Aboriginal tourism integral to Aussie industry

8th October 2009
Opening ceremony for the new sunrise viewing area at Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, Rolley Mintaina Anangu elder (left) and Jim Nyukiti, Anangu elder (right), perform ceremonial dance.

Aboriginal tourism is growing in popularity with visitors down under.

An integral part of the Australian tourism industry, 9% of all international visitors are engaging with an Aboriginal cultural experience on their trip, according to Tourism Research Australia.

The sector is also experiencing a strong rise in popularity for Aussies exploring their own backyard, with a 9% increase in Aboriginal tourism visitors each year since 2010.

Collaboration has been pinned as the key to unlocking tourism potential between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal tourism enterprises operating as ‘micro’ businesses.

New research has just been released that explores best practice approaches to operating partnerships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal tourism businesses.

The study is intended to encourage small tourism businesses to collaborate to deliver more Aboriginal tourism experiences, while operating financially viable and culturally sensitive businesses.

The study was conducted by Insight Communications and funded by the Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) through a Small Business Development Award.

As there are currently no Aboriginal tourism partnerships operating in Victoria, the study draws on the experiences of four collaborations located in Brisbane, Cairns / Cooktown, the Kimberley and Uluru / Top End.

“No-one has all the knowledge on their own,” Willie Gordon of Cooktown-based Guurrbi Tours said.

“We don’t just rely on the knowledge of one person for things to work, we bring the whole group together. This is the traditional way.”

Many of the non-Indigenous business partners featured in the study expressed a deep desire to see Australia’s Indigenous cultures receive greater recognition and appreciation for the knowledge and value they can contribute to broader Australian society.

According to Adventure North Australia’s founder and managing director Maryanne Jacques, there is a lot of room for Aboriginal culture to be further integrated into the tourism industry.

“The Aboriginal cultures here are so amazing. I want people to have that experience. Sharing what you love about where you live is what creates really special, unique experiences,” she said.

VTIC’s chief executive Dianne Smith added that partnerships is the only way to create a sustainable tourism offering.

“The Indigenous Tourism Partnerships project is of great value to the tourism industry,” Smith said.

“Both traditional and emerging markets have an interest in Indigenous product, and such a partnership initiative provides the opportunity to nurture and drive Indigenous experiences, and better promote this offering.”

“VTIC is committed to supporting the development and innovation of small businesses, which is why we view the VTIC Small Business Development Award as the perfect opportunity to encourage industry and professional growth within the sector, and across the whole state.”

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