A Shared Vision for Tourism in Kakadu National Park
Government Response
Commonwealth of Australia, 2006
PDF file
About the Report
The Australian Government is pleased to formally respond to the report A Shared Vision for Tourism in Kakadu National Park. The Government strongly supports the report's recommendations and has already implemented a number of them.
Since the launch of the tourism vision, the Government has invested more than $2 million in progressing many of the report's recommendations, including:
- improving the park entrance;
- upgrading the northern information bay, with paintings by local artists telling the story of Kakadu;
- better access to mentoring and advice for Aboriginal owners interested in establishing tourism businesses;
- supporting the development of several new Indigenous businesses including partnerships with tour operators;
- completion of the first stage of the Kakadu Tourism Master Plan;
- online training for tour guides, to be launched shortly;
- upgrading of directional and interpretative signage at key visitor sites; and
- the appointment of a Tourism and Visitor Services Manager in the park and the establishment of a new Tourism and Visitor Services Unit.
To accelerate the implementation of key recommendations, the Government is making available an additional $1.77 million this financial year for immediate action. This money will provide the Kakadu Board of Management and park management with the capacity to develop crucial products that will improve the range and quality of visitor experiences, present and promote the park more effectively, and provide more opportunities for potential indigenous tourism enterprises. The funds will also contribute to the joint promotion of Kakadu with the Northern Territory Government, and provide the capacity to immediately undertake a range of associated capital works.
Funding details
- $150,000 to develop a destination brand for Kakadu in a national context
- $150,000 to complete the Tourism Master Plan
- $320,000 to carry out a thorough upgrading and replacement of directional and interpretative signs in the park
- $500,000 for cooperative promotion and marketing of Kakadu with the Northern Territory Tourist Commission
- $150,000 to plan the first suite of Kakadu experiences which meet market demand and attract new and profitable market niches
- $500,000 to develop new visitor experiences in the Twin Falls area
The Government recognises that the principles and recommendations of the Shared Vision report have significant relevance and application beyond Kakadu National Park to the other World Heritage property managed by Parks Australia in the Northern Territory: Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. The Government believes that improved presentation and promotion of both iconic World Heritage Areas and parallel development of tourism infrastructure will reap economic dividends in the future. The Government is considering how these recommendations apply to Uluru and foreshadows that in the near future a further announcement will be made.
