remote australia live city - tourism project

We need to stop small Aboriginal tourism operators from getting lost in the Outback

Dr. Damien Jacobsen

Principal Research Leader

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism Product Project

Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation

Southern Cross University, Australia

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Approximately 130 small Aboriginal operators in remote Australia

Running a business helps people to:

Remain on country to protect, maintain and share

Keep culture, family and communities strong

Create opportunities now and for the next generation

Setting the scene:

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Small Aboriginal tourism operators get lost

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Inadequate enabling environment

Insufficient and/or inappropriate

Agency support Training resources

Pool of knowledge & research Tourism industry support

Our tourism project:

Asked Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people what they want

Highlighted knowledge and expertise instead of deficit

Worked closely with operators from start to finish…and beyond

Replicated cultural practice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

learning from each other

Strengthened link between research and grass roots

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Towards a better enabling environment

Towards a better enabling environment: introducing

some of our projects

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Staying connected

Project: Small business networking in the Outback

Key findings: Localised variability; complex and diverse; market

opportunities; inadequate industry/agency support; cultural strength

Walking together

Project: Aboriginal ways of enterprise clustering

Key findings: Principles Aboriginalise Western business concepts; small

business competitiveness; grass roots representation

Cultural ways for stronger business

Project: Reconciliation tourism based on cultural tradition

Key findings: Market-driven; complicated social encounters; enterprise

diversity; strong cultural guidance

Where to from here?

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Strong Aboriginal representation in tourism

National and state industry bodies, regional clusters

Aboriginal business knowledge

Applied research, theory, practice

Appropriate training resources

Practical knowledge, learning from each other,

mode of delivery

Redefine funding guidelines

Fundamentals, cluster coordination, enterprise

diversity

Thank you!Please visit: http://crc-rep.com/

Information about this work is available on our website

Contact Details:

Dr Damien Jacobsen

Phone: 02 6620 3042

E-mail: damien.jacobsen@nintione.com.au

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