1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:04,800 Speaker 1: It's Tourism Central Australia CEO Daniel Rochford. Good morning to you, Daniel. 2 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie, and good morning to a listeners from 3 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 2: a very cool Alice spring. Eighteen degrees here this month 4 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 2: this morning. 5 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 1: Oh half your luck. Gee, it's been hot up here 6 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:18,599 Speaker 1: in the top end. Sounds like glorious. Wha they're in Alice. 7 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 3: Absolutely, it's stunning. 8 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 1: Now, how are things going when we talk about Ularu? 9 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: Obviously twelve months on from that climbing band, has it 10 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 1: made much of a difference from your perspective? 11 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:32,839 Speaker 3: Oh? 12 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:37,600 Speaker 2: Look, certainly there's been a lot of challenges faced as 13 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 2: a result of COVID, But the feedback that we're getting 14 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 2: from our members is that our visitors that are coming 15 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 2: to Ularu and Cadjuter really immersing themselves into local culture 16 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 2: and certainly taking advantage of the experiences that are there 17 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 2: at both Ularu and cad Jendam. 18 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: And I know that. Obviously, when the climbing was taken 19 00:00:57,400 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: away that aspect sort of people thought it was going 20 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 1: to a massive impact on tourism. Because I'll talk a 21 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: bit more about COVID in a moment, but with that 22 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:07,479 Speaker 1: closure of climbing, you know, a lot of people thought, oh, 23 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:09,319 Speaker 1: this is going to have a big impact. Did it 24 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 1: really have the hit that people were expecting. 25 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,480 Speaker 2: Not really, to be honest, I think you know, the 26 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 2: reality is the numbers going up to the rock climbing 27 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 2: the rock weren't hot as high as what was being 28 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 2: really reported. And certainly a lot of people are still 29 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 2: experiencing LARU just the way they did previously to the 30 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:33,960 Speaker 2: climb closure. 31 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 1: And as you mentioned though, the big issue has been 32 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: obviously in the last twelve months less I guess, but 33 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: over the last year it's certainly been COVID. How is 34 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 1: tourism in Central Australia at the moment. 35 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 2: Oh, look, there's certainly been some green buds of optimism, Katie, 36 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 2: but we're still doing a tough Look, there's no sugar 37 00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 2: coating at We're seeing a number of operators having closed 38 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 2: down or merged with other operators down here. But there 39 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 2: are certainly some green buds of optimism with Avoutcher scheme 40 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 2: most of the Territorian and the interstate. But we also 41 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 2: see some great sugar hit through the school holidays and 42 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:19,359 Speaker 2: a huge shout out to the guys. All guys from 43 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 2: the top end have come down to Central Australia over 44 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 2: the coming over the last few months to support the 45 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:27,079 Speaker 2: Northern Territory of this difficult time. 46 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 3: It's been really appreciated. 47 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. Absolutely, I think it's wonderful the way that territorians 48 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 1: have really tried to get out and support each other, 49 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:37,839 Speaker 1: traveled around the territory and you know, doing our bit 50 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:40,799 Speaker 1: to really to spend a bit of money locally, so 51 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 1: that hopefully it means that some of our wonderful tourism 52 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 1: operators can continue to do just that operate. 53 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly right. 54 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 2: And look, a lot of the businesses have gone into 55 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,079 Speaker 2: hibernation have been on ice. Look we're starting to see 56 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 2: some of those start to reopen, which is a good time. 57 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 2: But we're spending a best time looking at focusing on 58 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:06,239 Speaker 2: new experiences and new developments and a lot of businesses 59 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 2: are looking at refreshing and revitalizing ready for next year. 60 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:15,640 Speaker 2: So look, you know it's challenging, it's difficult, but we'll 61 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 2: get through this. One of the great things about the 62 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 2: tourism industry is we can get up, brush ourselves off 63 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 2: and get. 64 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:22,240 Speaker 3: On with it. 65 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:24,799 Speaker 1: Now. I do want to ask I think it would 66 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: be remiss of me not to ask about some of 67 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 1: the issues that Alice Springs is having when it comes 68 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 1: to crime and anti social behavior. I know that even 69 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 1: on Friday last week obviously, police issued a statement after 70 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 1: a group of up to twenty youths surrounded a vehicle 71 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: before they allegedly and decently assaulted to women who I 72 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 1: believe were there visiting. How are things going for you 73 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 1: guys in Alice when it comes to these issues with crime. 74 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 2: We're deeply concerned, Katie, around the current situation and it's 75 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 2: potential impact on the tourism industry. 76 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 3: There's no doubt about that. 77 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 2: We've certainly been making our voice heard to the governments 78 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 2: and the government has recently launched a task Force Viper 79 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:20,680 Speaker 2: down here which is about really strengthening the police efforts 80 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 2: on the street, and that's warmly welcome. But we all 81 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 2: have to get into a room together, the Yalla Springstown Council, 82 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 2: the Northern Territory Government. 83 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:34,040 Speaker 3: All the providers, all the organizations. 84 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 2: That have skin in the game here, because this is 85 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 2: not an easy issue to fix and we all have 86 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 2: to work together. 87 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 1: Do you feel as though that's happening at the moment 88 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 1: or does more need to happen in that space? 89 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 3: I think there's a lot of people with a lot 90 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 3: of positive. 91 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 2: Interest to try and fix this issue. But I think 92 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 2: more has to be done to work together and be 93 00:04:56,320 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 2: more collaborative, and that's across governments, and. 94 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 3: We need to make sure that we involve the. 95 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 2: Relative, the relevant business associations and also all the other 96 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 2: non government organizations that have skin in. 97 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 3: The game on this issue. 98 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, I feel for you guys because I know that 99 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: there is so much happening in the tourism space to 100 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: try and keep things moving. I know that there's so 101 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 1: much happening all around the Northern Territory, you know when 102 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: it comes to keeping business moving and supporting each other 103 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: following on from COVID, and it's just a real shame 104 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 1: that Alice Springs is going through this situation at the moment. 105 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 2: Oh look, it's a fair comment to say that our 106 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 2: industry feels like we're a famine going upstream against the current. 107 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 2: You know, it's a difficult time for us, but as 108 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 2: I said in relation to COVID, our industry is resilient. 109 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:49,039 Speaker 2: Our industry has seen challenges before, and we'll certainly work 110 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 2: through these things with our community and we'll see it 111 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:55,600 Speaker 2: to the other side, but we've got to remain positive. 112 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:59,159 Speaker 2: We've got an amazing experience here in Central Australia and 113 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 2: you know we will certainly be yelling at from the rooftops. 114 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:02,839 Speaker 3: And don't forget Katie. 115 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:05,479 Speaker 2: Yes, the government's just about to launch the new round 116 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:08,799 Speaker 2: about next week, so you have another opportunity. 117 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 3: For the folk up in the top end to come 118 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 3: down and visit it. 119 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 1: Yeah. Absolutely, Look I love Alice Springs and I think 120 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:18,599 Speaker 1: it's a wonderful place to visit. Daniel, it is always 121 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:20,919 Speaker 1: great to talk to you. I always appreciate your insight. 122 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:22,839 Speaker 1: Thank you for having a chat with me this morning. 123 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:25,160 Speaker 3: Thanks Katie, always a pleasure.