A 17-year-old male has been arrested following the rape of two tourists in Alice Springs yesterday but police are still looking for at least two more suspects.

Police say the two European women were sleeping in their car when at least three three men attacked and sexually assaulted them at gun point.

Northern Territory Police Commander Michael Murphy says police are still looking for the vehicle the men were driving and a firearm that was used to threaten the women.

He says the vehicle was sighted yesterday in scrubland west of Alice Springs and police started searching for it again this morning.

A helicopter is being used to assist vehicles involved in the ground search.

The car is a dark green Toyota Ascent, with the South Australian registration plates WXD 617

Commander Murphy says police are confident of further arrests in the coming hours and days.

"I urge those involved, you know who you are, to hand yourselves in now, as we will find you," he said.

'Horrific'

Territory Tourism Minister Malarndirri McCarthy says she hopes travellers feel safe in Central Australia, despite the sex attack.

Ms McCarthy says her thoughts are with the two European women who were attacked in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

"It is absolutely horrific for any woman to be attacked in such a way anywhere in the world, in particular here in the Northern Territory," she said.

"We want people to feel safe here in the Northern Territory, irrespective of whether they are visitors or whether they live here."

The Country Liberals Member for Araluen says yesterday's attack highlights ongoing crime issues in Alice Springs.

Robyn Lambley says the town is reeling from what happened.

"As a woman and a resident of Alice Springs I find this incident extremely disturbing," she said.

"It is an indictment of the lawlessness ... that is pervasive in Alice Springs at the moment."

In response to yesterday's attack, Chief Minister Paul Henderson has told the Northern Territory Parliament he wants police to have a "zero tolerance" approach to troublemakers in Alice Springs.

He says Police Commissioner John McRoberts will take charge of the operation.

"The Commissioner will have extra police resources and the combined resources of key government agencies at his disposal," he said.

"I have spoken to my cabinet colleagues and they have agreed to make the resources of their agencies available to the Commissioner of Police."

Adam Giles, the local member for the Territory seat of Braitling, says international media coverage of the rape of the two women will hurt the local tourism industry.

The Daily Mail newspaper has picked up the story in the United Kingdom.

Mr Giles says the incident could discourage tourists from coming to Central Australia.

"The recent attack in Alice Springs will have another debilitating effect on tourism in central Australia," he said.

"When you have these stories going around the world, it just sends such a negative that people don't want to come here."

Last night, a 43-year-old German tourist was attacked and robbed while walking to his motel in Alice Springs.

Police say the man was on Taffy Pick Crossing bridge after leaving the casino at midnight.

They say he was approached by three Aboriginal men and a woman, who asked for money.

The man was pushed to the ground, kicked and punched, and his mobile phone was stolen.

Police have one teenager in custody and they are looking for three others involved in the incident.