Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Katie Woolf spoke with Tourism Top End General Manager Glen Hingley

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Katie Woolf spoke with Tourism Top End General Manager Glen Hingley · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Lots of talk about tourism, no doubt about that, and
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  Speaker 1: then that talk has evolved following the news that we
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: could have a bubble, a travel bubble with New Zealand
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  Speaker 1: and that Regional Victoria is going to come back online
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: in four weeks time. Now joining us on the line
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  Speaker 1: to talk more about this tourism Top End General Manager
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  Speaker 1: Glenn Henley, Good morning to you, Glenn.
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  Speaker 2: Katie, Good morning to you.
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  Speaker 1: How are you, yeah, really well, Glenn, how are you
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  Speaker 1: feeling about this potential New Zealand NT travel bubble?
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  Speaker 2: I would as exciting as it sounds, I think there's
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  Speaker 2: a few things that we need to keep in mind
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  Speaker 2: around this, because there's a little bit of a way
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  Speaker 2: to go around that. I think. Firstly, New Zealand hasn't
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  Speaker 2: traditionally been a big market for us, but that's not
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  Speaker 2: to say it couldn't be. We offer such a great,
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  Speaker 2: unique range of different Australian experiences to that which Kiwis
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  Speaker 2: are are more used to traveling to on the East Coast.
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  Speaker 2: You know, for a population of four point eight million,
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  Speaker 2: over three and a half million Kiwis traveled overseas last year,
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  Speaker 2: so there's certainly a market that's got that ability to travel,
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  Speaker 2: and not to mention that about half a million Kiwis
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  Speaker 2: actually reside in Australia, so the visiting friends and relatives
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  Speaker 2: components is a big part of that. Auckland to Darwin,
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  Speaker 2: you know, is over five thousand kilometers away, but that
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  Speaker 2: makes it's still a long way for a seven three
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  Speaker 2: seven too. They can get yet. Yeah, But I think
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  Speaker 2: there's a couple of things in that announcement, in that excitement,
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  Speaker 2: and I know that we certainly were very interested in
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  Speaker 2: that announcement. And there's two things that we've got to remember.
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  Speaker 2: And one is that still Australians are not permitted to
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  Speaker 2: travel to New Zealand, and that's by New Zealand authorities,
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  Speaker 2: so it's one way traffic. And for any Kiwis that
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  Speaker 2: we're thinking about coming to Australia for a holiday, they
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  Speaker 2: still have to quarantine when they get back to New
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  Speaker 2: Zealand at a cost of three thousand New Zealand dollars.
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  Speaker 2: So there's a few things ahead of us there before
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  Speaker 2: we get too excited, but that's it. I think it's
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  Speaker 2: a great step in the right direction, and I know
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  Speaker 2: that I know that the team of Tourism and Tee
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  Speaker 2: have been keeping an eye on New Zealand and doing
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  Speaker 2: some subtle marketing there and keeping it on. And so
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  Speaker 2: for those who travel into safe spots, other safe spots
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  Speaker 2: in Australia for example, that's Southeast quean Zlane and extending
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  Speaker 2: on and coming to the Top End is a great opportunity.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm with you when we talk about New Zealand
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  Speaker 1: and again like it's exciting, and it certainly feels exciting.
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  Speaker 1: But in addition to all of those things that you've
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  Speaker 1: already spoken about, there's also no direct flight at the
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  Speaker 1: moment from New Zealand to the Northern Territory is there?
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  Speaker 2: So for there to be a direct flight and there
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  Speaker 2: hasn't been. It's hundred kilometers so for seven three seven
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  Speaker 2: to do that, and to do it with one way
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  Speaker 2: traffic on the basis there isn't the population base here
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  Speaker 2: in the top end for Territorians to be traveling to
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  Speaker 2: New yak On make a flight direct viable. It sounds
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  Speaker 2: great in theory, but when you sit down the stub
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  Speaker 2: doing the numbers on the back of a costa, it
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  Speaker 2: doesn't work out financially for there to be a direct flight.
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  Speaker 2: So I think in realistically, we sort of temper our
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  Speaker 2: enthusiasm on the basis that it's about giving Kiwis who
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  Speaker 2: are renowned travelers, traveled to all parts of the world,
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  Speaker 2: and we also have to say all of all places
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  Speaker 2: outside of the Northern Territory. Certainly New Zealand there's been
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  Speaker 2: one of those places that has been on top of
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  Speaker 2: this from the get go, with a couple of stumbles
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  Speaker 2: along the way in regard to managing COVID nineteen, but
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  Speaker 2: certainly the one they're taking it very seriously. They have
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  Speaker 2: very good regime in place.
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  Speaker 1: But at the moment, Glenn, it's sounding like we should
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  Speaker 1: all stand down a little bit, don't get too excited.
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  Speaker 2: I agree, Cody, I think it sounds great in theory.
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  Speaker 2: It was a nice it was a nice headline, but
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  Speaker 2: in reality lot more to happen. Yeah.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, let's talk about one of the other markets so
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  Speaker 1: that is set to open back up in a few
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  Speaker 1: weeks time, and that is Regional Victoria. Is this a
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  Speaker 1: positive move from your perspective?
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely, Victoria Opera Victorians coming to the territory is one
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  Speaker 2: of our biggest markets, and you know every Victorian that
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  Speaker 2: if they're coming from a safe place as recognized by
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  Speaker 2: a health officials. They're bringing new and when a tourist
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  Speaker 2: travels into the territory, they're bringing in new money. And
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  Speaker 2: that's great for the economy. It's great for employment, it's
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  Speaker 2: great for the small businesses. It's really important for tourism.
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  Speaker 2: Victoria is our biggest domestic market. But this has to
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  Speaker 2: be done sustainably. Uh and and and safely was the
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  Speaker 2: other word. Safely and sustainably we we we welcome Victorians
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  Speaker 2: from safe spots with open arms. And I think it's
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  Speaker 2: also a great time for us to change the way
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  Speaker 2: that we think about and present ourselves to our brothers
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  Speaker 2: and sisters down south to come up. I think one
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  Speaker 2: of the one of the real opportunities here is for
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  Speaker 2: and this is also for this summer on sale campaign
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  Speaker 2: that no doubt listeners are all aware of going on
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  Speaker 2: down south, is for Territorians to invite their friends and
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  Speaker 2: relatives to stay. Instead of us coming down to you
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  Speaker 2: this year, why not come up to the top end.
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  Speaker 2: In doing so, take up one of these deals with
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  Speaker 2: flight Center and Hello World and other travel agents. Get
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  Speaker 2: you know for every thousand dollars two hundred dollars off
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  Speaker 2: and get up here and have a great time as
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  Speaker 2: long as you're from a safe spot. And we've got
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  Speaker 2: to continue to take that really seriously. We can't relax
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  Speaker 2: just because places around Australia are slowly becoming less of
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  Speaker 2: a hot spot. As territorians, we've got to remain vigilant
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  Speaker 2: and as excited as we are to get more tourists here.
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  Speaker 2: Doing it properly and sustainably is the key.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, I agree with you. We also know that well
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  Speaker 1: later this week we are expecting that those direct flights
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  Speaker 1: from Sydney are going to start back up again. No
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  Speaker 1: doubt that's going to help us in terms of boosting
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  Speaker 1: those tourism numbers, particularly like you've touched on when you
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  Speaker 1: talk about that summer on sale as well.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, it's really important and yet it is exciting
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  Speaker 2: and it's great news for the tourism industry, but for
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  Speaker 2: the broader economy. Again, when we have tourists coming into
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  Speaker 2: the territory that's bringing in they're bringing dollars that aren't
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  Speaker 2: just spent with attractions and tour operators and hotels. They're
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  Speaker 2: spending at cafes and restaurants and retailers throughout and helping
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  Speaker 2: to keep those cafes and restaurants and places that we
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  Speaker 2: all love to go and enjoy. That it's helping keeping
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  Speaker 2: those businesses open and that's important. I also would recognize
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  Speaker 2: that that the effort that Darwin Airport is doing in
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  Speaker 2: its you know, getting landing into Darwin isn't just an
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  Speaker 2: easy to get off the plane with your bags, jumping
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  Speaker 2: a cab and come through. You know. We do hear
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  Speaker 2: some people who who are a little bit phased by
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  Speaker 2: the fact that it does take time to process, but
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  Speaker 2: that's a really important process.
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  Speaker 1: I agree with you.
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  Speaker 2: Safety of everybody, especially our most vulnerable communities throughout the territory.
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  Speaker 2: So I was at an event last week where Tony Edmondson,
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  Speaker 2: the CEO of Darwin Airports, was speaking and just talking
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  Speaker 2: about their commitment to making those arrivals really safe. So
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  Speaker 2: flights from New South Wales from Sydney is really exciting news.
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  Speaker 2: What's even better news is that everything's been done properly
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  Speaker 2: for the well being of all territories.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, I agree with you. I think that we've got
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  Speaker 1: to make sure that all the checks and balances are done,
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  Speaker 1: whether you're crossing the border by road or whether you're
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  Speaker 1: coming into the territory by plane and going through the airport.
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  Speaker 1: It's incredibly important that we continue to go through the
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  Speaker 1: processes that are currently in place. And I think that
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  Speaker 1: they're doing a great job on our borders.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, they are doing a great job. And I think
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  Speaker 2: we look at how we're also managing that we're getting
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  Speaker 2: a real name for ourselves nationally. And if we look
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  Speaker 2: at Howard Springs and you saw you might have seen
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  Speaker 2: the national coverage of people who are doing their time,
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  Speaker 2: who have got other places down south and are doing
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  Speaker 2: their quarantining at Howard Springs, it's starting to look like
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  Speaker 2: the top ed club met in terms of people socially
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  Speaker 2: distanced and enjoying themselves. But you look and you listen
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  Speaker 2: to their words and the smiles and their faces and
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  Speaker 2: how great it is to be in the top end.
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  Speaker 2: We're working closely with the Northern Territory government to be
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  Speaker 2: able to give them once they have done their time
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  Speaker 2: and have and our safe to travel, hoping that they
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  Speaker 2: can stay on and spend some more time here with
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  Speaker 2: us in the territory and not just shoot through to
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  Speaker 2: the footy Grand Final or whatever other reason they're they're
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  Speaker 2: here for that take that opportunity to come up they've
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  Speaker 2: done their team and then to spend some time exploring,
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  Speaker 2: exploring the territory, exploring the top end. Yeap for sure.
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  Speaker 1: Now, Gleen, just a little while ago, we caught up
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  Speaker 1: with the Chief Minister a bit after nine o'clock. We
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  Speaker 1: caught up with the Chief Minister, as we do on
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  Speaker 1: a Monday morning, and he'd said that in Tuesday's budget,
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  Speaker 1: the federal budget, which is being handed down as we
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  Speaker 1: all know, he is hoping that we may be in
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  Speaker 1: a situation where the federal federal government announces that funding
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  Speaker 1: for Kackadoo is brought forward. How how positive would this
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  Speaker 1: be if that funding was brought forward for Kackadoo.
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  Speaker 2: I think it's really important on a number of levels, Codie.
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  Speaker 2: It's important for jobs in the territory, in the construction,
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  Speaker 2: in the in the the infrastructure investment. So number one, tourism.
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  Speaker 2: You know, ultimately we're doing this for tourism, but it
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  Speaker 2: creates jobs for locals, It creates great infrastructure for locals,
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  Speaker 2: and and Kakado see wis we've we've been We've had
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  Speaker 2: a long struggle with the infrastructure and the lack of
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  Speaker 2: money that is necessary to maintain the infrastructure in Kakadu.
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  Speaker 2: It's it's all well and good to be announcing new
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  Speaker 2: this and new that, where the money that needs to
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  Speaker 2: be spent first is on maintaining the infrastructure within seasonally.
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  Speaker 2: The Minister of the Environment was up here recently. We
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  Speaker 2: sat down with her for about an hour and a
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  Speaker 2: half and she certainly recognized that it's not necessarily about
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  Speaker 2: the new announcements that the most important. It's about the
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  Speaker 2: money to keep the infrastructure there working, working for all.
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  Speaker 2: We'd be that for traditional owners, for and for territories,
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  Speaker 2: not just for tourists. Really important. And I think one
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  Speaker 2: of the other things is we know that in this
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  Speaker 2: recession that investment and infrastructure is going to be one
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  Speaker 2: of those things that helped us nationally is an economy
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  Speaker 2: and it would definitely help the territory and the top
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  Speaker 2: end and help tourism. Is some great new initiatives on
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  Speaker 2: investing in infrastructure, but first that needs to be done
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  Speaker 2: really carefully, also with traditional owners, so that so that
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  Speaker 2: that which has been done is being done at a
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  Speaker 2: pace which which which is which is in their agreement.
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  Speaker 2: And I think that's the other part of it too.
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  Speaker 2: I think often we hear these tourism announcements and a
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  Speaker 2: lot of that is needs to be carefully considered that
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  Speaker 2: we sit down and we do consult carefully because with
• 11:42
  Speaker 2: traditional owners custodians to make sure that that which has
• 11:46
  Speaker 2: been done is to their wishes, the ambition, the dream
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  Speaker 2: of the ambitions for the future of Cacad and for
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  Speaker 2: that matter, any other any other of the lands around
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  Speaker 2: top Ends and the territory.
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  Speaker 1: Well blame him Ley, Tourism top End General Manager. We
• 12:00
  Speaker 1: always appreciate your time. Thanks so much for having a chat.
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  Speaker 2: With us this morning, Katie, Thank you very much.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you. We'll talk to you again soon. That is
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  Speaker 1: Glenn Hindley there and he is Tourism top Ends General Manager.
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  Speaker 1: And it is sounding as though, you know, with the
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  Speaker 1: federal budget being handed down tomorrow, I think that everybody
• 12:17
  Speaker 1: is wondering exactly where money is going to be invested
• 12:20
  Speaker 1: in those different areas, ie job creation and infrastructure and
• 12:25
  Speaker 1: ensuring that money that is spent. And it's certainly the
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  Speaker 1: rhetoric that we're hearing out of Josh Friedenberg, the Federal
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  Speaker 1: Treasurer's mouth, is that he wants it to be a
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  Speaker 1: job creating budget and he wants that, you know, he
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  Speaker 1: wants as many Aussies in jobs as possible, so hopefully
• 12:40
  Speaker 1: for us here in the territory, that does mean that
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  Speaker 1: there will be some investment in areas like tourism in
• 12:45
  Speaker 1: order to try and really get things moving for when
• 12:48
  Speaker 1: those borders do reopen, or when the international borders do reopen,
• 12:52
  Speaker 1: which is still some time away, but making sure that
• 12:54
  Speaker 1: we're at the top of our game for when that happens.