PRESS RELEASE: It’s a Wrap: Welcome to Country Reflects on a Year of Growth in 2021

As 2021 draws to a close, the team at Welcome to Country, the not-for-profit online marketplace of First Nations experiences and products has reflected on a year of incredible growth – in listings, staff and influence – against a backdrop of disruption and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

In a wrap-up of statistics for the year, Welcome to Country can reveal the number of First Nations experiences has grown from 111 to 206 over 12 months, an increase of 86%, while the range of Indigenous products for sale on the online store has skyrocketed by 186%, from 891 to a whopping 2,544 meaning shoppers are spoilt for choice for Christmas presents this year.
The Welcome to Country team itself has doubled in size to 20 employees, with more than 50% of fulltime employees being Aboriginal.

Concurrently, Welcome to Country has welcomed popular journalist and presenter Narelda Jacobs to its Board of Directors, bringing together a majority Aboriginal Board. Narelda is a Whadjuk Noongar from Boorloo/Perth who now lives on Gadigal Country in Sydney. Having spent some 19 years in the Perth newsroom at Network 10, Narelda has worked at Studio 10 in Sydney since 2000. Each week, Narelda co-hosts NITV’s flagship program The Point as well as the network’s January 26 Sunrise Ceremony and the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Mardi Gras.

To finish the year on a high and mark a promising start to 2022, Welcome to Country has launched an online program called Whatchamacallit, designed to offer all Australians a better understanding of Aboriginal culture and people.

Whatchamacallit is hosted by Aunty Rhoda Roberts AO with Djon Mundine OAM as appraiser who together invite Aboriginal personalities to come and sit down with her to talk about country, connection and cultural objects. Access to the program is free, and the series offers a great insight to Aboriginal culture, with the first episode including presenter Stan Grant.
Welcome to Country CEO Jason Eades said he and the team were proud to have made so many great achievements in an otherwise challenging year.

“We’re especially pleased to have brought on so many First Nations cultural experiences partners right around the country to the Welcome to Country marketplace and to be helping support a large number of Indigenous businesses in our online store,” Mr Eades said.
“We’re hoping that through all our activities all Australians will have the chance to better understand Aboriginal culture and our people, and that at the same time Indigenous businesses can share their culture while operating sustainable businesses,” he said.
“Collectively, we’re in a stronger than ever position going into the new year; bring on 2022!”

EDITORS NOTES: Welcome to Country Limited is an Aboriginal led, not-for-profit organisation with a vision in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are empowered to create economic and well-being outcomes. The experience marketplace is designed to be accessible, engaging, and easy to use on the go, connecting travellers with exceptional First Nations cultural experiences around Australia. Welcome to Country also give Australians the chance to browse and purchase over 1,000 different products from the online shop. Every purchase made with Welcome to Country benefits Indigenous communities, businesses and people.

Media enquires:
Tim Sculthorpe
0417 330 653