Rock, Alice: Widening the gap

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2630 tourism figures graph OKBy ERWIN CHLANDA
 
Data just released by  Tourism Research Australia shows the income gap between Alice Springs and Peterman – MacDonnell, which includes the Ayers Rock and Kings Canyon resorts, continues to widen (see graph).
 
Meanwhile Tourism Minister Lauren Moss is taking a more upbeat view about “Turbocharged results” Territory-wide.
 
She says in a media release the figures show for the 12 months to December 2018 that “domestic holiday visitors to the NT increased by 6.7% to 652,000 visitors, with expenditure also increasing by 35% to $832 million.
 
“New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland were the Territory’s strongest source markets for interstate holiday visitors.
 
“The combined (domestic and international) holiday visitors to the NT for the year ending December 2018 increased by 6.2% to 912,000 visitors who spent $1.2bn in the Territory, which is an increase of 23% on the previous year,” says Minister Moss.
 
We are inviting comment from Tourism Central Australia.
 
 
 

7 COMMENTS

  1. Alice Springs Tourism is reducing due to Indigenous law and order problems, expensive airfares and NO cultural centre.

  2. What happened in the year 2013 to 2014 to make the jump in Alice Springs tourist sepnding?
    It would make sense to look at what instigated the huge spike and learn from it.

  3. Will be interesting to see what happens once The Rock climb is closed.
    2013-14 spike due to debt recovery after financial crisis.
    I would love to see the data on international tourists that buy and drive their own camper / car, now vs 10 years ago. Also the correlation between this data and air travel into Alice.

  4. STOP relying on tourism and start planting trees and growing your own food.
    Stay lazy and you will lose your true freedom to foreign invasion.

  5. Don’t forget that fact that it’s SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper to fly directly to Uluru, compared to flying from literally anywhere to Alice Springs.

  6. Maybe a vision like making of of the world’s great train journeys even better by dealing with the owners of the Ghan railway and building a track to The Rock, make the Alice the centre again, and offer a four or five hour service to The Rock.
    The line could be expanded in future to be a cross continental journey to Perth following the Outback Way through The Centre.
    Fewer trucks means less road maintenance, and maybe more passengers across all services could reduce the costs.
    Even a historic train such as the Old Ghan or a replica to do the trip.
    With a car carrying ability, it could transform the self drive market and increase visitation to both places.
    Would love an express service to Darwin where you could unload and drive your own car, rather than expensive airfares then hiring a car.

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