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| Media Release | |||
Ecotourism Australia welcomes the Red Centre as the first ‘National Landscape’ Ecotourism Australia has welcomed the recent announcement that the Red Centre is the first of the areas to be marketed under Tourism Australia’s innovative National Landscapes Program. “The Red Centre captures the essence of Australia’s natural and cultural heritage and is a fitting choice to launch this exciting program,” CEO of Ecotourism Australia, Stephen Pahl, said today. “It offers a unique adventure for the niche group of ‘Experience Seekers’ who are the target market for this initiative.” The National Landscapes initiative is a partnership between the tourism and conservation sectors. It aims to capture and promote the essence of Australia’s unique regions in order to achieve conservation, social and economic benefits. The idea is to transcend the boundaries of individual national parks, municipal areas and even States to market the iconic landscapes that offer adventurous international travellers a unique Australian ‘experience’ rather than a superficial tour. Stephen Pahl congratulated Tourism Australia and Parks Australia on the program and said that it is a great opportunity to get more exposure for the Eco Certified operators who offer accommodation and tours in the nominated regions. “Certified Ecotourism and Certified Nature Tourism operators understand the needs of the more discerning travellers who want an authentic natural or cultural experience,” he said. “Those with Ecotourism or Advanced Ecotourism certification provide educational or cultural components that enhance travellers’ understanding of what they’re seeing. “Most ‘Experience Seekers’ not only want to explore an area in depth but also care about the integrity of conserving the landscape and culture for future generations.” Further National Landscape regions are currently being assessed and will be announced soon. Ecotourism Australia is the peak national body for the ecotourism industry. It aims to grow and promote ecotourism and to assist tourism operators to become environmentally sustainable, economically viable and socially and culturally responsible. It is a non-profit organisation with membership that includes tour operators, ecotourism accommodation, tourism planners, protected area managers, academics and students, regional tourism associations and travellers. Ecotourism Australia’s certification program is a world first. It provides objective monitoring and auditing of organisations’ ecotourism claims and provides travels agents and tourists with an assurance of best practice ecological sustainability, natural area management and quality ecotourism experiences. For more information contact: |