Tourists’ preferences with Indigenous tourism experiences in the Wet Tropics of Queensland, Australia

This article reports on visitor interest in Indigenous tourism experiences in the Wet Tropics region of Queensland, Australia. The findings are based on a survey sample of 326 tourists departing Cairns. The aim of this research was to investigate the demand for Indigenous tourism products and experiences. The research aim informed three research objectives: to identify the level of interest and participation in Indigenous tourism experiences; to ascertain if respondents with an interest in Indigenous tourism experiences had different motivations for visiting the Wet Tropics region than those with no interest in such experiences; and to determine tourists’ purchase behaviour of Indigenous artefacts. The research profiles Indigenous tourism seekers and respondents with no interest in Indigenous tourism activities. Results indicate that experiencing Indigenous culture was ranked as neither important nor unimportant by the two groups of respondents. First-time visitors (87.5%) were significantly more likely to have participated in an Indigenous tourism activity than repeat visitors to the Wet Tropics. Findings also showed that respondents who were looking to take part in Indigenous tourism experiences showed a high interest in experiencing other nature-based activities. The majority (77.5%) of Indigenous artefacts were purchased by visitors who did not participate in an Indigenous tourism activity. These findings have important implications for the development of future Indigenous tourism experiences for the Wet Tropics. © 2017