QUEENSLAND ECOTOURISM CASE STUDY

CHRISTINE NICOLE VARGAS

TOURISM CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION

DECEMBER 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS

QUEENSLAND ECOTOURISM ...... 1

QUEENSLAND’S NATURAL REGIONS ...... 2 AUSTRALIA’S NATURAL REGIONS MAP ...... 3 QUEENSLAND ECOTOURISM MAP ...... 4

TOP ECOTOURISM DESTINATIONS ...... 5

QUEENSLAND TOURISM TIMELINE ...... 8

DESTINATION MARKETING ...... 8

TOURIST PROFILES ...... 11 NATIONAL PARK VISITATION INFOGRAPHIC ...... 14 HIGH VALUE TOURIST PROFILES ...... 15

IMPACT OF TOURISM ON QUEENSLAND ...... 16

FUTURE OF QUEENSLAND’S ECOTOURISM ...... 17

REFRENCES ...... 18

Whitsunday Islands QUEENSLAND ECOTOURISM

Australia is Travel + Leisure’s 2020 Destination of the year. One of the primary reasons for this prestigious award is the country’s natural beauty. It is a travel destination that is synonymous with unique wildlife, stunning wilderness, and outdoor adventures. The state of Queensland is one of the most biodiverse places on earth and is Australia’s ecotourism hotspot.

Queensland is synonymous with tropical sunshine and natural wonders. Queensland is a popular travel destination because the state has thousands of islands, and has nearly 7,000 km of coastline with the great barrier reef covering nearly the entire coastline. While Queensland offers urban escapes in , Cairns, Noosa, and Gold Coast, but the state’s most popular tourist attractions are its natural wonders.

It is one of the most unique places on earth.“Queensland has five of Australia’s sixteen Natural World Heritage sites. These include the National Parks, Fraser Island, the Wet Tropics (including ), and one of the Natural Wonders of the World—the Great Barrier Reef.” (Queensland Government, 2017) The state also has over 450 national parks, marine reserves, and state forests. Queensland offers a variety of ecosystems such as lush rain forests, coral reefs with hundreds of tropical islands, outback deserts, and jagged green mountains.

The Queensland government and Tourism Council are dedicated to preserving the environment and have developed several plans to expand the ecotourism industry and encourage more aboriginal involvement in the field. Ecotourism will continue to grow and Queensland will be known as one of the world’s top ecotourism destinations.

“As people become more ecologically aware and seek nature-based tourism accommodation, experiences and attractions, ecotourism will become one of the most important markets in Queensland’s tourism industry” - Business Queensland

Mon Repos 1 Sea Turtle Hatchery QUEENSLAND’S NATURAL REGIONS

QUEENSLAND IS THE ONLY AUSTRALIAN STATE THAT HAS ALL SEVEN NATURAL REGIONS

TEMPERATE: This is the ecosystem on the southern coastal border with New South Wales, this region includes the cities of Brisbane and Gold Coast. It has a mild climate with warm summers and cool winters with moderate rainfall spread throughout the year.

SUBTROPICAL: This ecosystem covers most of the southern and central Queensland coast, spanning from the Sunshine Coast to the Whitsunday Islands. It has a humid climate with hot summers and mild winters with rainfall concentrated in the warmest months. Subtropical regions have flora and fauna species from both the temperate and tropic regions.

DRY TROPICS: This region reaches from Townsville to Bowen on the coast and reaches farther south inland. It has a tropical climate with distinct dry seasons. The lowland forest is dryer than the bordering subtropical and tropical ecosystems due to mountain ranges that direct the watershed to the north and south.

TROPICAL: The tropical north includes Cairns, Port Douglas, and the Daintree Rainforest. This tropical climate has year-round high temperatures and heavy rainfall with monsoons in the summer months and somewhat dryer and cooler winter months.

EQUATORIAL: This region encompasses the tip of the Cape York peninsula, it is the northern- most point of Australia. It is very close to New Guinea and shares the same animals like the tree kangaroo that are not found further south. It is similar to a tropical climate but has less seasonal variability

GRASSLAND: This inland region stretches from Queensland’s southern border to the tropical north. It has a year-round warm climate with some rainfall in summer and relatively dry winter. It is similar to the subtropical ecosystem but has less rainfall.

DESSERT: This arid region encompasses nearly the entire western border with the Northern Territory and is a part of Australia’s red center. It is a very dry and extreme climate with very hot summers and warm to mild winters.

TROPICAL WILDLIFE

Tree kangaroos and cassowaries are two species that are only found in the equatorial and tropical north and are also native to New Guinea. Queensland’s northern-most islands are only 5km from New Guinea, allowing the animals to easily establish populations in Australia.

2 Tree Kangaroo AUSTRALIA’S NATURAL REGIONS MAP

NORTHERN TERRITORY QUEENSLAND

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

NEW SOUTH WALES

Temperate VICTORIA Subtropical Dry Tropics Tropical Equatorial Grassland Desert TASMANIA

3 QUEENSLAND ECOTOURISM MAP

GREAT BARRIER REEF

DAINTREE NATIONAL PARK

TOWNSVILLE &

WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS

QUEENSLAND CAPE HILLSBOROUGH

EUNGELLA NATIONAL PARK

FRASER ISLAND MON REPOS SEA TURTLE HATCHERY

NOOSA NATIONAL PARK GLASSHOUSE MOUNTIANS

SCENIC RIM

4 TOP ECOTOURISM DESTINATIONS

Queensland’s unique and spectacular natural landscapes attract visitors from all over the world. Listed below are the state’s most popular ecotourism attractions. These incredible national parks are all located on the coast and are within a few hours of the urban centers of Brisbane and Cairns. Each of the national parks features world-class eco-lodges and offers endless possibilities for cultural experiences, wildlife encounters, and Aussie adventures.

GREAT BARRIER REEF

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system that stretches along nearly the entire Queensland coastline. The reef is one of the natural wonders of the world, about 600 species of coral live on the reef and it is home to over 1,500 species of fish and six out of the seven sea turtle species. It is Australia’s most famous and most visited natural attraction.

There are many ecotourism and adventure activities on the reef, such as citizen science manta ray monitoring, watching sea turtles hatch, scuba diving, snorkeling, and helicopter tours over the reef. There are over 600 islands on the Great Barrier Reef, these islands include the Whitsundays and Magnetic Island. Many of the islands on the reef have luxury eco-resorts where guests are fully immersed in nature and enjoy private pristine white sand beaches. The most famous of these luxury eco-resorts are Lady Elliot Island on the southern tip of the reef and on the northern tip of the reef.

While the reef goes as far south as Bundaberg, the reef only gets more spectacular the farther north you go. The jewel of the Great Barrier Reef is Osprey Reef, an isolated seamount with sheer dropoffs covered with thousands of colorful corals and tropical fish. It is considered one of the best tropical dive sites in the world. The reef is about 300km offshore from Cairns and the only way to reach it is on a liveaboard dive boat. The remote reef is particularly famous for its sharks and the opportunity to free dive with them. There are many other incredible and more accessible dive sites throughout the Great Barrier Reef, each reef has unique offerings and the marine species vary by region.

Fraser Island 5 Tropical Dingo DAINTREE NATIONAL PARK

The Daintree Rainforest is the oldest continually growing tropical rainforest in the world and is the largest tropical rainforest in Australia. It is two hours north of Cairns and it grows down to the coast, where Queensland’s two greatest natural treasures unite and the rainforest meets the reef. The region also includes Port Douglas, a luxury beach resort town and the Atherton Tablelands, which are plateaus above the rainforest that have stunning waterfalls. The ancient rainforest is covered in ferns and prehistoric-looking cassowaries roam the forest floor. This World-Heritage site is so beautiful and unique that Sir David Attenborough called Daintree “the most extraordinary place on Earth.”

The national park is home to the Aboriginal Kuku Yalanji people, who offer authentic walkabout tours and share ancestral Dreamtime stories in Mossman Gorge. Daintree is the best place on the east coast to have an authentic Aboriginal experience and participate in sacred ceremonies. Apart from the park’s native cultural heritage, outdoor activities include hiking, zip-lining above the forest canopy, swimming in rock pools, guided wildlife night walks, and river cruises to see saltwater crocodiles.

NOOSA NATIONAL PARK AND THE SUNSHINE COAST HINTERLAND

Noosa National Park is located on the sunshine coast just below the Great Barrier Reef. It is in Noosa, which is one of the most trendy beach towns in Australia. The national park features seaside cliffs, hidden mangroves, blue lagoons, and sheltered Instagramable fairy pools. Ecotourism and adventure tourism activities in the park include hiking in the hinterland, kayaking in the Noosa Everglades, and surfing the waves. It is frequently visited by both international and domestic eco-tourists as well as serendipitous eco-tourists that were visiting Noosa for its bustling food and boutique scene. The national park is also not far from other popular Australian ecotourism destinations, such as the Glasshouse Mountains and the world- famous Australia Zoo, founded by Steve Irwin the Crocodile Hunter. The Zoo is a world leader in wildlife conservation and offers many wildlife encounters, where zoo visitors can cuddle and get up close to other native wildlife.

TOWNSVILLE AND MAGNETIC ISLAND

The Townsville region is surrounded by mountains and beautiful waterfalls, such as Wallaman Falls, the tallest waterfall in Queensland. There are also a few small islands just off the coast of Townsville. Magnetic Island has the largest wild population in Queensland, it is almost guaranteed that you will see one or two while hiking the islands many trails. The island is also home to wild rock wallabies that are tame enough feed. Because of the island’s incredible wildlife, Magnetic Island National Park is one of the most visited national parks on the reef.

Daintree Rainforest 6 FRASER ISLAND

Fraser Island is on the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef and is the largest sand island in the world and is the only place on earth where towering tropical rainforests grow out of sand dunes. Half of the world’s sand dune lakes are on the island, the crystal clear lakes are formed when rainwater filters through the sand dunes and settles in the valleys between the dunes. The forest and beaches are home to dingoes; it is the most reliable place to spot wild dingoes in Australia. It is a wildlife hotspot and the warm waters of the island are a breeding ground for humpback whales from July to October. The island is famous for off-roading on the sand dunes and driving on the 75-mile beach.

SCENIC RIM NATIONAL PARKS

The Scenic Rim is made up of six national parks; Lamington, Tamborine, Mount Barney, Main Range, and Moogerah Peaks. It has lush rain forests, mountains, and is in the basin of an ancient volcano. The parks are popular because they are nearby the urban centers of Brisbane and Gold Coast. The region is famous for its waterfalls and quaint country villages. There are many treetop suspension bridge walks and many glamping and ecoresorts, like O’Riley’s Rainforest Retreat. is the most popular national park in the Gold Coast hinterland, its mountains are covered in lush rainforests and offer spectacular views of the southern edge of the Scenic Rim.

WHITSUNDAYS AND MACKAY REGION

The Whitsundays are seventy-four islands at the center of the Great Barrier Reef that is the home to the heart of the reef, the famous reef in the shape like a heart. Whitsunday Island is the largest island in the chain and has Whitehaven Beach, which is one of the world’s most beautiful beaches. Whitsunday National Park includes the world-famous 7 km of pristine powder sand beach and most of the island. There are a few campsites on the island, but most people visit on day trips to lay on the beach and hike to a lookout point to see how the tide mixes the turquoise water with the sparkling white sand. There are many luxury ecoresorts on surrounding islands and there is even Australia’s only underwater hotel, Reef Sleep allows guests to live on the reef and wake up to tropical fish and sea turtles just outside the window.

About an hour south of the islands is the Makay region which has two national parks that offer amazing wildlife viewing opportunities. Both parks aren’t that well known and there aren’t many tourists in the region, which is perfect to escape from the crowds. Cape Hillsborough is one of the only places in Australia where it is guaranteed to see wild wallabies and kangaroos on the beach. They come to the beach every morning to eat breakfast, which provides the perfect opportunity to photograph them as the sun rises. The other place to see an iconic Australian animal is , which is one of the best places in Australia to see a platypus in the wild.

7 Fraser Island QUEENSLAND TOURISM TIMELINE

Queensland’s exploration and involvement stages of Butler’s tourism area lifecycle model most likely occurred between the late 1700s to the late 1800s when Europeans began to settle the Queensland coast and the development of the coach lines between urban centers of Brisbane and Cairns that made tourism possible and led to the development of tourism infrastructure. The development stage began in the early 1900s, the construction of the railways allowed easy access for urban tourists to take seaside summer vacations and more hotels were built to accommodate the growing number of tourists. The Queensland coast saw a boost in international tourism during the 1940s when American soldiers visited with their families during World War II and regular direct flights to Sydney became available. After the war, the highway systems were improved and domestic and international tourism increased. In the 1950s wildlife sanctuaries and roadside zoos popped up along the highways and that is when documented ecotourism in Queensland began. In the 1970s ecotourism became popular on the Great Barrier Reef, with a drastic increase in hotel stays from the previous decade. The region reached consolidation in the 1990s when scuba diving became wildly popular on the reef and more and more international tourists visited the coast. Queensland went into the stagnation stage in the early 2000s, two large cyclones and an economic downturn led to the end of the rapidly increasing ecotourism industry and brought a slight decrease in tourism. In 2013 the Queensland government began a seven-year ecotourism rejuvenation plan for 2020. The details of this plan are listed in the destination marketing plan below, and Queensland is now in the rejuvenation stage.

DESTINATION MARKETING

Queensland spent the last seven years working on a 2020 Ecotourism marketing plan and has achieved the goal of becoming a world-class ecotourism destination. In both the 2009 Tourism Queensland and the 2013 Tourism Australia’s Best Job in the World public relations campaign, Queensland highlighted its national parks and natural wonders by offering a dream job opportunity to be an island caretaker and park ranger of the Whitsunday Islands.

The Original 2009 Tourism Queensland “Best Jobs in the World” that featured the natural beauty of the Whitsundays was so successful that it was replicated by Tourism Australia in 2013. Several other states also featured the regions natural beauty, South Australia’s dream job was a wildlife caretaker and the Nothern Territory’s dream job was an outback adventurer.

Whitehaven Beach 8 Australia highlights its natural wonders on all its marketing materials. While the tourism board also features urban destinations like Sydney and Byron Bay, the main image on all promotional materials are nearly always of natural landmarks such as the Great Barrier Reef. The reef and a few of its islands such as the Whitsundays and Frasier Island are always among Australia’s top ten tourist attractions, with the reef usually listed first or second on the list. Queensland’s Daintree Rainforest also frequently tops the national top ten tourist attraction list. Because the state’s iconic natural attractions are a key factor in attracting international tourists to Australia and domestic tourists to Queensland, the Australian tourism board prioritizes ecotourism and is committed to becoming an internationally celebrated ecotourism destination.

Queensland’s unique natural attractions are a key driver for international tourists and offer a strong competitive advantage among other ecotourism destinations. Three out of the five natural attractions listed above are one of a kind natural destinations, whether it is the world’s largest coral reef system, the largest sand island, or the oldest rainforest. Tourists cannot easily replicate the experience by going to a similar natural attraction in another ecotourism destination. Only in Queensland can you see wild dingoes walk on the beach and go on an aboriginal walkabout in an ancient rainforest. The unique cultural experiences and wildlife encounters are why eco-tourists are willing to fly halfway across the world and choose Australia over cheaper ecotourism destinations in developing countries. Because of this Australia focused on competing with other ecotourism destinations on quality and not price, by emphasizing and enhancing Australia’s natural and cultural assets.

The importance of ecotourism to the Australian visitor economy led the national and state tourism boards to prioritize the conservation of Queensland’s natural wonder and national parks as the primary method of increasing the interest of eco-tourist by the opportunity to participate in citizen science projects but also attracting eco-tourists for generations to come. Because the Great Barrier Reef is so intertwined with Queensland’s identity and tourist attraction to visit the state, there is a great effort to preserve the reef. “The Great Barrier Reef and its islands are an iconic part of the Queensland tourism industry and a significant contributor to the economy. The tourism industry works closely with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, National Park Service, and the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection in showcasing, protecting, and managing the Reef. In a highly competitive market where reef destinations around the world vie for visitors, innovation and investment in new reef tourism experiences and infrastructure that capitalizes on the Great Barrier Reef’s unique selling points will be vital to increase visitation and reinvigorate the established Great Barrier Reef tourism industry.” (Reef 2050)

9 Great Barrier Reef The Queensland government created the Reef 2050 plan and is working with private industry, conservation specialists, indigenous communities, and researchers to ensure that the reef remains Australia’s top ecotourism destination for decades to come. Part of this conservation plan is the citizen science manta ray project on Lady Elliot Island, which was mentioned above. In this citizen science project, eco-tourist take photos of the manta rays swimming in the waters around the island and submit the photos to the research database where marine biologists identify each manta ray by their unique identifying freckles on their bellies. Through research projects like these scientists can monitor marine life populations and keep the reef healthy.

Conservation plans are not only limited to the reef, Queensland’s second most popular ecotourism attraction is also undergoing a conservation effort through the Mossman Gorge Centre, an award-winning indigenous ecotourism organization. Part of Queensland’s ecotourism expansion plan is including the indigenous community in the conservation effort because they are the original caretakers and guardians of the land. The state has spent the last few years developing Aboriginal cultural tourism experiences through training programs for indigenous guides and encouraging the aboriginal community to become involved in all aspects of the ecotourism industry such as park rangers, eco-lodge managers, chefs, and artists. Like the natural attractions listed above, Australia’s cultural offerings are just as rich and unique. Indigenous cultures of Australia have the oldest living cultural history in the world, originating at least 50,000–65,000 years ago. “Australia’s unique Indigenous heritage presents the opportunity for authentic cultural experiences that complement the environmental offering and create a distinctive point of difference from competitors. Cultural heritage interpretation adds depth to ecotourism experiences and provides visitors with meaningful connections with Traditional Owners and their communities” (Department of National Parks, 2016)

In addition to the conservation efforts and aboriginal cultural input, the Queensland government is also renovating its national parks to increase ecotourism. In 2013, when the ecotourism 2020 plan began, international visitation to national parks had declined by 26% over the previous five years. This drop in the number of international national park visitors can be explained by the global impact on the tourism industry from the Great Recession. Australia is a very expensive destination and ecotourism is a luxury, during the economic recovery many Americans and Europeans couldn’t afford to travel halfway across the world. Australia wasn’t directly affected by the stock market crash and the job market remained strong, but it took a huge hit in the tourism sector because Australia is considered a luxury dream destination. This was the impetus for the Best Jobs in the World campaigns, Australia wanted to attract young Americans with few job opportunities in the United States to come to Australia on a work visa to fill job vacancies.

Port Douglas 10 Even with the decline, the national parks remained a major driver for tourism in Australia. In 2012 Queensland’s national parks received 7.9 million international visitors. To increase visitors to the national parks, the Queensland government began a national park rejuvenation project. The first step in the park rejuvenation project was updating the national park’s websites, ensuring that the ecotourism message is uniform throughout all of Queensland’s natural attractions. The government is also funding private investment for the development of eco-lodges and ecotourism activities just outside the most popular national parks, such as luxury glamping sites and eco-tours. In addition to private funding, the government is providing ecotourism training for hospitality and tour operators encouraging sustainability and conservation efforts. Lastly, to uphold Queensland’s impressive ecotourism reputation, the state conducts ecotourism certifications to ensure that private ecotourism organizations are not greenwashing and are following ecotourism best practices.

In addition to the national park rejuvenation, private ecotourism investments, aboriginal cultural inclusion, and conservation efforts; Queensland has also invested in promoting wildlife experiences. Both the state and national tourism boards provide information on where tourists can get a close encounter with native Australian wildlife at zoos, sanctuaries, and animal rescues. The state recognized the economic benefits of wildlife tourism when the neighboring state of New South Wales outlawed koala cuddling in 1997 and lost $60 million a year in tourism revenue when tourists traveled to Queensland instead to hold the adorable marsupials to pose for photos. Queensland is the only state in Australia where tourists can hug a koala at a wildlife care center, in other states visitors can only pet them or the animal handler can hold the koala close to you. Tourism Queensland’s website has a page dedicated to koala cuddling and lists all the wildlife care centers that offer koala encounters. This form of wildlife tourism may appeal to tourists who want to have a wildlife encounter, but prefer not to visit national parks and stay in the urban areas of Queensland. As mentioned below, this form of wildlife tourism is likely to expand to accommodate Chinese tourist’s ecotourism preferences.

TOURIST PROFILES

The major investment in promoting the region as an ecotourism “International visitor research reveals Australia’s biggest strength is its world-class nature” (Tourism Australia, 2013) According to Tourism and Events Queensland, world-class natural beauty and wildlife is consistently among the top five factors when choosing a travel destination for each of the twelve countries that contribute the most inbound international tourists.

WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS

“With up-close koala experiences across the state, Queensland is known as Australia’s koala-cuddling capital.” - Tourism Australia

Northern Koala 11 Queensland’s fastest-growing inbound international tourism market is China. The top factor for Chinese tourist choosing to travel to Queensland is the world-class beauty and wildlife, world-class coastlines, beaches, and marine wildlife is also among the top five factors. Chinese tourists rank Australia first in the list of destinations that they intend to visit and it is tenth among destinations actually visited. Queensland is first among all the Australian states for travel consideration among Chinese tourists. Last year, “Chinese visitation grew by 5.2% to 1.3 million, while Chinese visitors spending in Australia increased by 18.4% to $9.6 billion during the same period. These visitors spent 58.8 million nights in Australia, up 12.7% year on year.” (Consumer Demand Project) The biggest travel barriers for Chinese tourists is that they do not have enough vacation time and it is difficult to get approved for an Australian tourism visa. Most Chinese visitors stay in urban areas around the gold coast and may not include visiting national parks in their trip itineraries. “Growing numbers of Chinese visitors are seeking to experience native wildlife and natural areas in a safe environment that allows them to learn something new. Some Chinese visitors may choose local zoos and botanical gardens close to urban areas for their nature-based experience. The way nature is presented and experienced will need to adapt and respond to different market needs.” (Queensland Ecotourism Plan, 2013) According to Cohen’s tourist typologies, Chinese tourists visiting Queensland fit somewhere between organized mass tourists and individual mass tourists. They do not go off the beaten path, they book through travel agents, but they want cultural and educational experiences.

In comparison, the United States’ inbound tourism to Queensland is significantly lower. Last year, “US visitation grew by 1.3% to 744,000, with Overnight Visitor Expenditure in Australia up 1.9% to $1.9 billion across the same period. Visitors stayed for 13.4 million nights, down 6% year on year” (Consumer Demand Project). World-class natural beauty and wildlife are second on the list of top five important factors for choosing to travel to Queensland. Queensland is the second choice of Australian state for Americans, the first choice in New South Wales, the neighboring state to the south. The biggest travel barrier to US tourists is the high cost of airfare and that Australia is perceived as too far away. Australia ranks sixth on the list of countries that Americans intend to visit and it is twenty-second among destinations actually visited. Most US travelers visit tropical north Queensland and the great barrier reef, they are much more likely to visit national parks and participate in traditional ecotourism and adventure travel activities. According to Cohen’s tourist typologies, American tourists visiting Queensland fall somewhere in between individual mass tourists and explorers. They are partly dependent on infrastructure, but they have a desire to interact with the host society and go beyond mass tourism activities.

Magnetic Island 12 The British tourist profile is very similar to the American’s; they also rank Queensland as the second choice of Australian state, world-class natural beauty and wildlife are also second on the list of top five important factors for choosing to travel to Queensland, and the biggest travel barrier is the high cost of airfare and that Australia is perceived as too far away... unlike the US, the UK does not have a direct flight to Australia and air travel takes over 20 hours and a layover to get to Queensland. Even though there are many similarities between British and American travelers to Australia, Brits are much more likely to visit; Australia ranks second in the list of destinations UK travelers intend to visit and ranks fifth in terms of actual visitation. In addition, British tourists stay in Australia longer than American tourists, traveling on average 15 days longer. However, American tourism Australia and their interest in ecotourism continues to grow each year while British tourism remains nearly stagnant. Last year American visitors to Queensland’s national parks increased by 12%, while British national park visitors only increased by 3%. Overall British tourism in Queensland has also decreased, “the UK delivered 216,000 visitors to Queensland during the year ending September 2019, down 8.1 percent compared to the previous year.” (Consumer Demand Project) The US may overtake the UK as Australia’s second international visitor market in the near future. Like American travelers, British travelers prefer to go to tropical north Queensland and they are much more likely to visit national parks and participate in traditional ecotourism and adventure travel activities.

The largest group of national park visitors are domestic travelers. The majority of domestic visitors are Queenslanders, with about an equal amount of visitors from regional Queensland and the capital Brisbane. However, visitors from other Australian states are much more likely to visit Queensland’s national parks. Most of the interstate visitors come from the east coast, with 18% coming from New South Wales and 12% coming from Victoria, with a large percentage coming from Sydney and Melbourne. Domestic visitors are much more likely to visit remote national parks compared to international travelers. However, like international visitors, most domestic travelers visit parks closer to urban centers and tourism hotspots.

“World-class natural beauty and wildlife are the 2nd most important factor for international travelers and the 3rd most important factor for domestic travelers when choosing a holiday destination”

- Queensland Consumer Demand Project, 2017

13 Fitzroy Island INTRASTATE AND INTERSTATE NATIONAL PARK VISITORS

While there are more intrastate visitors to parks in Queensland, only one in ten of all intrastate visitors in Queensland goes to a national park compared to one in eight interstate visitors. Intrastate Visitors 65% INTRASTATE VISITORS 65%

Regional Queensland 35%

Brisbane 30%

INTERSTATE VISITORS 35%

Sydney 9% Melbourne 8% NSW 9% VIC 4% Other 5% 14 INTERNATIONAL NATIONAL PARK VISITORS

TOP 3 INTERNATIONAL MARKETS NUMBER OF INCREASE FROM AVERAGE VISITORS LAST YEAR LENGTH OF STAY

China 618,000 13% 41.1 days 22%

UK 384,000 3% 41.8 days 11%

US 352,000 12% 25.4 days 10%

International visitors to Australia who went to national parks tend to take longer trips, with an average length of stay of 41 nights vs. 32 nights for the average visitor to Australia.

First time visitors to Australia are more likely to visit a national park during their trip than return visitors. They represent 52% of international national park visitors, but only 38% of all international visitors to Australia.

NATIONAL PARK VISITATION

The most visited national park regions for both daytrippers and overnight visitors are within a few hours of the urban centers of Brisbane and Cairns, with the exception of a few, which are in tourist hotspots such as the Whitsunday Islands and Townsville. Overnight Stays Daytrips

987 K 519 K 504 K 407 K 677 K 254 K 179 K 164 K 129 K 255 K 233 K 231 K 95 K 71 K 160 K 72 K Sunshine Coast Brisbane TN Gold Coast SGBR S. Hinterland Townsville Fraser Coast Whitsundays Brisbane Sunshine Coast TNQ Gold Coast S. Hinterland Townsville SGBR Q

TNQ - Tropical North Queensland SGBR - Southern Great Barrier Reef 15 IMPACT OF TOURISM ON QUEENSLAND

Ecotourism has an overwhelmingly positive impact on Queensland’s economy, environment, and cultural heritage, particularly after the 2013-2020 ecotourism revitalization plan. Queensland’s ecotourism has a significant impact on the state’s economy. “Ecotourism is a key sector of the broader tourism experience in Queensland, contributing to domestic and international visitor arrivals and expenditure. National parks alone are a significant contributor to the Queensland economy with research indicating that national parks receive 51 million visits from domestic travelers and 7.9 million visits from international travelers per year. The total spend by visitors who include a visit to a national park in their holiday itinerary adds $4.43 billion to the state’s economy. It is estimated direct spending by visitors of over $749 million per annum can be attributed exclusively to the existence of the national parks, adding around $345 million to gross state product per annum…Visitor and market interest in Indigenous culture presents an important opportunity for employment and business development for Indigenous Australians.” (Queensland Ecotourism Plan, 2016)

The importance of ecotourism has led to conservation efforts for the state’s top ecotourism attraction, the great barrier reef. These conservation efforts led to the collaboration of the government, private industry, aboriginal traditional owners of the reef, researchers, and wildlife conservationists to work on creating the Reef 2050 long-term conservation plan that will benefit Queensland’s environment for decades to come. The desire to continue attracting eco-tourist for generations to come created the incentive to protect the reef. The conservation effort is already showing positive effects; the Great Barrier Reef is considered one of the world’s healthiest reef systems.

The conservation effort and visitor interest in aboriginal culture have given the aboriginal tribes of Queensland a voice on how they feel the environment should be protected and given further pride in their heritage and gives further incentive to pass on cultural practices and stories to younger generations and allow the oldest continuing culture in the world to live on for future generations. As mentioned above, interest in indigenous culture provides many economic benefits and employment opportunities. For example, the Mossman Gorge Centre mentioned in the destination marketing plan is an award-winning indigenous-owned aboriginal tourism business that employs over 90% local Yalanji Aboriginal workers and trains indigenous students in hospitality and culinary skills to provide job opportunities in all aspects of the tourism industry. Ecotourism has rejuvenated Queensland as a tourism destination and has improved the local economy, environment, and cultural heritage. Queensland’s ecotourism plan is a case study for other destinations on how they can recover from stagnation from mass tourism and positively impact the environment while attracting tourists to visit their destination.

Glasshouse Mountians 16 However, other forms of Tourism negatively impact the ecosystem. An example of the negative tourism impact is the disruption of the marine food chain in the Whitsunday Islands. The subtropical islands are one of Australia’s top leisure tourism destinations, people from around the world flock to the sunkissed white sand beaches. While some of the visitors are ecotourists, the region caters to general leisure tourists. After two recent shark attacks the tourism dependant region began culling the sharks in the area to reassure tourists that it is safe to enter the water. Killing the top marine predator causes a chain reaction to the environment, without sharks to keep the fish population in check, the coral-eating parrotfish population explodes, which leads to the destruction of the reef. Shark culling is not effective in reducing attacks, it is done purely to reduce tourist’s fears. Although this negative impact is not directly caused by ecotourism, it could be the solution to the problem.

“Ecotourism in the Whitsundays has exploded in the past decade, and there are now many options for accommodation, tour providers and attractions, that you can be assured are genuinely environmentally friendly, as they meet our strict globally-recognized ecotourism certification.” (Ecotourism Australia) With Ecotourists becoming a larger demographic in the Whitsundays, there is more incentive to preserve the local wildlife and prevent a destabilization of the ecosystem. In addition, more ecotourism certified resorts and tours, provide more opportunities to educate tourists about the local environment, and encourage them to incorporate eco-friendly behaviors while traveling.

FUTURE OF QUEENSLAND’S ECOTOURISM

The Queensland ecotourism plan ends in 2020 and this upcoming year looks promising for Queensland’s ecotourism industry. There are many opportunities for destination publicity over the next year, Austalia is 2020’s destination of the year and Tourism Australia is working on the Holiday Here This Year campaign to encourage tourists to holiday in Australia after the bush fires. This award and campaign are bound to feature Queensland’s incredible natural beauty and it will raise traveler’s awareness of the state’s ecotourism offerings. Next year is also the year of indigenous tourism. Australia’s aboriginals are arguably one of the most famous native cultures and Tropical North Queensland is one of the best places to experience the aboriginal culture. The Aboriginal tribes are already a huge part of the current ecotourism plans and tourism Queensland is already promoting the year of indigenous tourism. As a result of this recognition, further aboriginal involvement is expected in future ecotourism plans. Queensland is committed to work towards preserving its pristine environment and conserve its unique wildlife for decades to come. Tourism Queensland is well on its way to cementing itself as a world-class ecotourism destination.

17 Outback Queensland REFRENCES

Anderson, Ian. “Please Don’t Cuddle the Koalas.” New Scientist, 2 Dec. 1995, www.newscientist.com/ article/mg14820060-800-please-dont-cuddle-the-koalas/.

Australia , Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority . “Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan.” Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan, Commonwealth of Australia , 2018.

Australia , “Queensland Ecotourism Plan 2013-2020.” Queensland Ecotourism Plan 2013-2020, State of Queensland, 2013.

Australia, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Queensland Ecotourism Plan. “Queensland Ecotour- ism Plan.” Queensland Ecotourism Plan, State of Queensland, 2016.

“Consumer Demand Project.” Tourism and Events Queensland Corporate Information, 3 Apr. 2019, teq.queensland.com/research-and-insights/international-research/international-market-research/ consumer-demand-project.

Development, Innovation and Tourism Industry. “Ecotourism.” Business Queensland, Corpo- rateName=The State of Queensland; 20 Feb. 2020, www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/hospitali- ty-tourism-sport/tourism/qld/ecotourism.

“Ecotourism In The Whitsundays.” Ecotourism in the Whitsundays “ Ecotourism Australia, Ecotourism Australia, Feb. 2017, www.ecotourism.org.au/news/ecotourism-in-the-whitsundays/.

Tepe, Mareen. Country Profile Australia - Application of Butler’s TALC Model to the Gold Coast. Co- logne Business School, 2016, pp. 7–14.

Tourist Visitation to National Parks2, Tourism and Events Queensland, Dec. 2018, cdn2-teq.queensland. com/~/media/7c30a71334aa4011b901a36cb4d265a8.ashx?vs=1&d=20180911T154846.

“Where to Cuddle a Koala - Tourism Australia.” Visit Australia - Travel & Tour Information - Tourism Australia, www.australia.com/en-us/things-to-do/wildlife/where-to-cuddle-a-koala.html.

18 Cape Hillsborough