NT Government set to drive growth with next phase of Visitor Economy Strategy 2032

NT visitor economy strategy 2032 - Alice Springs March 2026

The Northern Territory Government through Tourism and Events NT has launched the next phase of the Northern Territory Visitor Economy Strategy 2032 in Alice Springs. It will drive sustainable year-round visitation, development, liveability and economic growth.

The Strategy is designed to grow the visitor economy to $3 billion by 2032 with 1.7 million trips. The target, shared between the Top End and Central Australia regions, will support an estimated 6,000 new jobs, 228,000 additional aviation seats and 200,000 extra room nights across the Northern Territory by 2032.

The Top End region will look to boost expenditure to $2 billion with 1.3 million trips, while Central Australia’s target is $1 billion expenditure with 600,000 trips by 2032.

Horizon 1 to 2028 will build momentum and unlock opportunities through action plans that support the five key strategic priorities: Perception, Experiences, People and Workforce, Infrastructure and Investment, and Access and Connectivity.

Tourism Research Australia data released, showed the NT has continued double-digit growth, with visitation +17 per cent higher to December 2025 compared to the same period over the previous year. 

The NT welcomed 1.25 million visitors in total including 995,000 domestic visitors, an increase of 18 per cent. Internationally there were 255,000 visitors with key markets being US, UK, China, Germany and New Zealand.

This Strategy expands beyond leisure to meet diverse travel purposes: business, work, study, events and visiting friends and relatives.

The Strategy leans on the Territory’s unique and distinctive advantages, from iconic national parks to an abundance of outback adventure and fishing, authentic Aboriginal cultures and proximity to Asia. In spite of the recent weather events and continuing global uncertainty arising from the Middle East conflict, the Strategy positions the Northern Territory for long term opportunity across the visitor economy drivers, and the Action Plans provide robust steps to support a sustainable future for the industry. 

For more information on the Northern Territory Visitor Economy Strategy 2032, visit the Strategy page.