World-first education initiative calls on travelers to become a Guardian of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

September 5, 2024

‘Guardian of the Reef’ is a new world-first platform that promotes reef-positive travel choices and rewards travelers for learning about the Great Barrier Reef.

Conservation-curious travelers can visit the newly launched website and work through a series of short educational videos and fast facts, each with a discount reward system to use with Expedia bookings on the Great Barrier Reef. Participants then reach the ‘ocean floor’ where they can go in the draw to win a trip to the Great Barrier Reef and unlock exclusive experiences. These include staying at Australia’s first underwater accommodation, Reefstay with Cruise Whitsundays, and joining a Master Reef Guide for a private guided Snorkel Safari.

Guardian of the Reef blends science and environmental education with Indigenous wisdom and sustainable products to help travelers learn more about the health of the Great Barrier Reef and conservation initiatives. 

Becoming a Guardian of the Reef means you’re not just a traveler but a champion for our oceans who:

• Supports local sustainable business
• Appreciates cultural significance
• Treats the reef with respect
• Understands the issues

Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) has developed the platform in consultation with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (Reef Authority), and in partnership with Expedia® to launch the program in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.

The program stays with the customer from planning to traveling and continues after their visit to ensure they are an active part of its conservation. The Great Barrier Reef is home to 142 eco-certified operators, the highest number in Australia, making up 30% of Ecotourism Australia’s eco-certified operators. The Guardian of the Reef platform will link travelers with operators certified through Ecotourism Australia, EarthCheck or the Zoo and Aquarium Association.

TTNQ Chief Executive Officer, Mark Olsen said the Guardian of the Reef platform would help travelers to understand the issues on the Reef, and how they can give back to Reef research and conservation simply by visiting the Great Barrier Reef.

“Travellers will be encouraged to become a Guardian of the Reef through an educational website that helps them to protect the Great Barrier Reef for future generations and rewards them for understanding reef-positive travel when they book a trip,” he said.

“The opportunity to win a trip to the Great Barrier Reef and discounts for Great Barrier Reef experiences booked through Expedia are among the rewards for travelers who take the time to understand the Reef’s natural and cultural significance. Understanding your impact on the Reef is the first step to acting with greatness.”

Eco-certified experiences listed on the platform include citizen science tours like Be a Marine Bio with Passions of Paradise, the Lady Musgrave Experience zero carbon footprint pontoon, and a Tropic Wings electric bus tour to see World Heritage rainforest.

Marine Biologist and Master Reef Guide for GBR Biology/Reef Unlimited, Dr Eric Fisher, said: “This world-first program gives global reach to the mantra of See it. Love it. Protect it. Our Great Barrier Reef operators see this every day when their passengers walk away from their Great Barrier Reef experience with a new appreciation of the diversity and beauty of the world’s largest ecosystem and a greater understanding of the current health of the reef.”

Reef Authority General Manager Strategic Policy and Partnerships Fred Nucifora said tourism had long been at the forefront of conservation, with dedicated reef operators collaborating closely with the scientific and management communities to ensure the Great Barrier Reef remained the best-managed reef on Earth. The Reef Authority works closely with Traditional Owner groups along the Great Barrier Reef to maintain a strong connection to land and sea country.  

“Tourism activities occur on just 7 percent of the Great Barrier Reef, with each visitor contributing to its conservation through an Environmental Management Charge of AU$8. This fee supports vital efforts such as the management of the marine park, control programs for the crown-of-thorns starfish, and various education and conservation initiatives.”

As part of the partnership with TTNQ, Expedia will donate US$50,000 to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation to further support the regeneration of the Great Barrier Reef and existing conservation efforts. 

Vice President of Global Social Impact & Sustainability for Expedia Group, Aditi Mohapatra, said: “Expedia Group’s recent Sustainable Travel Study revealed that 90 percent of travelers prioritize sustainability, indicating their concern about the environmental impact they leave behind. To help, Expedia is partnering with Tourism Tropical North Queensland to offer an interactive way to learn about and support the Great Barrier Reef while earning travel discounts along the way.

“We believe travel is a force for good, and we are proud to support the Great Barrier Reef Foundation with a donation to advance reef conservation.”

This Tourism Tropical North Queensland project received grant funding from the Australian Government under the International Tourism Recovery Program administered by Austrade. 

ENDS

https://www.expedia.com/see/guardian-of-the-reef 

Images and video: DropBox link

Contact: Imagination-Marketing, Michelle Gysberts | michelle.gysberts@imagination-marketing.com |

 +1 310 480 4016

Background information:

• Tourism has been a leader in conservation for generations, and our reef operators work with the science and management community to make the Great Barrier Reef the best managed reef on earth.
• 142 operators along the Great Barrier Reef hold eco-certification, making up 30% of Australia’s Ecotourism Australia total certified operators.
• The collective regions of the Great Barrier Reef also hold the most eco-certified destinations. Port Douglas Daintree, Townsville, Bundaberg, Gladstone and Capricorn are all eco-certified with Ecotourism Australia.
• In the first three quarters of financial year 2023-24, the Environmental Management Charge raised $9,110,000 (final quarter to be reported, full year projected to be $11M+). Source: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
• The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is about the same length as the West Coast of the United States, is half the size of Texas, and is 1.41 times larger than the United Kingdom. It is equivalent to 48.2 million FIFA football fields or 70 million NFL football fields. 
• Tourism occurs in just 7% % (16,800 square kilometers / 6,500 square miles) of the Great Barrier Reef and is regulated by Reef Authority which has set a benchmark for marine protected area management.
• Accounting for 10% of the world’s coral reef ecosystems, as well as being one of the best known and most complex natural systems on Earth, the Great Barrier Reef is recognized as the best managed globally. It spans 344,400 square kilometers (133,000 square miles) and includes 3,000 coral reefs, 600 continental islands, 300 coral cays and approximately 150 inshore mangrove islands. 
• Tourism operators are taking proactive action to tackle climate change to ensure the best outlook for the Great Barrier Reef – this includes boat engines that use less fuel, eliminating single-use plastic where possible, offsetting remaining carbon emissions, assisting with controlling pests and with reef restoration.
• Many tourism operators work in partnership with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to monitor the reef. They are trained to track and record the health of the reef and report unusual sightings.
• Expedia Group Sustainable Travel Study 2022 found that 90 per cent of consumers look for more sustainable options when traveling 

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Editors notes