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Indigenous tourism on show to the world

29 June 2006: Over 2,000 overseas delegates who attended the 2006 Australian Tourism Exchange in Adelaide have been given a rundown on Australia’s Indigenous tourism experiences.

The Australian Tourism Exchange promoted Australian experiences to the world and allowed local Indigenous tourism operators to meet with international buyers and do their business face to face in Australia, said Tourism Australia managing director, Scott Morrison.

The Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) was held in Adelaide last week.

“International wholesalers (buyers) can see first hand what Indigenous tourism experiences are available and small tourism operators get to pitch directly to overseas buyers.

“Indigenous tourism operators such as Anangu Tours, Aboriginal Air Services, Arnhem Land Aboriginal Culture Tours, Battours, Gunya Titjikala, Davidson’s Arnhemland Safaris, Harry Nanya Tours, National Aboriginal Cultural Institute Tandanya, Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park, Desert Tracks, Lord’s Kakadu and Arnhemland Safaris and others joined with Tourism Australia and other tourism bodies to showcase to the world the fantastic Indigenous tourism experiences Australia has to offer.

“In addition state and territory bodies such as the Koorie Heritage Trust in Victoria, the South Australian Tourism Commission, Western Australia Indigenous Tourism Operators Committee and Tourism New South Wales featured Indigenous tourism operators from their states.”

According to the Cultural Tourism in Regions of Australia report released last year by Tourism Research Australia, the number of international visitors who visited an Aboriginal site or community is on the increase and there is widespread international interest in Indigenous cultural experiences.

“The report found that over 410,000 visitors, or 10 per cent of all visitors to Australia, said they experienced Aboriginal art and crafts and cultural displays and around 200,000 tourists visited an Aboriginal site or community. International Indigenous based visitors spent $4,036 per person during their stay, far outweighing the per trip expenditure of other international visitors, largely due to their longer trip length,” Mr Morrison said.

“In recognition of the potential growth of Indigenous tourism the Australian Government through Tourism Australia, has established Indigenous Tourism Australia (ITA)... ITA Chairman Aden Ridgeway is [currently] in France for the opening of the Musee du Quai Branly.”

The Musee du Quai Branly will showcase Australia’s Indigenous culture to the world, as Indigenous Australian artists feature in the design of the Musee du Quai Branly and appear in prominent areas of the museum, ensuring that more than five million international visitors a year will have the chance to view the work of the featured Australian artists.”

The Musee du Quai Branly features artists John Mawurndjul from Arnhem Land, Paddy Nyunkunny Bedford and Lena Nyadbi from The Kimberley, Ningura Napurrula and Tommy Watson from the desert, Gulumbu Yunupingu, Judy Napangardi Watson from Brisbane and the late Michael Riley from Dubbo and then Sydney.

“Each of these artists tells a story of their people and their place that promotes a better understanding of Indigenous culture,” Scott Morrison said.

Tourism Australia has also welcomed the release of the second edition the Australian Walkabout guide. This publication is an essential guide to travel experiences in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islands tourism and is the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Award winner for travel guide of the year 2006.

“Tourism Australia will continue to consult with key industry and community members to encourage the development of Indigenous tourism and to ensure the sustainable growth of Indigenous tourism at an international and domestic level,” Scott Morrison said.

ATE 2006 was held at the Adelaide Convention and Exhibition Centre from June 17 to 23 and was divided into Eastern and Western hemisphere modules.

The Indigenous section was included in the Western hemisphere module.

Source: National Indigenous Times

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