New Indigenous Australian tourism marketplace to launch with free virtual event

New Indigenous Australian tourism marketplace to launch with free virtual event

The first not-for-profit online marketplace for Indigenous Australian tourism experiences and products is launching early next month.

Welcome to Country launches on 2 December with a free virtual event directed by Rhoda Roberts, a board member of the organisation and an Aboriginal arts leader.

The official launch ceremony will be followed by 17 online cultural, art and travel events that will run over six days from 3 December to 8 December, highlighting unique and new experiences from adventure to cultural immersion.

Featuring conversations addressing academia, sport, traditional knowledge systems, biodiversity, cultural ecology and renewal and healing, they will include discussions with: Bruce Pascoe, an historian and award-winning writer of the bestseller Dark Emu; Joe Williams, an Aboriginal boxer and former NRL player; Professor Marcia Langton, an academic and author of Welcome to Country, a travel guide to Indigenous Australia; and Victor Steffensen, an Indigenous land management and traditional fire practice expert.

Welcome to Country’s main objective is to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tourism operators and communities by creating sustainable, economic and wellbeing outcomes through tourism and products.

It is backed by Indigenous Capital Limited, a foundation started by technology entrepreneur, and start-up and social enterprise investor Roger Allen.

Former Australian Tourism CEO and Welcome to Country board member John Morse said 6.4 million trips were taken offshore by Australians in 2019; however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many Australians were currently planning where they want to holiday in Australia this summer and beyond.

“All Australians should be proud to live in a country with a culture which is in the truest sense of the word, unique,” Morse said.

“At Welcome to Country, we want to encourage and assist local and international travellers, when they return to our shores, to explore aspects of Australia they may not have experienced before, to give them a true historic and authentic cultural connection.

“They can do that through Welcome to Country’s easy-to-use, single booking platform.”

Jason Eades, CEO of Welcome to Country, said the response has been good so far.

“We already have 87 exceptional immersive experiences, including Indigenous art, cultural performances and talks, food gathering, dining and wine tasting activities, as well as adventures, including epic walks, quad bikes and scuba diving, as well as sharing stories around campfires,” Eades said.

“We also offer more than 1,000 beautifully and authentically crafted Aboriginal and Torres Strait products on our website. Every purchase made through welcometocountry.com supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.”

In order to watch the Welcome to Country events online, pre-register before 1 December 2020 HERE.

Latest News

  • Cruise

Silversea sets sail on its 2025 World Cruise

Experiential luxury and expedition travel brand, Silversea, has set sail on its 2025 World Cruise, Controtempo, taking guests to 59 destinations over 136 days. The cruise set sail from Tokyo on 13 January and arrives in New York on 29 May 2025. Guests will experience many of the most iconic cities and off-the-beaten-path gems in […]

  • Hotels

Dusit International announces two new hotels in the Philippines

Thailand hotel and property development company Dusit International has strengthened its presence in the Philippines with two new hotels in Mindanao, set to open in late 2029. The company, represented in the Philippines by Dusit Thani Philippines Inc., has signed hotel management agreements with IDC Prime. IDC Prime is a wholly owned subsidiary of Italpinas […]

  • Destinations
  • Hotels

Elite Havens adds luxury new villa to its portfolio

Elite Havens, a premier luxury villa rental and management provider, has added a new villa to its existing portfolio of over 250 villas now available for rent in Phuket, Thailand. The Surin Seaview Villa is a three-storey hillside retreat nestled on the hills of Phuket’s beautiful west coast and offers breathtaking views of the Andaman […]

  • Destinations
  • Events

Lunar New Year celebrations across Asia

As the Lunar New Year approaches, various destinations around Asia have announced the different celebrations they have lined up. Fire show, live band, instrumentalists, and bartenders flair show The Anam Group’s two beachfront resorts in Cam Ranh and Mui Ne will celebrate the most significant time in the Vietnamese calendar, Tet, with a broad spectrum […]

  • Conferences

The Australian Tourism Exchange heads to Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre from 27 April

The Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) will be held at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre from 27 April to 1 May 2025. Tourism Australia requires all sellers attending the event to submit a front panel graphic with one image representing their business for marketing purposes at ATE25, while Destination NSW requires sellers to submit a […]

  • Appointments
  • News

New acting CEO of Destination NSW appointed

Karen Jones has commenced her role as Acting CEO of Destination NSW, taking the reins for an interim period of approximately six months. During this time, the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport will recruit for a permanent CEO. Jones brings over 27 years of leadership experience in state and local government. Most […]