Bookabee Tours as an Indigenous Tourism Product - Case Study Example

TOURISM AND INDEGINOUS PEOPLE Name Course Tutor Date of Submission Executive Summary The main agenda of this report is to explore the concept of indigenous tourism. Based on the four categories the report evaluates and analyses Bookabee Tours as the chosen indigenous tourism product. The report reveals that indeed, Bookabee Tours is an indigenous tourism company based on the products, services and the people that are employed as well as the ownership and control. Bookabee Tours therefore, qualifies to be categorized into the culture controlled matrix presented by Butler and Hinch. There are a number of benefits the ownership and control of the Tour Company confers to the aboriginals as have further been discussed in this report. In the end an analysis of what really makes the categorization is elucidated at length. The conclusion rounds up by giving the lessons learnt and the summary of the whole report. The last part then gives the references that were used when compiling this report. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Overview of Bookabee Tours as an Indigenous Tourism Product 5 Application of Butler and Hinch’s Definition and Matrix 6 Conclusion and Lessons Learnt 10 Bibliography 12 Introduction Tourism has grown to be one of the most expanding sectors of every economy around the world and thus global economy. In the global tourism industry, indigenous tourism has grown to be the most demanded commodity (Stonehouse and Snyder, 2010). Most societies around the world have peculiar and strongly spottable indigenous groups that have since been seen as local and international brands of different countries (Ryan & Aicken, 2005). Most governments have also come up with ways of ensuring the development of the indigenous communities through welfare programs as well as other support mechanisms (Newsome, Dowling & Moore, 2005). Most importantly, indigenous tourism has been seen as an avenue for the development of the economic, social, cultural, and environmental benefits of such communities (Ryan & Aicken, 2005). This report focuses on Bookabee Tours as an indigenous tourism product. The report demystifies the product (Bookabee Tours) through looking at the definition as well as the matrix that comes along with the definition by Butler and Hinch. This report also assesses the ways in which Bookabee Tours meets the criteria of Indigenous Tourism and the significance each has. There are four categories of indigenous tourism. These include culture controlled, culture dispossessed, non-indigenous, and diversified tourism. This report further bases its analysis of the chosen tour product (Bookabee Tours) on the four aforementioned categories. Overview of Bookabee Tours as an Indigenous Tourism Product Bookabee Tours Australia is an indigenous tourism product that is totally owned by Aboriginal (Bookabee Tours, 2015). Bookabee is a multiple award winning tourism enterprise that has a range of services and products as well. Bookabee has a range of stockists for its outback Pride that comprises of native Australian food products. The stockists ate widespread in the Northern Territory and South Australia (Bookabee Tours, 2015). The Australian native foods include dried herbs and spices that are very pure, Australian bush food and a combination of mixes. The enterprise also offers specialized training and development for both governmental and non-governmental organizations (Bookabee Tours, 2015). This has been the order of business for the last 20 years with the trainings being tailor made to fit various organizations. Bookabee tours also has cross-cultural awareness sessions where the tourists are taught about different topics (Bookabee Tours, 2015). These topics include the social history of the Aboriginal, pre and post European contact, the impacts of the European influence on the culture and society of the Aboriginals, education, housing and employment, stolen wages, the styles used by Aboriginals in learning, Reconciliation and the modern view or perspectives that are borne by the aboriginal. Bookabee tours also offers camel rides, canoeing sessions, bush food tasting sessions, interpretive sessions, tour guided bush walking and basket weaving sessions. The stewardship of the company is under Haydyn Bromley and Lele Sanderson (Bookabee Tours, 2015). The former also serves as a local tour guide and is the mastermind behind the luxury 4WD journey that takes four days that visits most areas. The areas include the natural amphitheatre of Wilpena pound, George Petroglyphs, Bunyeroo Gorge, Ochre Pits and Italowie Gap among other areas that are inhabited by the aboriginals (Wranik, 2011). In 2010, the company scoped the best indigenous tourism company award by the ECO Tourism Australia reflecting three consecutive win of the same position from 2008-2010. Additional awards include, the Corroboree North Americas’ Opal award and the best Australian traveller in the top 20 Australian Tours in the year 2009. Application of Butler and Hinch’s Definition and Matrix Butler & Hinch defines indigenous tourism as a form of tourism where the indigenous people or communities are directly involved through themes or through control. Indigenous themes refer to allowing the culture of the indigenous people serve as the factor that lures tourists (Butler & Hinch, 2007). The factor of control plays a significant role in the development since it guarantees some form of power thus defining scale, nature, pace, and the results of development (Butler & Hinch, 2007). A key indicator of indigenous tourism is the theme that is reflected as the centre of attraction (Butler & Hinch, 2007). When enterprises are themed with indigenous attractions and are controlled by indigenous people, they fit into the definition of indigenous tourism that is more culture controlled. The converse is true and will therefore be referred to as non-indigenous tourism. Indigenous tourism is seen as an avenue that offers solutions to the economic, social, and cultural challenges that are faced by the indigenous people. Essentially, this form of tourism offers ground for fair exchange of values between the non-indigenous and indigenous groups (Butler& Hinch, 2007). This is well fostered through the intercultural interactions of the two groups. Butler and Hinch (2007) offer a matrix that can be used to further elucidate on the concept of indigenous tourism classifying it into four categories based on the indigenous theming and control. In case where the indigenous theme is present and there is low degree of indigenous control, the indigenous tourism is classified as culture dispossessed (Butler & Hinch, 2007). A good example of this is where non-indigenous tour operators offer interpretive services on their tours and exhibitions in the museums with no consultation with the indigenous people (Butler & Hinch, 2007). On the same note, if it happens that the tourism exhibits high degree of control by the indigenous people it is categorized as culture controlled (Butler & Hinch, 2007). In the classification still, when the indigenous theme is absent in the tourism but there is low indigenous control, it is alluded to as non-indigenous tourism (Butler &Hinch, 2007). Lastly, when the tourism has high degree of control but has no indigenous theme, it may be referred to as diversified indigenous (Butler &Hinch, 2007). Bookabee is an example of a tour operator or tourism enterprise that is culture controlled (Bookabee.com.au, 2015). In this sense it can be viewed as a continuum since the aboriginal have total control over the enterprise. Indigenous tourism includes the involvement of indigenous people in areas that concern tourism. The people are engaged as employers, employees, investors, joint venture partners, providers of mainstream tourism products as well as providing indigenous cultural products that are relevant to tourism. Bookabee Tours as an Indigenous Tourism product Bookabee Tours Australia is 100% owned by Aboriginal and has services that are directly linked to the indigenous aboriginal people (Stonehouse & Snyder, 2010). The employees of Bookabee including the tour guides and the management are aboriginal people. Bookabee has been an award winner for the indigenous tourism for quite a number of years (Stonehouse & Snyder, 2010). In 2010, the company was voted the best indigenous tourism company by ECO Tourism Australia (Bookabee.com.au, 2015). This has been the case with 2007 to 2009. The tour operator has also won the Corroboree North Americas’ Opal award in the year 2009 (Bookabee.com.au, 2015). In the same year, the company was voted the best Australian traveller in the top 20 Australian Tours. The CEO of Bookabee Tours is an aboriginal who hails from Nepabunna Village where the Adnyamathanha community are located (Bookabee.com.au, 2015). This is a testament if the indigenous people control and the engagement of the indigenous people’s themes in the tourism. This cannot be replicated by other tour operators and is the selling point of the company (Bookabee.com.au, 2015). The guides who have lived in the areas that the tourists tour, are conversant with the stories being that they have inhabited the place for quite some years now. They are able to tell stories and interpret them as well. Haydyn Bromley has knowledge of the traditional sites that are significant for visits (Wranik, 2011). These sites have antique paintings that date back to 45000 years ago. Haydyn Bromley tells the stories and takes the people around the scenic gorges and the spectacular Flinders ranges that is a key attraction to most people. The fact that there is aboriginal participation within the tourism makes Bookabee an indigenous tourism product (Wranik, 2011). This can further be backed up by the fact that the enterprise or company has previously and still receives various awards with the title of indigenous tour company (Bookabee.com.au, 2015). Based on Butler and Hinch’s matrix this tourism product can be classified as culture controlled tourism product. This is because there is the presence of indigenous themes such as the regions that are visited and the foods as well as the guides being aboriginal. The services and products offered by Bookabee tours are culturally oriented (Wranik, 2011). This means that the aboriginal culture has been given a place within the company (Bookabee.com.au, 2015). The company also has different sessions that ensure cross cultural awareness. In these sessions, the impacts of the European influences and the learning styles of the aboriginal people among others is discussed (Bookabee.com.au, 2015). This can be seen as a platform for the indigenous people to be understood and their heritage protected as it is also key for the economy (Johnston, 2006). Haydyn being a local is also able to interpret and give the importance of the trees that the people see (Wranik, 2011). This further makes the presence of the aboriginal culture in the international domain visible (Johnston, 2006). The economic value of Bookabee tours cannot be underscored. The revenue is used for the development of the tour and the maintenance of the heritage areas that act as attraction sites. The fact that Bookabee is 100% aboriginal and does well is very beneficial to the indigenous aboriginal community (Wranik, 2011). First off, the aboriginal culture is preserved through the products that are offered by the tour operator (Bookabee.com.au, 2015). The areas that are visited by the tourist under the guide of Haydyn are all areas that are originally aboriginal lands and still have entrenchment to the ancient culture as well as scenes that portray the life of the aboriginal. Bookabee is a source of employment for the aboriginal people who offer a range of services to the company from food products to protection of the heritage sites (Bookabee.com.au, 2015). The aboriginal community can also feel part of the Australian community due to their engagement in such things as awards (Bookabee.com.au, 2015). Bookabee tours fosters high esteem and pride for the aboriginal culture that lures people (Bookabee.com.au, 2015).The cultural component of indigenous tourism is reflected by the services and products of Bookabee Tours (Wranik, 2011). The company offers recipe for the outback pride bush foods that are native to Australia. The company also offers consultancy services in matters to deal with the aboriginals (Wranik, 2011). Conclusion and Lessons Learnt There has been ascendancy of indigenous tourism in the past few years (Newsome, Dowling & Moore, 2005). The form of tourism has been performing better owing to the development of technology that has further led to the existence of information sharing through many means. Indigenous tourism has social, economic, cultural and political impacts on a given nation and society in general (Newsome, Dowling & Moore, 2005). As indicated in this report, indigenous tourism is defined based on the control and theme that is present in the form of tourism in question. Based on this there are four categories: culture controlled; non-indigenous; diversified tourism; and Culture dispossessed. The definition is broad and is more inclined towards the theme that is brought out by the cultural component of indigenous tourism. Based on analysis of the matrix and definition by Butler and Hinch, it is quite evident that Bookabee Tours is an indigenous tourism company. The company has been awarded as one of the best indigenous tourism company for consecutive years. The fact that it is means that it meets the criteria of being 50% owned by an indigenous company before being given accreditation to operate. The products and services offered by the company as well as the 100% aboriginal control and operation of the company, places it in the culture controlled category. This is because there is both high levels of theme (culture and heritage) of the aboriginals as well as high control. This means that the benefits the company gives to the aboriginal people is far reaching. The aboriginal are able to draw their pride and offer sustainability to the systems that promote the company an indigenous tourism in Australia and the world as a whole. There are a number of lessons that can be learnt herein. First off, when there is high levels of control and correspondingly high levels of theme of the indigenous people, a tourism product can perform well in the market. Secondly, the participation of the government in the regulation of operators in the field of indigenous tourism is beneficial so as to prevent anarchy in the industry. Thirdly, the indigenous form of tourism is not affected by the economic challenges since it remains standing. The other lesson is that there are different categories of indigenous tourism based on theme and control. The other, Bookabee is one of the most famous tour operator or company in South Australia that has stockists all over Australia and offers a range of services and products that are aboriginal in origin. Lastly, these tour operator companies are integral in championing for the rights of the indigenous people and act as a store for the preservation of the aboriginal cultures in a given country as is the case with Bookabee. Bibliography Bookabee Tours, (2015). Media | Aboriginal Cultural Awareness & Consultancy Services | Bookabee Australia. [online] Bookabee.com.au. Available at: http://bookabee.com.au/about-us/media/ [Accessed 6 Sep. 2015]. Bookabee.com.au, (2015). Adelaide Full day Aboriginal Cultural Experience Tour | Aboriginal Cultural Awareness & Consultancy Services | Bookabee Australia. [online] Available at: http://bookabee.com.au/aboriginal-tours/short-tours/adelaide-aboriginal-cultural- experience-full-day/ [Accessed 6 Sep. 2015]. Butler, R. and Hinch, T. (2007). Tourism and indigenous peoples. Amsterdam: Elsevier /Butterworth-Heinemann. Johnston, A. (2006). Is the sacred for sale? London: Earthscan. Newsome, D., Dowling, R. and Moore, S. (2005). Wildlife tourism. Clevedon: Channel View Publications. Ryan, C. and Aicken, M. (2005). Indigenous tourism. Amsterdam: Elsevier. Stonehouse, B. and Snyder, J. (2010). Polar tourism. Bristol, England: Channel View Publications. Wranik, M. (2011). Indigenous tourism in Australia. [online] CNN Travel. Available at: http://travel.cnn.com/sydney/visit/indigenous-tourism-australia- 906531?page=0,0#ixzz1ZmhrFwrC [Accessed 6 Sep. 2015]. Read More