Early Program Unveiled for Global Sustainable Tourism Summit 2026
The early program for the Global Sustainable Tourism Summit 2026 has been unveiled, with Ecotourism Australia promising the most impactful event to date for the tourism industry. Taking place from 2–5 June on the Gold Coast, the Summit will bring together global leaders, innovators and changemakers to explore how tourism can deliver meaningful outcomes across the four core themes of people, place, planet and purpose.
Ecotourism Australia CEO Elissa Keenan said the 2026 Summit comes at a critical time for the global tourism industry.
“Tourism has a powerful role to play in shaping a more sustainable and inclusive future, but real progress requires collaboration, innovation and practical action. This year’s Summit is designed to equip industry leaders with the tools, insights and partnerships needed to turn ambition into impact,” Ms Keenan said.
The 2026 program has been designed to offer practical insights, global case studies and forward-thinking strategies that delegates can apply directly within their own businesses and destinations. Taking a holistic look at sustainability, the program will examine how the industry can address the green skills gap by embedding sustainability across organisations and grow First Nations tourism through meaningful partnerships. It will also explore how destinations can prepare for major events such as Brisbane 2032 by developing accessible and future-ready visitor experiences.
International perspectives will feature strongly throughout the program, with insights into how Slovenia has become one of the world’s leading sustainable destinations, lessons from Borneo on using ecotourism to protect wildlife, and perspectives on showcasing cultural heritage with authenticity and respect from the United Arab Emirates.
Environmental priorities will remain central, with a focus on tourism’s role in supporting global conservation targets, including protecting 30 per cent of land and marine areas by 2030. Delegates will also explore how to build climate-resilient visitor economies and examine best practice examples of ecotourism in action.
Complementing this, the program will address the growing importance of measuring tourism’s true environmental and social impact, preparing for increasing sustainability regulation and scrutiny, and understanding how global initiatives such as Travalyst are reshaping data transparency. The commercial dimension will also be explored, with a focus on how organisations can turn purpose into profit—and profit into purpose.
The Summit will feature an exceptional lineup of speakers, including leading sustainable tourism operators such as Lady Elliot Island, Untamed Escapes and Kestrel Hut Eco Hut, alongside representatives from Tourism Australia, Green Destinations, Paralympics Australia, Accor, YHA, RACV and EVT.
Registration for the Summit includes a Welcome Function on the evening of Tuesday 2 June, a full conference day on Wednesday 3 June followed by an evening networking event, and a second full conference day on Thursday 4 June.
The Global Sustainable Tourism Summit continues to serve as a leading platform for collaboration and innovation, supporting the transition to a tourism industry that delivers long-term value for communities, environments and economies worldwide.
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Media contacts:
Ecotourism Australia – Myv Costelloe, Stakeholder Engagement Manager
e: myv@ecotourism.org.au
ph: (07) 3256 6777
About Ecotourism Australia
Ecotourism Australia is a non-government, not-for-profit organisation established in 1991, dedicated to promoting and supporting Australia’s visitor economy by building capacity and advancing sustainable tourism operations and systems. This is the second conference following the inaugural Global Sustainable Tourism Summit in 2024 and builds on Ecotourism Australia’s legacy of delivering the Global ECO Conference, one of the world’s longest-running ecotourism conferences.
Our legacy program, ECO Certification, was the world’s first national ecotourism certification program, while Sustainable Tourism Certification, launched in 2022, supports non-nature-based businesses in achieving global best practice. Today, more than 2,500 accommodation providers, tours and attractions are certified by Ecotourism Australia.
Ecotourism Australia is also a founding member of the Tourism Sustainability Certifications Alliance (TSCA), a global association for sustainable tourism established in January 2025. TSCA members collectively certify more than 19,000 travel and tourism enterprises, organisations and destinations worldwide, representing the largest cohort of certified operators globally.