What a fantastic three days in Naarm/Melbourne at the MCG for the Australian Indigenous Tourism Conference in October 2024! Huge thanks to WAITOC for organising such an uplifting event. It’s always inspiring to connect with others who share a passion for tourism and the travel industry, to exchange ideas, and strengthen our own businesses while boosting the cultural tourism sector. Events like these play a vital role in empowering Indigenous communities by creating employment and enriching lives.
It inspired me to write this blog, as I gained numerous insights and knowledge from the experience.
What I already knew prior to attending the conference is that there’s a clear and growing demand from both domestic and international visitors for authentic Indigenous experiences in Australia. We've seen that reflected through the stats and articles being published continuously.
But there's nothing more reinforcing than seeing so many First Nations tourism professionals together in one room, it was inspiring and showed that we are ready to share our culture and traditions.
Australian Indigenous Tourism Conference, Naarm / Melbourne October 2024.
Further learnings, are around our youth being vital as the future storytellers, entrepreneurs, and community builders. Providing more training programmes that offer pathways into the tourism industry will enable young people to drive economic, cultural, social, and environmental sustainability.
I was especially inspired by the work Nyamba Buru Yawuru is doing in WA with their life-changing training programmes. This is where real transformation begins—with education and opportunity.
Another takeaway was the importance of diversifying income streams to build resilience in the off-seasons, as tourism can be unpredictable. Diversification is something I’m passionate about; it’s even reflected in the name of my business, Diversified Business Skills. Exploring ways to complement tourism offerings, such as selling native bush tucker or other Indigenous products, can create additional income while also supporting the community.
I thoroughly enjoyed the session on AI with Lucio Ribeiro. As someone already working in digital and social media marketing, I’m always keen on learning about new tech advancements—though I’ll admit, some of it is both exciting and a little unnerving!
Kudos to WAITOC for developing a digital map that will make Indigenous tourism businesses more accessible through an app. It’s a fantastic step in connecting visitors with Indigenous experiences.
A few other takeaways include the need for more collaboration, knowledge sharing, and forums to help businesses share successes and challenges—saving valuable time and resources and avoiding repetitive mistakes. Indigenous tourism isn’t confined to our own backyards; it’s about connecting with First Nations communities globally.
Inclusivity also means ensuring tourism is accessible for everyone, creating true equity. This ties into my biggest takeaway and key point of focus - on gender equity.
A conference highlight for me was meeting Hon. Malarndirri McCarthy, who announced 1,000 new ranger jobs, with 700 of those designated for female rangers.
From left to right: Daina Walker, The Hon Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, Emmalene Richards.
In our conversation, we introduced First Nations Women In Tourism Australia, explaining our mission to address the gender equality gap and empower more Indigenous women as leaders. Her reply—“I’m with you!”—was so encouraging.
It’s my hope that our not-for-profit gains more visibility and support from both men and women, recognising the unique value women bring to leadership and cultural preservation.
Women make up the majority of the tourism and hospitality industry workforce globally, yet men still occupy most executive roles. Now is the time to support women in stepping into leadership, creating financial freedom, and finding flexible roles that work for mothers and carers.
First Nations Women In Tourism Australia aims to foster conversations among women, providing a safe space to share challenges, knowledge, and support. While men, of course, have their role, women need to be equally represented at the decision-making table. By investing in our women and youth, we can pave the way for a stronger, more equitable tourism industry for all.
Image: Director and Co-Founder Daina Walker (left) and Emmalene Richards (right) Founder and Director of First Nations Women In Tourism Australia.
Reflecting on the event, I noticed some missed opportunities. Given my experience in training tourism businesses in sales and digital marketing, I was surprised there weren’t more sessions on marketing and promoting tourism businesses.
Seeing the cultural tourism operators out there is wonderful, but we need to equip them with the skills to market their offerings. Building these capabilities within First Nations tourism businesses is crucial; otherwise, it’s challenging to grow visibility and reach. For any Indigenous tourism businesses out there needing help with websites or social media, I’m a First Nations woman who specialises in sales and marketing for tourism. I’m here to help in an affordable way.
Please get in touch: info@dbslearning.com
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