Tourism WA has announced a four-year plan to make the State become front of mind as the top Australian destination for authentic Indigenous cultural experiences.
Acting Managing Director at the Agency, Derryn Belford said it had been working closely with the Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council, the Aboriginal tourism industry, and other Government Agencies to develop the plan.
“Aboriginal tourism is a rapidly growing sector of our industry in WA, with visitors keen to discover the stories and traditions of one of the oldest surviving cultures on Earth,” Ms Belford said.
“This plan will make sure people have more access to these authentic experiences, with the increased funding supporting their development into the future.”
Speaking at the WA Regional Tourism Conference in Geraldton, Ms Belford said Tourism WA was rolling out new Aboriginal tourism experiences including Camping with Custodians.
“Camping with Custodians is an Australian-first program that has already seen five high-quality campgrounds developed on Aboriginal lands — all open to the public and operated by the community,” she said.
“These sites generate income, employment, training opportunities and are a chance to showcase local culture. We look forward to investigating the potential for more sites in the near future.”
She said the plan would also support an increase in Aboriginal tourism experiences on the Dampier Peninsula.
“This will provide some great opportunities for Aboriginal communities to get involved in the tourism industry, and share their culture, knowledge and history,” Ms Belford said.
