Victoria Minister for Tourism, John Pandazopoulo has announced what is described as a major boost to nature based tourism, by winning the right to host the five-day 2007 National Ecotourism Conference.
With more than 800 ecotourism operators, ranging from high profile industry leaders to small owner-operators coming to Victoria for the 15th annual conference to be held in Melbourne, Bendigo, Mt Buller and the Grampians in November 2007, Mr Pandazopoulos said ecotourism was a significant part of the industry with 37% of domestic visitors and 77% of international visitors experiencing at least one nature based tourism activity.
Mr Pandazopoulos said, “This event will showcase Victoria to Australia’s key operators and the five day conference will include workshops to demonstrate the range and quality of experiences on offer and ultimately will help attract more visitors”. He added, “Australia’s industry has earned a reputation as a world leader, through its commitment to best-practice ecological sustainability, natural area management and quality ecotourism experiences and nature based tourism in Victoria, such as bushwalking, aboriginal tourism in nature, whale watching, mountain biking, eco-lodges and spotlight/night tours, continue to grow at a faster rate than the tourism sector overall.” “Victoria has one of the most accessible coastlines in the world, an amazing system of marine and land-based parks and, relative to land size, the greatest biodiversity in Australia.”
Report by The Mole
