Victoria Tourism Industry Council
The Victorian Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) is Victoria’s peak tourism industry body and a leading advocate for the industry at the state and national level. It remains dedicated to embedding Indigenous Culture and experiences into its long-term strategic planning. In 2021, its submission for Australia’s long-term tourism strategy recommended the creation of a national masterplan for Indigenous tourism.
It suggested this plan focus on:
- Building Australia’s reputation as the destination recognised as having a suite of authentic, in depth and accessible Indigenous tourism experiences.
- An action plan to deepen and widen the promotion of Australian Indigenous tourism offerings in both our regions and cities.
- Strategies to develop and grow the capabilities of Indigenous tourism businesses and their workforces.
- A comprehensive plan to market and distribute Indigenous products and experiences to audiences at home and abroad.
“It must do so in a way that directly involves and benefits Indigenous communities. Any masterplan must be led by Indigenous people in a way that creates benefits for the Indigenous communities as well as the broader regions that they operate and work within”
– VTIC Reimagining Australia’s Visitor Economy Submission, June 2021
VTIC Member Views and Experiences with Indigenous Tourism
“We need to shift the mindset that First Nations experiences sit in a separate silo and work towards a collaborative bi-cultural approach where Indigenous knowledge, people and opportunities are embedded within the whole industry.”
“While there have been gains in recent years, relationships and networks between Indigenous businesses and mainstream tourism businesses remain limited.”
“We need to address a lack of skills training of community members who can share their cultural knowledge with the visitor market.”
“There is a lot happening that would not be visible if you are not immersed in Indigenous business. The challenge is to increase visibility around Indigenous activities and opportunities.”
“We need to expand access to training for Indigenous organisations. Authenticity means it is important that only Aboriginal people are telling Aboriginal stories, while being supported by their industry bodies.”
| Read more | VTIC submission |
Other Organisations
in Victoria
Organisation
First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria
Sector
Representative Body
Strategies and Indigenous Tourism projects
- An independent and democratically elected body to advocate for a state-wide treaty for Traditional Owner groups and overall more meaningful voice and representation within State Government.
Organisation
Aboriginal Heritage Council
Sector
Government Department
Strategies and Indigenous Tourism projects
- The Aboriginal Heritage Council oversees Victoria’s Registered Aboriginal Parties, who represent various Traditional Owner groups across Victoria. They aim to preserve and protect Aboriginal Culture, languages and traditions.