New group to reignite cultural tourism

JCU’s Dr Denis Tolkach said cultural tourism involves people whose travel is focused on learning about and experiencing a particular culture.

“It’s a good way to learn about how other people live, their culture, society and traditions,” said Dr Tolkach.

He said cultural tourism is a major income stream for regional communities in Australia and in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries.

“These communities have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, as international and domestic tourism has been disrupted,” Dr Tolkach said.

JCU’s College of Business, Law and Governance is now collaborating with Universiti Malaysia Sabah and other partners in Indonesia and the Philippines to deliver a series of workshops on Cultural Tourism Recovery in Southeast Asia.

“The project will connect cultural tourism initiatives in Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines to share their experiences, and to gain insights from experts in Australia and Southeast Asia on rejuvenating their tourism initiatives in the aftermath of the pandemic,” Dr Tolkach said.

The workshops will focus on future product development, marketing, and creating career and entrepreneurship opportunities for women and young people.

“The seminars are the beginning of what we hope will be ongoing connections between higher education institutions and tourism organizations in the region, promoting tourism more actively and sustainably in ASEAN countries and Australia,” Dr Tolkach said.

The project has received a grant of AU$ 37,796 from the Australia-ASEAN Council under the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.