Military Tourism takes centre stage at Destination NT in Alice Springs

Suzana Bishop, Chief Executive Office Department of Tourism and Hospitality, Lia Finocchiaro Chief Minister of the Northern Territory and committee member launching the NT Military Tourism Plan 2035.

A new national campaign highlighting the Northern Territory's wartime history has been launched alongside a 10-year strategy designed to strengthen the Territory's position as a leading military tourism destination.

Officially launched today by Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro, the ‘Bet you didn't know we had a war story like this’ campaign showcases the Northern Territory's unique role in Australia's wartime history and encourages visitors to explore significant military heritage sites across the Top End.

The NT Military Tourism Plan 2035 has been released alongside the new campaign, setting out a vision to grow military tourism by promoting the Territory's rich wartime heritage, stories of courage, service and sacrifice and promote contemporary defence activities such as Exercise Pitch Black.

The launch comes as the Territory prepares to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin in February next year. The anniversary will mark 85 years since war reached Australian shores, including attacks on Darwin, raids across the Top End and Katherine, and wartime operations extending into Central Australia.

The latest initiative builds on the success of the Territory's 2025-26 military tourism focus earlier in the year, Plot Your Course Through History, which reached more than 1.4 million Australians with the Territory’s immersive military history. 

At the same time, the campaign supported 51 tourism businesses in sharing that story, generating over 830 direct bookings and adding over $1.3 million in visitor spending.

The Military Tourism Plan 2035 focuses on building partnerships with Defence, veteran organisations, tourism operators, and Traditional Owners to protect and promote military heritage sites and to develop new visitor experiences.

The plan also embraces a range of digital platforms. The AI Military Trip Planner released last year has already generated 1,857 personalised trip itineraries, allowing visitors to explore military attractions and helping local operators to promote their products and attract bookings. The AI Military Trip Planner was named a finalist in the Customer Experience category of the 2026 Australian Financial Review AI Awards earlier this year. 

And a new NT Military Explorer App is already bringing war stories to life with augmented reality set up for the Darwin Military Museum, Doctors Gully and coming soon to Anzac Hill in Alice Springs. The free app is available in five languages and will continue to grow as the Finocchiaro CLP Government elevates the Territory’s rich military history and critical defence future.

Through the campaign and the new plan, the Northern Territory Government aims to attract more domestic and international visitors while strengthening awareness of the Territory's significant contribution to Australia's defence history.

Find out more about the NT Military Tourism Plan 2035 at www.tourismandeventsnt.com.au