Cade Lucas
Melbourne’s west is home to one of the largest Indian communities in the country, but now efforts are being made to attract Indian tourists to the region rather than just those looking to make it their home.
Namaste Westside is an initiative of Western Melbourne Tourism that has recently secured a Victorian Government Visitor Servicing Fund grant to create a visitor service program for the growing Indian tourism market.
The project centres on the development of a ‘Namaste Westside’ mobile app and customised digital platform offering curated information tailored to the cultural preferences of Indian visitors to Melbourne’s west.
Development of the project will include research to gain an understanding of the travel patterns and motivations of Indian travellers, along with any gaps in the market and barriers to travel.
Extensive outreach and engagement with the western suburbs Indian diaspora will also be conducted with the aim of gaining insights and advice that will enhance content on the digital platform and app.
Western Melbourne Tourism chair Scott Chapman said Namaste Westside could reap enormous benefits for the western suburbs, including Brimbank.
“This project taps into the exponential growth in Indian visitation through deep cultural insights and community co-creation,” Mr Chapman said.
“We see this as an incredible opportunity to elevate the visitor experience and drive further growth of this important market.”
He said the western suburbs large Indian population was a great asset for the region.
“The local Indian community will play an integral role in shaping authentic, inspiring content for Namaste Westside. This, combined with service standards certification, promises to foster greater respect and understanding of Indian culture across Melbourne’s tourism industry, while boosting the economy.”
Mr Chapman said the project could potentially be replicated in Melbourne’s other large migrant communities.
“As the cultural diversity of our region continues to expand, the Namaste Westside approach can serve as a blueprint for building bridges across communities to promote social cohesion. We foresee Namaste platforms tailored to multiple international target markets on the horizon,” he said.
Western Melbourne Tourism is coordinating the project in partnership with Wyndham, Brimbank, Maribyrnong, Melton, Moonee Valley and, Hobsons Bay council’s, Victoria University and multicultural consultants Culture Kite.
Namaste Westside will commence in December 2024 and is expected to be completed by mid-2025.
