Creative Tourism in Australia - The New Reason For Travel.

Creative tourism is the new way for travellers to explore the world and its diverse cultures. Increasingly, travellers of all ages are no longer content with a superficial spectator view of the countries and regions that they visit.

Instead these, often sophisticated, travellers are searching for a learning experience which involves them in the day-to-day lives of the peoples in whose countries they are guests.

Sometimes they will enjoy wine tasting at boutique vineyards or participate in cooking classes which specialise in the cuisine of a region. In the tropical rainforest climate of Northern Australia dive boats run courses in underwater photography and aboriginal culture is shared through activities such as basket weaving or traditional ways of finding and using bush medicines. Outback experiences might include learning how to make damper, sleep in a swag and dig for water on a camping trip to the red centre.

Creative tourism - involvement with regional culture

Although sight-seeing is usually an integral part of the experience of holidaying it becomes secondary to it as visitors and locals alike develop new relationships based on mutual respect and skills development.

This involvement in characteristics or traditions of an area also has the result of empowering residents so that they become teachers rather than mere producers of souvenirs or organisers of services.

Nowhere is this creative tourism more alive than in the field of the arts, when visitors might learn to draw at artists’ studios or join special painting or photography tours to areas of beauty.

Artquest

In Port Douglas we have developed our own Artquest series of workshops in glass artists’, painters’ and textile artists’ studios, most of which are not usually open to the public. In October 2009 and 2010 Go Troppo Arts Festival held ten day-long workshops in such diverse subjects as life-sized portraits in clay, watercolours in the rainforest, etchings using perspex and making your own gorgeous glass paper-weight under the guidance of a master glass artist in his jungle hide-away.

What’s happening in Europe?

Recently I have been speaking with Marcel Kras, an artist and web designer from Holland, about creative tourism in Europe and other parts of the world. Marcel is passionate about promoting the arts, artists and art workshops through his website, Krazart. If you are an artist living in Australia and wish to present your work to a world-wide audience or if you run creative workshops that might interest visitors, Marcel has a special invitation for you. Check it out here.

If you are thinking about a romantic get-away in Spain, Italy or Africa, which involves learning new art related skills, see what is on offer at Krazart.

Coming soon

Should you be reading this from far away and maybe dreaming of Australian dreamtime, outback, culinary or coastal activities, please check out this page again - soon - for a list of recommended cultural experiences from which to choose.

XXX  Here's a great beginning with fabulous art glass workshops presented by well known North Queensland artist and designer, Judith Bohm Parr. Classes in 2017 are off to a great start.

Australian artists and art workshop organisers this is your invitation to be part of tourism in Australia by promoting your art workshops on this site. Please fill in the form below if you would like to know more about how to become involved.

Studio 8 Glass Workshops

Artquest Port Douglas

Tropical Art Classes

Australian Television Promotes Tropical Artists

Holiday in Tropical Australia

Special Offer from Krazart

Art in Tropical Australia Home Page

Art Workshops in Australia