Green Oz, One Of World’s Top Eco-Tourism Destinations…

Everything IS connected to everything else isn’t it, especially in regional areas? I found out about this tourism promotion in Get Farming! Tourism Australia (TA) and US publisher Conde Nast are jointly profiling Australia in Conde Nast’s leading travel publication,‘Traveler’. In the January 2008 issue there are 16 pages detailing ‘escapes’ to Australia’s World Heritage listed destinations.

TA’s Managing Director Geoff Buckley says:

“Australia has a window of opportunity to convert global interest in ‘green’ places and products into increased tourism arrivals…

There is no denying that business and public sentiment is clearly indicating a growing preference for guilt-free, low-impact products and services – particularly at the upper end of the market.

And the global tourism industry has been at the centre of considerable debate about the impact of travel on the environment.

But these issues of climate change and environmental degradation provide an opportunity for Australia, not just a challenge.

Australia is one of the world’s top green and nature destinations. We have a good story to tell and it’s important we tell it.

The US market is particularly open to green, nature-based and eco tourism messages.

Americans have a great love of wilderness and wild places. They were, after all, the first country to introduce the concept of National Parks. And while other countries, notably in Europe, embraced this issue earlier, there is no doubt that ‘green’ is hot in the US now and a real movement is beginning.”

Conde Nast Listed ‘Amazing Australian World Heritage Sites’

• Tasmanian Wilderness
• Riversleigh/Naracoorte Fossil Sites
• Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens
• Lord Howe Island
• Sydney Opera House
• Willandra Lakes Region
• Blue Mountains
• Gondwana Rainforest
• Purnululu National Park
• Wet Tropics of Queensland
• Great Barrier Reef
• Fraser Island
• Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
• Kakadu National Park

Part of the promotion is a special media and trade event, called Planet Oz, at Conde Nast’s New York headquarters on Times Square where Australia tourism bodies and operators specialising in nature-based and eco-tourism experiences will showcase their products to around 100 trade and consumer media, and travel agents.

Special presentations will be made by Australian Tourism Ambassador Terri Irwin and Indigenous Tourism Australia Executive Chairman Aden Ridgeway.

Participating Australian Tourism Operators Include:

* Exceptional Kangaroo Island (SA)
* Sydney Opera House (NSW)
* Fraser Island and the GBR (QLD)
* The Rainforest and GBR (QLD)
* The Sunshine Way (QLD)
* Hayman Island (QLD)
* Australia Zoo (QLD)
* Cable Beach Club Resort (WA)
* North Star Cruises (WA)
* Voyages El Questro (WA)
* Cradle Huts (TAS)
* Overland Track (TAS)
* Voyages General (National)
* Indigenous Tourism Australia (General – National)
* Bothfeet (VIC)
* Phililp Island Nature Park (VIC)
* Conservation Volunteers (VIC)