Transcript Townsville: Why the Ecotourism Sustainability Model?

2 November 2006
ECOTOURISM AUSTRALIA 2006 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
Townsville: Why the Ecotourism
Sustainability Model?
Cr. Ann Bunnell
Deputy Mayor
Townsville City Council
» What I will cover today
Why Ecotourism and Townsville?
Why is ecotourism important?
Highlight what can be role of Local Government?
A guided tour of Townsville’s initiatives in Ecotourism
Networks and activities – infrastructure, activities (youth)
Linkages – Thailand, Mexico, and Townsville
» Welcome to Townsville
» Queensland’s largest regional City - industrial, administrative,
cultural & environmental (sustainability)
» Region is home to over 158,500 people
» Area of 4000 km2 (including City of Thuringowa)
» A Distinctive Queensland Experience
Townsville :
» where Tropical Savannas meet the coast
» southern gateway to the Wet Tropics
» abuts the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area
Our area has:
» coastal mountains
» wetlands
» mangroves,
» seagrass gardens,
» fringing coral reefs
» islands.
» Why in Townsville?
» Growing interest by visitors in sustainable tourism
» Interest in eco-experiences and associated business
opportunities is growing
» Ecotourism – as a business model can demonstrate
sustainability (social, economic, & environment) –
» As such it can be a fundamental opportunity, and
» Offers another dimension for local government
» Rising demand for innovative local governance and
community-based partnerships (CVA, Reefcheck)
» What have we done
» Fostered partnerships
» Mapping and promotion of natural assets
» Local innovations involving community
» Development of networks and regional
cooperation
» Role of local government in Supporting and developing
ecotourism opportunities
» Planning;
» Provision of Infrastructure (walking tracks & interp)
» Mapping of assets (natural, cultural, built)
» Providing opportunities for community education &
involvement
» Addressing environmental concerns; and
» Provision of information to the community
» Why is Ecotourism Important?
»
Rising demand and challenge to address the fundamental
issues of triple bottom line sustainability
»
Appropriately developed ecotourism offers and integrated
response at all levels of community and education, environment,
and economy
»
Intrinsic nature of ecotourism model is involved in conserving
environments, protecting communities and culture, whilst
delivering a profit
» In summary --- Ecotourism delivers:
»
»
»
ECONOMY
COMMUNITY & EDUCATION
ENVIRONMENT
And what is important is the integration between them
» ECONOMY
» Develop business opportunities and employment
» Contributes to both the local and regional economy
» Top opportunity for growth with rising demand for ecoexperiences
» COMMUNITY & EDUCATION
» Educates locals and visitors on environmental issues
» Develops community capacity building
» Fosters partnerships and opportunities
» Values community and culture
» ENVIRONMENT
» Discloses local natural and cultural assets
» Provides understanding and connection to nature
» Helps minimize impact on the environment
In a nutshell
» Ecotourism involves:
» meaningful community participation &
cultural protection
» business development and local
economy
» environmental protection and
conservation
» Townsville’s Vision for Ecotourism
“To ensure an ecologically sustainable and
economically viable ecotourism industry in the
Townsville region”.
“Where the rich natural diversity, cultural heritage,
and unique lifestyle are so valued by the entire
community…
» Townsville’s Vision for Ecotourism
… that they are proactive in its management and
conservation for future generations.
Ecotourism represents the pre-eminent form of
tourism in the region and engage, educates and
delights our visitors”.
»Townsville’s Ecotourism Strategy
»
»
Community-based approach (1998 – workshops and Strategy 2000)
»
Notion of the
Develops and promotes opportunities for business and fosters
cooperation across the North Queensland region
“Townsville Experience” or “Trang Experience” (Thailand)
Linking with Kenya – plants, gondwana, people, experiences (or Sao
Paulo or Cape Town)
» Townsville’s
Ecotourism Strategy
» Local
Government as a facilitator
of Ecotourism opportunities
» Relevant
Townsville municipality
and community response
»Two
community
sessions held in 1998
workshops
» Townsville’s Ecotourism Strategy implementation
»This strategy has included development of the Council’s
innovative and dynamic web-based
Townsville Regional Natural Assets Database 2004, and
www.townsville.qld.gov.au/nad/
State of Environment Report 2003
www.soe-townsville.org/
» Townsville’s Ecotourism Strategy implementation
»
Partnerships with regional stakeholders business
opportunities, networks and visions for the future of
ecotourism in Townsville & region
» Interpretative
eco-landscapes on the ground and across
the city
»Upgrades of infrastructure, facilities and walking tracks
» Townsville’s Ecotourism Strategy implementation
»
Emergence of eco-catchment tours for promoting
environmental awareness, ownership and integration
» Increase
in number of local & regional nature-based or
ecotourism operators from 2 to 9
» Development
of regional ecotourism
Watching Cluster and Great Tropical Way
initiatives
Bird
marketing and branding - Townsville as an environmental destination
& sustainable city
Redeveloped Strand Foreshore as an icon of “Townsville
Experience”
» Great facilities – peoples place
» Environmental art and interpretation
» Awareness raising on natural environments (turtles & dugong)
» Scenic views to the World Heritage “waters” of Cleveland
Bay and Magnetic Island.
» Townsville’s Ecotourism Strategy –
themes
» Ecotourism
– Economy, Environment and
Future
» Environmental
Education and Experience,
and
» Regional
and
Opportunities
Local
Partnerships
and
» Ecotourism – Economy, Environment and
Future
»Townsville has competitive advantage for ecotourism –
including pristine beauty, unique experience, culture &
friendly people
» In
2003 International “ecotourists” were recorded as
being almost double the number of non-ecotourists, and
stayed twice as long
»Environmental Education and Experience
» Eco-attractions
such as are key aspects seen as
sustainable and attractive place to visit.
» They
educate locals and visitors on environmental
issues.
»provide opportunities for people to become involved as
volunteers or start their own ecotourism business.
» Townsville Ecotourism Networks
Key projects and outcomes include:
» Ecotours to various Local Government areas in conjunction
with Townsville Enterprise
» Networking and sharing information on local eco-tourism
initiatives;
» Mapping of ecotourism attractions and potential sites and
maps;
» Producing web pages of ecotourism
» 2006 – Urban Nature: Youth Ecotourism Forum, Student Art
Jigsaw, and international video conference call
» Townsville Ecotourism Networks
Future initiatives include;
»
»
Exploring Green Globe certification
»
Working with International Coral Reef Initiative
(ICRI), ITMEMS, and Reef Check
»
Possible collaborations with Savannah Guides? We
Encouraging & supporting local businesses to obtain
Ecotourism Accreditation
supported their school in Townsville
»
Centre of Excellence in Tropical Design
(Sustainability & Innovation)
» Townsville Ecotourism Networks
Ecotourism strategy ties in with the development of
Townsville’s:
»
»
»
Healthy City Plan
Sustainable Townsville Program
Reef Guardians Councils (GBRMPA)
www.soe-townsville.org/sustainable/
» Environmental Protection, Facilities and
Interpretive Learnscapes
» Castle Hill- Reserve managed
for environmental protection
» Town
Common - tropical
savanna covered hills and peaks,
lowland woodlands, estuarine
habitats and freshwater-marine
wetlands (managed by QPWS).
» Environmental Protection, Facilities and
Interpretive Learnscapes
» Magnetic Island – Situated within the Great Barrier
Reef World Heritage Area, “Maggie” hosts:
»Nelly Bay Habitat Interpretive Centre – an awardwinning facility used extensively by local tour guides.
»Landscape Ecology, Flora & Fauna, and Heritage
signage & interpretive stations across the island –
giving a “sense of place”
» Environmental Protection, Facilities and
Interpretive Learnscapes
»Further Coastal Learnscapes planned for Rowes Bay,
promoting marine habitats of mudflats and sponge gardens
(JCU and Belgium Gardens School students)
» Townsville Ecotourism Operators and
Opportunities
Townsville historically has a growing number of eco-tour
operators
» Billabong Sanctuary - wildlife park
» Reef HQ education centre for Great Barrier Reef
World Heritage Area
» Magnetic Island Sea Kayaks - winners of 12 local
and state tourism awards
» Magnetic
Island Reef Eco Tours - operated by
local marine biologist
» Ironbark Tours & Pop Sullivan – wetland tours
COZUMEL
MEXICO
» Summary
»Ecotourism offers exciting possibilities for the future
»Townsville a great ecotourism environment
»The ecotourism business, environmental, social-cultural model
can be effectively used as a surrogate for discussions on widersustainability in communities and urban environments
»Townsville is a the forefront of ecotourism development and
promotion with its own ecotourism vision and strategy
»Responsibility to showcase two of the world’s great
environmental icons (Wet Tropics and Great Barrier Reef World
Heritage Areas)
Cont’d
» Summary
»Ecotourism business is developing fast in the Townsville
region thanks to partnership opportunities, networks and
regional cooperation
»The Ecotourism Australia International Conference has been
an excellent opportunity to forge new and exciting partnerships
and we thankyou for your time and participation
»Townsville is fully involved in integrating its community with a
sustainable future and ecotourism is a natural …
THANK YOU
web link
www.soe-townsville.org/ecotourism/
Photographs: TCC, Dr A.Lewis, GBRMPA, D.Silke, Townsville Tropical Tours,
Billabong Sanctuary, and MI Sea Kayaks
“Ecotourism is ecologically sustainable
tourism with a primary focus on
experiencing natural areas that fosters
environmental and cultural understanding,
appreciation and conservation."
(def: Ecotourism Australia).