Getting tourism back is what the Gunner Government is about and the new Tourism Minister Natasha Fyles has more than just her mad CPR skills to revive it. Tourists planning their trips in the Build up around moving from one air-conditioned spot to the next, is the cutting edge of tourism marketing in the NT. Read all about it.

This is a snippet from our regular Good n’ gammon column which can be found below.

Good n’ gammon XXIII: The tell ’em Fylesy sent ya tourism revival commemorative edition

Bouncing right back

Natasha Fyles is not letting being disposed of as Attorney-General get to her and she is getting her name out there as the new Tourism Minister. And she has more than just her mad CPR skills to revive it. She’s come up with one of the most innovative tourism ideas we have ever heard of to get people to come to the Top End during the Build up. . When talking about the new tourism vouchers she was on the tele news saying something like: “Yes it can be warm but people can plan their trips around air-conditioning”. Brilliant tourism strategy: come to the Territory and lock yourself inside where it’s cool. Out: Fishing, croc jumping, hiking, camping, swimming. In: Netflix. Travel 4,000km to come and do what you could do at home for free.

We can plan their itinerary now. Take in the majesty of the Post Office air-conditioning. Brave the wilds of the Build up on Cavanagh St for about a minute before plunging into the world class air conditioning of Woolworths. To save you dying in the Outback, catch a cab for the 450m to Darwin Central to take in one of the many (two) restaurants offering food from across the globe. Stay the night in the luxurious Rydges Darwin Central – no coronavirus in this one unless you bring it with you! – before trekking off at dawn to beat the heat for a day in the Mitchell Centre where you can take in the delights of Coles and the bottle-o. Drink a carton or two while getting your shoes repaired by old mate who never seems to leave. Then just on dusk, venture out with your tour guide for your glamping adventure in the doorway of Cotton On in the Smith St Mall, which was judged by a world leading team of experts – the Gunner Government cabinet – as the world’s coldest air-conditioning. Never have I ever…heard such rubbish.

The idea of the air-conditioner-lead tourism market is gammon.