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aboriginal tourism

Market research has recently assessed awareness of Aboriginal tourism among overseas visitors to Australia. Europe, led by Germany, has emerged as the strongest market for Aboriginal tourism. German tourists are the most likely to travel to the Australian outback. While 35% of German tourists made a trip to the outback, only 5% of Japanese tourists visited the outback in 1999-2000. About 80% of German tourists ·strongly agreed· or ·agreed· that Australia offered very interesting cultural experiences. Visitors from European countries generally indicated a high level of interest and knowledge about Indigenous culture. In a recent survey of potential Chinese visitors, 39% expressed interest in Indigenous cultural products.

Significantly, 37% of international visitors expressing high or medium interest in Aboriginal tourism left Australia without participating in an Aboriginal tourism experience, according to the Survey of Indigenous Tourism 2000. The report, which focuses on expectations of Aboriginal tourism experiences, satisfaction, conversion and identifying target markets, notes that reasons for this include time constraints and inability to find the appropriate information.

Source: Aboriginal tourism

what is aboriginal tourism

tribal warrior cruise sydney harbour tribal warrior association promotion photo

Aboriginal Tourism Australia has adopted a broader description of Aboriginal tourism which encompasses four distinct but related elements. Aboriginal tourism is:

• concerned with cultural and biological diversity
• asserts prior informed participation of all stakeholders, and active decision-making processes accorded to Indigenous and local communities
• recognises Indigenous persons· special connection to land and waters
• recognises customary proprietary knowledge held on a community and individual basis.

Message from Cathy Freeman, ambassador for ATA and Olympic gold medalist, 2000

"As the Ambassador for Aboriginal Tourism Australia I am pleased to have the opportunity to promote Australia’s Indigenous cultures to the world.

I am a proud Australian who has much pride in my Aboriginal heritage. I was especially proud when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture was showcased to a global audience at the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympics. The richness and diversity of Australia’s Indigenous cultures were beamed to billions of viewers around the world and I was immensely proud that I could claim a heritage that dates back more than 40,000 years.

Tourism offers so much to both Aboriginal communities and visitors. For visitors there is the chance to meet Indigenous people and learn about us as a people and to learn about our spiritual beliefs that connects each clan to the land. For Aboriginal communities tourism provides the opportunity for involvement in the real economy and enables our young people to stay on country. It provides the opportunity for Aboriginal people to share their intimate knowledge of the landscape with tourists.

Aboriginal people are pleased to share our knowledge and beliefs with visitors all that is asked is respect. Remember the ‘Three Rs’, Relationship, Responsibility and Respect. Whilst you may not understand, we ask that you respect Indigenous people’s beliefs."

Source: Aboriginal Tourism Australia

welcome to country brochure

Respecting Indigenous culture for travellers in Australia -download as PDF from Aboriginal Tourism Australia website

what you can do to support indigenous tourism

Visit the following websites

• Aboriginal Tourism Australia - home page
• Aboriginal Tourism Australia - quarterely newsletters
• Indigenous Tourism Australia
• Aboriginal Tour operators
• Aboriginal Tourism & Marketing Association
  

Buy a guide book.

going bush - adventures accross indigenous australia

australia walkabout; contact guide

The following 3 books cover Indigenous tourism Australia wide. There are also many state and city guides that can be purchased locally

• Lonely Planet Guide to Indigenous Australia
• Going Bush, Adventures Accross Indigenous Australia: Lonely Planet
• australia walkabout; contact guide
  Winner of the international PATA Travel Guide of the Year 2006, website also includes links to selected tourism experiences and a free newsletter updating the listings with latest information and new travel experiences.
  

If you have problems locating indigenous tourism outlets in the area in Australia you visit - please provide feedback to the tourism offices in that state

Visit the Australian tourism offices in Europe for further information

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external links

• Aboriginal Tourism Australia
• Indigenous Tourism Australia
• Aboriginal Tour operators
• Aboriginal Tourism & Marketing Association

Indigenous festivals guide

• Coming of the light - July - Torres Strait
• Croc festivals - Australia wide
• Dreaming festival June - Woodford QLD
• GARMA -August - Arnhem land - expression of interest must be filled out on website
• Laura dance festival - June (every 2nd year from 2005) north QLD
• NAIDOC - July - Australia wide - week of celebrations of Indigenous culture
• Yabun - 26 January - Sydney NSW

links to Indigenous tourism - new

eniar accepts no responsibility for the following links - this information is provided as a guide to help tourists find Indigenous run tourism ventures. We invite Indigenous tourism operators to contact us with their details and a picture if possible.

• Gary Pappin mycountryenterprises: Specialised tours in the Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area, The Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area, including Lake Mungo National Park, covers 240,000 hectares of a semi-arid mosaic landscape of interconnected dry lakes. Crowned by lunettes large enough to be seen from space, the lakes bear witness to extensive human occupation for more than 40,000 years.My Country Enterprises offers exclusive access to the entire World Heritage Area. Discover this unique cultural and physical landscape with the expertise, hospitality and knowledge of its Indigenous People.

VISITING AUSTRALIA ALSO SEE

Victoria

French - Melbourne, Australie http://french.visitmelbourne.com/

German - Melbourne, Australien http://german.visitmelbourne.com/

Italia Site - http://italian.visitmelbourne.com/

UK Site - http://www.visitmelbourne.com/
Welcome to Aboriginal Victoria

New South Wales

Deutschland - http://de.sydney.com/

French - http://fr.sydney.com/

Italia - http://it.sydney.com/

Aboriginal Culture New South Wales, Government Tourism Site

Queensland

French
French Bienvenue au Queensland - http://www.queensland-australia.eu/iss/europe/french/

Les aborigènes - http://www.queensland-australia.eu/iss/europe/french/experiences/indigenous.cfm

German
Willkommen in Queensland - http://www.queensland-australia.eu/iss/europe/german/

Australiens Ureinwohner - http://www.queensland-australia.eu/iss/europe/german/experiences/indigenous-cultural.cfm

Italian
Benvenuti nel Queensland - http://www.queensland-australia.eu/iss/europe/italian/

I nativi australiani

UK
Welcome to Queensland - Learn about Indigenous heritage and culture in Queensland

South Australia

French - la culture aborigene

La Piste du Rêve aborigène - (Aboriginal Dreaming Trail) suit la découpe historique du paysage et évoque la richesse de l’héritage culturel aborigène.

German - Kultur der Aborigines

Aboriginal Dreaming Trail - Folgen Sie dem Dreaming Trail durch beeindruckende, urzeitliche Landschaften reich an Geschichte und Kultur der Aborigines.Folgen Sie dem Dreaming Trail durch beeindruckende, urzeitliche Landschaften reich an Geschichte und Kultur der Aborigines.

Italia - Cultura aborigena -

Sentiero Aborigeno dei Sogni - Viaggiate lungo il Sentiero Aborigeno dei Sogni per incontrare un antico ed interessante paesaggio ricco di cultura e tradizioni Aborigene.

UK - Aboriginal Culture

Western Australia

Aborignal Culture -
Deutschland - Willkommen in Westaustralien
Kultur der Ureinwohner - Australien ist einer der ältesten Kontinente der Erde und kann auf eine Geschichte der Aborigines zurückblicken, die mehr als 40.000 Jahre alt ist.

Northern Territory

German
Willkommen im Northern Territory

Fremdenverkehrsamt für
Australia’s Northern Territory
Diese Adresse ist ausschließlich für Gewerbetreibende im Tourismusbereich.

French
Bienvenue dans le Territoire du Nord

Italy
Benvenuti nel Territorio del Nord (Northern Territory)

UK and Ireland

Welcome to Australia’s Northern Territory

Aboriginal Cutlure - Hundreds of different languages, customs and laws woven together tell a story of Aboriginal culture that is more than 40,000 years old. http://en.travelnt.com/experience/aboriginal-culture.aspx

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