Bundaberg Tourism recently attended the Global Sustainable Tourism Summit, Ecotourism Australia’s flagship gathering of sustainability changemakers, tourism leaders, certified operators, destinations and innovators.
Held on the Gold Coast, the Summit was a timely reminder of what tourism is at its best: a force for connection, conservation, community pride, economic opportunity and care for the places we invite visitors to experience.
The event also marked an important milestone, celebrating 35 years of Ecotourism Australia and 30 years of ECO Certification. Ecotourism Australia CEO Elissa Keenan opened the Summit with a powerful message about the need to embed sustainability into everything we do, not as a standalone project or marketing overlay, but as a core principle that shapes how destinations are managed and experienced. When tourism is done well, it becomes an act of stewardship.
One of the most inspiring international perspectives came from Jana Apih, who shared the story of Slovenia’s globally recognised sustainable tourism journey as a Green Destination. Her message was both simple and compelling: when tourism is successful, visitors are happy, locals are engaged, nature thrives and businesses deliver shared value. It is a powerful benchmark for destinations everywhere.
For Bundaberg, this reinforces the importance of our ECO Destination journey and our commitment to ensuring sustainability is something we actively demonstrate, through how we manage our destination, support our people, protect natural assets, welcome visitors and deliver genuine community benefit.
Tourism Australia’s Green is our Gold session also highlighted the national opportunity ahead: placing sustainability at the heart of the visitor experience to strengthen Australia’s global reputation as a destination that protects what makes it special. For Bundaberg and the Southern Great Barrier Reef, this closely aligns with our own focus on sharing our reef, turtles, food bowl, landscapes and community stories with care, credibility and purpose.
Across the Summit, discussions were wide-ranging and future-focused. Sessions on Dark Sky recognition and responsible lighting reminded us that even small infrastructure and design decisions can have meaningful impacts on nature, wildlife, community amenity and visitor experience.
We also heard from Travalyst, the global coalition working to help travellers make more informed and sustainable choices. As travellers increasingly seek credible sustainability guidance, consistency, transparency and trust across the industry are becoming essential.
A particularly thought-provoking conversation focused on the “S” in ESG…..the social impact of tourism. Sustainability is often framed through carbon, waste and conservation, yet tourism also shapes wellbeing, inclusion, pride of place, employment and community resilience. Insights from Dana Ronan highlighted opportunities for destinations to better understand and measure the social value tourism creates, moving beyond visitor numbers alone.
A standout regional moment came through the panel facilitated by Southern Great Barrier Reef’s Eloise Chaffers on regeneration, conservation and protected areas. Laura Haley from NRMA Parks & Resorts shared the story of Turtle Sands Nature Resort in the Bundaberg region, including its partnership with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and the important conservation work connected to Mon Repos. Turtle Sands remains a strong example of how tourism, conservation and protected area partnerships can come together through shared purpose and care for place.
Another highlight was the storytelling of Adam McEwan from Hero Experiences, who reminded us that visitors are seeking truth and authenticity, not theatre. That message resonated strongly. The future of sustainable tourism will be built by uncovering experiences already embedded in communities, not manufacturing them.
For Bundaberg, this speaks directly to our destination strengths and our brand. Our story is found in our turtles, reef, coastline, farms, makers, growers, producers, Traditional Custodians, communities and landscapes. The opportunity ahead lies in curating and sharing these stories in ways that are authentic, inclusive and commercially sustainable.
Booking.com’s insights from its latest Sustainability Report further reinforced this direction, showing Australian travellers are increasingly planning to make more conscious destination choices, seeking credible sustainability credentials and experiences that support local communities and nature. This is where our ECO Destination credentials become strategically important, reinforcing sustainability as both an environmental responsibility and a destination positioning opportunity.
The Summit also highlighted the growing importance of accessible tourism, with Paralympics Australia outlining the opportunity for Australia to become a global leader in inclusive experiences. A truly sustainable destination must ensure people of all abilities feel welcome and able to participate. For Bundaberg Tourism, this aligns strongly with our continued focus on accessible and inclusive tourism and enabling more visitors to experience our region with confidence and dignity.
Overall, the Summit reinforced that sustainable tourism is becoming more sophisticated, more measurable and more essential. It is no longer enough to say we care, the future belongs to destinations and businesses that can clearly show how they care through evidence, partnerships, community benefit and long-term thinking. For the Bundaberg region, we are still on that journey, but we are committed to getting it right.
We will continue to champion our ECO certified operators, support businesses on their sustainability journeys, advocate for conservation-led visitor experiences, grow inclusive tourism and share Bundaberg’s stories with authenticity and pride. This is how we protect what makes our region special, while building a visitor economy that creates value for our businesses, our community, our environment and generations to come.
Thank you to the team at Ecotourism Australia for a thought-provoking few days.
