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'Australia' tourism bid a failure: Tollner

The Northern Territory Opposition tourism spokesman says the latest tourism figures show the Government has failed in its bid to attract national and international tourists.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics figures for the March quarter show a fall in occupancy rates in hotels, motels and serviced apartments across the Territory.

Dave Tollner says the new statistics show the Government's hope for the movie Australia to attract overseas tourists has failed.

"The Government put significant funds into advertising campaigns around the movie Australia, which subsequently flopped," he said.

"And in other areas they've also failed. For instance, we've heard nothing from the Tell 20 campaign. People aren't visiting."

The statistics show NT following a national trend, but Mr Tollner says the Government has not listened to advice that it needs to refocus its marketing campaigns.

"I think the Territory Government's marketing campaigns have failed," he said.

"I warned the Territory Government about it at the start of the year.

"They said they were immune to the global financial crisis and not to worry. The fact is these figures show that we aren't immune from it and that the marketing efforts have failed."

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