Mr McADAM - 2004-06-17
An indigenous Central Australian tour company has recently been recognised for its achievements. Can you provide details of this recognition, and what it underscores about the Territory’s tourism industry?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly. I was delighted - and I am sure you were too - at Anangu Tours’ win at the 2004 World Legacy Awards - very significant awards. They are sponsored by the National Geographic Travel Magazine and Conservation International. They are very competitive awards, with more than 100 entrants from 40 countries on six continents, and there are only four categories. The winners of those four categories were generally described, in the words of the sponsors, as:
Anangu Tours won the Heritage Tourism Award. There was also recognition of Voyages Hotels, who were finalists in their category of Hotels and Resorts. No other Australian company made it through to the finals. So, a prestigious international award and two Territory-based companies - which is great.
The Territory tourism industry is very proud of what Anangu Tours has achieved, and very proud to see Richard Kulitja, who is a resident of Mutitjulu and a senior guide with Anangu Tours, receive the award in Washington.
We often hear how difficult it is for Aboriginal people to be involved in businesses, especially ones as demanding as tourism. Yet, here is an Aboriginal-owned company which has nine years of operation under its belt, and has shown the world that Aboriginal people can not only be involved in commercially successful businesses, but can beat the world in how they deliver that product.
Anangu Tours is not backed by government or ATSIC funding, but relies on partnerships with the private sector for its success. All of the guides are Aboriginal people from the south-west of the Territory, and it is one of the biggest private sector employers of Aboriginal people in the Territory.
This win is also great publicity for us. Cultural tourism is one of our major building blocks, and this award recognises that the Territory has one of the best cultural experiences in the world. As we know, many visitors to the Territory want to know more about indigenous culture - 30% of our international tourists actually indicate that the chance to experience Aboriginal culture is the key motivator in why they come to the Territory. Therefore, I am sure I can say, on behalf of this House, that we congratulate Anangu, and also Voyages, on operating successful world class tourism businesses, and we should celebrate that win with them both.
Members: Hear, hear!
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly. I was delighted - and I am sure you were too - at Anangu Tours’ win at the 2004 World Legacy Awards - very significant awards. They are sponsored by the National Geographic Travel Magazine and Conservation International. They are very competitive awards, with more than 100 entrants from 40 countries on six continents, and there are only four categories. The winners of those four categories were generally described, in the words of the sponsors, as:
- … the best examples in the tourism industry of the ideal balance between nature conservation, the protection of heritage sites, social responsibility and commerce.
Anangu Tours won the Heritage Tourism Award. There was also recognition of Voyages Hotels, who were finalists in their category of Hotels and Resorts. No other Australian company made it through to the finals. So, a prestigious international award and two Territory-based companies - which is great.
The Territory tourism industry is very proud of what Anangu Tours has achieved, and very proud to see Richard Kulitja, who is a resident of Mutitjulu and a senior guide with Anangu Tours, receive the award in Washington.
We often hear how difficult it is for Aboriginal people to be involved in businesses, especially ones as demanding as tourism. Yet, here is an Aboriginal-owned company which has nine years of operation under its belt, and has shown the world that Aboriginal people can not only be involved in commercially successful businesses, but can beat the world in how they deliver that product.
Anangu Tours is not backed by government or ATSIC funding, but relies on partnerships with the private sector for its success. All of the guides are Aboriginal people from the south-west of the Territory, and it is one of the biggest private sector employers of Aboriginal people in the Territory.
This win is also great publicity for us. Cultural tourism is one of our major building blocks, and this award recognises that the Territory has one of the best cultural experiences in the world. As we know, many visitors to the Territory want to know more about indigenous culture - 30% of our international tourists actually indicate that the chance to experience Aboriginal culture is the key motivator in why they come to the Territory. Therefore, I am sure I can say, on behalf of this House, that we congratulate Anangu, and also Voyages, on operating successful world class tourism businesses, and we should celebrate that win with them both.
Members: Hear, hear!
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016