Tour Guide Training Support 2025/26

Tourism NT is providing funding to assist with building a capable tour guide workforce in the Northern Territory (NT).

1. HLTAID011: Provide First Aid
2. HLTAID005: Provide First Aid in Remote Situations*
3. Heavy vehicle training and licence (Light Rigid, Medium Rigid or Heavy Rigid)*
4. MAR20321: Certificate II in Maritime Operations (Coxswain Grade 1 Near Coastal)* and MARC043 Transmit and receive information by maritime radio*
5. MARSS00008: Shipboard Safety Skill Set*
6. TLIC0023: Operate a four-wheel drive vehicle (including defensive driving and 4WD training recovery)
7. Becoming a Tour Guide (Savannah Guides)
8. EcoGuide Certification (Savannah Guides)*
9. China Guide Ready (ATEC)
10. Mandarin language classes (Darwin Language School)
11. Other: provide a strong business case as to why an alternative training component that is not listed above is required for your business.*

1. VTP230 Kakadu Knowledge for Tour Guides
2. VTP229 Uluru and Kata Tjuta Knowledge for Tour Guides.

• be legally constituted
• be an Australian registered business and a Territory enterprise
• have a permanent presence in the Northern Territory and employ Territory based guides
• have a touring product or products that require tour guides
• have a current Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW) listing
• have an online booking system, be in the process of implementing one, or provide a strong business case as to why a booking system is not required for your business
• be a member of a peak industry body.

• Compulsory administrative costs associated with tour guiding are not eligible for reimbursement.

• Training that was completed and/or paid for prior to being approved for the program will not be supported.

Further Information

Terms and conditions:

• Compulsory administrative costs associated with tour guiding are not eligible for reimbursement. These include but are not limited to a National Police Check, Ochre Card (Working with Children), H Endorsement, licence transfer fees, Responsible Service of Alcohol certificate, wages or travel costs.
• Successful completion of the Kakadu Knowledge for Tour Guides and/or Uluru and Kata Tjuta Knowledge for Tour Guides is compulsory for entrants into the program who are employed by an applicant that conducts tours in either the Uluru-Kata Tjuta or Kakadu National Parks.
• All training components must be undertaken by a registered training provider that is based in the Northern Territory.
• All training components must be paid for upfront by the entrant or applicant to the training provider unless otherwise specified.
• Training that was completed and/or paid for prior to being approved for the program will not be supported.
• Applicants must provide proof of payment and proof of successful completion of all approved training components for each entrant to receive reimbursement.
• Applicants who apply for training component 11 must submit, in writing, a strong business case as to why an alternative training component that is not listed is required for the business. It is at the absolute discretion of Tourism NT if the alternative training component will be supported under the program.
• It is up to the applicant to determine if their entrant/s are eligible for the training components.
• Entrants must be employed by the applicant at the time of grant acquittal.
• Applicants must acquit a minimum of $1,000 excluding GST in Stream 1 and $500 excluding GST in Stream 2 to be eligible for a reimbursement under the program.
• It is the responsibility of the applicant to decide how they will retain their workforce throughout the season.
• Applications under the program will be considered with reference to other NT Government funding which you may have accessed or that you may qualify for.

Contact Details

Name: Tourism NT

Role: Department

Phone: 0889518158

Email: strategy.tourism@nt.gov.au