Journey of enlightenment begins to take shape

The first step toward the creation of an indigenous tourism trail through the South Pacific, Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand has been taken. Now it will be a matter of building on the relationship which has been established and working up a protocol covering the finer points of marketing indigenous South Pacific tourism to the world.

A meeting between Poutama Maori Business Trust chief executive Richard Jones and representatives of Indigenous Business Australia recently canvassed the potential for such a trail.

Associate Tourism Minister Dover Samuels was also involved in the discussions with the IBA representatives, chairman Joseph Elu and general manager Ron Maroney.

Richard then accompanied the Australians on a tour of the central North Island, viewing some of the region’s most recent and innovative Maori-owned and operated tourism operations.

The discussions and tour were a follow-up to those held last year between Richard and the former chairman of the South Pacific Tourism Organisation, Semisi Taumeopeau.

The idea has also been canvassed with the chief executive of the Pacific Business Trust, Jim Mather.

Richard says there is tremendous interest in a tourism trail and he can see this type of concept being replicated all round the South Pacific, as well involving the cultural tourism enterprises already operating.

“The joint marketing of the entire region and especially its indigenous tourism operations is something we would like to progress,” Richard says.

“The aspect of interest to us is further promoting New Zealand’s Maori tourism products.

“The idea of the trail is to move people around the South Pacific, from one indigenous community to the next, so that more people benefit from involvement in tourism.”

Poutama’s Richard Jones
confident that a journey
from country to country
can be achieved.

Richard says the next step will be taken by Indigenous Business Australia, which has undertaken to engage someone with specific responsibility for the tourism portfolio.

Once that person is in place, Poutama Maori Business Trust will seek further meetings to put some flesh on the bones of the indigenous tourism trail concept, involving Maori business people with expertise in international marketing.

Indigenous Business Australia is a Commonwealth Statutory Authority established under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Act and is based in Woden in the Australian Capital Territory.

IBA is in effect the Australian equivalent of the Poutama Maori Business Trust, controlling a $67 million capital fund.

It invests directly in business opportunities, usually through joint venture arrangements with private sector organisations, including some in the tourism sector.

This approach is regarded as an important key to achieving better economic outcomes for indigenous Australians.

IBA has invested heavily in resorts in key tourism areas of Australia, including two in the Kakadu National Park, a World Heritage site.

The Gagudju Crocodile Holiday Inn - one of the tourism operations into which IBA has invested - bears the shape of the giant amphibious reptile for which Australia’s northern region is renowned.

Richard says that while IBA’s investments are generally worth $1 million or more - in contrast with Poutama Maori Business Trust’s small grant assistance to Maori tourism operations - there is synergy between the two organisations.

“The creation of an indigenous tourism trail through the South Pacific is something that is likely to be of interest to the overseas tour wholesalers whose clients are seeking to engage with the tangata whenua, the people of those lands,” Richard says.

“It will take some time to develop, but the Indigenous Business Australia people who came here are definitely interested in pursuing this.

“They were very impressed by the Maori tourism operations they visited in the central North Island and can see this type of concept being replicated all round the South Pacific.”