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Tourism operators unite at Ecotourism Australia's National Conference
TOURISM operators will unite at Ecotourism Australia’s National Conference in Melbourne and regional Victoria from November 19-23 to hear industry leaders debate challenges and propose solutions to climate change. “As an industry, we are ready to talk about solutions and there is a mindfulness that next year is too long to wait,” says Ecotourism Australia CEO, Stephen Pahl. “It is encouraging to see a range of operators, not just nature-based, are joining the debate.” Themed, Leading Global Challenges, the conference has attracted top industry speakers including Lonely Planet founder Tony Wheeler, who will consider answering the big questions. He challenges whether the term “ecotourism” is just another buzz word used to sell travel, whether our world can withstand an estimated 1.5 billion people travelling annually by the year 2020, and if staying home and flying less is actually doing the earth more damage. Intrepid Travel CEO, Darrell Wade talks solutions, prompted by his decision to become a Carbon Neutral company by 2010. He sheds light on how best to identify areas where large emissions occur and the response by consumers. “The travel industry will be among the first affected by climate change with coral reefs disappearing, beaches going under water, desertification of large areas of landmass and reduced economic wellbeing generally,” Mr Wade said, “so we have a vested interest to change.” Operators come away knowing how to calculate their own Carbon Footprint as taught by Steven Andrew from Carbon Balance Consulting and will understand why a robust audit can add value to the triple bottom line, save money and provide a powerful marketing tool in an increasingly competitive green marketplace. MFS Living and Leisure CEO Marshall Vann shares his perspective on how ecotourism can work on a large scale and still be sustainable, while tourism’s latest commercial success story Wotif.com founder Graeme Wood stirs his own pot of issues. Some ten keynote speakers and more than 20 plenary session delegates have been drawn, nationally and internationally, from a knowledge base of private sector operators; NGOs; National Parks and Protected Area Managers, State and Regional Tourism Organisations, Government agencies; education institutions; consultants; and the media. Best practice case studies also address critical challenges such as overcoming indigenous tourism issues, balancing park protection and use, educating future leaders, branding and destination planning, understanding changing tourism markets and community attitudes, and nurturing partnership initiatives. Victorian Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Innovation, Gavin Jennings presents an address on the topic, Climate Change: Victoria’s Strategy for the Future. He discusses the Nature-based Tourism Strategy 2007-2011, which is a commitment to guide sustainable, responsible and sensitive development of this sector. Parks Victoria Chief Executive, Mark Stone looks to future outcomes and options for fire management and recovery put in place following significant recent regional bushfires. A major draw card this year is the opportunity for participants to take to the outdoors and experience a day trip stop-over at one of three flourishing examples of sustainability in the North West’s Bendigo and the Goldfields, The Grampians National Park in South Western Victoria, and Mt Buller in the North East. The Grampians NP theme stream will focus on Managing Natural Areas in a Cultural and Recreational Landscape, including bushfire recovery; Mt Buller focuses on Tools and Technology, including the pygmy possum recovery project; and Bendigo and the Goldfields is all about Keeping Heritage Relevant, including parks & indigenous culture. Mt Buller’s visiting participants discover how and what the alpine resorts are doing to remain sustainable in a changing climate. Focus is on the process of a national study to establish the economic significance of the resorts and presents the key results of gains for an industry worth $1.3 billion nationally in 2005 and providing 17,050 additional employment opportunities annually. Heritage and the cultural significance of preservation is highlighted at the Goldfields theme stream when participants relive the goldrush of the 1850s at the Golden Dragon Museum, which houses the world’s oldest and longest Imperial dragons. Participants also tour the Box Ironbark forest around Castlemaine with an aboriginal elder, geologist, writer and architect providing their own perspectives on the formation of this ancient landscape. Famous for its spectacular scenery, diversity in flora and fauna and extraordinary cultural and recreation landscape, visiting delegates to The Grampians NP will experience first hand the iconic Pinnacle Walking Track. Speakers along the way highlight the new benchmark set by architectural redevelopment of the walking track, the complexities of marketing a natural landscape, and how the cultural values of the area is managed. Time-committed operators have two alternatives to the full program. They can network with colleagues by attending the closing Gala Dinner on Thursday night followed by Friday’s Tourism Operators Workshop. Alternatively they can attend the one day workshop only, which covers essentials of web and brochure marketing, branding, packaging and wholesaling, balancing a better bottom line, understanding markets, working with Protected Area managers and in National Parks, and information on the Eco Certification Program. The Victorian Government’s Department of Sustainability and Environment, Tourism Victoria and Parks Victoria are major sponsors of the Ecotourism Australia Conference. For further information – including to download registration forms – visit: www.ecotourism.org.au/conference/ Media Enquiries: Eco Writing, Ms Susan McDarra Phone: 0408 77 88 64 or Email: scmcdarra@tpg.com.au Conference Registration & Accommodation Enquiries: Ms Kim Deitman Conference Secretariat Phone: (03) 9534 8856 Fax: (03) 9534 8863 Email: ecotourism@southboundaustralia.com.au ENDS For more information contact: |