Sustainable development
Eco Tourism and the environment
With unique and internationally important natural and cultural assets, Australia is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations.This has both benefits and costs for the economy, the environment and for the Australian people.
Around five million international visitors come to Australia every year and around 600,000 of these visitors are from Japan. Australia tries to ensure a balance between development for tourism and the protection of the natural environment for the use and enjoyment by future generations. This is called sustainable tourism.
Australia is a world leader in ecotourism, a special form of sustainable tourism that encourages environmental and cultural understanding, and appreciation and conservation of natural areas.
Australia’s federal, state and local governments and the tourism industry are working together to make sure that tourism continues to be sustainable and that the impacts of tourism on the environment and Aboriginal cultural heritage are being carefully managed and protected. A number of environmental laws govern the conservation and protection of the environment and various permits, licences or approvals are required for activities in or near protected areas.
The indigenous peoples of Australia, the original owners of the land, control many of these permits and have a strong connection to the natural environment. They are actively involved in tourism and resource management. While protecting Australia for the future, they increase cultural understanding, maintain their traditions and gain other social and economic benefits.
One example of resource management for sustainable tourism is Uluru – KataTjutaNational Park in the Northern Territory. Famous for its giant sandstone monolith, Uluru, the Park receives around 400,000 visitors each year. You may have heard Uluru called Ayers Rock, but Uluru is the name given to the rock by its Aboriginal traditional owners, the Anangu. In 1985 ownership of the land was returned to these traditional owners by the government, which then leased it back from them.
The Department of Environment and Heritage and the Anangu now jointly manage the Park and there is also a tourism committee for consultation between the tourism industry and park management. The Anangu people have developed their own thriving tourist enterprises at Uluru, to share their culture and beliefs and reap the economic benefits of interest in their ancient stories and rituals.
The Anangu have very special ways of understanding their lands, with stories about how different landforms and animals were created. Their dances also tell many of these creation stories as do special ceremonies for acting out spiritual understandings. When tourists visit the Park they can meet the traditional owners and have a unique opportunity to see Uluru from a perspective that is tens of thousands of years old. Hearing the tale of the Wallaby man is often a highlight of any visit!
The role of Anangu in developing tourist activities allows them to decide how sacred sites and rock paintings can be best protected.It provides the people with employment and means they don’t need to move hundreds of kilometres away from their traditional land to find other work. With insight into their traditions enabling them to find employment, young people are keen to gain this knowledge and keep their history and beliefs alive.
As well as Aboriginal-led talks and tours, there are other initiatives to protect the national park from the harmful effects of tourism. The camping ground, hotel and shops which were near the base of Uluru were closed down and removed and the area rehabilitated. The new facilities are 10 kilometres away, outside the national park, and designed with low-rise architecture and desert colours in keeping with the natural environment.
Roads have been improved and walking tracks constructed so people don’t need to walk through sensitive areas. To cater for ever increasing numbers of tourists with different needs, a new wilderness hotel has been built in line with the world’s best environmental controls and with ecotourism principles initiated in Australia. This complex was one of the first tourism developments approved by the Government under strict environmental regulations.
Using natural and cultural resources responsibly for sustainable tourism not only increases understanding and appreciation, but also gives people great enjoyment and economic benefits. Most Australian tourist operators are supportive of conservation measures protecting the environment their customers want to see. As for the tourists themselves, they may have the best of intentions, but sometimes inadvertently damage the very places they have come to enjoy. Learning about sustainable tourism is therefore an important and fascinating aspect of any visit to Australia.