Webjet and Tourism NT are offering discounted flights to Alice Springs for travel during 2025, as part of its ‘Love Letters to Alice’ campaign to boost tourism amidst rising crime rates and declining business confidence.

The flight discount scheme offers savings of up to $250 on one-way flights and will be available until April 6, 2025, or until sold out.

The campaign covers direct flights from most major Australian cities, including Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, and Cairns, to attract tourists to the heart of the Red Centre. Darwin was not on the list.

Participating airlines include Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Airnorth.

The government did not say how much the discount flight scheme was expected to cost taxpayers.

Tourism NT chief marketing officer Monika Tonkin said the timing of the sale was good, especially considering the approaching school holidays, Easter, and the onset of major local events.

“This is the ideal opportunity for Territorians to encourage friends and family from across Australia to visit them during the holidays and experience the rich adventure, culture, and relaxation that the heart of the outback has to offer,” Ms Tonkin said.

“Part of our strategic partnerships and marketing initiatives the special offer is timed to be in line with the “Love Letters to Alice” campaign which is a national storytelling initiative highlighting Alice Springs as a destination for cultural and adventurous experiences,” she said.

The CLP Government aims to revitalise the Territory’s tourism industry, where crime and safety issue have become a significant concern and have used public funds to attract airlines to the NT, including providing an undisclosed amount of money to Airnorth to run its direct flights between Cairns and Alice Springs, which start next month.

A survey conducted by Tourism NT in June 2024, which gathered responses from 51 operators, revealed a troubling business outlook score of 72 out of 200—the lowest since the survey’s inception 12 years ago.

The situation in Alice Springs is particularly alarming, with 90 per cent of operators expecting a negative outlook for the upcoming year.

In the Uluru region, 60 per cent of businesses also reported a bleak forecast.

Discounted flights can be booked at Webjet’s website.