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Olympic boost for Indigenous tourism By Grantlee Kieza, Industry Reporter
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the $4 million First Nations Tourism Package would build on the state’s current Indigenous tourism sector to deliver even more unique experiences for tourists.
The Queensland Government will devote $4 million to boosting the Indigenous tourism sector ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Accounting firm KPMG predicts that the Games could be worth up to $17.6 billion to Australia over 20 years, along with creating more than 120,000 full-time jobs. The plan is to boost indigenous tourism experiences in the lead-up to the global event that will draw hundreds of thousands of international visitors.
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“What we want to do in the lead up to the Olympics is to grow our First Nations tourism experience across the State,” the Premier said. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk
“Over recent months, the Cairns visitor economy has been showing good signs of recovery with overseas visitors also starting to return,” Mr Healy said.
And Far North Queensland, brutalised during the pandemic, is tipped to benefit greatly.
“Developing more high quality Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural experiences will benefit tourism across the region.
The State Member for Cairns and Assistant Tourism Minister Michael Healy said Far North Queensland’s tourism recovery was underway.
“The more unique and diverse our world-class tourism experiences, the more visitors will extend their stay and support local jobs.”
“If someone has a small company or a good idea, we are going to help build that capacity. “They can grow and employ more people and be ready in 10 years when people come from all around the world, wanting to experience everything that Queensland has to offer.” The Premier said that experiences such as the Ngadiku Dreamtime Walks conducted by the local Indigenous people at Mossman Gorge were “nation-leading”. “With more First Nations tourism offerings throughout
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our state, we know we can build on this industry into the future,” she said. The Premier said the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games would create strong interest in Queensland over the next decade, especially among overseas travellers wanting to experience Indigenous cultures. “It’s important that we take full advantage of the golden decade that will come with the 2032 Games,” the Premier said. “This funding injection will help to grow the industry, boost the economy, create jobs for Indigenous Queenslanders and enrich Australian and international visitors with First Nations culture and country.” The increased funding for that sector of Queensland tourism comes as experienced pilots and cabin crew from domestic and international airlines are lining up to join new start-up budget carrier Bonza, which will have a base on the Sunshine Coast. ResortNews | July 2022
