About us
National Capital Educational Tourism Project
The National Capital Educational Tourism Project (NCETP) is a collaborative marketing project, with the aim of encouraging schools throughout Australia to see the educational benefits of visit to Canberra. The NCETP deliver a range of marketing and teacher professional development activities that showcase the pivotal role Canberra’s cultural institutions have in exposing students to the key elements of Australian democracy, history and heritage, science and art and how, through their education programs, can assist teachers to deliver curriculum outcomes.
These strategies include:
- The annual production of the National Capital School Excursion Planner and other marketing collateral that promotes the National Capital and its attractions
- Mailouts to schools containing NCETP and educational tourism industry marketing collateral
- Attendance at teacher association conferences to promote directly to teachers
- The development of teacher seminars and familiarisation tours to provide opportunities for the National Capital Attractions to promote directly to teachers
- Providing an information service for schools planning excursions to the National Capital
- Management of http://www.canberraexcursions.org.au/ website
- Delivering help desk for the https://www.bookcanberraexcursions.com.au/ booking system
The NCETP operates under a Joint Venture Agreement between the National Capital Attractions Association (representing over 30 National Capital Attractions and tourism related businesses) and the ACT Government. The NCETP activities are supported by the cultural institutions and attractions in Canberra. The NCETP is delivered by a small team of five people, with the support of a NCAA Executive Committee and NCETP Stakeholder Council.
The NCETP commission’s research into the Size and Effect of School Excursions to the National Capital every two years where possible. The NCETP have continued the relationship with the University of Canberra who undertake this research along with the annual collection of visitor numbers from the attractions sector. The initial research was important to the creation of the NCETP and it continues to provide valuable feedback on the educational tourism sector and the initiatives of the NCETP.
The NCETP also perform an advocacy role for schools visiting Canberra and the work of the national capital attractions with local and federal governments. In recent years, the NCETP has been supported by the ACT Government to encourage schools from Singapore to visit Canberra and take part in education programs similar to those experienced by Australian students. This has been instigated by the availability of direct flights on Singapore Airlines.
The NCETP were instrumental in the development of the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program that assists over 100,000 students with financial support to visit Canberra, managing the administration of the program from 2006 – 2013. The continue to advocate for this program and any increases in funding that can support schools from regional and remote areas to visit Canberra.
From 2002 to 2006, the NCETP have won 5 local Canberra Region Tourism Awards leading to two Australian Tourism Awards for Tourism Product Marketing in 2005 and 2006.