Alice vs The Rock, at a glance

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Please note that Tourism Research Australia advises that there has been a recent change in its methodology.
Amended from “Quarterly tourist expenditure in millions of dollars” to “Quarterly year ending tourist expenditure, in $m” at 6.30am August 3.
 
 
 

7 COMMENTS

  1. It wouldn’t be such a problem if you weren’t so greedy.
    I’d rather have my peace and quiet over those invading outsiders any day.
    Wipe your feet before you step on my red soil.

  2. They should be very worried about the closure of the climb as this will impact tourist numbers at Uluru. This time next year will be crisis levels for tourism (more so then now, anyway).

  3. One way to bring people and business back to Alice would be to seal the last 130km of the Mereenie loop. Visitors could then safely drive back to Alice from the Rock / Kings Canyon instead of using Alice as a stop over before moving to The Rock.
    If this doesn’t increase overnight stay in Alice, at least it brings business back by spending in the West Macs which ultimately positively affects Alice Springs.

  4. All a big publicity stunt. Makes some do gooders feel good. You watch, with in a year or two, the Rock will be open to climb, but with another fee.
    This is a joke and can be easily fixed. Customer service and face to face service would be a huge draw card for Alice Springs.
    The Rock is so commercialised, and the service is something you would expect, but do not get for the price you pay for accommodation.
    We travelled down in April and could not check in before 3:30pm and could not leave our luggage, so had to hang around the resort waiting.
    After a long drive this is not acceptable.

  5. After spending three days in Winton on the eastern end of the Outback way it is easy so see why our numbers are dropping and I question why we are so far behind in our thinking.
    Their Matilda tourist reception centre has everything that ours does not, including a first class eatery, gallery, cinema showing historic films, a stationary steam engine plus memorabilia and information.
    Nearby here is a covered shelter under which caravans can be stored while travellers peruse the town and surrounding dinosaur attractions without the encumbrance of towing a van.
    At these venues you go between attractions by solar powered electric vehicles.
    The impact of a dinosaur theme attraction is everywhere, and their cultural history (Waltzing Matilda) is even engraved in the footpath at the front of the building.
    We could do he same with our Afghan heritage.
    Then I see the reality of our situation. On Tuesday two weeks ago I sat at the welcome rock counting people while waiting for a plane.
    From 11.30am till 1.30pm 32 vehicles stopped there, with 69 passengers, including 12 caravans, and 69 photos were taken of people sitting on that rock.
    I keep asking myself where are the tourism bodies and why are they not selling their industry from here?
    They have a captive market here. Then I looked at the trouble over the road at the Transport Hall of fame and thought to myself how easy would it be to put in a diversion from that rock to the Transport Hall of Fame and put it on the main road into town just as Katherine and several other tourism based towns do, as the information point for the whole of the NT.
    Easy parking, and caravan depository while they explore the CBD, easing traffic congestion in town, and easing access for them.
    I would like to count the number of people who stop at the Old Ghan engine (many) and wonder why it is not combined with the welcome rock or at the Hall of Fame with the magnificent array of antique machinery as is on the main highway near Longreach.
    I often stop along Col Rose Drive to talk with the growing number or tourists camel gazing at the animals grazing in the airport field, but never recognised as a tourism attraction or utilised as such.
    Until the tourism bodies recognise things like that which appeal to the everyday travellers, and recognise mainly the top end of the market, nothing will improve.
    We refuse to cherry pick what is around us locally.
    A large camel wearing a fly net at the welcome rock or THF would sound ridiculous to most people but it needs something to stand out against the conventional. And this we refuse to do.

  6. The heart of the Centre has been broken with big commercial industry like the big companies and government funding dominating the Alice.
    No more face to face personalised service any more, but internet and communicating through Facebook and web sites for tours and accommodation.
    This for booking is good, but some people like to communicate and ask those reassuring questions and little help they may need.
    People not just money are the losers as are the small businesses in town that are feeling this very much.
    As for Uncle Huck, this town now thrives on tourism and events that come to the Centre. Do not bite the hand that feeds you, mate.

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