AYERS Rock Resort, which has seen from a large increase in UK visitors over the last 12 months, will have a strong presence at World Travel Market on the Northern Territory Tourist Commission’s stand.
The resort reports an 11.1% rise in the current number of Britons staying at the complex, to 18,000 during 1999, compared to the previous 12 months.
At the show it will be promoting special packages such as a ‘Sounds of the Millennium Evening’ package which costs from £190 per person and includes champagne and canapes followed by a three-course meal in a desert location in view of Ayers Rock. It will also be promoting its increased range of tours and excursions.
According to NTTC research, about 70% of international visitors want to see Aboriginal art and cultural sites, more than 45% go bush-walking and another 20% opt for overnight bush or safari tours.
Other popular activities include scenic flights, camel riding, museum tours and sporting activities, and the average stay in the territory is now nearly three nights.
NTTC manager Carolyn Brown said: “The Northern Territory has had an exceptionally good year and we have seen excellent growth in the number of visitors to the region.
“We have been extremely busy working on both trade shows and consumer activities, and we intend to build on the achievements of this year to maintain the number of visitors to the state.”
She added: “We are scheduling a full plan of activities for next year, all of which will be designed to maintain the Northern Territory’s profile as a must-see area of Australia. It is the home of the outback and the essence of adventure.”
New product and attractions being promoted at WTM include a safari camp experience on the edge of Kakadu National Park; rail services from Melbourne and Sydney to Alice Springs; two new national parks – Charles Darwin National Park and the Flora River Nature Park – and the Alice Springs Cultural Centre.
Other new developments include a spectacular bush-walking trail through the Western MacDonnell National Park, the opening of a passenger cruise terminal in Darwin, and a three-centre package combining Ayers Rock with Sydney and Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef.
In addition, special attention is also being given to the promotion of self-drive touring, particularly along the Stuart Highway between South Australia and the Northern Territory.