The NT Government is consolidating various departments under the same roof to better coordinate its tourism strategy. Photo: Tourism and Events Northern Territory.
The Finocchiaro CLP Government in the NT is setting out a plan for a stronger tourist economy with the unveiling of the Northern Territory Visitor Economy Strategy 2032.
Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Marie-Clare Boothby laid out the seven-year strategy, which focuses on driving visitation, investment and strengthening rural areas.
“Our goal is to grow visitor spending from $1.5 billion to $2.2 billion and lift overnight trips from 1.2 million to 1.5 million by 2032,” Ms Boothby said.
Across the life of the strategy, an increase of this size would support thousands of jobs across the Territory in a broad range of sectors, including peripheral industries such as hospitality and food and drink.
“To get there, we’re focusing on five clear objectives: investing in infrastructure, improving connectivity, growing our workforce, lifting our global brand, and expanding experiences, all driven by real data, modern technology and partnerships,” Ms Boothby said.
“Our people within the industry are the ones who make every stop along the way worth a visit — it’s part of our Territory spirit, which sets us apart from the rest of Australia.”
To promote the Territory to the world, the government has put tourism, hospitality, events, and parks and wildlife under one roof to consolidate the visitor economy.
“We’re backing the industry with bold, practical action, securing Silkwood, a 30,000-hectare parcel of land next to Litchfield National Park, defining Australia’s leading military tourism destination, and seizing new opportunities that set us apart from others, such as dark-sky tourism,” Ms Boothby said.
“When tourism thrives, the Territory thrives. Every extra flight, every full hotel, every busy cafe means more jobs, stronger regions, and more people choosing the Territory to visit, and perhaps even fall in love and call home.”
The government has already claimed tourism successes, with the latest CommSec State of the States report ranking the NT first in the nation in economic and population growth.
In addition, the NT recorded the strongest growth in tourism numbers and expenditure in the Commonwealth for the year ending June 2025, and it was the only jurisdiction to grow its cruise economy.
The cruise economy is up 13.3 per cent, contributing $205.6 million to the NT economy.
Department of Tourism and Hospitality CEO Suzana Bishop said: “The strategy captures the ideas and ambitions of people driving the Territory’s visitor economy, while establishing clear accountability across sectors that influence tourism and whole-of-visitor-economy outcomes.
“Developed in partnership with industry, the strategy reflects extensive consultation and collaboration across the visitor economy stakeholders.”
The full Northern Territory Visitor Economy Strategy 2032 will be released in March 2026, with implementation from May that year.
The plan can be found on the government’s website.
