The grants provide funding of between $30,000 and $100,000 to Aboriginal businesses which service the visitor economy.
A total of $1 million is on offer in this round of grants.
The funding can be used to upgrade existing infrastructure, build new infrastructure or develop new tourism products.
In the past six rounds of the program, funding has been provided to improve an event space, provide an automated booking system for Welcome to Country ceremonies in Darwin, develop a VR experience for visitors and purchase a mobile planetarium for Ayers Rock Resort.
In all, $2.3 million has been invested in Aboriginal owned, or part-owned, tourism products and experiences across the NT.
“The Aboriginal Tourism Grant Program is about stimulating and strengthening Aboriginal Territorians’ participation in Australia’s tourism industry and delivering strong economic outcomes for the Northern Territory,” said the NT’s tourism and hospitality minister, Joel Bowden.
“Aboriginal tourism contributes $383 million to our local economy annually and we want to increase this investment through strategic programs that grow and diversify our local Aboriginal tourism product and offerings.
“The Territory Labor Government is supporting the growth of the NT’s Aboriginal tourism sector through this grant program and many others that offer local businesses an opportunity to expand and diversify.”
Eighty per cent of visitors to the NT seek an Aboriginal experience as part of their trip. Aboriginal experiences and cultural education are also an important part of business events in the Northern Territory.
The Aboriginal Tourism Grant Program received another $2 million last week, as part of a $6 million boost to Indigenous tourism in the territory, supported by both the federal and territory governments.
The current round of Aboriginal Tourism Grant applications closes on May 31.
