Australia

Delve Into Australia’s Rich Culture With This Travel Site Dedicated To First Nations Experiences

By Morgan Reardon
20th Jul 2023

Here in Australia, we’re fortunate to have one of the oldest and richest cultures in the world. If you haven’t yet explored our beautiful backyard with a First Nations tour guide or travel company, you’re seriously missing out. 

Sometimes the hardest part is finding out which tour operators are truly owned and operated by Australia’s First Nations people, but not anymore. Enter Welcome to Country, Australia's first not-for-profit online marketplace for Indigenous tourism experiences and products.

Aiming to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism operators and communities, Welcome to Country will link up holidaymakers with incredible and authentic Indigenous experiences. 

“All Australians should be proud to live in a country with a culture which is in the truest sense of the word, unique. At Welcome to Country, we want to encourage and assist local and international travellers, when they return to our shores, to explore aspects of Australia they may not have experienced before, to give them a true historic and authentic cultural connection,” says former Australian Tourism CEO and Welcome to Country Board member John Morse. 

Jason Eades, the CEO of Welcome to Country, added, “We already have 87 exceptional immersive experiences, including Indigenous art, cultural performances and talks, food gathering, dining and wine tasting activities, as well as adventures, including epic walks, quad bikes and scuba diving, as well as sharing stories around campfires.”

The Welcome to Country site also features more than 1,000 beautifully and authentically crafted Aboriginal and Torres Strait products in their online marketplace. Even better? Every purchase made through the site supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Speaking about the site, Roberts added, “A First Nations’ travel experience is much more than capturing a picture of ancient landscapes across our vast continent. There is also the depth of listening, witnessing the diversity of cultures, the mystery of rituals, foods, language song and story.”

“Country gets under your skin, be it through the unexplainable pleasure of gazing at a thousand stars or watching the tides that have travelled thousands of miles, hearing age old stories that have been told for tens of thousands of years. There is nothing quite like the sense of being welcomed and knowing this is also your place, where everything is connected.”  

Head here to check out the Welcome to Country site. 

While you're at it, support Indigenous change-makers by following these First Nations creatives.

Image Credit: Welcome To Country

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