Northern Territory police are using drones, remote aircraft and motorbikes to search for a German tourist who has been reported missing after failing to return to her accommodation, possibly after walking some hiking trails.

Monika Billen, a 62-year-old German national who had been in Alice Springs for a week, was last seen by hotel staff at the Desert Palms Resort on New Year’s Day. She failed to check out of the resort on 5 January and did not board a flight she was due to take to Darwin on the same day.

Billen was reported missing by hotel staff on Tuesday 8 January.

Acting superintendent Pauline Vicary said CCTV footage from 1 January clearly showed Billen walking out the front of the resort on Barrett Drive and later south along the Todd River.

She said brochures in Billen’s hotel room suggested she may have been interested in walking local trails, including the Larapinta trail.

“Police have been and will continue to conduct inquiries into Ms Billen’s possible movements since leaving the resort,” Vicary said. “Police have been in touch with the German embassy in an effort to contact her family and are awaiting further advice.”

She said the CCTV footage also identified five vehicles passing the resort at the time Billen left on the first of January and police were seeking to speak to the drivers of those vehicles.

Two were taxis and three were civilian motorists and she said it was possible they may have seen or picked up Billen.

“We are urging those motorists that if they have got any information to contact us,” Vicary said.

She said police were continuing to search along the Todd River bed and had deployed remote aircraft, police units and motorbikes to search walking trails. Police are also using drones in those areas and working with Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife staff.

“We continue to hope that we’ll find her alive but we are gravely concerned about the recent hot conditions,” Vicary said.

Billen is described as being Caucasian, of slim build with short grey hair.

She was last known to be wearing a red chequered long-sleeve top with denim knee-length shorts and was carrying a red backpack.

Police are urging anyone who may have seen the German tourist or have information on her whereabouts to contact police on 131 444.