Tourism operators in Alice Springs say they have been heavily impacted by coverage of the town's youth curfew.The two-week curfew is currently set to stay in place until Wednesday, April 10, but could be extended.
Many operators said this downturn was "no surprise", and that the NT government hadn't done enough to address the key drivers behind crime and antisocial behaviour in the region."I'm just disappointed that we're not looking at the root of the problem, and now we're just reacting to what's happening. It's not prevention," she said.
Mr Neindorf said issues had been brewing in the local tourism sector "for a long time" and went beyond crime, with cost-of-living pressures and soaring airfares also having an impact.The NT government said it was acting to save the sector, pointing to a discount scheme offering 25 per cent off all bookings through the Alice Springs and Yulara visitor centres.
"Some of these businesses have been here since from when I was a kid, and to see them no longer exist because of the bad stuff that's happening on in town, it shouldn't be that way," he said.