TAIPEI, March 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP) Minister Icyang Parod on March 16 in Perth, Australia participated in the Second World Indigenous Tourism Summit with officials from the "Ministry of Foreign Affairs", the "Ministry of Economic Affairs", the "Ministry of Transportation and Communications Tourism Bureau", and the Taiwan Visitors Association. Together with the Hon. Patrick Gorman, MP and Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, they witnessed the handover ceremony for the Third WITS host. Minister Icyang announced Taiwan will host the Third WITS in March 2024, and offered his welcome and hope that people from around the world will attend.

Minister Icyang Parod presented Patrick Gorman, MP and Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, with a glazed Taiwan pictorial charm.

WITS began with the creation in 2012 of the World Indigenous Tourism Alliance (WINTA) by participants from six countries. WINTA is now a global organization of indigenous persons which promotes indigenous rights in the tourism sector consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Over 630 persons from 21 countries attended the Second WITS.

Said Minister Icyang: Various spheres of indigenous persons lives are closely related to tourism. In these spheres, indigenous persons can guide and explain tours from an indigenous perspective, and share in tourism's benefits. Through development of the tourism industry, indigenous persons can increase their incomes with a sustainable business model. Taiwan is an important tourist destination in Asia. It has 16 indigenous groups, each with its own language, lifestyle, and culture. Language, archaeological, genetic, and paper mulberry research indicate those in the Austronesian language groups migrated from Taiwan. Minister Icyang cited two words as examples: In the Philippines, Malaysia, Palau, the Marshall Islands, Madagascar, and New Zealand, the number 5 is pronounced lima, and the eye is pronounced mata. It shows we are come from the Austronesian language family.

Patrick Gorman, MP and Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, said Taiwan is an important trading partner, and the relationship generates investment opportunities for Australia and Taiwanese companies, as well as jobs for the economies of both. Australia and Taiwan also have a long history of encouraging people-to-people contacts in areas such as the arts, culture, education, science, sport, all sectors of the economy which are so closely linked to tourism, and Australia has been a consistent supporter of Taiwan's participation in international organizations and conferences. He congratulated Taiwan for hosting the next World Indigenous Tourism Summit, and on behalf of the attendees said they hope to participate next year in Taiwan.

From 13 March to 16 March, Taiwan's delegation also participated in roundtables with government agencies, youth, and scholars. On the sidelines of these events, and to market unique aspects of Taiwan's indigenous tourism, the CIP promoted Taiwan indigenous tourism through mobile tourism information, online tours, and indigenous music, dance and other activities, filling Perth with Taiwan's indigenous cultures.

Source: Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP)