Tourism and Conservation: A United Vision For Queensland Peter O Reilly Toby Hutcheon Tourism Queensland Queensland Conservation Council
Tourism Queensland Corporate Vision To be a recognised and respected international leader in Destination Management and champion of world s best practice in sustainable tourism values and services. Corporate Mission To work in partnership with Government, Industry and Community stakeholders to maximise sustainable tourism growth for the economic and social benefit of all Queenslanders
Tourism Queensland s Role Destination Management: development and marketing of a sustainable tourism industry in Queensland Guided by Triple Bottom Line Sustainability Principles Ecologically Socially/Culturally Commercially
What Queensland visitors want 74% of domestic visitors to Queensland like to take their holidays away from crowds (HTS YE June 2005); the same percentage prefer to holiday where they can see nature or be in a natural setting 57% of International visitors to Queensland went for a bushwalk and/or visited a National Park during their visit
What Queensland visitors want Increasing dissatisfaction world-wide by tourists with areas that are perceived as overdeveloped or having lost their original attractiveness Where high environmental quality cannot be guaranteed, visitor numbers quickly start to decline >Triple-Bottom-Line Sustainability is critical for the continued success of Queensland s tourism industry
The Turtles of Western Cape York Marine turtles Conservation Project Mapoon Aboriginal Community Provides visitors with opportunity to work alongside local Aboriginal Rangers Cost: $1875,- including five nights camping, meals and conservation activity Recent announcement of Tourism Conservation Funding Support www.seaturtlescapeyork.com
Who is the Queensland Conservation Council (QCC)? The QCC is the peak environment organisation in Queensland. The QCC represents over 70 member organisations covering most regions of the state. The QCC network of organisations has a combined supporter base of around 400,000 Queenslanders
The QCC has a current focus on: Climate Change Rivers and Water Conservation Healthy rural landscapes
Queensland is an environmental icon state Five World Heritage areas and 450 National Parks Nature conservation is the cardinal principle of Queensland s National Parks This is the challenge for tourism and conservation: To step lightly on the earth but not to step everywhere
The Queensland Wild Rivers Act An opportunity to get it right from the start Protects nineteen unspoilt rivers in Cape York Prevents dams and weirs, limits inappropriate agriculture and mining Encourages ecologically sustainable development e.g. Ecotourism
A shared vision Tourism and conservation have mutual objectives and opportunity exists to develop closer ties A proposed shared vision: That Queensland be a best practice sustainable tourism destination that meets the needs and expectations of visitors and local communities while conserving its natural and cultural heritage for the long term
Where to from here? TQ and QCC to develop an MOU facilitating a partnership on general principle and specific opportunities General principles: Long term conservation of Queensland s natural resources and cultural heritage; & The development of sustainable tourism practice by Queensland s tourism industry
Where to from here? General principles to be enacted via specific regional projects e.g. Cape York and Wild Rivers The MOU will promote model arrangements on specific key destinations and set up a framework for ongoing dialogue between the sectors throughout Queensland
Questions?