Nt Holidays Don't Stack Up For Most Australians

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18th October 2010, 02:30pm - Views: 956






NT HOLIDAYS DON’T STACK UP FOR MOST AUSTRALIANS


New research by leading brand performance organization, Brand Asset

Consulting reveals most Australians no longer appreciate the value of a Northern

Territory holiday. This has led to the NT dropping down the pecking order in

preferred holiday destinations and signaling a potential tourist drought.


The troubling news for NT Tourism comes from a survey carried out by BAC in

September. BAC interviewed more than 2000 Australian adults simultaneously in

Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane and the results could make top end

tourism operators shiver.


Given a choice of nine different destinations, from Queenstown to Margaret

River, NT was voted ninth out of nine. (Gold Coast was voted favourite ahead of

Broome and Margaret River.)


When questioned about the likelihood of visiting NT in the next year, only eight

per cent said it was a possibility. And overall, the younger the adult, the less

likely they were to either rate or visit the Northern Territory. 


David Evans, research director of BAC, said that the problem could get worse if

not addressed. 


“Our research revealed that the low interest is compounded by the perception

that NT holidays are expensive, making the NT a difficult sell in a difficult market.

One in two men and two in three women cited cost as the main barrier to visiting.

In fact cost was a more important factor than all other barriers combined.”


A driving factor behind the idea of low value is a low understanding of what a NT

holiday might offer. Most people expect to explore the bush but, after that, less

than 50 per cent of Australians thought they could play on a beach, spend time

on the water or even enjoy interesting culture or cuisine.


Evans pointed out that there is a silver lining in the tourism cloud for Northern

Territory.


“Potential visitors would be much more amenable to the NT if they could access

more all-inclusive packaged holidays. This is as much about understanding the

real cost of a holiday and budgeting, as it is about convenience. 


“Secondly, Australians need to be persuaded that the NT has much more to offer

than the outback experience.


“These are the “tipping point” issues that will boost NT Tourism visitor figures

from minor improvements to major gains in the domestic market.”


For further information:

David Evans

Brand Asset Consulting

+61 (0) 405 224 466 or 1300 272 319

David.Evans@bacaus.com.au








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