3 August 2007

Barrier Reef better environmental choice than Blackpool says Ecotourism Australia

Britons are being fed simplistic and inaccurate propaganda in advertisements aimed at reducing long haul air travel, according to Ecotourism Australia.

“Targeting aviation as a major source of emissions ignores the facts. It’s such a soft target, but Britons can do much more by reducing other sources of carbon emissions closer to home,” Ecotourism Australia’s Chairman Alastair McCracken said today.

“While aviation contributes perhaps 2% of global emissions, the manufacturing industry, consumption in the home, and transport in Britain each contribute about one third to Britain’s total carbon emissions, and road transport accounts for by far the biggest share of the transport sector.

“Australia’s world-leading ecotourism products combined with carbon offset for air travel are an environmentally-sound choice that makes a lot more sense than a motoring holiday to Blackpool.

Ecotourism Australia, a not-for-profit organisation that created the world’s first ECO Certification program for ecotourism products, says the big picture is a lot more complex than recent advertisements claim and that refusing to travel overseas could actually do more harm than good.

“Aviation currently contributes just 2% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and the yet the tourism industry generates 8% of global economic activity.

“While air travel does contribute to carbon emissions, the industry has responded with several carbon offset schemes that direct revenue directly to environmental restoration and conservation activities.

“The aviation industry is working to reduce its environmental impact and the emissions per passenger kilometre have been cut by 70% over the past 40 years and by 20% over the last decade alone.

There are much bigger environmental villains out there – particularly driven by our high consumption lifestyles.

“Targeting long haul travel is a strategy that could backfire on Britain, which also relies heavily on its incoming overseas tourists. Any recommendation to limit outbound long haul travel, must logically also suggest a necessity to restrict entrance to the UK to inbound long haul travellers. And that’s a big impost on your $85 billion dollar UK tourist industry.” Mr McCracken said.

“The ecotourism industry is actively involved in direct conservation of the environment and tourist dollars support several important conservation initiatives. 83% of inbound visitors to Australia visit one of our national parks or experience a nature based activity. In Australia we have excelled at directing earnings from tourism activity in our wilderness areas into funding of protected area management, development of conservation initiatives and education.

“Particularly in fragile environments like the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest, sustainable tourism ensures our natural heritage is protected.

“We value the support of our many British and European visitors and want to assure them they can still feel good about visiting the natural wonders of the world,” Mr McCracken said.

Ecotourism Australia also called on the wider travel industry in Britain and internationally to embrace the sustainability principles that underpin the Ecotourism Australia ECO Certification program.

“Our ECO Certification program is acknowledged as a world-leader for its comprehensive accreditation criteria and stringent monitoring.

“Although the program was developed for the ecotourism industry, its principles can be modified for all tourism to ensure our industry continues to make a positive contribution in the world,” Mr McCracken said.

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 travel agents and tourists with an assurance of best practice ecological sustainability, natural area management and quality ecotourism experiences.

For more information contact:
Kym Cheatham, Chief Executive Officer,
Ecotourism Australia
E: ceo@ecotourism.org.au M: 0427 279 414
www.ecotourism.org.au
ABN 92 909 103 274

The Ecotourism Australia vision: "To be leaders in assisting ecotourism and other committed tourism operations to become environmentally sustainable, economically viable, and socially and culturally responsible".
Ecotourism Australia was formed in 1991 as an incorporated non-profit organisation, and is the peak national body for the ecotourism industry. Ecotourism Australia aims to grow and promote ecotourism and to assist tourism operators to become environmentally sustainable, economically viable and socially and culturally responsible.

Membership includes tour operators, ecotourism accommodation, tourism planners, protected area managers, academics and students, regional tourism associations and travellers.
Ecotourism Australia’s certification program ECO is a world first. It provides objective monitoring and auditing of organisations’ ecotourism claims and provides travel agents and tourists with an assurance of best practice ecological sustainability, natural area management and quality ecotourism experiences.

Ecotourism Australia recently added ROC (Respect Our Culture) Certification for Indigenous Tourism operators and Climate Action Australia Certification to help the tourism industry work towards a more sustainable future.

In 2008, Ecotourism Australia was awarded the prestigious World Travel and Tourism Council “Tourism for Tomorrow” Award for Conservation at the World Tourism Summit in recognition of Ecotourism Australia’s significant contribution to the conservation and preservation of natural heritage.