An ‘authentic’ Aboriginal product: State marketing and the self‐fashioning of Indigenous experiences to Chinese tourists

A key insight from this study is that the marketing of Indigenous tourism experiences, particularly those tailored for Chinese tourists, is often constrained by arbitrary government policies and notions of 'authenticity,' rather than being guided by local Indigenous aspirations. The research reviews Victorian state policies on Indigenous tourism and examines a case study involving the Gunditjmara people's tourism initiatives at the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape. It reveals that while Chinese tourists generally show little interest in Indigenous experiences, state governments persist in promoting such products under the assumption they align with Chinese preferences. This approach not only overlooks local Indigenous entrepreneurship but also perpetuates a rigid framework that limits meaningful economic engagement for Indigenous communities.

Boag, C. J., Martin, R. J., & Bell, D. (2020). An ‘authentic’ Aboriginal product: State marketing and the self‐fashioning of Indigenous experiences to Chinese tourists. The Australian Journal of Anthropology, 31(1), 51–65. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/taja.12345