The Victorian Government has launched a new program to further support First Nation’s businesses in the tourism sector.
Tourism, sport and major events acting minister Danny Pearson announced the First Peoples Tourism Growth Program, inviting First Nations-owned and operated businesses, Traditional Owners, Traditional Owner Corporations and Registered Aboriginal Parties to submit expressions of interest for grants of up to $125,000 on Friday 11 July.
The program will support First Nations businesses with training, developing new tourism offerings and helping tourism providers to develop strategies to promote and grow their business.
It will support cultural heritage stewardship for projects that relate to tourism, including digitising and archiving of knowledge, cultural practice recording and documenting traditional songs, dances, and ceremonies.
Grants can also be used to support the purchase or leasing of assets or equipment for existing or newly developed tourism products.
The First Peoples Tourism Growth Program launches as Victoria grows its offering of First Nations tourism, and travellers are increasingly embracing these experiences in their Victorian trips.
In 2023, more than 500,000 visitors participated in First Nations tourism experiences as part of their travels – spending $1.3 billion.
The program builds on the Experience Victoria 2033 strategic plan which identifies First Nations-led experiences as the first of five key pillars that government will invest in to shape the future of the state’s visitor economy.
Expressions of interest for the First Peoples Tourism Growth Program close Wednesday 30 July.
For more information, visit tourism.vic.gov.au.
