Newly announced border entry changes to take effect on December 20, will devastate the Territory’s already hurting tourism businesses, the industry’s peak bodies have warned, calling on the Gunner Government to deliver “sensible solutions”.

The changes will see fully vaccinated travellers arriving in the NT face two PCR tests within their first six days, but must also remain in “high-vaccination” zones, such as Darwin and Alice Springs, regardless of where they’re coming from.

That means many of the Territory’s most sought-after destinations outside of urban centres will be off limits to tourists, including Litchfield National Park, Kakadu National Park, Nitmiluk National Park, Karlu Karlu/Devils Marbles, West MacDonnell National Park and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, until tourists have stayed in the high-vaccination zones for 14 days.

Tourism Central Australia’s CEO Danial Rochford warned the new measures will have a devastating impact on the tourism sector in Central Australia and in particular travel in and out of Uluru.

“It will also have an impact to anyone living outside of urban areas in terms of their Christmas holiday intentions,” he said in a letter to tourism operators.

“We’re facing no visitation to the Lassiter Tourism Region without guidance and without an end-date and that only heightens the uncertainty.

“It needs to be understood there’s been significant work done in Mutitjulu Community (near Uluru) on vaccination rates and hopefully that effort is understood as it lessens the risk.”

Tourism Top End general manager Glen Hingley meanwhile said his groups is also devastated over the new mandates and that they will be seeking clarifications from the government.

“This has thrown the industry into chaos. It has the potential to destroy all consumer confidence of the people who come here,” Mr Hingley said.

“Effectively, regional operators have lost all their customers in the foreseeable future from December 20 and the only customers they can rely on are Territorians who haven’t been outside the Territory travelling regionally.

“We’re seeking sensible solutions around creating travel corridors between the regions or regional precincts otherwise, without Territorians travelling, it’s hard to see any way businesses outside the high vaccinated centres remain open.”

Hospitality NT CEO Alex Bruce also said he hopes the Gunner Government would consider a more sensible approach to this.

“It was a step forward for Territorians living in Darwin, Katherine, and Alice Springs but a big jump backwards and kick in the guts to hard working vaccinated Territorians that live outside those three centers,” Mr Bruce told Mix104.9 Friday.

“We do think some of this stuff does need to be looked at again and you know we’re all learning through this so that there’s no problem in saying okay, we actually have to put a bit more thought [into this].”

Territorians who have not travelled to other places will be exempt from the new measures.

The Opposition CLP said the changes will mean a “cancelled Christmas” for Territorians living in regional and remote areas.

“This is a kick in the guts to every single Territorian who has followed the health advice and done the right thing,” said CLP health spokesman Bill Yan.

“The Tourism sector is already on its knees and this latest change has slammed shut the doors to the Territory.

“Meanwhile, Territory kids who return from boarding school and live outside the major centres will be forced to spend Christmas apart from their families – because the Chief Minister has banned them from returning home.”

The measures imposed by the government for visitors in areas outside the high vaccination zones effective on December 20 state:

• All arrivals must remain within high vaccination zones in Darwin, Katherine, and Alice Springs for the first 14 days.
• “You are able to travel between approved high vaccination zones. You must not stop at any other towns or communities, unless it is to get fuel, food, or to rest.”
• “You must wear a mask in public places – For example if you are driving from South Australia to Darwin, you are able to get your COVID-19 test and stay in Alice Springs as it is an approved high vaccination zone.”
• “You can stop to get fuel, food and for rest stops along the Stuart Highway as you transit between approved high vaccination zones.”
• “You are able to use accommodation, restaurant and bar facilities but must wear a mask in public unless eating or drinking.”
• All vaccinated arrivals to the Territory will need proof of a negative PCR test within 72 hours prior to arrival, within 72 hours after arrival and again on the sixth day in the Territory. There are three tests.
• For unvaccinated travellers: Unvaccinated returning Territorians and those people who have received authority to enter the Northern Territory, will be required to undertake 14 days mandatory supervised quarantine at their own cost.