$3.6m investment to grow First Nations tourism in NSW

The Federal and NSW State Governments are to co-invest $3.6 million in Strategic Indigenous Tourism Projects (SITP) to help grow First Nations tourism in New South Wales.

The NSW Aboriginal Visitor Experience Accelerator, led by Destination NSW in collaboration with Create NSW and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, is designed to accelerate the growth, capability and reach of Aboriginal-led experiences and events across the State.

“First Nations tourism allows visitors from across the country and around the world to learn more about the world’s oldest continuous living culture,” Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy said.

“By investing in First Nations tourism, we are driving regional economic growth, creating sustainable jobs and strengthening pathways for Aboriginal businesses to succeed in the visitor economy.

“This partnership will help expand numerous Aboriginal-led experiences and events across New South Wales.”

More than $2 million under the partnership will see the expansion of the National Parks and Wildlife Service’s Cultural Tour Program, including training around 200 people through the Aboriginal Tour Guide Pathway Training Program.

This initiative not only creates pathways into tour guiding roles but supports the growth of Aboriginal-owned cultural tourism enterprises.

Important step toward

NSW Aboriginal Tourism Operators Council Chair, Dwayne Bannon-Harrison said his organisation was deeply committed to strengthening Aboriginal tourism across New South Wales, and these initiatives reflect an important step toward supporting businesses and communities to share culture with visitors.

“We welcome this investment and Destination NSW’s continued commitment to Aboriginal cultural tourism, which helps ensure opportunities flow back to Country, community, and the storytellers who carry this work,” he said.

Create NSW will establish a $400,000 Cultural Arts Tourism Fund to support the development of new initiatives with a focus on creative practice.

The National Indigenous Art Fair in Sydney will receive event support funding through Destination NSW.

Support for Aboriginal tourism businesses to attend major trade events and conferences, along with free mentoring for up to 30 Aboriginal businesses to implement online booking systems, will build capability, expand market reach and improve access for visitors to Aboriginal-owned experiences in NSW.

The program also includes a Destination NSW research project to review Aboriginal tourism businesses and cultural experiences, identifying barriers and opportunities for future development. Aboriginal tourism and events will be mapped across the state, identifying gaps and opening up targeted support to help First Nations businesses thrive.

As more visitors seek authentic and meaningful travel experiences, First Nations tourism offers an opportunity to connect with the rich cultures, heritages and ongoing stories of Aboriginal communities.

The Federal Government is co-investing $17 million with States and Territories to grow First Nations tourism around the country.

Backing Aboriginal tourism operators

NSW Minister for Tourism, Steve Kamper said his government was committed to backing Aboriginal tourism operators to develop, promote and sell their experiences to the world.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with the Federal government to support their growth right across the State,” he said.

“From guided cultural walks and On-Country experiences to food and artwork workshops and performances, there are abundant opportunities for visitors to Sydney and regional NSW to take part in rich and immersive experiences that connect them to Country.

“Sharing our state’s depth and breadth of the world’s oldest continuous culture is a key focus of the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2035 and will play an important role in achieving our target of $91 billion in annual visitor expenditure by 2035.”