The Bundaberg region has been recognised for their commitment to tourism sustainability in the Southern Great Barrier Reef after announcing they have achieved ECO Destination Certification with Ecotourism Australia.
The region is the fifth destination in Australia and the second in Queensland to become an ECO Destination, championing sustainable tourism growth as international visitation to Australia is set to exceed pre-pandemic levels by 2025, according to Tourism Research Australia.
Developed by Ecotourism Australia, the ECO Destination Certification program uses the international Green Destinations framework recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council to assess a destination across 90+ criteria.
The criteria assess management practices across the four pillars of sustainability and covers environment and climate, culture and tradition, and destination management, and socio-economic impact. Destinations are audited onsite by a verified, independent auditor before Certification is awarded.
Ecotourism Australia CEO, Ms Elissa Keenan, said that fulfilling global best standard sustainability requirements is no small feat.
“Since beginning their sustainability journey in 2020, the Bundaberg region has made significant strides to achieve ECO Destination Certification at the Ecotourism level.
“Bundaberg’s application demonstrated a passion for and dedication to holistic sustainability within the region, championing initiatives such as the One Million Trees Project and the popular Milbi Festival.
“Achieving ECO Destination Certification not only supports local Ecotourism Australia certified operators but inspires local tourism businesses to implement sustainability and achieve certification,” Ms Keenan said.
The Council has implemented subsidies to tourism businesses wanting to undertake sustainability certification and participate in the region’s sustainability vision. ECO certified businesses Lady Musgrave Experience, Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort, Mon Repos Turtle Centre and Kelly’s Beach Resort are among the current sustainability leaders fostering responsible tourism in the Southern Great Barrier Reef, while five businesses are currently applying for Ecotourism Australia’s business certifications.
Ecotourism Australia’s independent auditor applauded the council’s strengthened commitment to climate action in their Towards Net Zero strategy.
“It was a pleasure to note the significant change in sustainable targets for the destination, particularly in relation to [Bundaberg Regional Council]’s reduction in carbon emissions.”
“This is a remarkable achievement and shifting of the carbon emissions goalposts for the destination, and one for which the Council should be commended.”
Mayor Jack Dempsey noted close collaborators including Bundaberg Tourism, PCCC and local operators and organisations while Bundaberg Regional Council lead the certification project.
“It is a massive coup for the Bundaberg Region to achieve ECO Destination Certification and sees our community become one of only a small number in the country to do so,” stated Mayor Dempsey.
The Bundaberg region was a recipient of the Eco-certified Tourism Destination program grant in 2022, introduced by the Queensland Government, to help both applicant destinations and new destinations start or complete a globally recognised certification process.
Ecotourism Australia recently announced that Bundaberg will be the host destination of the ECO Think Destination Forum from 28-30 March 2023, a national forum attracting certified and applicant ECO Destinations, federal, state, and regional tourism organisations, local government and national parks representatives, and tourism marketing and destination management specialists.
Learn more about our latest ECO Destination: https://greentravelguide.org/destination/bundaberg
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About Ecotourism Australia
Ecotourism Australia is a non-government, not-for-profit organisation, established in 1991, that promotes and supports the ecotourism industry in Australia through building capacity and actively promoting sustainable tourism operations and systems.
Our key program – ECO Certification – was the world’s first national ecotourism certification program. Ecotourism Australia is acknowledged globally for our industry standards and recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). We are recognised as the credible, national peak body for sustainable and nature-based tourism.
We have over 1,700 certified experiences in our ECO, Climate Action, and Respecting Our Culture Certifications. In 2018 we launched the ECO Destination Certification program where operators and government work together to demonstrate a community-wide and entire regions’ commitment to sustainable tourism management practices. Today there are 23 destinations in Australia and the Pacific participating in the program.
In late 2022, a new Sustainable Tourism program was launched to support the broader tourism industry to demonstrate their commitment to, and be recognised for, the four pillars of sustainability: environmental, cultural, financial/business, and socio-economic.
- A Sustainable Tourism Scorecard (Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard) – with particular focus on small-medium enterprises and micro-businesses, as a pathway to begin their sustainability journey. It is not a certification program; it is a benchmark assessment that allows operators to assess their progress across the four pillars of sustainability. It is suitable for a very wide range of business types and sizes across our sector.
- A higher-level Sustainable Tourism Certification (Sustainable Tourism Certification and Advanced Sustainable Tourism Certification meeting GSTC standards) for non-nature-based tourism businesses to achieve global best practice certification.
- A Sustainable Tourism Destination Certification (Sustainable Tourism Destination Certification and Advanced Sustainable Tourism Destination Certification) for more urban regions wanting to meet global standards).
Ecotourism Australia has global partnerships, working with GSTC, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and Green Destinations (an international organisation for sustainable destination development) and key partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region including with WWF-Australia, Parks Australia and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA).
Our partnership with Green Destinations connects us with tourism operators and businesses around the world certified by Green Destinations (who are also recognised by the GSTC). We have a consumer-facing website that features every ECO certified operator, ECO certified Destination and applicant ECO Destination in Australia: https://greentravelguide.org.