DESTINATION NT

A new age is dawning for the Northern Territory’s tourism and events industry. The first step was creating a new Northern Territory Government department — Tourism and Hospitality. “It’s been a year of growth, change and innovation,” says the department’s chief executive, Suzana Bishop, who has extensive experience in sectors...

Current Issue

SENTOSA

Girls’ trip and beach clubs, luxury weekend escape, family holiday or a place you can eat yourself silly with direct flights only 4.45 hours away – I’ve found it. Having visited Singapore many times over the last 25 years, including as a connection to international destinations, this was my first venture to...

Issue 46

KNOW YOUR CHINESE CUSTOMER

Harsh words, but all too often accurate. Of course, it’s rare that these approaches are stated so obviously, but it doesn’t take much effort to see them subtly at work. It’s an invidious process that can kill a business proposal. I was recently asked to help with a product aimed at Chinese consumers. The manager...

Issue 45

Glide into the heart of Europe

If you are looking for a holiday that has everything done for you, pick a Viking River Cruise. I had never been to Europe and got to experience 15 wonderful days exploring 900-year-old castles, eating my way across the Netherlands, Austria, Germany and Hungary, immersed in Mozart in Vienna and toured Nuremberg’s Second World War art...

Issue 43

NAUTILUS FLIES HIGH IN THE NT

Nautilus has a fleet of 39 helicopters and employs 118 staff, including 40 pilots, at eight bases across Northern Australia. It has a successful Indigenous employment program: two Indigenous Territorians work at Nautilus’s Darwin Airport base – Jamie Dawson as a pilot and Jai Nadjamerrek as part of the operations crew. Jai also has...

Issue 42

DESTINATION DARWIN

They will carry about 60,000 passengers and crew – and contribute $65 million to the Northern Territory economy. Importantly, 45,000 of the visitors are arriving in the traditionally quieter tourism months, between October and April. Luxury cruise ship Celebrity Edge arrived in Darwin in early December, carrying 2809 passengers and...

Infrastructure

AIRPORT RESORT MUSIC TO THE NT’S EARS

It’s a standalone attraction for visitors and a luxury jumping off point for the Top End. Airport Development Group has invested $30 million on giving the two hotels next to Darwin International Airport a spectacular facelift. This was the culmination of a vision that started in 2021 when ADG saw the opportunity to buy the Mercure and...

Indigenous Affairs

TOURISM TARGETS EXCITING GROWTH

Aboriginal tourism will be at the heart of the drive. The exciting target is laid down in the Tourism Industry Strategy 2030, which was developed by Tourism NT in collaboration with industry and stakeholders as part of the Territory Government’s Turbocharging Tourism initiative. The strategy includes three key themes needing greater...

Issue 41

ISLAND HOPPING WITH HERITAGE

Great-grandmas, grandads, mothers, fathers, children … they all flocked to the beach to watch the westerners wade ashore from zodiacs. Kids were even given time off school to witness what to them was a remarkable spectacle. We were on an exciting 15-day cruise from the Philippines capital of Manila to Darwin with pioneering New...

Issue 40

CHINA PROUDLY GOES BACK TO THE FUTURE

This lingering influence is not a result of colonisation. It is a result of emulation as cultures sought to duplicate what they saw as the most advanced and sophisticated culture in the region. More recently this orientation shifted as the American cultural behemoth dominated the globe with its entertainment, products and consumerism. Coffee...

Business

AVRIL BAYNES – A Territory Ambassador

“I fell in love with Darwin immediately,” she says. “It was like no other place I’d ever seen. “I loved the great casual lifestyle. It felt like being set free from all the boundaries of Adelaide.” Avril left school at 17 and almost immediately caught a flight to Darwin to start a new life. That was 34 years...