1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:04,080 Speaker 1: We know that Patchermer a festival in light boasting incredible 2 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: light installations, music and workshops. It wrapped up in Alice 3 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: Springs on Sunday. Thousands attended that ten day event, which 4 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,160 Speaker 1: recorded its second biggest opening night. Is what we're being 5 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: told joining us on the line, is this Tourism Central 6 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:20,600 Speaker 1: Australia CEO Daniel Rochford. 7 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 2: Good morning to you. 8 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:24,600 Speaker 3: Daniel, Morning Katie, and good morning to your listeners. 9 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: Wonderful to have you on the show as always. Now 10 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:31,479 Speaker 1: tell me Daniel. Thousands of people obviously attended. That's what 11 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: we're being told. How did it all go? 12 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:39,159 Speaker 3: Yeah, I look, the event was great, you know, certainly 13 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 3: a little bit of a change of approach by Northern 14 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 3: Tertiary Major Events with the event this year. And certainly, 15 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 3: you know, the night I went, the crowd was really 16 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 3: enjoying the experience and there was a much different vibe 17 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:58,280 Speaker 3: than previous parchments. And yeah, I think there's certainly been 18 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 3: a positive step forward with this event. 19 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 2: That is a good thing. Why was there a bit 20 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 2: of a different vibe this time round? 21 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 3: I think a little bit more of a local feel 22 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 3: to it, more of a local feel to it, you know, 23 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:16,919 Speaker 3: just in terms of some of the displays honoring people 24 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 3: like missus M. K. Turner, having more of the local 25 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 3: arts houses and cultural centers displaying their wares, a lot 26 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:33,040 Speaker 3: more food and beverage experiences. Yeah, it was a very 27 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 3: different feel to some of the previous pudgements. 28 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 1: And in terms of the numbers, like how many did 29 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 1: we see? Were the numbers up on last year or 30 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:44,919 Speaker 1: were they bit lower? What do you reckon? 31 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, certainly the look I can only go on the 32 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 3: statistics and that's been sort of publicly provided, but you know, 33 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 3: certainly numbers were up on those first few days, and 34 00:01:57,400 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 3: certainly I was there on the second night and there 35 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:02,160 Speaker 3: was a lot of people there and you know that 36 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 3: was great to see, and you know, I was. I 37 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 3: didn't go after that, but yeah, certainly the feedback I 38 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 3: had was that, you know, it was fairly strong numbers 39 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 3: throughout the week. 40 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:14,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, good stuff. And look, do you reckon? There was 41 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:17,639 Speaker 2: plenty of tourists there as well, Daniel, no. 42 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,799 Speaker 3: Doubt, and there was certainly, you know, you hard to 43 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 3: quantify how many. Certainly the night I went on, you know, 44 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,240 Speaker 3: there were certainly tourists there, There were all heaps of 45 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 3: locals and I think it's one of the things with 46 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 3: this event is Alice Springs locals are embracing it more 47 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:42,480 Speaker 3: and more, and also many of our indigenous Centralians are 48 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 3: going to that event. And you know, I think you 49 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 3: could see that in space in terms of the amount 50 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 3: of people that were there on the first few nights, 51 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 3: and it was just a great feel, you know, kids 52 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:58,839 Speaker 3: interacting with the displays and having a great time, and yeah, 53 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 3: it was just a really lovely vibe. Katie. 54 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:04,639 Speaker 1: It's good to hear, you know, because, like, honestly, I've 55 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 1: said it so many times, but you and I have 56 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 1: spoken on so many occasions about the disappointing behavior and 57 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: about the terrible things that have happened in Alice Springs 58 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:13,079 Speaker 1: over the years. 59 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 2: But it does seem like that. 60 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: You know, like the curfew, like those few changes that 61 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: have come into play, the additional police, and then obviously 62 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,120 Speaker 1: this wonderful event happening, that it's having a bit of 63 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 1: an impact. 64 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:30,960 Speaker 3: Daniel, Yeah, no doubt. And certainly the curfew was you know, 65 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:34,519 Speaker 3: we'll talk about terms like circuit breakers, but it was 66 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 3: certainly a circuit breaker. It certainly allowed us it quietened 67 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 3: down our crime and anti social behavior. We were able 68 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 3: to sort of have a reprieved services, were able to 69 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 3: get back on to the front foot, you know, we 70 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 3: were the feedback we were getting from visitors was really 71 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 3: positive and certainly allowed us to just have take that 72 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 3: breath that we needed. And then obviously pajama running off 73 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 3: the back of it, that has been really beneficial as well. 74 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 3: But look, there's no doubt I don't want to sugarcoat 75 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:10,280 Speaker 3: this as much as it's been good. You know, I'm 76 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 3: receiving phone calls even as recent as like in the 77 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 3: last fifteen minutes from operators saying that they're gone. It's 78 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 3: been like a cliff face in terms of visitation. You know, 79 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 3: it's just gone back to pre pre parchement numbers. So yeah, 80 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:29,600 Speaker 3: that certainly worries a little bit, but you know, at 81 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 3: the end of the day, we'll take, you know, take 82 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 3: all the good and has off to the anti government 83 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 3: for nnt mex for putting this on. It's really positive 84 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 3: for them. 85 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: But Daniel, so talk me through you know what those 86 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:43,359 Speaker 1: operators are sort of saying to you this morning. So 87 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:47,040 Speaker 1: it was obviously great busy weekend, really good and really good. 88 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:48,160 Speaker 2: To have part more operating. 89 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:52,600 Speaker 1: But you know, the aftermath is that there's not much happening. 90 00:04:53,960 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, indeed, and I've heard that from multiple operators the 91 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:02,279 Speaker 3: last couple of days that you know, there has been 92 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 3: very much a sharp cliff base in terms of visitation, 93 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:10,599 Speaker 3: and I guess we are having conversations with the anti 94 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:14,600 Speaker 3: government around you know what, how can we leverage Parjuma 95 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:18,800 Speaker 3: more from a tourism perspective ongoing during the course of 96 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 3: a tourism season. So, you know, there's a lot of 97 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 3: assets that have purchased for Parjuma and a lot of 98 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:29,880 Speaker 3: things that amazing things that we could could we potentially 99 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 3: utilize during the course of a tourism season, And that's 100 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 3: certainly an ongoing conversation that we've been having with the 101 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 3: Northern Terretory government. And I think that really makes a 102 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:42,040 Speaker 3: lot of sense to me that you know, it's significantly 103 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 3: and there's a lot of significant investments with parju motive. 104 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:49,919 Speaker 3: How can we leverage that beyond the ten days? 105 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:52,039 Speaker 1: Yeah? Right, so have it go for a bit longer, 106 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:54,480 Speaker 1: I reckon, and it would have a positive impact. 107 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, whether it's the actual events itself going longer. We 108 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 3: don't want to nullify the the benefit of the events, 109 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 3: but is there stuff that we could use from Pajama 110 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 3: that we could create a new tourism experience, you know, 111 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 3: I sound experience that visitors could experience on a day 112 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:15,160 Speaker 3: night in night basis. That could just give us an 113 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 3: extra degree of benefit from a tourism perspective, because what 114 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 3: we do know is certainly nighttime tourism experiences. If we 115 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:27,479 Speaker 3: can see more of them, that's bums on beds, Katie, 116 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 3: and that's what we desperately need. 117 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:32,600 Speaker 2: What might it look like? What you know, what sort 118 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:34,840 Speaker 2: of what idea have you got in your mind? Daniel? 119 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:35,280 Speaker 2: Do you know? 120 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 3: Well, I guess they are much smarterer people than me 121 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 3: on this. But you know, we've got with Jury, we're 122 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:43,919 Speaker 3: at ear LaRue, we've got light towers at Kings Canyon. 123 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 3: What I see and what tcaces is the real opportunity 124 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 3: of a sound and light trail through Central Australia, especially 125 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 3: during summer. You know, when it's forty degrees during the day. 126 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:58,040 Speaker 3: You know, having a nighttime tourism experience makes a bit 127 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 3: of logical sense. And you know, whether it's lighting up 128 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 3: the mountain or using some of the installations that have 129 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:08,599 Speaker 3: been either in the current part or previous parts to 130 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 3: have some sort of experience where people will walk through 131 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:15,680 Speaker 3: and experience and hear some of the cultural stories that 132 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 3: we hear during parj u or different stories. You the 133 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 3: world is our oyster on that front, and I think, 134 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 3: you know, we've got a real opportunity of having not 135 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 3: just one, but a trail of great nighttime tourism experiences. 136 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 3: And that's the conversation that we've been having with the government. 137 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 3: And you know, no one know to us yet, so 138 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 3: you know, we're continuing to have those conversations. But I 139 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:40,120 Speaker 3: think it's just one of those examples of you know, 140 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 3: a good idea that's been put forward by the community 141 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 3: of saying hey, can we explore this opportunity. 142 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, and look I agree if they're not knocking your 143 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,440 Speaker 1: back and there's potential here that something different could happen 144 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 1: to try to entice to respect into Central Australia. Hopefully 145 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 1: it's going to be a good thing, Daniel, before I 146 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 1: let you go. Apparently the tagline boundless possible, So the 147 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 1: ABC this morning reporting that the Chief Minister and Cabinet 148 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 1: that their department have said that yet boundless Possible is gone. 149 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 1: It's been replaced with the territory what do you reckon 150 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 1: is it a good move? 151 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 3: Well, I think we all know Boundless Possible was probably 152 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 3: not the right not the right line. You know that 153 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 3: It reminds me of an amazing story that Tourism Scotland 154 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:34,760 Speaker 3: once spent. I think it was over a few million 155 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 3: dollars on their new brand and their brand and they 156 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 3: eventually got to Welcome to Scotland. A little bit of 157 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:47,960 Speaker 3: that about it. But you know, we we we One 158 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 3: thing I've discovered and I'm not born and bred territory 159 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 3: and you know the thing about living in the territory 160 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:57,320 Speaker 3: is we're proud and proud of our place. So I 161 00:08:57,320 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 3: think if there's a rallying cry that where the territory, 162 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 3: I think let's let's take it up and let's give 163 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:04,840 Speaker 3: it a shake. 164 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, look, I agree with you, And you know, I'm 165 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 1: not sure. I don't know that anybody was that in 166 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:14,440 Speaker 1: to the to the Boundless Possible. I suppose the worries 167 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 1: if we go with the territory, could we be confused 168 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:17,559 Speaker 1: for the act? 169 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, Christmas Islands. There's a few territories, you know, But yeah, 170 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:27,960 Speaker 3: I think we tend to use it a bit more 171 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:32,079 Speaker 3: than the can Berns, you know, they normally reference their 172 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 3: location by their city name camera more than the act. 173 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 3: But look, I think let's you know, it is something 174 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 3: that people often from a tourism perspective say, oh, we're 175 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:45,680 Speaker 3: heading up to the territory. Yeah, so it is. It 176 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:49,439 Speaker 3: is pretty runs in parallel to what it's many of 177 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 3: the things that we say in tourism. 178 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, very true. 179 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: Well, Daniel Rochford, always good to catch up with you mate, 180 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,480 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for your time this morning. And and yeah, 181 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 1: I'm fascinated by by this idea. You know, maybe something 182 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 1: to do with parch or some kind of nighttime light 183 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 1: installation or something for Alice Springs that it could be 184 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 1: helpful in terms of tourism. So we've got the Chief 185 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 1: Minister on tomorrow. We'll see what we can find out. Yeah. 186 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:16,959 Speaker 3: I think we're always of a view that rather than 187 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 3: sort of having a pity party in terms of our challenges, 188 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 3: you know, we're also there to have a glass half 189 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:26,960 Speaker 3: full approach to turn the ship around. 190 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:30,240 Speaker 1: Absolutely, and I think that there's so many of us 191 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 1: in the territory that feel that way at the moment, right, Like, 192 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 1: we know we've got our issues, but we've got to 193 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 1: turn this ship around. We have to get back to 194 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,320 Speaker 1: being a really positive place that people want to visit. 195 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:43,560 Speaker 1: And you know, we've got to sort through these issues. 196 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:45,840 Speaker 1: The government's got a huge job on their hands in 197 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:48,559 Speaker 1: terms of sorting through those issues. But in the meantime, 198 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 1: let's get some of that positive stuff up and running. 199 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:53,839 Speaker 3: Absolutely, bring it on. 200 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 2: I yeah, good on you, Daniel. Good to talk to 201 00:10:56,559 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 2: you as always, mate. Thank you.