Indigenous, eco-tours boost trade

Visitor numbers peaked in Broome last week as accommodation almost sold out, but the emerging trend in the Kimberley’s tourism industry is a rising demand for eco-tourism and indigenous tours on Dampier Peninsula.

Broome Visitor Centre manager Tarsh Mahar said in mid-July there were only only a few unpowered camp sites and a couple of higher-end rooms available in Broome.

Ms Mahar said Broome could be proud of its tourism numbers and, while some months of the tourist season this year had been quieter, local tourism had been good overall, especially considering the tough competition coming from cheap flights to Bali, and when compared to areas such as Queensland which were recovering from natural disasters.

“We need to be grateful when Broome is full for a weekend, and there is no accommodation to be had in a really tough economic time, we need to be proud of that,” she said.

Almost 20,000 people called into the visitor centre in June, down on last June (21,460), but showing steady growth since June 2007 (17,143).

The centre has picked up on travellers’ growing demand for “something different” and their interest in Dampier Peninsula, where indigenous and eco-tourism operators are coming into their own. Ms Mahar said the centre recognised this by appointing an indigenous tourism liaison representative, Anthony Harrison, to work with 15 BVC members on the peninsula.

“Word-of-mouth about Dampier Peninsula has grown so much over the past year, everyone wants to go there,” Ms Mahar said.

“Cygnet Bay Pearls has opened up some great new accommodation and tours through the archipelago, and people are finding out about Mercedes Cove.

“Visitors just love the beautiful coastline, the beaches, fishing and swimming, indigenous tours and bush tucker, and to visit an indigenous community – these are the experiences they are after.

“And it is complementary to Broome — people want some Broome-time but they are also coming here knowing they want to see the peninsula as well.”

Pat Channing of Mercedes Cove, a property 160km from Broome, said she opened the small-scale eco-tourism operation some four years ago, but she had seen a marked increase in patronage over the past year.

“We are up 30 per cent occupation on last year,” she said. “When we go into town at the moment it takes an hour and a half and we’re passing up to 50 cars.”

Ms Channing said it was not just tourists they welcomed but also Broome and other Kimberley locals who visited for their own holidays.