Launch of the Ancient Cultures Meet report
25 August 2026 Good morning everyone. I begin by acknowledging the Whadjuk Noongar people as the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet today and pay my respects to Elders past and present. I recognise their deep connection to this country, and the growing role of our Traditional Owners in the tourism industry, which we look forward to talking more about today.
I thank the Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council for inviting me to today's launch of the Ancient Cultures Meet report. And thank you Rob Taylor, WAITOC CEO, for your introduction I congratulate WAITOC, Edith Cowan University, the research team, industry partners, and everyone who helped bring this important work together. The Australian Government was delighted to support this research, through the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations.
This report is an important milestone for First Nations tourism in Australia. Its central message is clear: First Nations tourism has the power to inspire understanding, pride and sustainable growth. Tourism is vital to Australia's economic prosperity.
It supports more than 700,000 jobs and contributes more than $81 billion to our national economy. Our government is working closely with industry and communities to build a future for the sector that is sustainable, resilient and high quality. Our ambition is to grow visitor spend across Australia to $230 billion by 2030, including $95 billion in regional areas.
We are making progress, with visitor expenditure now at $197 billion, including more than $75 billion in regional spend. But if we are to meet that ambition, and if we are to share the benefits of tourism more widely, First Nations tourism must be at the centre of the story we tell the world. Australia is home to the oldest continuous living cultures on earth.
These cultures are unique to this country. They are not an add-on to the Australian tourism offering. First Nations tourism offers visitors something really special.
It connects people to culture, Country and the stories that have been shared for tens of thousands of years. It is one of the most powerful reasons visitors should come here, stay longer, travel further and leave with a deeper understanding of who we are. Ancient Cultures Meet report outlines the gaps, the opportunities and the work ahead.
It tells us that interest is high, but awareness is low. In Western Australia, 81 per cent of visitors are interested in participating in a First Nations tourism experience, but the report tells us that just 13 per cent of Chinese visitors currently participate in an Indigenous or First Nations tourism experience. That enormous gap is an invitation to act.
The opportunity is especially important in the China market. In the year ending March 2026, Australia welcomed 1.12 million Chinese visitors, who spent $11.8 billion here. China is once again our largest visitor spend market, and the report makes clear there is significant untapped potential for First Nations tourism to become a distinctive part of the Australian offering for Chinese visitors.
The report is honest about the barriers and the findings matter because they give us a practical roadmap. They point to the need for stronger marketing, better resources and deeper partnerships between operators, distributors, researchers, governments and communities. It is vital that industry associations continue to work together to build market opportunities, including with China.
Growth must be led by First Nations people, grounded in cultural authority, and built on genuine partnerships. Our government's Office of Tourism and the Visitor Economy, in consultation with state tourism bodies, recently updated a booklet for Chinese language tour guides, to help them convey the importance of Australian culture and sites, including from a First Nations perspective.
Through the National Indigenous Australians Agency, our government has provided $9 million in grants to support First Nations tourism operators, businesses and community organisations. This investment has supported the hard work of organisations such as WAITOC to stimulate the economic participation of First Nations people. Our government is also working hard to showcase outstanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tourism experiences across the country through Tourism Australia's flagship Discover Aboriginal Experiences program.
Its globally successful Come and say G'day campaign drew its creative concept directly from the First Nations practice of oral storytelling – the idea that sharing memories keeps the spirit of a place alive. As we look towards the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the world will be looking at Australia. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to present a visitor economy that reflects the full depth of this continent: its landscapes, its cities, its regions, and above all its First Nations cultures.
Western Australia has a special role to play. The experiences offered by WAITOC members are not just tourism products. They are acts of welcome, education, cultural continuity and economic self-determination.
They show visitors that culture is living, contemporary, generous and strong. Congratulations again to WAITOC and everyone involved in the Ancient Cultures Meet Thank you for your leadership, your generosity and your commitment to sharing the richness of First Nations culture with visitors from China and around the world.