Tourism NT has cottoned on to the success story of an Indigenous Territory Tik Tok star who has been amassing followers for his videos in which he shares insights in his Indigenous culture, and consequently has been luring tourists to the Katherine region.
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Since early 2021, Katherine artist Manuel Pamkal has been sharing insights in his work and culture on the video-sharing app via his workplace channel, Top Didj Cultural Experience and Art Gallery.
With more than 1.5 million likes and almost 180,000 followers, the strategy has been paying off for Top Didj, which has been attracting tourists to the region who visit the Gorge Road experience to see their favourite Tik Toker in person.
Now an Australia-wide tourism campaign is building on Top Didj's success, targeting holidaymakers who have an interest in Aboriginal culture to come to the Northern Territory.
The campaign, Culture is closer than you think, highlights to travellers that there is no better place in Australia to immerse themselves in authentic Aboriginal cultural experiences than the NT.
Minister for Tourism and Hospitality, Nicole Manison, said the Aboriginal Tourism Campaign was a 'further step towards the Northern Territory achieving our vision of being the undeniable Australian leader in the Aboriginal tourism sector and promoting the NT as the premier destination for authentic Aboriginal tourism experiences'.
"Domestic Aboriginal tourism focussed visitors contribute $218 million to the NT economy annually, and growing and supporting our Aboriginal tourism offerings, will in turn significantly strengthen our $40 billion dollar economy by 2030," Ms Manison said.
"Nowhere lets you connect with the world's oldest living culture like the Northern Territory.
"Tourism NT have created this campaign to remind Australians that here you don't just witness Aboriginal culture, you can actually be a part of a culture over 65,000 years strong."
The new campaign is set to feature inspirational advertisements, social and digital media placements and will be supported by deals on Aboriginal cultural tours and experiences in a bid to reinforce and grow further awareness of the Territory as a premier destination for authentic Aboriginal tourism experiences.
"The NT has rich and diverse Aboriginal cultural experiences in art, food, artefacts, dance, music and storylines.
"For travellers to the NT, Aboriginal culture can be experienced through natural attractions, rock art sites, galleries, Aboriginal events such as Parrtjima, and bookable cultural tours and experiences.
"Australians who are craving authentic cultural experiences have previously travelled overseas and spent thousands of dollars on trips internationally - this latest campaign will remind them the world's oldest continuous living culture is closer than they think: and the best place to see it is in the Northern Territory, no passport needed."
Chair of the Aboriginal Tourism Committee Paul Ah Chee Ngala said the NT's Aboriginal Tourism Strategy found that 80 per cent of visitors to the Territory would like an Aboriginal tourism experience.
"This new consumer campaign will share the over 150 Aboriginal tourism products and experiences that we have on offer in the NT - continuing to develop a sustainable and prosperous Aboriginal tourism sector across the NT, and one that is at the forefront of Aboriginal tourism in Australia," Mr Ah Chee Ngala said.