ATEC Chairman, John King OAM, has been appointed by the Federal Tourism Minister, Martin Ferguson to a key role in championing Indigenous engagement in the tourism industry.
 
Announced at the Australian Tourism Direction’s Conference in Canberra today the appointment will see Mr King apply his extensive understanding of the tourism and hospitality industries and his experience in Indigenous tourism development to connect businesses with Indigenous employees.
 
“I am honoured to have been asked to act as a champion of greater engagement between the hospitality and tourism industry and Indigenous people in order to better ‘join-the-dots between a wide range of employment support programs and initiatives, operator needs and the aspirations of Indigenous people,” Mr King said.
 
“Many Indigenous people aspire to work in tourism and to eventually operate their own tourism business.  It’s difficult to be successful in business without first working in and understanding the industry and this is especially so in the tourism and hospitality industry.
 
“Increasing Indigenous involvement will not only help to meet some of the employment shortfall in the tourism industry but will help to build skills and capacity for our future Indigenous operators.”
 
Mr King said one of the important factors in increasing Australia’s competitiveness in the international tourism market was our ability to offer unique, engaging and authentic experiences.
 
“The success of the increase in Indigenous employees at Ayers Rock Resort and the corresponding dramatic increase in guest engagement and satisfaction is an excellent example of what can be done.
 
“Engagement with and experience of Indigenous people and cultures needs to be brought from the margins to the centre of visitor’s experience of Australia and this will be an increasingly important factor in creating differentiation and authenticity for our visitors into the future.”
 
One of the roles Mr King will undertake will be to work with service and program providers, including Government departments and agencies, to adapt programs in order for them to better meet the practical needs and circumstances of Indigenous people and to highlight successful outcomes and programs being undertaken by a number of significant operators especially in the airline and hospitality sectors.
 
“I hope to be able to support the tourism and hospitality sector to create training and employment opportunities and career paths utilising existing support programs in order to provide better employment outcomes for Indigenous people.”