1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:02,520 Speaker 1: Well, I'm sure you probably saw some of the vision 2 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: and the photos. Yesterday Australia's first ever airport resort has 3 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:10,480 Speaker 1: been officially opened right here in Darwen. It's the thirty 4 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: million dollar facility operated by Novitel and the Cure and 5 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 1: it coincides with the expansion of flights into the Northern 6 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:21,159 Speaker 1: Territory and the Darwin Airport redevelopment. Now joining us to 7 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 1: tell us more about it is Darwin Airport Resort General 8 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: Manager Chris Chaif. Good morning to you, Chris. 9 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 2: Good morning, Katie. How are you. 10 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: I'm very well. How are you guys going after that 11 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 1: official opening? 12 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, very very good. The day went really well and 13 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 3: the team are all very busy at the moment. Today 14 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 3: we open the bake at all of our hotel guests 15 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 3: and general public today. 16 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: How wonderful. Now it looks phenomenal, The pool looks absolutely massive. 17 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: Are you hoping it's going to attract new tourism markets 18 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: to Darwin. 19 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:00,120 Speaker 3: Absolutely, We've already had. We've already had a lot of 20 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 3: interest from international markets and domestic markets and I feel that, 21 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 3: you know, particularly a leisure market that comes up to Darwin. 22 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:11,039 Speaker 2: There's a lot of excitement with the new facilities. 23 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 1: Tell us a little bit about, you know, some of 24 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:17,320 Speaker 1: what the facility has. I understand that the pool is 25 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: one of the largest in the country. Yeah it is. 26 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 2: It's some sort of sixty sixty one meters. 27 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 3: It's a bit of a bit of an odd number 28 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 3: and obviously larger than Olympic Pool. We've got a kids 29 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 3: the quatics splash area at the end. We've got a 30 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:39,040 Speaker 3: brand new centralized reception. We've got a really lovely new 31 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 3: bar and cafe called Splash Cafe, and that sort of 32 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:45,679 Speaker 3: integrates both of the hotels. I think if you sort 33 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 3: of take your mind back a couple of years ago, 34 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 3: there was a road that sort of went straight down 35 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 3: the middle of the two hotels. So that's all now 36 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 3: gone and we've incorporated into. 37 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 2: One sort of big hotel complex. 38 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: It looks very cool. I mean, like when you look 39 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 1: at the vision that came out yesterday and also some 40 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: of those photos, it looks massive. It looks like something 41 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,800 Speaker 1: very different to what we've really seen in Darwin before. 42 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 1: Is it going to present opportunities as well when you 43 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 1: talk about training and employment for locals. 44 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:18,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely so. 45 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 3: We already have our Indigenous Training Academy that the Airport 46 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 3: Development Group. 47 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 2: Established early last year, which. 48 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 3: Is going absolutely gangbusters. Were into our second year at 49 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:33,920 Speaker 3: the moment, and again as our precinct grows, there'll be 50 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 3: more employment opportunities for local people. We're actually, in fact 51 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 3: that going to move now into our next phase where 52 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 3: we will relook at our food and beverage strategy. 53 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 2: So we'll open up two. 54 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 3: New restaurants before the season starts next year. We will 55 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,919 Speaker 3: improve all of our conference facilities. We'll create a new 56 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:58,240 Speaker 3: conference area, upgraded gym facilities, we're looking at an RV 57 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 3: park and a section of the land and here. 58 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 2: So there's there's there's. 59 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 3: Continual expansion over the next two years until the full 60 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 3: full pre things are finished. 61 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:08,800 Speaker 1: And have you got a number of students that are 62 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: all like that are already training, are already graduated. 63 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 3: Yeah. Absolutely, So the first cohort from last year all 64 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 3: have fully graduated with great success. All have continued employment 65 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 3: at the hotels here or over at the airport, and 66 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 3: we're we're. 67 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 2: Through our second intake this. 68 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:32,639 Speaker 3: Year and are all in the midst of doing the 69 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 3: associated training courses, whether it be over at the airport 70 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 3: through electrical and grounds or over here at the hotel 71 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 3: learning hospitality, so everything through from you know, your front 72 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 3: office to food and beverage, through the housekeeping, and we 73 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 3: try and move the students all the way through. 74 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 2: All the way through the hotel, so by the end 75 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 2: of the year they have a really good understanding of 76 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 2: what hospitality is in customer services. 77 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 3: Good stuff. 78 00:03:57,440 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: Now tell me in terms of your bookings, as you said, 79 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 1: it's being officially I believe today to the public. Have 80 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: you got plenty of people already wanting to come in 81 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 1: and wanting to book? 82 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 3: Absolutely, we have. We've had a lot of a lot 83 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 3: of good interest. We've got a lot of people coming 84 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:16,159 Speaker 3: off the new Bonsa and Nexus Airline flights, which is 85 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 3: really pleasing to see our bookings for this time of 86 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 3: year and well, as we know, this time of year 87 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 3: is a tough time in Darwin and we're. 88 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:30,039 Speaker 2: Traveling actually really quite well, so we're very pleased. 89 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:32,600 Speaker 1: Oh, good on you well, Chris jf lovely to speak 90 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 1: to you this morning, Darwin Airport Resort General Manager, Thanks 91 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:36,600 Speaker 1: so much for your time. 92 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 2: Thank you so much, Katie, have a great day you too.