AusLeisure

New industry standards for Western Australian national and marine park operators were announced by Tourism Council WA with support from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) at the Sustainable Tourism Forum held yesterday.

The standards would see park tourism operators achieve enhanced Sustainable Tourism Accreditation, publish a thorough assessment of their accessibility, and commit to reducing emissions.

The Sustainable Tourism Forum hosted by Tourism Council WA, also saw Western Australian Environment Minister Reece Whitby announce DBCA would waive the annual $406 T-Class licence charge, to reduce cost burden on operators and recognise their high standards of sustainable tourism in national parks.

Minister Whitby said tour operators made a valuable contribution to Western Australia’s economy, commenting “we want WA to be a sustainable and accessible destination while supporting our tourism businesses to be the best they can be.”

T-Class licences apply to most commercial operations in National Parks including guided walks, vehicle tours, boat tours and charters. Licence conditions ensure environmental, cultural and visitor management objectives are met.   

Advising that the state's tourism industry wanted to achieve the highest standards in sustainable tourism, especially in its national parks, Tourism Council WA Chief Executive, Evan Hall added "the next generation of visitors to WA are looking for low emission, accessible, and sustainable tourism experiences in our unique natural environment.

“A recent survey commissioned by Tourism Council WA found 81% of tourism businesses reported using measures to assess, mitigate, develop, or promote their sustainability.”

Western Australian Deputy Premier and Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti said creating a sustainable tourism industry was a key component of the Western Australian Visitor Economy Strategy 2024 (WAVES), going on to state "by slashing costs for our operators, we’re helping to continue drive visitation into our beautiful national parks and conservation reserves, which we know have seen huge visitation post-COVID."

Related Articles

27th February 2024 - Industry plan for reduced emissions in Western Australian tourism

26th February 2024 - ATIC relaunches its online Quality Tourism Framework

22nd February 2024 - $10 million grants for Far North Queensland tourism operators to enhance Infrastructure Resilience

19th February 2024 - Tourism Tropical North Queensland welcomes visitors back to the Daintree

16th February 2024 - Expedia Group spotlights the impact of the ‘tour tourism’ explosion in Australia

15th February 2024 - New discount scheme to boost Northern Territory 2024 tourism season

14th February 2024 - Western Australian Government to establish cabinet-level tourism investment committee

14th February 2024 - Program and speakers announced for 2024 Global Sustainable Tourism Summit

13th February 2024 - October dates confirmed for 24th World Travel and Tourism Council Global Summit in Perth

12th February 2024 - Western Australia needs new visitor attractions and tourism accommodation

7th February 2024 - Albany’s Torndirrup National Park to receive $3.3 million upgrade

12th December 2023 - Tourism Council WA critical of Federal Government’s cut in migration numbers

19th May 2023 - Western Australia’s most popular national park will undergo a $2.7 million transformation

8th May 2023 - Western Australia’s new national park and nature reserve covers an area bigger than Bali

28th April 2023 - New walking trail officially opens in Western Australia’s Mirima National Park

30th March 2023 - Proposed South Coast Marine Park anticipated to rival Ningaloo and Great Barrier Reef

9th March 2023 - Ningaloo becomes first World Heritage site to finalise a climate resilience action plan

1st September 2022 - New Mountain Bike trails contribute to rising popularity of Western Australia’s national parks

31st May 2022 - Western Australian National Parks to be made more accessible for people with disability

24th September 2021 - Consultation underway on new marine park for Western Australia’s south coast

9th July 2019 - More funding for Western Australia’s national parks and reserves

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.