Disciplinary Engagement: Tourism

Tourism is widely viewed as having the potential to contribute to economic self-sufficiency for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The ongoing implementation of Indigenous Cultural Competency in Tourism will involve movement towards a collaborative collegial network of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous academics and community engagement to modify existing curriculum to meet broader goals in Indigenous Cultural Competency.

Given Tourism was acknowledged in community consultation as a significant area for marrying the continuity of
culture with economic self-determination, the potential for future collaboration is promising. A community member commented in the Indigenous Cultural Competency focus groups:

Tourism is a way for us to lift our communities from poverty

The discipline of Tourism has the most comprehensive inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content in the School of Business. Although there is no designated course, there is a pervasive inclusion of topics covered in the Leisure and Tourism major. These include:

• Indigenous cultural tourism;
• Culturally sustainable Indigenous tourism development and;
• Tourism and Indigenous cultural landscapes.

As part of the Indigenous Cultural Competency initiative in the School of Business a collaborative refereed conference publication for the Conference on Australian University Tourism Education (2011) considers the need for the Tourism Education community in general to rigorously debate it’s approach to Indigenous inclusion. In reflecting on the current Tourism curriculum the paper comments:

While the courses we offer may be inclusive of Indigenous content and references, an Indigenous perspective and Indigenous participation embedded in the curricula is absent - Young et. al. 2011

Considering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander inclusion through the lens of the Indigenous Cultural Competency project provided the impetus for disciplinary reflection on current practices. As shown in the highlighted comment, some staff recognised a gap between content inclusion about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and a broader engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and perspectives.

In 2011 an ongoing component of Indigenous Cultural Competency in Tourism will more broadly research staff views on Indigenous inclusion in Tourism and further contribute to external Tourism education forums.

There is a wide range of online materials available to develop a clearer understanding of the issues related to Indigenous Tourism.

• Strategic importance of Indigenous experiences in the broader national tourism agenda.
  • National Strategy for Indigenous Tourism 2007-2012 
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ Tourism Policy: The current state of play 
  • Tourism Australia - Indigenous Tourism 
• Community Priorities for tourism ventures.
  • Principles for developing Aboriginal Tourism: Based on consultations with Aboriginal communities 
  • Indigenous Tourism Australia 
• Research agendas to facilitate industry development and reflective practice.
  • Indigenous/Aboriginal Tourism in Australia (2000-2008): Industry lessons and future research needs 
  • Mining and Indigenous Tourism in Northern Australia: Summary of findings 
• Case studies to support curriculum inclusion.
  • Indigenous Tourism Australia- Video Case Studies 
  • Indigenous Tourism in the South West region of Western Australia: A case study analysis from a Nyungar perspective 
  • Entangled dreams: A discussion of the intercultural appeal of Australian Indigenous tourism
  • Who is Interested in Aboriginal Tourism in the Northern Territory, Australia? A Cluster Analysis 

Click here to download a list of selected literature for tourism