Personal Travel Manager Delivers Big with Darwin Travel Festival
Travel enthusiasts in Northern Territory flocked to the Darwin Travel Festival last month, with more than a thousand attendees gathering at Novotel’s Darwin Airport to snap up holidays deals and talk travel with a variety of experts.
The event was the result of an ongoing collaboration between two experienced local travel advisors, TravelManagers’ Lisa Malnar and Rachel Turner from Helloworld Travel Darwin. It’s the third consecutive year that the pair have joined forces to fulfil their mutual vision of delivering Northern Territory’s premier travel event.
“Although Rachel and I are, in theory, competitors, we share a passion for creating a one-of-a-kind travel event,” Malnar explains. “This year’s festival was our biggest and most successful edition yet, drawing well over a thousand Territorians who were eager to take advantage of the amazing travel deals, prizes and expertise on offer.”
The festival was sponsored by Novotel Darwin Airport, Travel Gateway, and AANT, whose support was pivotal in bringing the ambitious event to life. “We had an incredible line-up of 35 suppliers representing over 55 brands, many of whom actively sought out the opportunity to take part, having recognised the festival’s value in previous years. Among them, we were thrilled to have new suppliers representing travel experiences in Indonesia and Timor-Leste, which further expands our event’s international scope.”
A major highlight of the day was the attendance of the Northern Territory Minister for Tourism, Marie-Clare Boothby. Her attendance whose presence Malnar believes underscores the importance of events like the Darwin Travel Festival in fostering tourism growth and strengthening partnerships within the industry.
The festival’s vibrant atmosphere was due in no small part to major giveaways on offer throughout the day. Malnar acknowledges the outstanding support received from Qantas, Airnorth, Island Explorer Holidays and Elephant Hills, all of whom contributed to an overall prize pool worth more than $20,000.
“We are thrilled with the results of this year’s festival,” Malnar states. “It’s a labour of love that Rachel and I are committed to continuing to offer Territorians in the years to come. We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support from locals and visiting suppliers alike, which has helped us to create a must-attend event that we are aiming to make even bigger and better in 2026!”
