Tourism and Transport Forum welcomes First Nations Visitor Economy Partnership

With nearly half of Australians expressing an interest in participating in an Indigenous Tourism experience, the Tourism and Transport Forum has commended the Federal Government’s announcement of a historic new Partnership - the First Nations Visitor Economy Partnership.

Comprising of First Nations tourism industry representatives from each state and territory, this Partnership will undertake the role of investigating and establishing a permanent First Nations national tourism peak body.

Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) Chief Executive Margy Osmond noted “this announcement is a huge win, recognising the cultural importance of having First Nations representatives at the forefront of Australian tourism.

“With such an extraordinary culture and heritage, it’s critical that First Nations tourism operators are recognised and supported to showcase their country.”

In conjunction with this announcement, new research released by TTF found that 45% of Australians indicated they would be interested in participating in an Indigenous Tourism experience within the next 12 months.

The national survey of 1,500 Australians, conducted by Pureprofile, reveals Australians’ likeliness to participate in a tourism experience that showcases the lands and culture of the country’s First Nations people.

Run between 1st – 6th September, this study found that almost one in four (24%) of respondents said Yes they would be interested in this form of tourism, while 21% said they would maybe interested.

The age group most interested in these experiences were 25-34 years olds (60%), followed by 35-44s (55%) and 18-24s (50%). This number represents those who have booked, would consider, or maybe consider participating in an Indigenous tourism experience in the coming 12 months.

Osmond added “as the support for First Nations tourism expands, we hope that the number of Australians looking into take part in these immersive experiences will also grow.’

Image. Wintjiri Wiṟu at Ayers Rock Resort Uluṟu. Credit: Tourism Australia