Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley, has kick-started the Australian Government's $51 million investment into growing tourism in Kakadu National Park, announcing today that PwC Indigenous Consulting has been appointed to develop the Kakadu Tourism Master Plan.
"Kakadu is one of Australia's iconic tourism destinations, welcoming more than 200,000 domestic and international visitors each year. The Kakadu Tourism Master Plan will provide the strategic direction to grow tourism in the dual World Heritage listed national park over the next 10 years, through infrastructure upgrades, developing new visitor experiences, improving WiFi and connectivity in the park, and extending the main visitor season," Minister Ley said.
"The Master Plan will consider Kakadu's vision and goals, building on the cultural and natural values that the park is internationally recognised for, and delivering benefits for sustainable and Indigenous-led tourism. The approach will be collaborative and inclusive, building on the strengths of existing planning to create a roadmap for the park's future.
"This is another significant milestone in the delivery of the Australian Government's $216 million investment in Kakadu National Park and builds on today's historic signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to secure the Jabiru township's future as it transitions to a tourism based economy," Minister Ley said.
The Darwin-based PwC Indigenous Consulting (PIC), which is majority Indigenous owned and staffed, will work closely with Parks Australia, Traditional Owners, the Kakadu Board of Management, and the broader tourism industry to deliver this important project for the Northern Territory's tourism economy.
PIC's Northern Territory Director Lauren Ganley said, "The PIC team has a deep understanding of the tourism sector in Northern Australia with a focus on Indigenous business and economic development that is underpinned by local knowledge and cultures."
"We understand the Kakadu Tourism Master Plan has economic, environmental and cultural significance to the Northern Territory and have assembled a team with expertise in tourism planning, infrastructure and Indigenous engagement to deliver this project."
"We'll be in Kakadu in September to hold consultations with Traditional Owners and the tourism industry with a view to delivering a draft plan for public comment. This is an exciting time for Kakadu. As an Indigenous owned business we are excited to be able to work with Aboriginal people to achieve an economically, environmentally and culturally sustainable future for the park," Ms Ganley said.
