Domestic demand for Indigenous tourism in Australia: understanding motivations, barriers, and implications for future development

Abstract

Tourism is promoted as a development tool for Indigenous communities in many countries around the world. Governments and non-governmental organisations have been developing and supporting this strategy with the aim of improving socio-economic indicators amongst Indigenous populations. However, statistics show that domestic demand for Australian Indigenous tourism products, compared to four other types of mainstream tourism, is quite low. In order to explore why domestic visitors are less engaged in Indigenous tourism than other tourism types, this study adopts a mixed-methods case study to identify domestic visitors’ motivations for, and barriers to, participating in Indigenous tourism activities. Semi-structured interviews using a photo-elicitation method were conducted with 52 domestic visitors at the Grampians National Park, Victoria, Australia. The findings suggest that there are differences in motivations for, and barriers to, participating in Indigenous tourism activities. Strategies suggested in this study include increasing the awareness of the different forms of Indigenous tourism activities through promotional material at different points, educating the visitor information centre staff in regard to the existing products offered, creating a seasonal restructure of the existing tourism products offered in the cultural centre, and leveraging the point of differentiation by highlighting the key elements of the local Indigenous culture.

Keywords:

• Indigenous
• aboriginal
• tourism
• motivations
• barriers
• photographs
• preferences

Notes on contributors

Trinidad Espinosa Abascal (Master of business (by research), MSc, B.A.) is a PhD researcher student within the College of Business, Victoria University. Trini has past experience in the financial industry having worked three years within the Department of Finance at the University of Monterrey Tech. Her research interest is Aboriginal tourism in National Parks.

Martin Fluker (PhD) is a lecturer in Tourism Management within the College of Business, Victoria University. Dr Martin has past experience in the industry having worked five years working on Hamilton Island Resort and a year as the Australian marketing manager for a major international adventure travel company. He has also published several journal/conference papers and a book and a book chapter.

Min Jiang (PhD, LLM, GCTE, LLB) is a research fellow in Tourism and Climate Change at the Centre for Tourism and Services Research within the College of Business, Victoria University. Dr Min is developing an international reputation for her pioneering research in tourism adaptation to climate change. Since completing her PhD, Min has contributed to attracting external grants for research and industry consultancy projects. She has also published more than 40 academic publications of various kinds including two edited books and several A or A* journal/conference papers. In 2012, Min was awarded a Victoria University Vice-Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research and Research Training (Early Career Researcher).