3. First Nations tourism – one of Australia's defining offerings
   1. Australia has a positive reputation for offering domestic and international visitors unique and inspiring tourism experiences. Many witnesses and submitters highlighted that nowhere is this demonstrated more so than through Australia’s capacity to provide engagement with the world’s oldest continuous living culture – that of First Nations Australia and First Nations peoples.
   2. The Committee heard of the growing interest and demand for authentic First Nations tourism, and the opportunity that exists not only economically for the sector and the nation, but also as a way of increasing cultural understanding and sustainability, and cross-cultural people-to-people connection and cohesion.[1] This chapter discusses this opportunity and some of the challenges affecting the sector’s capacity to be sustainable and to expand. The chapter concludes with the Committee’s views on this significant opportunity and provides several recommendations.

One of Australia’s defining tourism offerings

3.3Submissions and witnesses appropriately reflected on the importance, diversity and uniqueness of First Nations lands, cultures and traditions in Australia. As stated by the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) in its submission:

Australia’s First Nations peoples have the world’s oldest continuous cultures and are central to our national identity.[2]

3.4Dr Gabby Walters, Associate Professor in Tourism from the University of Queensland, highlighted the importance of First Nations tourism as a key driver of the tourism economy, explaining:

Indigenous tourism is, obviously, our key cultural product. It's something that differentiates Australia from other countries...[3]

3.5This sentiment was echoed by Ms Ninielia Mills of the Nyamba Buru Yawuru arm of the Yawuru Prescribed Body Corporate:

Indigenous culture is a crucial point of difference in today's highly competitive domestic and international tourism market, and the demand for authentic nature based cultural interactions and activities continues to grow.[4]

3.6The NIAA also noted First Nations tourism represents an opportunity not just for Australian tourism, but for First Nations peoples.[5] Similarly, Tourism Australia (TA) asserted that:

For the world’s Indigenous communities, tourism can be a powerful driver for positive change and the sustainability of cultures.[6]

3.7The NIAA also flagged that First Nations tourism supports progress under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, as:

Participating in the sector offers First Nations peoples significant economic opportunities and can build cultural awareness across the broader community.[7]

3.8Reflecting on the significance of First Nations tourism, Mr Dale Mundraby, an Operations Manager at the Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation advised the Committee that:

The biggest revenue achievement outcome for us as Aboriginal people doing business on country is providing jobs and providing opportunities through jobs to break that welfare cycle. What tourism has done for us is not only to have enthused, acknowledged and supported our current culture as a people but also to have enabled us to share that with like-minded people. That's not just the elders passing down that transitional knowledge; that's also our younger ones passing it back, so we've got a saloon door that swings both ways.[8]

3.9Mr Michael Madden from the Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council (OLALC) impressed the Committee in his evidence of the benefits of involving more First Nations people in tourism, particularly young people, and how this can bring about positive community outcomes:

Their reconnection with culture is that they're learning dance, they're learning song, they're learning how to make things. All of these things have a commercial basis, so these people could be the entrepreneurs of the future, but it's also about what they can teach tourists. So it's the bringing together of tourism with these kids on what we can build. It's an example of how the private moneys could mix with the support that we need in regard to the public moneys in getting these programs going. It can drive an outcome that would close the gaps in so many areas, whether it's education, health—all those things.[9]

High visitor interest in First Nations experiences, but it’s not all converting

3.10The Committee received evidence that emphasised the growing demand for First Nations tourism, and the importance of fostering these opportunities.[10]

3.11Mr John Hart, Executive Chair of Tourism from the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) explained:

There's incredible demand, and I'm certainly happy to source the numbers behind that demand, for international visitors to experience First Nations experiences around Australia. We need to do everything we possibly can to make sure that those experiences are accessible to not only international visitors but also domestic visitors. During COVID we saw an incredible domestic demand for experiencing First Nations tourism product.[11]

3.12Mr Mundraby, of Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation proclaimed a ‘new era’ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples due to opportunities opening up within the visitor economy.[12] He pointed to the potential for a long-term and significant knock-on effect across First Nations communities and generations through involvement in the ‘environmental and cultural economy’.[13]

3.13TA informed the Committee that approximately 1.4 million visitors took part in an Indigenous tourism experience in 2019 (pre-pandemic), adding that since 2010 the figure has grown at 6 per cent per year. However, while this is encouraging, TA advised that only an estimated 17 per cent of international visitors take part in an Indigenous experience.[14]

3.14The Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) also emphasised the high levels of interest in First Nations experiences:

Aboriginal tourism in Western Australia continues to be of great interest to visitors (at 81 per cent in 2018-19) and continues to grow. TRA has also recorded a tripling in domestic trips that incorporated First Nations activities over the 10 years to 2021-22.[15]

3.15Witnesses advised the Committee there had been a spike in demand for First Nations tourism experiences among Australians since the COVID-19 pandemic.[16]Mr James William, Chief Executive Officer of the Torres Strait Island Regional Council, argued COVID-19 had assisted development of First Nations tourism experiences:

Whilst the international market wasn't happening—and we hear COVID has impacted a lot—it's certainly assisted us in terms of an Indigenous experience. People around the kitchen table are talking about what we can do once the borders are lifted. 'We can't go international, so let's go domestic’.[17]

3.16TA also cautioned, however, that ‘Tourism Research Australia [TRA] research has found that visitor interest in First Nations experiences continued to far outweigh participation’.[18]

3.17Mr Robert Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of the Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council (WAITOC) attributed the lower level of participation, particularly by international visitors, to a regional dispersal issue related to cost and accessibility (discussed more in Chapter 4). He noted:

In WA we put that down to Perth being the gateway to the state, and it's quite, as I said, expensive and difficult to get to other parts of the state when they've already paid quite a bit to get into Perth itself or into Australia.[19]

3.18Interest may also be exceeding participation due to the limited number of providers. The shortage of First Nations tourism products was highlighted for some key regional locations such as the City of Gold Coast[20] and Broome.[21] Mr William of the Torres Strait Regional Council also emphasised that supply of experiences was the major issue.[22]

3.19Reflecting on the relatively low number of providers, the NIAA also submitted:

A range of capability constraints are impacting the delivery of authentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tourism experiences, meaning supply is not always able to meet the increasing demand in the sector.[23]

3.20Growing unique and high quality First Nations tourism experiences is one of the seven priorities of Australia’s national tourism strategy, THRIVE 2030.[24] With regard to the current scale of First Nations tourism, the NIAA advised:

First Nations tourism is a dynamic but relatively small component of the Australian tourism industry. …

[T]here are approximately 650 First Nations tourism businesses across urban, regional and remote Australia, with relatively higher numbers in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland.[25]

3.21Dr Walters from the University of Queensland put forward another reason for the difference in interest in participation in a First Nations tourism experience and actual participation. Offering a note of caution, Dr Walters suggested the demand for First Nations tourism experiences may be lower than some studies had found due to a social desirability bias, in which respondents may fear being labelled racist or prejudiced if they do not respond they would like to experience more First Nations tourism products.[26]

Supporting development of First Nations tourism products

3.22The Committee received evidence about both creating more First Nations tourism products and experiences and improving existing ones to satisfy the growing demand, noted above. Funding, infrastructure and workforce capability were reported as critical challenges for developing more First Nations tourism products, operators and experiences.[27] Witnesses outlined there were also marketing and awareness challenges. These demand side challenges are also addressed below.

Funding

3.23While some witnesses asserted financial support was readily available to support First Nations tourism, they also reported that accessing these grants could be ‘daunting’, a deterrent for potential new businesses.[28] To address this challenge, Mr Gerald Power of Indigenous Cultural Adventures called for education and training for would-be operators of First Nations tourism businesses.[29]

3.24Mr Power also raised the difficulty for First Nations tourism providers to access start-up funding, telling the Committee that applicants have to demonstrate the capacity to handle a small grant to be competitive.[30]

3.25Ms Julia Taylor of the North Queensland Land Council Native Title Representative Body Aboriginal Corporation similarly highlighted the challenges of getting a business off the ground, commenting:

I think land and presence on country is probably the first hurdle to being able to develop things, and then it's navigating the various grants that are available for startup until you’ve actually got a profitable business…

We're actually trying to … make sure that groups can actually access … funds to coordinate things like grant fund writers that can actually target all of the opportunities to pull a project together.[31]

3.26Mr William of the Torres Strait Regional Council also noted communities were often not succeeding in attracting and retaining funds.[32] He emphasised the need for First Nations communities to retain control over the funds allocated to them and called for more targeted funding:

They should be investing in less but more targeted and more sustained, rather than just sporadic and ad hoc. There should be a strategy because the investment requires some commitment over time because these things take time.[33]

3.27Mr Mundraby of Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation welcomed the availability of financial support for First Nations tourism from state governments, but also emphasised the importance of ‘wraparound support’ to small First Nations operators from the First Nations corporations.[34] He argued for support to be channelled through Aboriginal corporations, which would in turn enable the success of small tourism businesses:

We've got a communal business, and that's the Aboriginal corporation. Within that, we have individuals employed and there'll be a microbusiness created, and the wraparound support from the corporation is supporting that microbusiness to be successful with everything from paying your tax to your insurance, which are big overheads and killers.[35]

3.28Mr Michael Madden, Justice Officer from the OLALC told the Committee that one of the responsibilities of Land Councils was to protect and to promote awareness of cultural heritage. He insisted, through Land Councils, a national network was already in place to promote authentic First Nations cultural heritage and tourism.[36]

3.29Ms Taylor also emphasised opportunities for First Nations tourism businesses to build off each other, if properly promoted, which may also reduce costs.[37]

Product development and infrastructure

3.30The Committee was advised about the importance of a holistic and careful approach to development of First Nations tourism experiences. Mr William of the Torres Strait Regional Council called for support for the whole-of-life of First Nations tourism products:

… the product development side has to be whole of life from a product perspective. It has to be from concept to design development, then product release and then improving that product, because products can get tired, markets can change and a whole bunch of things can happen.[38]

3.31Mr William also advised that careful thought was needed to develop appropriate First Nations tourism products:

… what we practise as culture at home isn’t a product. It’s culture, that belongs to community and family. The product is really an aesthetic and certain thing, that you create for someone to consume and pay money for as an experience or something else, and that stands outside of the community.[39]

3.32In a joint submission, the Arts Law Centre of Australia and the Indigenous Art Code Ltd (IartC) highlighted the importance of product self-determination:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be supported to offer their cultural products, stories, expressions, language and experiences in the tourism sector in ways that are self-determined and protected from exploitation by others.[40]

3.33Mr Hart of ACCI told the Committee about increasing the supply of authentic First Nations products:

Tourism Australia has been doing a lot of work looking at the supply of First Nations tourism product and experiences, and actively working to expand the number of experiences that we're promoting within Australia, and also ensuring the legitimacy and authenticity of that product. There's incredible demand…[41]

3.34Mr William also pointed to significant risks associated with investing in remote and regional areas due to their remoteness, high labour costs, and suggested it is a role for the government to underwrite these risks.He also highlighted the lack of appropriate infrastructure to support tourism in many remote areas and the lack of investment in developing appropriate skills to support tourism in some communities.[42]

3.35Mrs Margy Osmond, Chief Executive Officer of the Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) commented on the strong interaction between national parks and First Nations tourism and pointed to the Three Capes Walk in Tasmania, referring to it as a ‘stunning example’ of what can be achieved with effective commercial, government and First Nations engagement.[43] She went on to suggest:

It's almost like there is a need for a single piece of work that is looking specifically at the First Nations and traditional tourism sector and government, and how that triangle will work in future with a big overlay of national park availability in that process as well.[44]

3.36Ecotourism Australia (EA) noted that some First Nations businesses see tourism as a ‘potential pathway to care for Country’.[45] EA advocated for partnerships and joint management approaches with Traditional Owners for Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA), in recognition that these sites are of great interest for nature-based tourism and must be managed effectively and with cultural sensitivity.[46]

3.37Mr Gerald Power of Indigenous Cultural Adventures reflected on the need for new First Nations businesses to learn from more established businesses and work with local councils and communities to identify, develop and promote tourism opportunities, commenting:

I helped support the guys out at Brewarrina, the Ngiyampaa people…

I was saying to them … 'You've got to do it. You've got to work with the Brewarrina Shire. You've got to pack it together, just like they're doing it in Walgett Shire, which is the Gamilaraay people too.' … I'm also now working with Lightning Ridge, within the Walgett Shire, to enhance their tourism out there. I know they've got the opals and everything else, but they're so rich in tourism.[47]

3.38Finally, Mr Evan Hall of the Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC) observed the different development pathway a First Nations tourism business typically takes. He noted First Nations tourism businesses needed to become export ready more quickly to service the international market, and this presents challenges:

Most tourism businesses would start off with the local market. They might extend their marketing to try and bring in visitors from other towns, and interstate and so on, long before they'd reach out to an international market, whereas most Aboriginal tourism businesses are going to have to hit the international market and be export-ready from the get-go because there's simply not enough demand from Australian travellers.[48]

Workforce and capability

3.39The availability, sustainability and skilling of First Nations peoples to provide the workforce to maintain and expand the number of First Nations tourism businesses was also reported as a significant challenge by the NIAA and others.[49]

3.40Shortages in workers with skills essential to the sector, such as promotion, marketing and tourism in regional and remote areas, compounded by housing shortages, and the instability of employment due to the seasonal nature of tourism business were identified as a barrier to increasing First Nations businesses in the tourism sector.[50]

3.41In response to some of those issues, Mr Taylor, Chief Executive of WAITOC, recommended increasing regional staff accommodation, noting that:

The cost of living and the cost of housing are always challenges as well. Seasonality is a big one. Staff accommodation on Aboriginal country could support community management. If there were accommodation put in those sorts of places for staff, it could help both the community and staffing for regional areas.[51]

3.42Ms Sarah Pilgrim from Tourism Midwest Victoria noted:

What is clear from working with this group—we've done quite a lot of internal training with our team and our operators—is that the capacity limitations of the traditional owners are probably one of the things that are stopping product from developing.[52]

3.43Dr Walters told the Committee investments in First Nations tourism should be accompanied by training, mentoring, business skills development, and qualifications.[53] Mr Darrell Harris, General Manager, Cairns Indigenous Art Fair Limited called for a workforce strategy to bring young people and entrepreneurs into the sector.[54]

3.44To support capacity and build a range of generalised business skills, the NIAA pointed to support services available through government that First Nations tourism businesses can access, including the Indigenous Business and Employment Hubs and Indigenous Business Australia.[55]

3.45Mr Gerald Power of Indigenous Cultural Adventures identified the connection between and importance of developing capacity and developing confidence for First Nations tourism operators, noting:

… it's also the confidence of the individuals. I'd say: 'Set up a webpage and then get onto Facebook; get Instagram; go and start to sell yourself; be confident in who you are.' And they'd say, 'I don't know how to do all that sort of stuff…

[G]etting them through business management schools and having that other confidence is vitally important.[56]

3.46EA highlighted the importance of upskilling First Nations people for delivery of ecotourism activities. It provided the example of the IPA Program which supports First Nations communities to voluntarily dedicate and manage their land, and the Indigenous Rangers’ Program, but noted resourcing for management was lacking.[57]

3.47The NIAA advised it has commenced a three-year training activity in Alice Springs with 100% Finke River Culture and Adventures. This company is a First Nations owned and operated tourism enterprise that will deliver training and mentoring to at least 100 local First Nations people to become tour guides.[58]

3.48Other challenges affecting the attraction and retention of the First Nations tourism workforce were flagged, including ‘racial discrimination, stigma and in some cases, language barriers’.[59]

3.49Further, the availability of enough First Nations peoples in locations who can and want to tell the story of land and cultures was raised as a challenge by Mr Rodney Carter of Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation.[60] He explained:

Dja Dja Wurrung has found with its guided tours that there are not enough Dja Dja Wurrung people to go around and deliver the face-to-face. Along with that, not every Dja Dja Wurrung person wants to do that—and nor should they be required to do it. We have a high degree of capability as orators to tell stories and utilise country, but we also have a capacity issue.[61]

3.50Reflecting on the challenges and opportunities in the First Nations tourism sector, Mr Gerald Power of Indigenous Cultural Adventures, noted First Nations tourism operators in some regions were more advanced in identifying the cultural stories and activities they wanted to share. Mr Power noted the importance of experienced First Nations tourism operators and leaders supporting new businesses in new areas:

Hopefully in the years to come we can unearth these people to be role models, lighthouses, for those who are coming forward and coming up in relation to building a cultural story, a heritage story…

We are here in Wiradjuri country, but up there all of those nations have their story. Their stories are different to ours here. That's where I see some of the gaps but the opportunities too.[62]

3.51Ms Mills reflected on the small number of First Nations owned and managed tourism enterprises in Broome, commenting that:

Engaging in training and retention of the local Indigenous workforce to deliver consistent authentic product will be pivotal in driving the Indigenous cultural tourism market going forward.[63]

Authentic experiences and products

3.52The joint submission from Arts Law Australia, Copyright Agency and the IartC highlighted strong concerns around widespread selling of inauthentic First Nations experiences and products, and the harm this causes, noting that tourists want to engage with ‘genuine expressions of First Nations culture.[64] They estimate that up to 75 per cent of the Indigenous-style consumer products sold in Australia are not produced by a First Nations person.[65] Further, OLALC described how some tourists were unknowingly buying overseas-made products that purported to be authentic First Nations artifacts.[66]

3.53The NIAA articulated the authenticity issue simply and concisely:

The production of inauthentic products undermines Australia’s unique identity, erodes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and economic opportunities, including those in the tourism sector.[67]

3.54The Committee also heard how the production and selling of inauthentic First Nations products and experiences may harm Australia’s international reputation:

… fake Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander art and crafts degrades the cultural experience of tourists, which undermines the objective of promoting Australia as a world class international travel destination.[68]

3.55The Committee heard from Arts Law Australia, Copyright Agency and the IartC with regard to the harm experienced by First Nations groups regarding inauthentic products, who stated First Nations people worldwide continued to struggle for a ‘fair go’ in tourism, noting:

The lack of inauthentic art regulation goes hand in hand with control over representation of Indigenous cultures being taken away from Indigenous people, and tourism opportunities and economic returns being largely an illusion.[69]

3.56The Committee was advised ‘inauthentic products perpetuate myths about Indigenous culture… and inhibit truth telling’.[70] They can also be non-representative of the diversity of First Nations cultures. For example, Ms Annette Steele from the OLALC noted many international tourists associated First Nations cultural experiences with the Northern Territory, but emphasised the differences that exist among First Nations peoples across the country:

… our song lines are different, our stories are different and our families are different.[71]

3.57WAITOC CEO Mr Taylor expressed concern about use of First Nations names and words in non-First Nations business names and marketing:

One of the areas that we're also finding difficult at the moment is where we're having appropriation of culture through non-Indigenous businesses naming their businesses after Aboriginal names—not necessarily just the names, because if we've renamed or we've put the first names back into a place, we can't expect a business not to name their business after that place, because that's how people find them—but then adding a word like 'dreaming' to it when they haven't got that cultural knowledge of what that means to the Aboriginal people. If they weren't using it in that context, if it were English language, it'd be different. But if they're putting 'Quandong Dreaming' and you ask the question 'What is the dreaming part?' they can't answer that, because they don't have that cultural knowledge.[72]

3.58Mr Madden from the OLALC emphasised that ‘authenticity’ must underpin any Aboriginal cultural and heritage tourism.[73] He commented that:

We are about protecting those within the tourism business … because they have authentic products. We are about protecting businesses … and encouraging other businesses that are authentic to come here because they're so important. We've been given examples where, before COVID, Chinese tourists would land in Sydney and not go anywhere near an Aboriginal experience up north at Alice Springs. Then they'd buy artefacts that were made in China, but authenticity is about our local artists being able to compete. It's about the ongoing authenticity and purity of the songlines, the storylines and all those things.[74]

3.59Mr Haydyn Bromley, Chair of the South Australian Aboriginal Tourism Operators Council (SAATOC) insisted industry regulations and certification were needed within the First Nations tourism sector to ensure authenticity, not just of art but of First Nations experiences generally. He suggested there also needed to be compliance checks to ensure that an operator who claims to run a First Nations experience is authentic.[75]

3.60In their joint submission, Arts Law Australia, Copyright Agency and the IartC also pointed to the need to build capacity in First Nations artists around their Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property rights for entering into agreements for the use of their work and being alert to those intentionally engaged in ‘unscrupulous conduct’.[76]

City-based First Nations experiences

3.61Dr Walters from the University of Queensland explained First Nations tourism offerings were typically located in regional areas.[81] The Committee heard evidence that these offerings could be difficult to access and needed to be supported by adequate and affordable transport and accommodation to improve participation.[82]

3.62The Committee heard evidence that one way to lessen the gap between those wanting a First Nations experience and being able to easily access it was to create First Nations ‘anchor attractions’ in metropolitan areas. Taking the example of the planned Aboriginal Cultural Centre in Perth, Mr Robert Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council (WAITOC) commented:

I think that'll help close that [gap] because there'll be something in Perth of significance that will showcase not just Noongar culture but the rest of the state's Aboriginal culture. I think the Museum Boola Bardip does quite a good job at the moment with some of the work that Tourism WA have been doing there with Nyumbi…[83]

3.63Speaking generally on the topic of city-based First Nations cultural experiences, Mr Hall of the ATIC remarked:

I do think there is a need for Aboriginal cultural experiences in places our visitors turn up in large numbers, which are the capital cities, first and foremost, even if it’s the point of arrival and part of that experience…

I think that would be a worthwhile investment, if it were done well and absolutely designed with the visitor in mind.[84]

3.64Mr Taylor went on to say that if connections are made with other Aboriginal communities, then a successful city-based attraction should be successful in getting people out into regional Australia. In the case of international visitors, this might not occur until their second or third visit.[85]

3.65While not a capital city development, Mr Scott Lovett of the Northern Territory Government remarked on the significance of establishing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Gallery of Australia in Mparntwe Alice Springs. Scheduled for opening in 2027, Mr Lovett noted that with 74 per cent of international travellers to the Northern Territory looking for an Aboriginal cultural experience:

Being able to showcase this culture in the home of the western dessert [sic] art will be a significant windfall for international visitors coming into the Territory.[86]

Creating awareness of First Nations experiences

3.66TA and most State Tourism Organisations (STOs) have dedicated programs to promote and grow the First Nations tourism sector. TA launched its Discover Aboriginal Experiences marketing collective in 2018, noting that the program has been ‘designed to support smaller and owner-operated tourism businesses – especially in remote areas’.[87] TA noted:

Australia’s Indigenous cultures and peoples are also at the heart of the story in the new Come and Say G’day campaign. Multiple Indigenous Australian languages are spoken in the work. The campaign also includes a cover of the classic Aussie anthem Down Under by up-and-coming Australian band King Stingray, who sing in both English and Yolnu Matha, an Indigenous language from Northeast Arnhem Land Northern Territory.[88]

3.67Nevertheless, OLALC questioned whether there was enough information on the products available in remote areas, arguing First Nations experiences were often not well promoted.[89] The SAATOC also raised concerns at ‘the manner in which Aboriginal people are portrayed [in international marketing]’.[90]

3.68WAITOC CEO Mr Taylor suggested TA could be more effective if it had First Nations members on its board and staff. He also recommended TA should devote more resources to product development in addition to marketing. This would provide confidence that the businesses that are being marketed will provide quality experiences to visitors, particularly international visitors.[91]

3.69The Committee also heard Australia could learn about effective marketing of First Nations tourism by considering approaches of other countries. Canada and New Zealand were specifically mentioned.[92] In relation to Canada, it was noted:

Canada, through a national body they created just before COVID—they did have some challenges through COVID—actually worked with their Tourism Australia equivalent in introducing Aboriginal tourism as the first thing you get when you market their country, and that increased their visitation by 25 per cent in the first year. It did make a big difference because, as I said before, 80 per cent of internationals want that experience and only a small proportion are getting it, and it's usually because those experiences are more regional. We have just done some market research around what people look for when they're looking at marketing and found that if you have a picture of a city underneath 'Aboriginal experiences' compared to a backdrop of a national park or something, the national park wins hands down.[93]

3.70EA suggested a way forward to support improved development and marketing of First Nations tourism would be:

In close consultation with, and guided by, First Nations communities and organisations [to] create approved and supportive interpretation tools and assets that can assist the broader tourism industry to engage with Traditional Owners and their stories and aspirations.[94]

Ensuring success – an effective leadership mechanism

3.71Austrade commented upon the complex policy and governance landscape surrounding First Nations tourism:

The diversity in First Nations tourism is also reflected in the complex policy and program landscape that surrounds it. There is a range of representative bodies, disparate levels of state and territory priorities and investment, and varied Federal agency involvement, which can result in lack of coordination and support across this part of the visitor economy.[95]

3.72Austrade noted there was an opportunity to develop a Visitor Economy Policy that takes a whole-of-sector approach through a partnership model that would elevate First Nations voices and inform development of future initiatives.[96] The NIAA noted it was working with Austrade on a design process to determine an appropriate partnership model.[97]

3.73Mr Taylor from WAITOC provided critical insights into how collaboration is crucial to building success for First Nations tourism. WAITOC has been recognised as a leader in progressing First Nations tourism in Australia and has been commended in other states for its approach. WAITOC has assisted other state-based organisations to establish similar entities and programs. Mr Taylor explained WAITOC’s success as coming from ‘grassroots buy-in’ and focusing on training and development for First Nations tourism businesses.[98] This has been its focus since inception in 2002.

3.74In cooperation with Tourism Western Australia, WAITOC has established the Jina Aboriginal Tourism Action Plan and, with Breakaway Tourism as a commercial partner, the Aboriginal Tourism Academy. Mr Karl Millard of WAITOC explained the Academy to the Committee:

From the Aboriginal Tourism Academy, which is an intensive mentoring program, we have the business support hub to teach them those critical administrative skills and business skills to set up an effective framework, resilience and sustainability within the business. We're also building training platforms … [to] … speak to Aboriginal people within the tourism industry… in language which people understand, in a conversational way which they find easy to take in.[99]

3.75Mr Millard went on to explain the importance of the Academy’s mentoring programs:

The mentoring programs are quite in-depth, in what we go through with them … We talk about intergenerational wealth, but intergenerational intellectual wealth is really important too; that's sadly missing from the case, so we are making sure that gap is filled in. The business support hub is intended to work with them closely and take on a lot of that administrative burden within the first three months and then gradually divest that to the business as well. We are trying to ensure that we are not creating dependency on any of our systems at any stage but always transferring that responsibility and ownership through to the business. That's resulted in a large number of businesses being created through WAITOC and a very small failure rate for those businesses.[100]

Committee comment

3.76The Committee was inspired by the high level of interest and demand for First Nations tourism experiences, and the reflections about benefits of First Nations tourism to First Nations people reflected in their evidence.

3.77First Nations tourism is a significant opportunity to support the social, economic and cultural empowerment of First Nations peoples and contribute to broader reconciliation efforts. However, given the high level of demand and structural issues impacting greater supply of authentic products, the Committee is concerned that visitor demand will go unmet, or that potentially the sector could be undermined by inauthentic or sub-standard product. The Committee also has reservations for the autonomy of First Nations suppliers, and believes there is a need for constructive engagement between government, First Nations communities, and the industry to deliver authentic, sustainable, and culturally appropriate experiences, and ensure there is adequate financial benefit to First Nations tourism operators who choose to share their cultural knowledge.

3.78The Committee considers a national First Nations tourism body must be established to provide advice and coordination to develop and support strategies to advance First Nations tourism. Critically, this includes supporting First Nations peoples to develop and deliver products and experiences that are culturally authentic, and to progress enabling policies and programs that support quality service delivery. The Committee commends the work underway, led by Austrade and the NIAA, to explore the creation of such a body and acknowledges the appropriate and respectful manner in which this is occurring through a co-design process.

3.79The Committee did not hear evidence of a comprehensive national First Nations strategy for tourism having ever been developed, nor plans for one in the future. The Committee believes that a new First Nations tourism body should consider conducting an encompassing review of issues facing First Nations tourism development and developing a national strategy to set a direction and priorities.

3.80The Committee is of the view those engaged in creating the new national body must ensure there are mechanisms to connect with grassroots communities and operators, many of whom are in remote locations, to ensure their priorities are identified and appropriate solutions are developed. The Committee also encourages the new body to develop strategies and assistance that build capacity in both non-First Nations tourism operators and in tourism agencies to engage with First Nations people to appropriately incorporate First Nations histories and cultures into their offerings.

3.81The Committee also formed the view that the new body should also examine opportunities to improve management of tourism in Indigenous Protected Areas and National Parks. The body should work with Parks Australia and other relevant lands management agencies to investigate how this could be done including sharing of successful practices across locations as appropriate. The Committee also refers to its examination and comment in relation to tourism in National Parks in Chapter 4.

3.82The Committee was particularly impressed with the work of the WAITOC over its 20 plus years of operation, especially its efforts to build capability within First Nations businesses through its training and mentoring programs. The Committee encourages others who are setting up similar state and regional bodies to model their operations on WAITOC. Likewise, the Committee encourages those involved in establishing the new national First Nations body to reflect on WAITOC successes. The Committee commends WAITOC’s efforts to assist other state-based bodies and hopes to see similar success by those other bodies.

3.83The Committee believes there is a need to continue funding programs to support First Nations tourism, but funding mechanisms and management should be tailored to suit the circumstances of recipients and the unique operating environments they are in. The Committee considers bodies such as Land Councils and Indigenous Corporations can play a role in supporting grant recipients to have a greater prospect of success by providing ongoing support and advice to build management and operational capability. The Committee sees merit in this ‘wraparound support’ concept advocated by some witnesses where existing First Nations organisations provide support to First Nations tourism businesses.

3.84Improving and promoting the viability of tourism as a sustainable career for First Nations people is an issue the new national First Nations tourism body should consider. The Committee was concerned by reports of workforce challenges facing First Nations tourism businesses in regional locations. Added to the general workforce shortages and housing issues confronting the broader tourism industry (which is further considered in Chapter 5), First Nations businesses face the additional challenge of finding sufficient First Nations people from within their community who have the connection and unique understanding to deliver authentic experiences to visitors. First Nations peoples must also be supported to engage in the tourism visitor economy in a way that accommodates their cultural needs and practices.

3.85The Committee is deeply concerned by accounts of the existence and impact of inauthentic First Nations experiences and products, particularly artwork. While the Committee is encouraged to hear the Australian Government is progressing actions to better protect First Nations knowledge and art, more steps could be taken to implement and enforce quality standards across the sector. The Committee encourages further work in this space, including investigation of a robust quality standard system that establishes and enforces standards and practices, and includes penalties for non-compliance.

3.86Further, the Committee was concerned by reports First Nations cultures were not always promoted in an appropriate manner or represented meaningfully in marketing strategies and materials. The Committee encourages increased engagement with First Nations by marketing organisations and greater representation on the boards and management of promotional bodies of First Nations people, including in Tourism Australia, to enable First Nations people to more effectively participate in marketing and representation strategies. Marketing bodies should look for other opportunities to draw in First Nations expertise, for example the establishment and use of industry advisory panels.

3.87Finally, the Committee notes stakeholder views that establishing high quality First Nations cultural centres in metropolitan locations may lead to greater visitor engagement with First Nations cultures and art, increased financial benefit to First Nations groups for their held and developing cultural knowledge, and encourage further visitation including into regions. The Committee notes the importance of First Nations peoples’ involvement in design and use of these centres, including establishing and maintaining linkages to regional locations.

3.88The Committee also notes that on 27 March 2024 the Minister for Indigenous Australians at the time, the Hon Linda Burney MP, referred an inquiry into economic self-determination and opportunities for First Nations Australians to the Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs. This Committee hopes the evidence and recommendations regarding First Nations tourism opportunities and challenges in this report will be considered in that inquiry as well.

Recommendations

3.89The Committee recommends the Australian Government establishes a national First Nations tourism body to represent the interests of First Nations businesses and communities in visitor economy policy and program development.

3.90The Committee recommends the terms of reference of the new body are informed by the strategies and successful activities of the Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council (WAITOC), particularly WAITOC’s approach to community engagement, business capability development, and fostering employment opportunities for First Nations people.

3.91The Committee recommends that once the First Nations tourism body referred to in Recommendation 1 is established, it should consider:

• A review into the current state of the First Nations tourism sector with the aim to make recommendations to government and industry on the short-, medium- and long-term actions to build a stronger and sustainable First Nations tourism sector and enable First Nations peoples to derive real financial benefit from appropriately sharing their cultural knowledge in the tourism sector;
• Preparation of a National First Nations Visitor Economy Strategy; and
• Development and implementation of programs that educate non-First Nations tourism operators on how to engage and ethically partner with First Nations people in their local communities and how to appropriately collaborate with First Nations people and showcase cultural product in their business and services.

3.92The Committee recommends the Australian Government continues to implement grant programs that support First Nations tourism businesses to design and deliver authentic, culturally appropriate experiences including in ethical partnerships with established operators. In implementing these programs, the Government should engage with the new national First Nations tourism body proposed in Recommendation 1.

3.93The Committee recommends the membership of Tourism Australia’s board should include at least one or more First Nations people.

3.94The Committee recommends the Board of Tourism Australia establishes a First Nations advisory panel under section 28(1) of the Tourism Australia Act 2004 (Cth). The purpose of the panel would be to advise Tourism Australia on appropriate representation of First Nations in marketing strategies and campaigns. The membership of the panel should comprise a majority of First Nations peoples.

3.95The Committee recommends relevant Australian Government agencies work with the tourism industry and First Nations representatives to develop partnerships and implement a robust accreditation scheme that supports and promotes the integrity and authenticity of First Nations tourism products, experiences and partnerships.

Footnotes

[1]See for example National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA), Submission 120, p. 3; Arts Law Australia, Copyright Agency and the Indigenous Art Code (IartC) Ltd submission 74 p. [5]; Ms Ninielia Mills, Chief Executive Officer, Nyamba Buru Yawuru, Committee Hansard, 21 August 2023, p. 1; Mr John Hart, Executive Chair, Tourism, Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Committee Hansard, 8 March 2023, p. 9; Tourism Australia (TA), Submission 60, p. [19]; Mr Gerald Power, General Manager and Owner, Indigenous Cultural Adventures, Committee Hansard, 26 June 2023, p. 33.

[2]NIAA, Submission 120, p. 3.

[3]Dr Gabby Walters, Associate Professor in Tourism, University of Queensland, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2023, p. 40.

[4]Ms Ninielia Mills, Chief Executive Officer, Nyamba Buru Yawuru, Committee Hansard, 21 August 2023, p. 1.

[5]NIAA, Submission 120, p. 3.

[6]TA, Submission 60, p. [19].

[7]NIAA, Submission 120, p. 3.

[8]Mr Dale Mundraby, Operations Manager, Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation, Committee Hansard, 16 August 2023, p. 1.

[9]Mr Michael Madden, Justice Officer, Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council (OLALC), Committee Hansard, 26 June 2023, p. 35.

[10]See for example Mrs Margy Osmond, Chief Executive Officer, Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF), Committee Hansard, 2 March 2023, p. 38; Mr Gerald Power, General Manager and Owner, Indigenous Cultural Adventures, Committee Hansard, 26 June 2023, p. 30; NIAA, Submission 120, p. 3.

[11]Mr John Hart, Executive Chair, Tourism, ACCI, Committee Hansard, 8 March 2023, p. 9.

[12]Mr Dale Mundraby, Operations Manager, Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation, Committee Hansard, 16 August 2023, p. 1.

[13]Mr Mundraby, Committee Hansard, 16 August 2023, p. 7.

[14]TA, Submission 60, p. [19].

[15]Austrade, Submission 73, p. 20.

[16]Mr John Hart, Executive Chair, Tourism, ACCI, Committee Hansard, 8 March 2023, pages 9–10; Ms Annette Steele, Chief Executive Officer, OLALC, Committee Hansard, 26 June 2023, p. 31; Ms Julia Taylor, Senior Legal Officer, Coordinator, Future Acts Mining and Exploration Unit, North Queensland Land Council Native Title Representative Body (NTRB) Aboriginal Corporation, Committee Hansard, 16 August 2023, p. 8.

[17]Mr James William, Chief Executive Officer, Torres Strait Island Regional Council, Committee Hansard, 16 August 2023, p. 5.

[18]Austrade, Submission 73, p. 20.

[19]Mr Robert Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council (WAITOC), Committee Hansard, 22 August 2023, p. 17.

[20]Ms Tanya Lipus, Manager of City Economy, City of Gold Coast, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2023, pages 73–74.

[21]Ms Ninielia Mills, Chief Executive Officer, Nyamba Buru Yawurus, Committee Hansard, 21 August 2023, p. 1.

[22]Mr James William, Chief Executive Officer, Torres Strait Island Regional Council, Committee Hansard, 16 August 2023, p. 2.

[23]NIAA, Submission 120, p. 4.

[24]NIAA, Submission 120, p. 3.

[25]NIAA, Submission 120, p. 3.

[26]Dr Gabby Walters, Associate Professor in Tourism, University of Queensland, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2023, p. 40.

[27]NIAA, Submission 120, p. 3.

[28]Mr Gerald Power, General Manager and Owner, Indigenous Cultural Adventures, Committee Hansard, 26 June 2023, p. 31.

[29]Mr Gerald Power, General Manager and Owner, Indigenous Cultural Adventures, Committee Hansard, 26 June 2023, p. 31.

[30]Mr Gerald Power, General Manager and Owner, Indigenous Cultural Adventures, Committee Hansard, 26 June 2023, pages 31 and 33.

[31]Ms Julia Taylor, Senior Legal Officer, Coordinator, Future Acts Mining and Exploration Unit, North Queensland Land Council NTRB Aboriginal Corporation, Committee Hansard, 16 August 2023, p. 8.

[32]Mr James William, Chief Executive Officer, Torres Strait Regional Council, Committee Hansard, 16 August 2023, p. 4.

[33]Mr James William, Chief Executive Officer, Torres Strait Regional Council, Committee Hansard, 16 August 2023, p. 4.

[34]Mr Dale Mundraby, Operations Manager, Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation, Committee Hansard, 16 August 2023, pages 1–2 and 12–13.

[35]Mr Dale Mundraby, Operations Manager, Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation, Committee Hansard, 16 August 2023, p. 7.

[36]Mr Michael Madden, Justice Officer, OLALC, Committee Hansard, 26 June 2023, p. 32.

[37]Ms Julia Taylor, Senior Legal Officer, Coordinator, Future Acts Mining and Exploration Unit, North Queensland Land Council NTRB Aboriginal Corporation, Committee Hansard, Committee Hansard, 16 August 2023, p. 8.

[38]Mr James William, Chief Executive Officer, Torres Strait Regional Council,Committee Hansard, 16 August 2023, p. 5.

[39]Mr James William, Chief Executive Officer, Torres Strait Island Regional Council, Committee Hansard, 16 August 2023, p. 2.

[40]Arts Law Australia, Copyright Agency and IartC Ltd, Submission 74, p. [13].

[41]Mr John Hart, Executive Chair, Tourism, ACCI, Committee Hansard, 8 March 2023, p. 9.

[42]Mr James William, Chief Executive Officer, Torres Strait Regional Council,Committee Hansard, 16 August 2023, pages 1–2 and 9.

[43]Mrs Margy Osmond, Chief Executive Officer, TTF, Committee Hansard, 2 March 2023, p. 41.

[44]Mrs Margy Osmond, Chief Executive Officer, TTF, Committee Hansard, 2 March 2023, p. 42.

[45]Ecotourism Australia (EA), Submission 117, p. 7.

[46]EA, Submission 117, p 3.

[47]Mr Gerald Power, General Manager and Owner, Indigenous Cultural Adventures, Committee Hansard, 26 June 2023, p. 31.

[48]Mr Evan Hall, Chairperson, Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC), Committee Hansard, 13 September 2023, p. 8.

[49]See NIAA, Submission 120, p. 4 and Regional Development Australia – Kimberley (RDA-K), Submission 116, p. 5.

[50]See NIAA, Submission 120, p. 4; RDA-K, Submission 116, p. 6; Mr Gerald Power, General Manager and Owner, Indigenous Cultural Adventures, Committee Hansard, 26 June 2023, p. 35; Mr James William, Chief Executive Officer, Torres Strait Regional Council, Committee Hansard, 16 August 2023, p. 7.

[51]Mr Robert Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, WAITOC, Committee Hansard, 22 August 2023, p. 17.

[52]Ms Sarah Pilgrim, Executive Manager, Tourism Midwest Victoria, Committee Hansard, 4 October 2023, p. 16.

[53]Dr Gabby Walters, Associate Professor in Tourism, University of Queensland, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2023, p. 40.

[54]Mr Darrell Harris, General Manager, Cairns Indigenous Art Fair Limited, Committee Hansard, 16 August 2023, p. 10.

[55]NIAA, Submission 120, p. 6.

[56]Mr Gerald Power, General Manager and Owner, Indigenous Cultural Adventures, Committee Hansard, 26 June 2023, p. 31.

[57]EA, Submission 117, p. 7.

[58]NIAA, Submission 120, p. 6.

[59]NIAA, Submission 120, p. 4.

[60]Mr Rodney Carter, Group Chief Executive Officer, Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, Committee Hansard, 4 October 2023, p. 23.

[61]Mr Rodney Carter, Group Chief Executive Officer, Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, Committee Hansard, 4 October 2023, p. 23.

[62]Mr Gerald Power, General Manager and Owner, Indigenous Cultural Adventures, Committee Hansard, 26 June 2023, p. 31.

[63]Ms Ninielia Mills, Chief Executive Officer, Nyamba Buru Yawuru, Committee Hansard, 21 August 2023, p. 1.

[64]Arts Law Australia, Copyright Agency and the IartC Ltd, Submission 74, p. [13].

[65]Arts Law Australia, Copyright Agency and the IartC Ltd, Submission 74, p. [5].

[66]Mr Michael Madden, Justice Officer, OLALC, Committee Hansard, 26 June 2023, p. 32.

[67]NIAA, Submission 120, p. 6.

[68]Arts Law Australia, Copyright Agency and the IartC Ltd, Submission 74, p. [5].

[69]Arts Law Australia, Copyright Agency and the IartC Ltd, Submission 74, p. [5].

[70]Arts Law Australia, Copyright Agency and the IartC Ltd, Submission 74, p. [5].

[71]Ms Annette Steele, Chief Executive Officer, OLALC, Committee Hansard, 26 June 2023, p. 31.

[72]Mr Robert Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, WAITOC, Committee Hansard, 22 August 2023, p. 17.

[73]Mr Michael Madden, Justice Officer, OLALC, Committee Hansard, 26 June 2023, p. 32.

[74]Mr Michael Madden, Justice Officer, OLALC, Committee Hansard, 26 June 2023, p. 32.

[75]Mr Haydyn Bromley, Chair, South Australian Aboriginal Tourism Operators Council (SAATOC), Committee Hansard, 20 February 2024, p. 35.

[76]Arts Law Australia, Copyright Agency and the IartC Ltd, Submission 74, p. [9].

[77]Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong, ‘Historic global agreement recognising First Nations’ cultural knowledge’, Media Release, 27 May 2024, https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/penny-wong/media-release/historic-global-agreement-recognising-first-nations-cultural-knowledge, accessed 14 June 2024.

[78]NIAA, Submission 120, p. 6.

[79]Commonwealth of Australia, Revive: a place for every story, a story for every place – Australia’s cultural policy for the next five years, 2023, pages 32 and 58, https://www.arts.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/national-culturalpolicy-8february2023.pdf, viewed 15 July 2024.

[80]Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong, ‘Historic global agreement recognising First Nations’ cultural knowledge’, Media Release, 27 May 2024, https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/penny-wong/media-release/historic-global-agreement-recognising-first-nations-cultural-knowledge, accessed 14 June 2024.

[81]Dr Gabby Walters, Associate Professor in Tourism, University of Queensland, Committee Hansard, 17 May 2023, p. 40.

[82]Ms Ninielia Mills, Chief Executive Officer, Nyamba Buru Yawuru, Committee Hansard, 21 August 2023, p. 2 and Mr William,Committee Hansard, 16 August 2023, p. 3.

[83]Mr Robert Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council (WAITOC), Committee Hansard, 22 August 2023, p. 18.

[84]Mr Evan Hall, Chairperson, ATIC, Committee Hansard, 13 September 2023, pages 8–9.

[85]Mr Robert Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, WAITOC, Committee Hansard, 22 August 2023, p. 19.

[86]Mr Scott Lovett, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade, Northern Territory Government, Committee Hansard, 17 April 2024, p. 64.

[87]TA, Submission 60, p. [20].

[88]TA, Submission 60, p. [20].

[89]Ms Annette Steele, Chief Executive Officer, OLALC, Committee Hansard, 26 June 2023, p. 36.

[90]Mr Haydyn Bromley, Chair, SAATOC, Committee Hansard, 20 February 2024, p. 37.

[91]Mr Robert Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, WAITOC, Committee Hansard, 22 August 2023, p. 20.

[92]Mr Robert Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, WAITOC, Committee Hansard, 22 August 2023, p. 17.

[93]Mr Robert Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, WAITOC, Committee Hansard, 22 August 2023, p. 17.

[94]EA, Submission 117, p. 10.

[95]Austrade, Submission 73, p. 20.

[96]Austrade, Submission 73, p. 20.

[97]NIAA, Submission 120, p. 6.

[98]Mr Robert Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, WAITOC, Committee Hansard, 22 August 2023, p. 27.

[99]Mr Karl Millard, Memberships Manager, WAITOC, Committee Hansard, 22 August 2023, p. 19.

[100]Mr Karl Millard, Memberships Manager, WAITOC, Committee Hansard, 22 August 2023, p. 19.