I am a big fan of Indigenous Australia and it’s hard to believe that it’s been five years since my presentations at Sydney’s Aboriginal Tourism Australia conference.
The same year we launched the Planeta Wiki which now hosts an informative page about Aboriginal Australia. Meanwhile, much of my interactions with Australians is developing via interactions on Twitter and Facebook. Since the dissolution of Aboriginal Tourism Australia, I have had no official contact with any official organizations. Not for lack of trying or interest, mind you, but rather because these conversations are difficult to maintain let alone nourish over time.
I see that from March 28 – 30 Darwin hosts the Pacific-Asia Indigenous Tourism Conference.
A few questions …
For the organizers: Are there any ways in which those of us not attending but interested in indigenous tourism can participate via Q&A sessions conducted on Twitter or by watching livestreaming video?
For indigenous tourism pros in Australia: How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with local tourism development and promotion? Do you have suggestions on making things better?
For travelers: What information would you like to improve the likelihood that you might seek out indigenous tourism offerings?
The local press reports the development of a declaration. Personally, I find this measure at conferences superficial. I would rather have access to livestreaming video or a reliable twitter feed to see what’s going on at the meeting itself. Speaking on behalf of those interested in indigenous tourism, where can we go, who can we visit, what protocols do you want us to respect? These are the simple questions that travelers are asking without getting practical answers.
