Tourism administration in the Northern Territory in the era of Country Liberal Party governance (1978-2001)

Abstract

Particularly since the 1980s, tourism has become an important vehicle to advance the Northern Territory's future development and economic growth, a prime concern for successive governments. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the Northern Territory (NT) government has played an active role in the sector's promotion and development. Starting with a general overview of some of the main characteristics of the Territory's political system the article outlines the NT government's involvement in tourism during the era of the Country Liberal Party governance (1978–2001) and specifically discusses the administrative framework for tourism management and development in the Territory in greater detail. It provides a historical overview of the tourism portfolio and the varying responsibilities of the government agencies involved.