If you ask most Australians what’s on their bucket list, you’ll get the typical destinations like Antarctica, Paris, South America, or Africa. You won’t often find places like the outback in it, especially if you’re talking to a Millennial or younger. For many, adventures within Australia are relegated for roadtripping in a caravan as a retiree.
And when it comes to Indigenous cultural experiences, for Australians’ travel to-do lists, they’re barely a blip on the radar. I have a handful of friends, including Travel Daily Editor Adam Bishop, who have visited Uluru and all of them have described it as a lifechanging, almost spiritual experience. Amazingly, this is not hyperbole.
Can you believe that such a unique experience is right in our backyard (if you compare it to Europe, anyway)? What a shame. Not only do many of us miss out on a great adventure, but as Australians, it’s the chance for us to actually connect and engage with our First Nations community, their history and culture.
As both travellers ourselves and a professional industry, Australians look overseas when it comes to tourism, yet when overseas guests come to our shores, they are highly engaged with the Indigenous experiences on offer.
The proof is in the stats, too. Last month, the World Travel and Tourism Council released a landmark report into the impact of Indigenous tourism in Australia and found that more than 1.4 million international guests engaged in First Nations experiences in 2019, a 6% year-on-year growth since 2010.
Perhaps part of the problem is that as an industry, more support needs to be given to raise the profile of these uniquely Australian experiences, as well as our Indigenous travel operators and leaders.
Earlier this week, the First Nations Visitor Economy Partnership was announced, including Indigenous tourism industry representatives from every state and territory, who will offer guidance and leadership on our tourism offerings. Off the back of that, a national peak body dedicated to First Nations tourism will be established.
“First Nations tourism provides opportunities to share the world’s oldest living culture with travellers from around the world, while empowering First Nations people through employment and business prospects,” said Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, Minister for Indigenous Australians.
“The First Nations Visitor Economy Partnership will advocate for the sector and support the growth of First Nations tourism businesses to provide unique experiences for domestic and international visitors, driving more economic activity in the regions and local communities.
I got in touch with Joe Morrison, CEO of the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation, for his take on the exciting development.
“The partnership – particularly through the establishment of a First Nations peak tourism body – has the potential to sustainably grow the Indigenous tourism industry, promote authentic cultural experiences, and drive economic growth,” he told travelBulletin.
“Investment in training and resources for Indigenous operators, as well as increased recognition of the importance of cultural storytelling, will hold the industry in a strong position to grow.”
I personally am really looking forward to seeing what’s to come from the new partnership and would love to see more of our fellow First Nations travel operators given a boost in the industry.
Moving on now and it has been an absolute cracker in the news this week. We’ve still got whiplash from all the ups and downs of the industry and what the movers-and-shakers have been up to. You must have been sitting under a rock if you haven’t heard of the messy fall-out of the revelations about Albo from Joe Aston’s new book, The Chairman’s Lounge! If you missed it, check out our publisher (and major aviation nerd) Damian Francis’ take on the whole matter.
Then there was the slew of breakers that we sent out this week. Friday morning was a big one for FCTG, which launched its own brand insurance products, which will be available at its Flight Centre, Travel Associates and Cruiseabout stores.
On Tuesday, we covered Serko’s acquisition of Sabre’s GetThere Management Solution, which will boost Serko’s North America presence. The two will co-develop and co-invest, bringing new capabilities to the industry.
On Wednesday, we found out that Flight Centre Group has acquired Cruise Club UK, a sale which will accelerate the travel giant’s cruise footprint around the world.
The news also landed of the resignation of Travel Corporation CEO Dave Hosking, who will be replaced by Toni Ambler.
On Thursday, Corporate Travel Management’s results were released, reporting an unexpected downturn in Europe, which impacted its bottom line. However, the group still managed to grow overall revenue and EBIDTA for FY24.
Shortly after, we sent out a breaker about FCTG-owned Envoyage, which has just named Infinity Holidays as its preferred wholesaler.
“We’re essentially stocking their shelves with hundreds of thousands of travel products, all tied in with extra support and knowledge direct from the supplier,” said Envoyage Australia General Manager, Nick Queale.
“Delivering an unrivalled, high value product marketplace to our network and providing our agents and agencies with the most seamless support is core to our business, so this partnership will play a key role in helping us bolster this part of our offering.”
Oof. It’s certainly been a full-on week, but there’s no rest for the wicked, as I’m off to the Travellers Choice Conference today and will no doubt see you there.
