Hopes that growth in tourism will lift Alice Springs out of its economic slump in 2026 look like wishful thinking.
There are no major projects. There are still no accommodation facilities other than camping in the West MacDonnell National Park (2,568 square kilometres), the jewels in our tourism crown, nor in the East Macs.
Ross River is available only for special functions and Glen Helen is still closed.
There are “very constructive discussions” with the G’day Group, according to Danial Rochford, CEO of Tourism Central Australia, to re-open Glen Helen, but nothing certain.
The exception are “Glamping” tents near Palm Valley.
They are Indigenous owned but run by Intrepid, “one of the world’s leading tourism brands,” according to Mr Rochford.
How many beds? About 10, he says. He hopes the development will be copied elsewhere. But there is nothing firm so far.
“Success will breed success,” says Mr Rochford.
Does it work in the opposite as well? Does failure breed failure?
“Yes. The retraction of the tourist industry over the last few decades have been altered by the expansion of the Connellan Airport at Ayers Rock Resort. Previously visitors (to the Rock) came in and out of Alice Springs.
“Then we had Covid, then crime and anti-social issues doing unprecedented damage to the tourism industry over the last few years.
“There has been a decline in the sector for a decade.
“But our job is not to have a pity party about the past, but to change that narrative for the future, encourage people to not just come in and out from Yulara but to disperse right across the region leveraging the Red Centre Way.”
But don’t despair: The NT Government, according to Tourism Minister Marie-Clare Boothby, “will support thousands of Territory businesses from our tour guides and restaurants to our pubs, parks and hotels”.
She announced a “bold, practical action” between now and 2032 with the goal 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”.
She does not say which crystal ball she has been using to work out such precise figures.
Generally speaking, tourism stats are few and far between.
Central Australia had 2,944,000 over night stays in 2024 but that included Ayers Rock Resort.
There were 28,000 room nights available in Alice Springs in October this year. 20,000 were used.
Long term data are not available.
The town had a bumper season before Covid 19 and when the Rock climb was banned.
The [Alice Springs] News is asking for room nights sold in Alice Springs since 2000 – don’t hold your breath.
What seems certain in The Centre is that none of Ms Boothby’s explosive development will occur next year.
Over the last 10 years a significant part of the accommodation stock in Alice Springs has been converted to long term rentals, such as the Oasis Motel, says Mr Rochford.
Any big projects on the horizon?
“We are monitoring very closely Iris Capital (the Casino owners).
“They have indicated their willingness to invest in their properties.
“We are monitoring some bespoke properties” for such uses as airBNB.
When doing nothing is feared to be a bad look, the government announces with great fanfare a bureaucratic initiative that may well turn out to be useless: Major Events, government tourism promotion and parks are now under one roof.
TCA says it supports the merger, bringing the NT into line with other states.
Alice Springs would do well to have a look in the mirror and ask itself to what extent the town is living on taxpayers’ money.
The most recent census, 2021, provides percentage figures for Industry of employment, employed people, aged 15 years and over. The first figure is for Alice Springs, the second for all of Australia.
- Hospitals (except Psychiatric Hospitals): 8.8 per cent vs 4.5 per cent.
- State Government Administration: 6.4 per cent vs 1.4 per cent.
- Other Social Assistance Services: 4.7 per cent vs 2.3 per cent.
- General Practice Medical Services: 2.8 per cent 0.9 per cent.
Time to wake up?
This article appeared on Alice Springs News on 18 December 2025.
