Sustainable Tourism
Welcome to Sustainable Tourism which has been designed to help Queensland’s tourism industry become more sustainable, adapt to the likely effects of climate change, and stay resilient in the challenging times ahead.
In November 2006 the Queensland Government released the Queensland Tourism Strategy, a 10 year vision for sustainable tourism, a partnership between the Queensland Government and the Queensland tourism industry. Sustainable Tourism is a key action under that plan. It highlights definitions and terms you should be aware of, possible approaches, best practice case studies and other useful resources for extra information.
Tourism is the state’s third largest export earner behind coal and non-ferrous metals. It generates domestic and international visitor expenditure of $19.6 billion and directly employs 119,000 Queenslanders (Tourism Queensland, 2008). Queensland is particularly vulnerable to climate change and tourism relies heavily on the natural environment. Our state’s natural and cultural values, including national parks, marine parks and forest reserves are a major drawcard for nature-based tourism delivering significant benefits to the Queensland economy.
Climate change is forecast to have a variety of economic and non-economic impacts throughout Australia. Protection and conservation of our natural values is essential for the survival and sustainable growth of the tourism industry over the longer term.
We have a shared responsibility to ensure the longevity of the industry in the face of climate change. The Queensland tourism industry is showing leadership through actions aimed at providing information and skills for operators to understand and manage their environmental impacts and the impacts of climate change and to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
What is sustainable tourism?
The World Tourism Organisation defines Sustainable tourism as ‘meeting the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future…leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems’.
Sustainable practices make good business sense. They give your company a marketing advantage over your competitors and even save you money.
Sustainable tourism relies on some key principles:
- Look after the environment while providing high quality, low-impact tourism experiences
- Adopt sustainable technology, building design and development practices
- Protect historic sites and cultural heritage values
- Respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and engage Traditional Owners in indigenous interpretation
- Reduce your carbon footprint
- Successfully adapt to the effects of climate change
- Look after your workforce
- Contribute to the local economy and work with the community
- Encourage your customers to be more environmentally aware and culturally sensitive
- Aim for best practice in the way you run your business
- Doing all of the above yet being profitable.
These principles are embodied in various industry benchmarking and accreditation programs.
Fan Palm - Kuranda, Carnarvon Gorge National Park and Sea Kayaking in the Great Barrier Reef. Photos courtesy of Tourism Queensland
Help Queensland become a world leader in sustainable tourism. Follow these guidelines to improve the environmental, social and economic sustainability of your tourism operation.
Case studies and useful websites are provided in this package.
Follow the links or the Sustainable Tourism menu at the left-hand side of the page to find out more.
Last updated 5 November 2009