Tourism and Events NT's flagship tourism industry week Destination NT begins today in Alice Springs. The 4-day program brings together tourism, events and hospitality businesses, industry leaders, government and stakeholders from across the Territory and interstate.
Destination NT has been curated to provide attendees with a chance to step back from day-to-day operations to focus on future opportunities and growth, and the wider industry. Interactive sessions, industry forums and networking activities will allow attendees to hear from experts and peers, exchange ideas, explore new opportunities, and discover ways to participate across different sectors of the visitor economy.
Industry leaders sharing insights include RedBalloon and Big Red Group founder Naomi Simson OAM, Dark Sky Tourism Australia founder Marnie Ogg, Tourism Australia Chief Marketing Officer Susan Coghill and Director and Co-founder of The Demographics Group Simon Kuestenmacher.
Some of Australia's largest tourism operators and peak bodies will attend Destination NT and share experiences and knowledge including Platinum Partner Journey Beyond, Intrepid Travel, Australian Tourism Export Council and Voyages Tourism Australia.
The Tourism and Events NT Advisory Board, and Department executive leaders including CEO, Suzana Bishop, Chief Marketing Officer, Staci Mellman, Executive Director of Events, Aimee Luxton and Executive Director of Industry Development, Rachel Telford will be in attendance to share the latest government developments, data and future plans to support the NT visitor economy.
Destination NT will be capped off by the industry's night of nights on Saturday 14 November with the Brolga Northern Territory Tourism Awards, which recognises excellence and achievement across the visitor economy in the Northern Territory.
Now in its second year as a 4-day format and first time in Alice Springs, Destination NT has attracted strong participation. Since the refreshed format was introduced in 2025, key events have experienced an increase in registrations on previous industry events held in Alice Springs including a 96% increase from 107 registrations for the Conference in 2024 to 210 in 2026.
Destination NT will be held from 11 - 14 November 2026 in Alice Springs and include:
sector specific forums workshops and networking opportunities including agritourism, education, military and the ATEC NT Roundtable.Aboriginal Tourism ForumDestination NT Conference, andBrolga Northern Territory Tourism Awards.
Quotes from Tourism and Events NT CEO, Suzana Bishop:
"Destination NT is the Northern Territory's flagship industry week for the visitor economy. It supports Territory tourism operators to engage with industry leaders, learn about trends and opportunities, and focus on the future of the Northern Territory visitor economy.
"Destination NT will be capped off with the Brolga Northern Territory Tourism Awards, a celebration of excellence and achievements over the past year."
