Intrepid grows First Nations experiences by 300 per cent

By Alexandra Coulton

Intrepid Travel has ticked off the majority of its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) goals, including growing the number of First Nations experiences on its trips by more than 300 per cent.

The company has published its RAP Progress Report, revealing it has completed 76 per cent of the 90 actions in its RAP from July 2020 to July 2022.

The remaining 13 per cent will be tackled while it works on developing its next RAP.

In particular, Intrepid has focused on introducing more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experiences on its Australian itineraries, growing the number of First Nations tourism experiences on trips from 12 in 2019 to 50 experiences offered by 41 suppliers by June 2022.

Plus, for the first time, Intrepid customers can experience multi-day stays in Aboriginal communities, allowing for deeper engagement with First Nations cultures, histories and languages on the South Australia Outback Adventure itinerary, which stays at Iga Warta on Adnyamathanha land, and the Eyre Peninsula Adventure tour, which stays at the Scotdesco Aboriginal Community in Bookabie.

Reconciliation Action Plans are endorsed by Reconciliation Australia and assist businesses to embed the principles of reconciliation.

“As an Australian-founded business, our reconciliation journey continues to be one of the most important experiences in our company’s history – we’re learning every day as we deepen our engagement with First Nations Australians,” said Brett Mitchell, Intrepid’s ANZ managing director.

“Our customers have told us that experiencing Aboriginal and Torres Strait cultures on Country is literally changing the way they see the world. And, we’re learning so much as a business through working with more First Nations suppliers.

“We know we have a long way to go and we’re committed to making that positive change – here and all around the world.”

Intrepid Travel’s reconciliation working group includes two First Nations consultants, Bart Pigram, a Yawaru man and owner-operator of Narlijia Experiences in Broome, WA and Patricia Adjei, a Wuthathi, Mabuiag Islander and Ghanaian woman from Sydney/Warrane who works as First Nations Arts and Culture Director at the Australian Council for the Arts.

Other steps taken to support stronger relationships with First Nations people include:

Tour leaders complete cultural competency training, including how to deliver an Acknowledgement of Country at the start of every trip in Australia
Staff are offered the option to work on 26 January and take an alternative day off, in recognition that Australia Day is not a celebration for First Nations Australians
A commitment to introduce dual naming for Australian capital cities on its website
Increasing cultural learning by offering its team the opportunity to join Aboriginal-led walking tours or virtual tourism experiences – 103 staff members have participated
Participating in the first pilot culture tour guide training program in Victoria run by the Taungurung Land and Waters Council (TLaWC) in partnership with Koorie Heritage Trust and Visit Victoria to deliver tour guide training to 15 prospective Aboriginal tour leaders

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