The appetite for First Nations tourism has soared domestically as Australians spent billions of dollars on cultural experiences last year.
And the niche sector is primed for further growth, with Tourism Australia last month launching a website to promote 160 of the country's leading First Nation tourism experiences to its global markets.
The investment comes as new data from Tourism Research Australia showed domestic travellers flocked to First Nations tourism experiences post-Covid, with the number of visitors who engaged in cultural activities across the country increasing by almost 30 per cent from 2019 to 2022.
The research also found Australians spent more than $3 billion on First Nations tourism activities in 2022, compared to $1.3b by international visitors, almost 130 per cent more.
The Northern Territory was a hot spot for Australian travellers from 2021 to 2022, achieving growth of almost 60 per cent thanks to iconic destinations such as Kakadu National Park, Uluru and Kings Canyon in the Red Centre.
Tourism Australia's new 'Discover Aboriginal Experiences' program comes after it recorded a 13 per cent rise in domestic travellers having a First Nations tourism experience, from 2018-2019.
A combined 2.5 million international and domestic travellers had engaged in tourism activities in 2019, a jump of 42 per cent from 2013.
First Nations tourism operators will be further boosted by Tourism Australia's Discover Aboriginal Experiences initiative, with a new website detailing the types of cultural activities available and where best in Australia to find them.
"We want Aboriginal experiences to be an essential part of any trip to Australia," Tourism Australia's Nicole Mitchell said.
"The best way to do that is make what's on offer easy to discover and understand."
Recent data from TA's Future of Tourism Demand research found visitors from key international tourism markets had a thirst for a wide range of First Nations cultural activities.
Food experiences topped the list at 40 per cent interest, followed by sacred site tours (30%), art, craft and di splay (29%) guided tours (27%) and performances (23%).
"Research across our key markets shows the more we tell our Indigenous story and bring it to life, the more interest there is amongst international travellers," Ms Mitchell said.
"That's why we have a dedicated program that will not only help to educate travellers about the experiences on offer, but make it easier for them to find the sorts of experiences they are after in the destinations they are planning to visit."
The new Discover Aboriginal Experiences website can be found here.
