Tasmania releases plans for eco-tourism

Aiming to compete with Australian eco tourism efforts from Queensland, Tasmania’s State Government has released plans to relaunch the region as a eco-friendly based tourism destination.

Working with Melbourne, Global Eco Asia Pacific Tourism Conference convener Tony Charters explained the two states would team up to build tourism to southern Australia.

“Going on current form, that will pair Melbourne as the lead tourism city with Tasmania as the heartland of ecotourism, making southern Australia a formidable destination,” Mr Charters said.

Mr Charters said the benefit of building an eco destination had fallen short with many Governments down under while locations in Asia are “running at 100mph” with the sector.

He explained that while establishing the state as an eco-destination, the long term benefits would more than cover the efforts.

“Ecotourism is not a ‘quick fix’ option for governments to plug the holes after a resource boom, for example,” Mr Charters said.

“It is a very logical and forward thinking choice for Tasmania, but it will take 15 years to bed the industry in.

“Once that is done, ecotourism will provide more jobs than logging, be sustainable and form an important plank of an export oriented economy.”

Mr Charters added that as a whole the country needed to invest more into its natural attractions and utilise them to increase visitor numbers.

According to the convener, the Great Barrier Reef’s figures are sitting around the same as 20 years ago while Kakadu numbers fell compared to visitors in the early 90s.

“National parks for example need ongoing support from government, not just a one-off injection of funds,” he explained.

“Other states can take the lead, with long term vision and investment roughly equivalent to one sports stadium each year, but spread across the state’s protected areas.

The Global Eco conference is being held in Sydney from November 7th to 10th.

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Australia puts more into eco-tourism

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As the strong dollar in Australia drive Aussies overseas, many in that country believe that Australia could benefit from building its ecotourism sector and attract more international visitors.

According to Tourism Conference for Ecotourism Australia organiser Tony Charters, eco-tourism arrivals in Australia have remained steady over the past 20 years and a boost in the sector could fill the void left behind by domestic travel.

“We know Australians have developed a taste for international holidays and that growing international visitor numbers is now critical,” Mr Charter stated.

Not much has changed since the sector launched down under two decades ago, according to Mr Charters, with The Great Barrier Reef still hosting 1.3 visitors per year, Fraser Island and Shark Bay seeing small rises since the 1990’s while Kakadu witnesses a drop in visitor numbers.

He suggests Australia look at utilises one of its key unique qualities in the industry, offering travellers the opportunity to meet Indigenous Australians and learn from them.

“Maybe Australia needs to re-read the book on ecotourism – the book it wrote in the early 1990’s,” Mr Charters added.

He stressed the sector could become Australia’s ‘Swiss watch’ with focus on quality, reliability and reputation.

“Currently the opportunities are too few and far between.”

Mr Charters will be speaking at the upcoming Global Eco Conference to be held in Sydney this year from 7-10 November.

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Japanese Academic lobbies for more sustainable practices for Japan

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Lessons learned at Australia’s national parks are expected to help a leading Japanese academic lobby for more sustainable practices in his home country.

Chuo University Professor Masahiro Yabuta is learning about sustainable management and education while working alongside colleagues at The University of Queensland’s School of Tourism.

Professor Yabuta will be at the school until March next year, with plans to visit important natural sites such as the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru and Kakadu National Park.

He has been researching the management and education systems of natural and cultural heritage sites with Head of School Roy Ballantyne, senior lecturer Dr Noel Scott and senior research fellow Dr Sally Driml.

“I have come to learn about management systems in Australia because they are first-class here. I have many things to learn,” Professor Yabuta said.

“It is important to keep tourism sustainable. A balance and commitment from government, industry and the community is important.”

Communities and businesses wanted to make money from tourist sites, but it should not come at the destruction of the natural sites the visitors came to see, Professor Yabuta said.

“Rapid development of a tourism industry could cause problems. There needs to be protection of the environmental tourism site. There must be support from government to ensure this.”

Professor Yabuta said he was also keen to find out just who the average eco-tourist was, so promotion and education programs could be specifically tailored.

“Everybody wants to be an eco-tourist now. Eco-tourism is a very fancy and popular word. It has a feel-good factor for everybody. People think going green is good for them. But when an economy driven
by eco-tourism and going green come together, it can be difficult to get a balance.”

Professor Yabuta said recent research showed only about 10 per cent of people tended to consistently behave in an eco-friendly way – even when going on holidays.

“In most other instances, people sometimes behave as eco-tourists and sometimes they don’t. They might have a low-flow tap but not drive an economical car. They might not save on power consumption but they do like nature.”

Eco-tourism was one way to help people see the importance of being green and ensuring they did not cause destruction at sites such as national parks.

“It is all about education. It is life-long education. They need to understand protection of nature by each person is important for sustainable tourism and keeping national parks for future generations.”

Professor Yabuta hopes to use what he has learned at the School of Tourism to help design government policies in Japan aimed at ensuring a balance between tourism development and environmental protection.

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Australia asks tourists to only use eco-certified tour companies

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Australia‘s marine park authority is encouraging international travellers to use only eco-certified operators when visiting the Great Barrier Reef.

Speaking to e-Travel Blackboard at ATE 2010 yesterday, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s Hilary Skeat said two million tourists visit the iconic site each year.

Of those tourists, around 50 percent experience the GBR with operators that have been independently certified by Ecotourism Australia, she said.

However, the marine park authority is trying to encourage more tourists to do the same.

In a partner stand with Ecotourism Australia at ATE this year, it has handed out flyers and fish-shaped stress balls inked with small reminders to visiting international buyers to book with eco-certified operators.

Skeat said that the marine authority also encouraged their own set of best practices on the reef including the use of moorings by marine park vessel operators wherever possible.

“The industry relies on a healthy Great Barrier Reef” she said.

Ecotourism Australia chief executive Kym Cheatham expressed similar sentiments, saying the “whole industry needs to worry about these things.”

“Nature is the most compelling aspect of our country. Our natural environment is the main driver for people to come here,” said Cheatham, “We all have a responsibility.”

Ecotourism Australia released earlier this week at ATE 2010 its Green Travel Guide Australia 2010/2011 which features more than 1000 Australian tourism experiences that offer responsible, ethical and sustainable tourism experiences.

“Environmentally responsible travel has huge potential for growth, as increasing numbers of domestic and international travellers choose ‘green’ holiday experiences.

“Ecotourism destinations now attract about 15% of the global tourist market and that number is climbing fast.”

Some 20 percent of tourism businesses exhibiting at ATE 2010 this year are eco-certified.
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