Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

Tourism action plan to boost Alice Springs

Northern Territory Minister for Tourism and Chief Minister, Clare Martin, has released an action plan to boost tourism in the Alice Springs region. According to the National Visitor Survey, there was a 39 per cent growth in interstate holiday visitors to Northern Territory last financial year.

The action plan, Taking the Next Steps, will move tourism ahead in Alice Springs. Taking the Next Steps is a practical blueprint that follows on from a $1.2 million Destination Alice Springs campaign. This reached more than 11 million Australians between March and May this year.

“Taking the Next Steps sets out ways in which the local community and business operators can capitalise on the strengths of the area and grow the town as a tourism destination,” Clare Martin said. “Alice Springs is a special place and we need to take advantage of its unique assets like the desert environment and landscape, Indigenous art and craft and outback lifestyle.

“These unique features have been identified in the action plan and they will be used to develop new products and enhance existing products that will make the Alice Springs region stand out in a highly competitive market.”

Some of the actions identified in the plan include:

• World Heritage listing for the MacDonnell Ranges
• improving service delivery through a hospitality service and training audit
• opening the mall mid week, supported by markets and music
• an Indigenous tourism product development strategy
• an accredited Desert Guides network for Central Australia
• the need for an interpretation centre to introduce visitors to the region.

The action plan is the result of a consultative process with local stakeholders as part of the Strengthening the Position of Alice Springs as a tourism destination project.

Alice Springs Council were involved in the entire planning process. Council made decisions concerning facilities and infrastructure, such as what times shops should be open and how public toilets should be managed. This has ensured that once the plan was in place, Council and the community could take ownership of it.

Undertaken by consultants, Sustainable Tourism Services, the project is a joint initiative between the Northern Territory Tourist Commission and the Central Australian Tourism Industry Association.

The full report is available on the Northern Territory Tourism Commission Corporate web site at www.nttc.com.au

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