitor numbers spike in Katherine with info centre breaking records

KATHERINE Visitor Information Centre has recorded its highest financial year of sales in six years

Visitors to Southern Rockhole at Katherine Gorge. Picture: Keri Megelus

KATHERINE Visitor Information Centre has recorded its highest financial year of sales in six years.

In the 2018-19 financial year, it raked in whopping $1.3 million in sales – nearly double the $797,610 it earned in 2013-14.

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In a new report presented to Katherine Council, the centre said it made $542,805 in sales in April, May and June this year.

It’s a sharp increase on the mere $32,364 it earned in January, February and March this year.

Katherine MLA Sandra Nelson wasn’t surprised by the figures, especially considering the crowds Katherine Show drew every year.

“There has been an increase in visitors coming to Katherine and staying for a while,” she said.

“I think that a lot of people are branching out and starting to realise that there is a lot more in the Territory than Darwin and Litchfield and Kakadu.

“We’re seeing a lot more tourist buses coming down for the day which is great.”

MLA Sandra Nelson says she’s keen to see more visitors to Katherine in the Wet

However, Ms Nelson said she’d like to see more tourists braving the wild weather and visiting Katherine in the Wet.

“The weather is miserable lets be honest, it’s stinking hot,” she said. “But they would miss out of the magic of the wet season — the storms, the sunsets.”

Ms Nelson said in the last three years, there had been a real “renaissance” in Katherine.

“It’s still relatively unknown compared to the other major iconic places in the NT,” she said. Katherine Visitor Information Centre said Nitmiluk Tours remained its biggest seller for the month of June 2019.

Not all the figures it the report were positive, though.

“Total sales for June 2019 were $271,725, a decrease of 8 per cent on June 2018,” it said.

“An average sale per visitor for June 2019 was $15.59, compared to last year’s average of $17.02 per visitor, a decrease of 8.4 per cent per visitor.”

The centre said it had made a number of improvements to help boost sales and customers satisfaction.

It put on new staff members during the tourist season, providing ongoing training, product updates and familiarisation with tour operators.

It also increased its online marketing — which saw a boost in drive to the website from 11,000 users in May to 12,000 in June.

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The centre made $1003 in online bookings in June 2019, with the average online sale $111.45. In May, Katherine Visitor Information Centre tourism officer Lachlan Rossiter told the NT News that while there were fewer visitors through the doors people were generally buying more.

“We’re getting a lot of cruises, accommodation bookings and scenic flights,” he said. “Less people are spending more money.”