Back to nature for Global Eco

Professor David Bellamy UK ecologist and television presenter will join the Global Eco Asia Pacific Tourism conference in Noosa, 25 to 28 October.

Professor Bellamy is delighted nature has taken centre stage for travel consumers, and will present a paper entitled “Disneyland? Done That!”

Originally the fringe-dweller of the tourism industry, ecotourism is now the industry darling around the globe with consumer interest soaring.  It is the single biggest sector in the Australian tourism industry.

Holidaymakers are hungry for experiences that allow them to connect with nature.

Experience is Everything is the theme for the 2010 Global Eco Asia Pacific Tourism conference. (eds: being held in Noosa 25 – 28 October).

Ecotourism veteran, Mr Tony Charters is convening the conference on behalf of Ecotourism Australia.

The conference has attracted international and local industry luminaries including Bruce Poon Tip, founder of GAP Adventures. and Jena Gardener of JG Black Book of Travel and 2009 Enterprising Women of the Year award winner from the USA.

The conference will be held at the recently opened Outrigger Resort at Noosa – the first internationally operated resort in Noosa for 20 years, which sets new ‘green’ benchmarks for resort properties

“Being immersed in wilderness and interacting with wildlife is having a profound effect of people who are jaded and scarred by a high-pressure, urban life,” said Mr Charters. “Australia is ideally suited to ecotourism with our diversity of landscapes and our unique flora and fauna."

“There is also a growing appetite for an authentic experience with indigenous cultures, and Australian aboriginal culture is particularly attractive to international visitors."

“We have some way to go in developing this side of the industry, and the Global Eco conference will present ‘best practice’ case studies from around the world to help the Australian industry to grow.”

Australia was admired for its innovation when ecotourism emerged in the 1990s, and now the sector has matured around the world, countries such as New Zealand and Costa Rica are taking the concept to new heights.
 
“Formulaic hotels and the traditional sun, surf and sand are no longer the mainstay,” said Mr Charters.

Ecotourism has the potential to play a very positive role in the protection of the environment and the sector is leading the way in the industry’s response to climate change.

A full program for Global Eco can be found at www.globaleco.com.au

Get free sustainable tourism reports from Vision on Sustainable Tourism HERE

Valere Tjolle is editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suitewww.travelmole.com/stories/1143624.php