One-hundred-and-seven entries have been submitted for the 2008 South Australian Tourism Awards, eight from Yorke Peninsula.
Aboriginal Cultural Tours-Adjahdura Land, a major winner in 2006 in the Aboriginal tourism category, has entered again this year.
Aboriginal Cultural Tours owner/manager Quenten Agius.
Owner/Manager of the award-winning Aboriginal Cultural Tours, Quenten Agius, believes tourism is a perfect match for him.
It enables me to sustain life, keep our culture and traditions alive, and at the same time educate people about our culture and beliefs, said Quenten.
Before Aboriginal Cultural Tours ” Adjahdura Land commenced business in 2003, Aboriginal tourism on the Yorke Peninsula was non-existent.
As a traditional owner of my country, I am very aware that I represent my culture and community when I do tours, appear in the media, perform on stage and talk to guests and school children, Quenten said.
With each tour that I do, it’s important that our guests go away with a wealth of knowledge and respect for our culture, traditions and beliefs.
With every tour, our guests take a bit of me, my family, community and country, away with them. They get a good appreciation of the connection we have with our country, mother earth, and value the significance of preserving our traditions and protecting our ancient sites.
I hope people feel the passion we have and it affects them in a good way. We have Aboriginal protocols in place and we maintain cultural integrity and authenticity.
When we walk together with our guests, in the footsteps of our ancestors, they can literally see and touch the past. Our guests express appreciation for the knowledge I share with them and the feeling of wellbeing they get from my tours. The Dreaming stories I tell come alive in their mind and they can understand and feel the stories.
A submission and site-based competition, tourism businesses will be judged by a panel of industry peers appointed by the South Australian Tourism Commission, with winners announced at the Awards Presentation and Gala Dinner on Saturday, November 22, at the Adelaide Convention Centre.
Those successful then go on to represent South Australia at a national level.
