Global Sustainable Tourism Summit gets underway in Brisbane

June 5, 2024

Karen Sweaney

Aligned with World Environment Day 2024 which is celebrated annually on 5^th June, Ecotourism Australia launched the first day of its Global Sustainable Tourism Summit with talks, presentations and panels.

The Summit, currently underway in Brisbane, has attracted 267 delegates with representation from every Australian state and territory. The summit is also celebrating the stories of 29 certified operators and destinations with 62 speakers from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa.

Dr Claire Ellis, Chair Ecotourism Australia (EA), outlined some of the milestones reached by the organisation since the formation of Ecotourism Association of the Indo Pacific Region (now Ecotourism Australia) in 1991including:

in 1996, EA launched the world’s first National Ecotourism Accreditation Program;
in 2018 EA launched the globally recognised ECO Destination Certification program;
in 2022, the new sustainable tourism pathway program launched including Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard;
in 2023 Accor selected EA as one of three global providers to provide Sustainable Tourism Certification to hotels in Australia and the Pacific.

Ecotourism Australia Chief Executive Elissa Keenan (above), then highlighted why sustainability matters for the tourism industry.

With the global sustainable tourism market estimated at US $3.3 trillion in 2023 and projected to reach US $11.4 trillion by 2032, the industry must be sustainable, inclusive and contribute positively to the communities, natural ecosystems and cultural heritage on which the sector depends.

Keenan flagged the risks and opportunities within the industry. Globally, expectations are changing. Green Washing is decried and with the European Union Green Claims Directive (GCD) coming into effect in 2027, companies will be required to substantiate the green claims they make in business-to-consumer commercial practices. The aim of the Directive is to prevent false or misleading advertising from hindering the green transition. Under the GCD, only companies that have verified their claims as environmentally friendly can reap commercial benefits from using green claims.

Bede Fennel from Tourism Australia spoke to the growing awareness and concern for tourism’s impact and in particular, that to remain competitive, Australia must ensure that its on-ground offerings are overwhelmingly attractive to help offset any hesitations about the carbon emissions associated with the long haul flights to get here.

Fennel also flagged that sustainability is increasingly important to travellers with 44% having chosen to go to a destination based on its sustainability reputation and 78% intending to visit sustainable destinations in the future.

Travellers are looking to governments and industry for sustainable solutions. Travellers are still reporting barriers to choosing sustainable options including expense; too much effort to research and book; and too hard to understand certifications.

Fennel’s talk was followed by a passionate Welcome to Country by Shannon Ruska from Tribal Experiences with Chief Frank Antoine (Pictured above) from Bonaparte First Nation and Moccasin Trails delivering his presentation on International Best Practice: Indigenous Tourism Done Right.

Both Ruska and Chief Frank Antoine spoke of the importance of storytelling and how significant the tourism industry was for providing a platform for indigenous people to be able to tell their stories.

David Young (above) from Accor Pacific highlighted that in the sustainable tourism space “the EU is leading the space and Australia has a long way to catch up.” Young noted that the procurement models for the hotel industry have to change – with a need to work more with local suppliers. Actions planned for the next two to three years include food waste and food sustainability measurement and reduction; water measurement and reduction; and sustainability training across the workforce with enhanced communication to all stakeholders.

About the author

Karen Sweaney

Co-founder and Editor, Australasian Leisure Management

Artist, geoscientist and specialist writer on the leisure industry, Karen Sweaney is Editor and co-founder of Australasian Leisure Management.

Based in Sydney, Australia, her specific areas of interest include the arts, entertainment, the environment, fitness, tourism and wellness.

She has degrees in Fine Arts from the University of Sydney and Geological Oceanography from UNSW.

search ausleisure

AusLeisure

Latest News