Two Northern Territory businesses will host tourism hubs to help boost Indigenous tourism businesses.
During a visit a to the Territory today, the Minister for Employment Participation, Brendan O’Connor announced that Darwin Regional CDEP Inc will host the Darwin Indigenous Tourism Hub while the Alice Springs Indigenous Tourism Hub will be hosted by Discovery Ecotours Australia.
The Australian Government announced in June it was providing $800,000, through the Emerging Indigenous Entrepreneurs Initiative (EIEI), to fund Tourism NT to project manage the delivery of these tourism hubs.
Mr O’Connor said the Tourism Hubs will provide a wide range of services including a shopfront as a focal point for tourists, booking reservations, financial administration and marketing as well as business mentoring and access to further training and development.
“Tourism is a major employer of Indigenous Australians, however increased business and administrative support as well as access to further training will see the further development of the Indigenous Northern Territory tourism industry and create more jobs and business opportunities,” Mr O’Connor said.
“The Tourism hubs provide a wide range of support and referral services and will play a key role in the development of a viable Indigenous tourism industry.”
Member for Lingiari, Warren Snowdon, and Member for Solomon, Damian Hale, welcomed the announcement and said the initiative confirmed the Australian Government’s commitment to the development of a sustainable Indigenous tourism industry in the Northern Territory.
The Australian Government already supports an emerging Indigenous tourism hub operating in Nhulunbuy.