Indigenous Cultural Tourism | Robert Taylor, A. Prof Michael Volgger

Learn how the peak body for Aboriginal tourism in WA is leading the way in sharing the cultures and knowledges of First Nations Peoples.In this episode, Sarah is joined by Robert Taylor, CEO of the Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council (WAITOC) and Michael Volgger, Co-Director of the Curtin Tourism Research Cluster. Together, they discuss ways to expand Indigenous cultural tourism in Australia, including looking at the Fitzroy Valley in the Kimberley region as a case study.WAITOC leads the way in WA’s Indigenous tourism industry [02:46]Martuwarra Fitzroy River can create A$30million in tourism income [05:10]Indigenous tourism supports reconciliation [07:30]Maintaining culture means maintaining country [13:33]Capacity building for tourism operators [18:36]Indigenous cultural tourism in New Zealand [20:19]Cultural tourism beyond the dollar value [27:55]Plans for a national Aboriginal tourism organisation [39:29]Learn moreAssessing tourism potentials in the Fitzroy ValleyStrong support to protect the the Martuwarra Fitzroy RiverWAITOC websiteConnect with our guestsRobert Taylor is the CEO of the Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council (WAITOC). WAITOC’s goal is to present WA as the leading destination in Australia for authentic Aboriginal tourism experiences.Prior to WAITOC, Taylor spent 30 years working in the tourism, hospitality, recreation and manufacturing industries in Perth, Margaret River, Busselton, Karratha and Mandurah. Taylor is of Nhanda Yamiji descent, the Nhanda people being the traditional custodians of the land between Geraldton and the Murchison River in Western Australia’s Midwest region.Mr Taylor’s LinkedIn profileAssociate Professor Michael Volgger is the Co-Director of the Curtin Tourism Research Cluster, and an Associate Professor and research supervisor within Curtin Business School. He is also an editor for the Advances in Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research series and an associate editor for the Frontiers in Sustainable Tourism journal.Volgger’s areas of expertise include product development and innovation in tourism, tourism destination governance, sustainable consumer behaviour, and corporate social responsibility in hospitality.Volgger’s Curtin staff profileVolgger’s LinkedIn profileJoin Curtin UniversityThis podcast is brought to you by Curtin University. Curtin is a global university known for its commitment to making positive change happen through high-impact research, strong industry partnerships and practical teaching.Work with usStudy a research degreeStart postgraduate educationGot any questions, or suggestions for future topics?Email thefutureof@curtin.edu.auSocial mediaTwitterFacebookInstagram