In a significant moment, The Albanese Labor Government has today announced a historic new Partnership, the First Nations Visitor Economy Partnership.

Comprising of First Nations tourism industry representatives from each state and territory, this Partnership will undertake the role of investigating and establishing a permanent First Nations national tourism peak body.

TTF CEO Margy Osmond, “This announcement is a huge win, recognising the cultural importance of having First Nations representatives at the forefront of Australian tourism.

“With such an extraordinary culture and heritage, it’s critical that First Nations tourism operators are recognised and supported to showcase their country.”

In conjunction with this announcement, new research released by the Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) found that 45% of Australians indicated they would be interested in participating in an Indigenous Tourism experience within the next 12 months.

The national survey of 1,500 Australians, conducted by Pure Profile, reveals Australians’ likeliness to participate in a tourism experience that showcases the lands and culture of the country’s First Nations people.

Run between 1 – 6 September, this research found that almost one in four (24%) of respondents said Yes they would be interested in this form of tourism, while 21% said they would Maybe be interested.

The age group most interested in these experiences were 25-34 years olds (60%), followed by 35-44s (55%) and 18-24s (50%). This number represents those who have booked, would consider, or maybe consider participating in an Indigenous tourism experience in the coming 12 months.

“As the support for First Nations tourism expands, we hope that the number of Australians looking into take part in these immersive experiences will also grow,” Ms Osmond said.

ENDS