Tourism is Your Business

The tourism industry operates within an ever dynamic environment, with global influences more apparent than ever.

The new century threw enormous challenges at the industry – September 11, Ansett collapse, SARS, Bali bombings, Avian flu scares and so the list goes on.

Challenges into the future are at a scale never before contemplated. Climate Change represents a direct threat to many of Australia’s iconic destinations. It also poses an indirect threat through, for example the consumer choices of Australia’s key longhaul markets.

The surging strength of the Australian dollar creates a new dynamic for the industry – with winners and losers – depending on your place in the industry. For Australian travellers there is now a huge array of affordable travel choices within budget reach. Travelling to exotic overseas destinations where costs are very low creates a whole new set of competitors for Australian tourism operators.

At the same time the significant growth in available domestic and overseas airline seats though the introduction of new low cost carriers and larger aircraft creates a huge growth in capacity. Consumers are likely to see highly competitive fares being offered in this environment and destinations will achieve new growth on the back of greatly improved air access.

Concurrently though, Australians are faced with higher mortgage commitments through rising interest rates. Discretionary income will be on the decline for many Australian families. Competition from other consumer goods for a slice of discretionary income will reach new highs.

Australia must build upon existing areas of excellence and create new products that provide us with a competitive edge in the global market. This does not mean jettisoning previous efforts that have paid dividends. It means building upon those successes and introducing new and innovative products that capitalise on Australia’s strengths – its nature, its open and friendly people, indigenous culture, sporting prowess, excellence in event and convention management, climate, health and security.

Sometimes I get the sense that authorities tire of investing in emerging new sectors and products after just a few years – preferring to look for something new and exciting. Take ecotourism, not infrequently the question is posed: hasn’t ecotourism had its day? A classic example where Australia is regarded as the world leader and has the capacity to keep leading, yet questions the value of persisting with investment in this sector. Other nations are just awakening to the potential of ecotourism, they are looking at Australia’s success and they want a piece of it. Climate Change itself will reinforce consumer interest in natural areas – even if it is motivated by a desire to see these places before they succumb to the impacts of a changing climate.

Australia must focus on building its product base around its unique strengths and be the global leader in these fields. It must take a long term view to building the industry, not just 3, 5 or 10 year strategies, but continuous and effective commitments.

Tony Charters

Green Globe has developed the first Sector Benchmarking Indicators specifically for spa operations using the independently verified EarthCheck benchmarking system.

Green Globe has been working with global spa operator Six Senses Spas to develop the benchmarking for spa operations including the collection of data for analysis in order to set baseline and best-practice standards. The benchmarking indicators which include water usage and energy efficiency will become part of the Green Globe Sector Benchmarking Indicators for spa operations.

For further information visit: http://www.greenglobe21.com/

The Centre for Ecotourism and Sustainable Development has designed four practical guides to help businesses begin the certification process and improve the programs. The guides are the result of studies commissioned by the Rainforest Alliance and conducted by the Centre for Ecotourism and Sustainable Development and the International Ecotourism Society.

For further information visit: http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/tourism.cfm?id=toolkit

Hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and organised in partnership with the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation and the Burba Hotel Network, the Pacific Asia Travel Association ‘CEO Challenge - Confronting Climate Change’ will take place in Bangkok from 29 to 30 April 2008. The forum will challenge influential travel and tourism industry leaders from all sectors to agree to and sign a defining industry response to the global threat of climate change. Supporters include Sir Richard Branson and top executives from the UNWTO, Jones Lang LaSalle Asia Pacific, Accor Asia Pacific and Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts.

For further information visit: http://www.pata.org/patasite/index.php?id=1716

The Perth Convention Bureau has joined Western Australia based Carbon Neutral, an environmental group that plants native trees to offset the carbon emissions of its contributing members.

Carbon Neutral has calculated the bureau's carbon footprint based on staff business travel over 12 months. It is the first bureau in Australia to formally embrace carbon offsetting.

For further information visit: http://www.pcb.com.au/content.php?page=66

Photo: Meredith Osborne 2007

The Tropical North Queensland tourism industry has launched a world leading environment protection program - Planet Safe Partnership. The initiative sets a new benchmark in sustainable tourism based on consultation with industry leaders and an analysis of environmental tourism programs in Australia and Europe.

The program aims to reassure visitors that they are contributing to practical short and long-term measures aimed at safeguarding Queensland’s World Heritage areas.

For further information visit: http://www.planetsafepartnership.com.au

The Great Tropical Drive in Northern Queensland has won a 2007 Pacific Asia Travel Association Gold Award. The award is a tribute to the high degree of cooperation invested by industry representatives across regions to produce a quality tourist attraction that covers the Great Barrier Reef, tropical islands, rainforests and outback.

The 2007 awards attracted a record 339 entries from 132 travel and tourism organisations. The awards are sponsored by the Macau Government Tourist Office.

For further information visit: http://www.pata.org/patasite/index.php?id=128

The committee will review and select a shortlist of finalists for the categories of: Destination Award; Conservation Award; Investor in People Award; and Global Tourism Business Award. Site visits are then completed by the Finalist Selection Committee, after which a final judging panel will choose the final category winners.

The 2008 Finalist Selection Committee judges include:

• Albert Teo, Managing Director, Borneo Eco Tours, Malaysia
• Brian Mullis, President, Sustainable Travel International, USA
• Erika Harms, Executive Director of Sustainable Development, United Nations Foundation, Costa Rica & USA
• Dr Janne J Liburd, Associate Professor, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark & Chair, BEST Education Network
• Jessica Hall Upchurch, Director of Sustainability, Virtuoso, USA
• Mahen Sangkhrajka, President, Big Five Tours and Expeditions, Kenya
• Mandip Singh Soin FRGS, Founder & Managing Director, Ibex Expeditions (P) Ltd, India
• Marilú Hernández, President, Fundacion Hacinedas del Mundo Mayas, Mexico
• Michelle White, Director, Environmental Affairs, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Canada & Global
• Nicky Fitzgerald, Senior Director, CC Africa, South Africa
• Dr Peter Burns, Professor, Centre for Tourism Policy Studies, University of Brighton, UK
• Tony Charters, Principal, Tony Charters & Associates, Australia

Entries are now open for the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards 2008 which aim to raise awareness of sustainability in the global tourism industry. The awards recognise and promote examples of world best practice in responsible tourism development across four categories – Destination, Conservation, Investor in People and Global Tourism Business.

Winners for each category will be invited to an awards ceremony at the Global Travel & Tourism Summit in April 2008 in Dubai. Entries close 5 December 2007.

For further information visit: http://www.tourismfortomorrow.com/

Tourism Research Australia has released a Caravan and Camping Snapshot which reveals key statistics about the sector and highlights important characteristics of domestic and international visitors who stayed in caravan or camping accommodation in 2006.

For further information visit: http://www.tra.australia.com/niche.asp?sub=0059

Picture taken from Caravan and Camping Snapshot: http://www.tra.australia.com/niche.asp?sub=0059

The survey was conducted by Studylogic via telephone interviews with 1,041 respondents, screened for a minimum of 3 hotel stays over the past twelve months.

For further information visit: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=78669&p=irol-newsArticle_print&ID=1024322&highlight

Previous studies have indicated a high level of community and government support for the development of some kind of gateway to the Moreton Bay Marine Park from the Wynnum-Manly Bayside regions.

The feasibility of meeting this need via the development of a Discovery Centre forms the focus of this project. In particular, the team will investigate the viability of providing a hub for accessing:
- visitor information services;
- environmental interpretation and media;
- ecotourism opportunities; and
- eco-guide training and tour development.

The project is being supported by the Manly Chamber of Commerce Inc. and Moreton Bay Environmental Alliance.

CountryLink is part of the government-owned Rail Corporation New South Wales which also operates CityRail which provides the passenger rail service covering the greater Sydney region.

Thirty-five tourism projects in drought affected areas have received more than $4.8 million in funding as part of the Australian Tourism Development Program. Funding of up to $500,000 was provided in round five for projects in drought-affected Australia.

For further information visit: http://www.ausindustry.gov.au/

The Grampians NP theme stream will focus on Managing Natural Areas in a Cultural and Recreational Landscape, including bushfire recovery; Mt Buller focuses on Tools and Technology, including the pygmy possum recovery project; and Bendigo and the Goldfields is all about Keeping Heritage Relevant, including parks & indigenous. Famous for its spectacular scenery, diversity in flora and fauna and extraordinary cultural and recreation landscape, visiting delegates to The Grampians NP will experience first hand the iconic Pinnacle Walking Track.

Next year SEGRA will be hosted by Albury, NSW from 18-20 August. “A key to success is being prepared for things different from what you might have expected”, says Les Tomich, General Manager, Albury City Council. SEGRA Secretariat is currently looking for regional success stories to profile at SEGRA 2008.

To find out more visit www.segra.com.au/segra or phone Jessica Shelton on 07 3210 0021.

The International Ecotourism Society has released ‘The Oslo Statement on Ecotourism’ as an outcome of the 2007 Global Ecotourism Conference. The statement highlights ecotourism’s past achievements since the International Year of Ecotourism in 2002 and puts forward recommendations derived from workshops and meetings that took place during the conference on the four themes of local sustainable development, conservation, education and communication.

For further information visit: http://www.ecotourismglobalconference.org/?page_id=179

PPAMcon 2008 aims to:
- Raise awareness and understanding of relevant emissions trading concepts, issues and implications for conservation objectives
- Define the desirable framework for the emissions trading system, credits and offset schemes (e.g. partners, governance, standards, conservation outcomes)
- Identify current barriers or trends taking us away from this vision and current trends taking us towards it
- Identify actions that agencies and organisations with conservation objectives need to do NOW to drive outcomes towards the vision identified

It will facilitate the development of a draft position statement for consideration in government forums dealing with trading scheme development and refinement.

There is some urgency for this. There is currently an emerging business sector focused on providing offset schemes. Offset schemes are and will continue to be a key means by which carbon credits can be obtained and an important part of the national emissions trading scheme framework. There is therefore a potential opportunity for agencies and organisations driven by conservation objectives to secure financial and conservation benefits by becoming directly involved in this business sector.

As offset scheme standards and criteria develop and carbon credit definitions evolve it will be important to ensure that the broader conservation criteria and not just emissions reduction criteria are included. Conservation benefits may be lost, for example if assessment criteria are limited to emissions reduction and do not take into account broader conservation outcomes. (For example, planting trees may provide carbon storage outcomes but not necessarily biodiversity outcomes.)

Dates for PPAMCon have yet to be fixed. Please register your interest in receiving further information by emailing info@ppamcon.com.au