The Indigenous Tourism Champions Program (ITCP) is an exciting new initiative providing select export-ready Indigenous tourism operators with the opportunity to be appropriately represented and profiled amongst global and in-bound tourism networks.

The joint initiative between IBA and Tourism Australia provides selected Champions with sales and marketing support and training, as well as mentoring in tourism best practice across service delivery, business operations, administration and promotion. Champions have the opportunity to attend, and gain exposure through, trade shows, new product workshops and launches.

Indigenous Tourism Champion, Kakadu Culture Camp in the Northern Territory. Image courtesy of Tourism Australia

Thirteen Indigenous owned and operated tourism businesses have already completed the first phase of the program, receiving mentoring and training to assist them in positioning their products and services at the forefront of the Indigenous tourism industry.

The ITCP will build confidence among the distribution network that sells Australian Indigenous cultural experiences, that small business operators and Indigenous tourism operators in particular, are reliable business partners with strong and unique industry knowledge.

The Chair of Tourism Australia’s Indigenous Tourism Industry Advisory Panel, Aden Ridgeway said: ‘The Indigenous Tourism Champions initiative will help to generate unprecedented exposure of our better established Indigenous tourism products, helping to enhance the profile of the entire sector’.

Champions who successfully meet the criteria of the program will be offered opportunities for more targeted business mentoring and financial assistance in the future, including the opportunity to showcase their products and services at domestic and international trade shows.

We invite you read more about the Champions in:

• Spotlight on a tourism champion – Worn Gundidj: Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve
• Spotlight on a tourism champion – Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tours
• Sharing the Bama Way
  

Meet the Champions