At Tourism Australia, we know our Indigenous story is central to our nation’s identity. Australia is home to the oldest living culture on Earth, with the potential to provide Australian tourism with a competitive advantage. With this competitive advantage, an opportunity exists: To grow the demand for authentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tourism experiences, both on the global stage and here at home. We see Tourism Australia’s role as integral to grow this demand, and in doing so, using tourism as a pathway towards reconciliation.
The opportunity through Indigenous tourism
In 2019, 1.4 million international visitors (17%) participated in an Indigenous tourism experience whilst visiting Australia, a 6% year on year increase since 2010. For domestic travellers, the figure was one million, an increase of 13% each year since 2013. In order to facilitate this demand, at Tourism Australia we can enable a greater awareness, understanding and advocacy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and culture by partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders peoples and businesses. This will ultimately increase the value of the Indigenous tourism sector and improve the tourism experiences of our holiday-makers.
Welcome to Country video launch
This week, Tourism Australia is launching ‘Welcome to my Country’ – a video being distributed across a range of Tourism Australia’s owned channels. Featuring prominent Aboriginal Elders, the film welcomes Australians to explore Country by connecting with our lands Traditional Custodians, learning their rich stories and sharing in culture – of which can be fostered with tourism experiences.
You can watch the ‘Welcome to my Country’ video here, and check out on Australia.com here.
The ‘Welcome to my Country’ video was written and created by Message Sticks and produced by Blackfisch, both majority Aboriginal-owned and operated companies. The film is supported by a range of owned and earned initiatives to encourage Australians to seek out Indigenous tourism experiences.
Tourism Australia’s CMO, Susan Coghill, said:
“Tourism is one of the most impactful ways for Australians (and people from all around the world, in non-pandemic times) to connect with Country and share in tens of thousands of years of storytelling and millions of years of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history on this land.
“Furthermore, choosing to spend your holiday with an Indigenous-owned business can bring big benefits to communities by preserving jobs, boosting the local economy, and continuing cultural identity.
“We are proud to work with the tourism industry to showcase the incredible experiences on offer and there’s something special about being able to promote authentic, deep connection with Country through the knowledge and experience shared by Aboriginal Elders and Aboriginal tour guides across our nation.”
Announcing ‘Connect to Country’ partnership
Tourism Australia is also proud to announce their participation as a founding partner in the ‘Connect to Country’ movement, launched last week by Facebook Australia and Campfire X. The ‘Connect to Country’ movement invites Australians to better connect with Australia’s Indigenous cultures, and encourages brands and businesses to embed First Nations culture as an integral part of their physical and digital footprints. ‘Connect to Country’ spotlights positive storytelling and representation, and offers easy ways for everyone to make Indigenous Culture an essential part of our everyday life. A new video asks all Australians “Where You From?” and encourages them to discover more about their local First Nations communities, with resources available on the ‘Connect to Country’ Facebook page. In addition, Facebook Australia and Campfire x will launch a pilot series of unique First Nations stories that will be served to Facebook and Instagram users who live in corresponding areas, connecting them with the land they’re on.
To learn more, visit: Facebook.com/ConnectToCountry
Tourism Australia’s Reconciliation Action Plan
Our reconciliation vision is: one where the cultures and knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Communities are embraced as central to our nation’s identity, and that all Australians feel proud of connecting with, and learning from, the storytelling of the world’s oldest living culture.
This May, Tourism Australia launched our 2021 – 2023 Innovate RAP in Darwin. Developed in partnership with Reconciliation Australia, this is our fourth RAP and it features action items and deliverables reflecting our refreshed strategy and approach. The strategic priorities in our RAP are:
- To build upon the existing passion of our people to increase their knowledge, competency and advocacy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, peoples and histories.
- Our campaigns will heighten the prominence and diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural experiences, across all marketing channels, while also engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and businesses in the creation of this content.
- We will enable the growth of Indigenous tourism by increasing the domestic and global distribution footprint with travel and media trade partners.
4. We will gain a deeper understanding of the insights shared by our domestic and international markets towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tourism experiences
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