Introduction to Indigenous Tourism in Australia and New Zealand

Abstract

Our shared global history has been shaped by travel for a range of reasons, including trade, migration and/or the desire to explore. It was in the 19th century when the trend for adventure and to experience the 'exotic other' (Beteille, 1998; McLaren 1999; Meadows, 2001) gained momentum and was taken up by the European elite, writers, artists, anthropologists and scientists (MacCannell, 1984) who sought, among other things, opportunities to visit distant lands and see their 'exotic' inhabitants. These novel Indigenous tourism experiences could be found around the globe and ranged from Maori cultural performances in New Zealand, observing Sarni cultural traditions in Scandinavia, and visiting reservations of the First Nations peoples of the USA and Canada, to experiencing Aboriginal cultural ceremonies in Australia (Whitford & Ruhanen, 2016).