Tourism cash splash vital for NT industry

THE federal government’s budget cash splash on regional tourism could not come at a better time. It will announce a $250-million package on World Tourism Day.

The Territory’s tourism industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic and tourist numbers have been decimated. There is no international tourist market and we are going to have to compete for homegrown tourists in a market where we have precious little spending power.

The industry needs every piece of help the federal and Territory governments can muster.

The next round of the Territory government’s popular holiday vouchers for Territorians will launch in November and the third and final round will launch in February 2021.

The federal budget cash will help further by attracting more Australians to the Territory until international borders reopen. The budget cash will be critical for the Alice, which is one of nine tourism regions heavily reliant on international tourists that will share $50 million to spend on marketing and festivals to entice Australians to holiday at home.

With international borders to remain closed for the rest of the year, the Alice Springs region — which normally attracts around 265,000 international tourists who spend more than $240 million — will be able to use the money to lure domestic visitors. The extra cash will support about 2000 NT jobs.

Now if our tourism industry has a Christmas wish, it would be for all Territorians to get their friends and relatives to holiday in the NT. Do your best to make it happen.