Camplify, Australia’s leading peer-to-peer RV rental platform, is proud to announce a new partnership with Walkabout Cultural Adventures, an Aboriginal Cultural tour company based in the Port Douglas Daintree Region. This collaboration aims to raise awareness around First Nations tourism just in time for NAIDOC Week 2024.
According to a research survey conducted by Camplify, 53% of respondents did not know what the term ‘First Nations Tourism’ meant and 60% admitted that they do not consider First Nations heritage of Australia when travelling domestically.
To remedy this, Camplify and Walkabout Cultural Adventures have collaborated to educate road trippers across the country on how they can travel Australia respectfully, paying attention to the history and culture of the land.
Juan Walker, founder of Walkabout Cultural Adventures, explains the importance of this year’s NAIDOC Week theme, ‘Keep the fire burning! Blak, loud and proud.’ According to Juan: "First Nations People should be proud of their cultural heritage and be able to share their culture without being ashamed or scared. We should all incorporate this theme into our everyday lives by encouraging younger generations to learn, share, and be proud of their culture.”
With regards to travel, Juan continued to say the best way travellers can leave a positive impact when exploring the country is to travel with the intent to learn and to admire and respect the land and waters. With the research identifying that 49% consider understanding First Nations culture within Australia important, there is a need for further education on how to incorporate this into travel.
For example, 58% reported wanting to find out more First Nations-owned businesses to visit while on the road, Juan advises booking Aboriginal-owned tours, owned and operated by the people of the Country to best learn about the heritage of the routes travelled.
To educate both the Camplify team and its customers, Camplify and Walkabout Cultural Adventures are working together closely to develop a tailored bank of content, to produce dedicated sources of information on travelling mindfully and respectfully, an important addition as 74% of respondents indicated they would use an easy to digest source of information to learn about First Nations Tourism.
Alastair McCausland, Chief Marketing Office of Camplify, shared his thoughts on the partnership:
"Our partnership with Walkabout Cultural Adventures represents an important step towards deepening our appreciation for First Nations cultures, histories and perspectives. From this partnership, we aim to learn from Traditional Owners and incorporate their knowledge into our dialogue, with the aim to foster a more inclusive and culturally aware organisation, that celebrates diversity and promotes greater harmony within our society”.
For more information, please visit Camplify or Walkabout Cultural Adventures.
AGFG acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea, and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, to the Elders past, present and emerging.
