This year the 25th Global Eco Asia Pacific Tourism conference returns to South Australia

Tony Charters

Global Eco Asia-Pacific is the world’s leading, and longest running ecotourism conference. This reputation hasn’t been achieved by accident. Global Eco brings together delegates from industry, protected area management agencies, tourism commissions and academia to focus on developing the ecotourism industry. Indigenous ecotourism is also a key part of the conference focus. The strength of the conference lies in the fact that we bring these key players together around the one table and deal with the big policy issues, the disruptive market issues and the enormous opportunities.

This year is also the International Year for Sustainable Development of Tourism, a theme which has been the mantra of Ecotourism Australia for more than quarter of a century. We will pick up the International Year theme and contribute to the global discussions and seek some concrete outcomes.

In keeping with our very applied and practical approach the conference this year we will bring a group of national and global leaders in ecotourism to share their experiences.  More than at any time in the past we are seeing ecotourism being presented as an alternative economic driver to more exploitative industries. Australia has a strong record in this area and it is a field where we can offer practical experiences.

The engagement of protected area managers with ecotourism continues to evolve and we now see the emergence of strategic partnerships, co-investment and privately funded conservation across many jurisdictions. The 2017 conference will take a continuing brief to look at trends, policy and case studies related to tourism on protected areas.

The Global Eco Asia-Pacific Tourism Conference moves to Adelaide for 2017. It is nine years since the last South Australian conference and it was another amazing event at the National Wine Centre. The 2017 Conference Committee led by Dr. Claire Ellis aims to lift that bar, and make the 2017 Adelaide conference the best Global Eco Asia Pacific Conference yet!

So mark 27–29 November in your diary, and also be on standby to sign up for some remarkable pre-conference technical tours – essential applied knowledge for ecotourism and protected area professionals.

Tony Charters AM
Global Eco Convenor