1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,080 Speaker 1: Well, if you heard the show yesterday, we caught up 2 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:06,560 Speaker 1: with Steve from the original Adelaide River Jumping Crocodile Cruise 3 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: and spoke to him about the impact of the wet 4 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:12,400 Speaker 1: season and also the rising fuel prices on the upcoming 5 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: tourism season and the bottom line is it's going to 6 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:18,639 Speaker 1: make things tough. Now joining us in the studio is 7 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 1: Sam Bennett from Tourism Top End. Good morning, Sam. 8 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 2: Morning Katie and your listeners. 9 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:26,120 Speaker 1: Lovely to have you on the show. Hey, what are 10 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: you hearing at this point from your members? I mean, 11 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:32,160 Speaker 1: this wet season, first off, has been unrelenting. 12 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 2: Unrelenting is the right word for it. I think we've 13 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,280 Speaker 2: had enough of the rain yell As a local, I 14 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 2: would never normally say that, but I've had enough. 15 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 1: I feel the same, you know. I usually every wet 16 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:45,839 Speaker 1: season I think I love this wet weather. But this 17 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:48,520 Speaker 1: time around, I just keep looking at poor old Catherine, 18 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: and you know, looking at even the daily Region and 19 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: right across the Top End and thinking, gee, it's having 20 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 1: a big impact in so many different ways. 21 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I think it's really it's still a little 22 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 2: bit premature for us to be able to know what 23 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:06,479 Speaker 2: that impact is we've got to wait for the water 24 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 2: levels to go down, see where the damage is, and 25 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 2: then start prioritizing, you know, the repair of infrastructure, roads, 26 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 2: you know, all the damages that's done in parks when 27 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 2: we just can't do that until the water receds. 28 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: You know. 29 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 2: I think the government's done a really good job at 30 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 2: looking after people at an individual level that have been 31 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 2: affected for it by it, But it'll be a little 32 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 2: while before we know what support is there for business. 33 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:33,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean particularly in some of those areas like 34 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: Catherine and also the Daily You know, there are areas 35 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:40,040 Speaker 1: that traditionally people might look to around Easter time as well. 36 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 1: What kind of impact do you think it might have 37 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 1: on them? 38 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, Look, I think Easter because it is early this year. 39 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 2: It feels early this year crept up on us, didn't it. 40 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 2: I think Easter will be a lot of people will 41 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 2: still stay pretty close to home, but there is plenty 42 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 2: of things to do close to home. So you know, 43 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,280 Speaker 2: book his staycation, come and stay in a hotel, Go 44 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 2: and visit one of our amazing attractions, Go and you know, 45 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 2: feed a crocodile, Go to the wildlife park. Some of 46 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 2: the parks are still open around you know, the coastal 47 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 2: reserves and the botanical gardens is looking spectacular at the moment. 48 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 2: So I think if we get out and support local, 49 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 2: you know, buy a takeaway coffee book, a meal in 50 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:27,639 Speaker 2: a restaurant, and I think that will be what will 51 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:32,399 Speaker 2: happen this easter. And then once the recovery is underway 52 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 2: and paces are back open, I'm sure Dundee will be 53 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 2: absolutely packed. It's really close. The same with Lichfield. You know, 54 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:45,079 Speaker 2: the main priority is going to be that recovery first up. 55 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, spot on recovery, you know, the cleanup, and then 56 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:51,360 Speaker 1: sort of looking to to really you know, how we 57 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 1: make sure that some of those tourism operators are able 58 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 1: to get people back out there. You know, it's not 59 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: just the weather unfortunately, either that our tourism or braiders 60 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,119 Speaker 1: are contending with at the moment. I looked at these 61 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 1: petrol prices just a short time ago, and the terminal 62 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: gate price today for diesel it's over three dollars. It's 63 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:12,960 Speaker 1: hit three dollars seven zero point seven. Then when you 64 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: go across to the bowser some locations are like three 65 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: dollars twenty two a leter for diesel. No doubt that's 66 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: going to have an impact on some of our tourism 67 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:27,520 Speaker 1: operators that are reliant obviously on you know, being able 68 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 1: to fill their tanks, but also on the drive market. 69 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, so we definitely know that it's going to have 70 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 2: an impact on the drive market in the short term. 71 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 2: We don't know what the long term outlook is for that. 72 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 2: I mean, JUSA Mentee have just done their their new 73 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 2: strategy and that's been consulted really well with industry. That's 74 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 2: a future forward facing what are we going to do 75 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 2: to change? But I think the other thing is is, 76 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 2: you know, we do know that at the moment, the 77 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 2: cost of fuel is a term for the drive market. 78 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 2: So we just we're very resilient industry, and we are 79 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 2: also pivoting, you know, where they might have done two 80 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 2: phishing tours a day, they might only do one and 81 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 2: make sure that they're filled up so that their cost 82 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 2: of doing business is in line with what they are 83 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:25,720 Speaker 2: able to charge first tours, Sam, do you. 84 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 1: Reckon We might see as well a little bit like 85 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 1: what we saw throughout COVID where people can't afford to 86 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: travel overseas, so we might see them looking domestically a 87 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: little bit more about some of the different adventures that 88 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 1: they can have and what you might be able to 89 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 1: do in your own backyard. 90 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 2: Yeah. Absolutely, I think those caravans will come out, and 91 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:47,800 Speaker 2: it may not be for this season, but definitely for 92 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 2: next season. I think there's a hesitation around the security 93 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:54,679 Speaker 2: and the safety of traveling overseas. I think people will 94 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:59,680 Speaker 2: stay here. The dollar versus the international dollars, that sort 95 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 2: of thing. They're all influencers, and so I can see 96 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:06,839 Speaker 2: us having a really strong domestic market because we're still 97 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 2: quite wealthy country and we and our demographic who being 98 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,479 Speaker 2: fifty pass you know, we don't have mortgages or big 99 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 2: mortgages anymore, and so we still want to travel and 100 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,279 Speaker 2: we'll do it. Will prioritize that. 101 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 1: And then do you think for our locals And I 102 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:26,719 Speaker 1: know it's still sort of early days, but just thinking 103 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:29,720 Speaker 1: back to those COVID days where there was different initiatives 104 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 1: to really try to encourage territorians to travel in their 105 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:35,840 Speaker 1: own backyard because it had reached a point, you know, 106 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: throughout COVID where we couldn't travel overseas or couldn't go 107 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 1: as far as what we usually would. You know, do 108 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 1: we maybe need to look to some of those different 109 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:47,039 Speaker 1: initiatives again to try to get us all traveling locally. 110 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:49,920 Speaker 2: Yeah. Look, I think the government will be looking at that. 111 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:53,360 Speaker 2: That's obviously one of the first go to places is 112 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:56,520 Speaker 2: how do we incentivize people to travel. But we also 113 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 2: need industry to buy into that as well. You know, 114 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:03,159 Speaker 2: a lot of our tour operators and our attractions have 115 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:06,280 Speaker 2: our locals pass you pay once you go as many 116 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 2: times as you want for the year. You know, I 117 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 2: went to the Aviation Museum with my three year old 118 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 2: on the weekend and what else are you going to 119 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 2: do on a rainy Sunday? And we had an absolute ball. 120 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:20,200 Speaker 2: We have so many great things to do here, but 121 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:22,320 Speaker 2: we kind of tend to forget about it. And so 122 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 2: this is the opportunity to ask about your locals pass 123 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 2: at all your attractions because most of them do it, 124 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 2: so you can go back every weekend. 125 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, which is a good thing to be able to do, 126 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 1: and just support those local businesses. We've got so many 127 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 1: wonderful local businesses, so many wonderful local tourism operators, so 128 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 1: get out there and support them. 129 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:42,480 Speaker 2: Yeah. 130 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 1: Well, Sam Bennett, it is lovely to speak to you 131 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 1: as always from tourism top end. Really appreciate your time. 132 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 1: And yeah, interesting, I guess to talk more about, you know, 133 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: not only the impact on our tourism operators when it 134 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:56,960 Speaker 1: comes to this weather, but of course these petrol prices. 135 00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: We're all keeping a very very close eye on them. 136 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:01,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a watch and see it is. 137 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: It certainly is. Thanks so much for your time this morning. 138 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:04,480 Speaker 1: I appreciate it.