Policy watch: A global leader in sustainable tourism

Achieving our T21 climate objectives. We are blessed to live in an amazing environment. Over the last 9 months for many of us, this has been especially valued.

The Tasmanian Tourism industry has always valued our unique island environment. During the T30 consultations becoming a leader in tourism sustainability particularly in relation to carbon emissions and the environment was one of the key areas continually identified by industry. In the immediate term, priority 4 in the T21 Visitor Economy action plan prioritises becoming a carbon neutral destination and developing a program to support practical sustainability measures.

The opportunity for the Tasmanian Tourism Industry to be a global leader in environmental sustainability is a compelling one. We are arguably one of the best placed destinations on the planet to be able to credibly achieve key outcomes. Our predominate renewable energy generation, a small, connected community and existing quality of our environment positions us well. Our visitors and potential customers are more and more seeking a light environmental footprint when they travel and selecting destinations where this is achievable. Being sustainable is important both for long term industry success and the wellbeing of our communities. A program that delivers Tasmanian based outcomes is important as the impact of climate change and pollution impacts increase. The environments that make Tasmania unique and support the visitor experience will require a more help to stay healthy in the future than they have in the past. Engaging visitors as part of a sustainability program to be part of the solution is not only a great brand and experience opportunity but essential for the long-term Tourism economy. The TICT and a reference group will, over the coming months, explore options of what a program to deliver priority four of the action plan could look. Initial work has not identified an existing model that fully meets our needs. The opportunity is to develop a program that works for Tasmania. In doing this a few key principles are being used to keep on track. The program needs to; deliver tangible outcomes; engage both industry and visitors; be measurable; be credible; be expandable; deliver benefits in Tasmania and be simple and transparent.

Carbon neutral - Tourism accounts for around 6% of global carbon emissions. How do we become a carbon neutral or even carbon positive destination in a way that is credible, engages with our visitors and delivers real benefits in Tasmania? To develop a solution we will undertake initial research and work to understand the size of the sector’s carbon foot print and develop options for how to get to carbon neutral for further discussion. Sustainability - what visitors experience whilst in the state is key to support a brand position of being a sustainable destination. We will scope practical program areas for supporting the industry to reduce, waste, water and emissions. There is a temptation to say, ‘we are dealing with COVID -19 right now let’s do it in twelve months’. However, becoming and being positioned as a global leader as a carbon neutral, sustainable destination is a significant benefit. It differentiates Tasmania in the market, supports the brand, generates positive media and can develop new skills that could deliver further economic growth. Achieving our climate objectives are important now, particularly if we want to aim high and take advantage of being a potential global leader in this space.

Words by Melinda Percival