Tourism and Protected AreasTourism and Protected Areas

Penelope Figgis AOPenelope Figgis AOVice Chair for OceaniaVice Chair for Oceania

IUCN World Commission on Protected AreasIUCN World Commission on Protected Areas

Protected Areas Protected Areas areare AustraliaAustralia’’s s key tourism resourcekey tourism resource

Defining Images of a nation Defining Images of a nation –– Uluru, Uluru, Kakadu. GBR, Daintree, Blue Mountains, Kakadu. GBR, Daintree, Blue Mountains, Twelve Apostles, Cradle Mountain, Seal Twelve Apostles, Cradle Mountain, Seal Bay, Pinnacles , PurnululuBay, Pinnacles , Purnululu

Key components of Key components of ‘‘Brand AustraliaBrand Australia’’ ––whether visited or not whether visited or not

Without question tourism needs Without question tourism needs ‘‘tourism tourism sensitivesensitive’’ protected area managers and protected area managers and parks need parks need ‘‘conservation sensitiveconservation sensitive’’operators operators

Nature tourism can provide some of the greatest experiences of a lifetime

Protected Areas Protected Areas are notare not justjusttourism resourcestourism resources

Once the whole world was Once the whole world was ‘‘naturalnatural’’ with small with small islands of human activity and settlement islands of human activity and settlement –– 21C it 21C it is reversed AND under serious threatis reversed AND under serious threat

Biodiversity is the supportive Biodiversity is the supportive ‘‘web of lifeweb of life’’•• fundamental to economic and social healthfundamental to economic and social health

•• Nature has rich quantifiable and non quantifiable Nature has rich quantifiable and non quantifiable valuesvalues

•• Nature is under multiple threats, esp. Nature is under multiple threats, esp. climate changeclimate changeand needs refuges, strongholds, sanctuaries.and needs refuges, strongholds, sanctuaries.

PAs most cost effective means of conservationPAs most cost effective means of conservation

Modern human exploitation is the problem Modern human exploitation is the problem

Perceived Risks Perceived Risks Every PA icon has been fought for by Every PA icon has been fought for by

conservation movement with little industry support conservation movement with little industry support Lack of interest in issues beyond profit Lack of interest in issues beyond profit -- charm, charm,

beauty, landscape, ecological healthbeauty, landscape, ecological health The The ‘‘barbariansbarbarians’’ are coming are coming -- push for access, push for access,

development, commercialisationdevelopment, commercialisation The The ‘‘thin end of the wedgethin end of the wedge’’ eg Thredboeg Thredbo Site hardening Site hardening -- the end of atmosphere? the end of atmosphere? ‘‘Twelve Twelve

ApostlesApostles’’ ‘‘Tourism centredTourism centred’’ management eg KImanagement eg KI Indigenous culture stock cube of the tourism Indigenous culture stock cube of the tourism

soup?soup? Park budgets on tourism management, not Park budgets on tourism management, not

biodiversitybiodiversity

Tourism-centred management

Nature-centred management

Protected Area -shaped by tourism demands

Protected Area – shaped by constraints of natural/cultural conservation

Tourism shapes and dominates other PA values

Tourism works within the constraints of intergenerational conservation Penelope Figgis

Perspective is needed!

Perspective is needed!

Banff National Park

Most of our parks do not look like this!

What does the environment What does the environment movt want?movt want?

Advocates for the natural environment want:Advocates for the natural environment want:

non extractive, economic benefits from natural non extractive, economic benefits from natural areas areas

political political ‘‘gruntgrunt’’ that economic forces generate that economic forces generate

well resourced, well managed PAS well resourced, well managed PAS

A supportive constituency of people who enjoy A supportive constituency of people who enjoy and love our land and seascapesand love our land and seascapes

The introduction of children to the love of nature The introduction of children to the love of nature

Fair involvement and benefit sharing for Fair involvement and benefit sharing for indigenous and local peopleindigenous and local people

What does the industry want? What does the industry want?

To To ‘‘pep uppep up’’ sluggish markets sluggish markets

To target the To target the ‘‘Experience SeekerExperience Seeker’’

To boost yieldTo boost yield

To manage the sustainability debateTo manage the sustainability debate

To populate To populate ‘‘Brand AustraliaBrand Australia’’ beyond the beyond the Sydney, Reef, Rock triangleSydney, Reef, Rock triangle

To stimulate regional and indigenous To stimulate regional and indigenous tourism tourism

Advice for the tourism industry Advice for the tourism industry Recognise Recognise all all PA values PA values Recognise tourism can Recognise tourism can ‘‘spoilspoil’’ more than more than

ecologyecology Support adequate budgets for PAs Support adequate budgets for PAs Pay your way Pay your way Be partners in management Be partners in management –– eg Echo Pointeg Echo Point Go beyond compliance eg Mutitjulu Go beyond compliance eg Mutitjulu Trace real impacts Trace real impacts -- Kangaroo Island, Kangaroo Island,

Bloomfield RoadBloomfield Road Forget big resorts in PAs! Forget big resorts in PAs!

Moving beyond the iconsMoving beyond the icons

A quality journey, not just the destinationA quality journey, not just the destination Champion the Champion the ‘‘Tuscan principleTuscan principle’’ –– care for care for

the whole landscape, lifestyle, food etc. the whole landscape, lifestyle, food etc. Support conservation policy for all Support conservation policy for all

lands/seaslands/seas Combat the Combat the ‘‘charm bypasscharm bypass’’ of Australian of Australian

developmentdevelopment Get involved in the big issues Get involved in the big issues –– climate climate

change, forestry, urban designchange, forestry, urban design

Advice for the conservation sector Advice for the conservation sector

Where do you think the next generation of Where do you think the next generation of those who care is coming from?those who care is coming from?

Visitation can build constituencies of supportVisitation can build constituencies of support

Tourism bring regional development, jobs, Tourism bring regional development, jobs, friendlier neighbours friendlier neighbours

Quality experiences mean greater Quality experiences mean greater commitment/political support commitment/political support

Many TOs Many TOs areare environmentalistsenvironmentalists

TOs can communicate the multiple values of TOs can communicate the multiple values of PAs and assist in conservationPAs and assist in conservation

I support I support

Long distance walking trailsLong distance walking trails

Opportunities for indigenous and historic Opportunities for indigenous and historic interpretationinterpretation

Local people accomodating and running tours Local people accomodating and running tours

Adaptive reuse of heritageAdaptive reuse of heritage

Standing campsStanding camps

School and young peoples access School and young peoples access

Low key affordable accomodation Low key affordable accomodation

Quality experiences with experts Quality experiences with experts

Possibilities: ConservationPossibilities: Conservation

Politically industry supports adequate Politically industry supports adequate parks system and budgetsparks system and budgets

TOs assist good management thru pre trip TOs assist good management thru pre trip info and interpretationinfo and interpretation

Regional tourism helps fund programs Regional tourism helps fund programs Partnerships between tourism operations Partnerships between tourism operations

and agencies for conservation outcomes and agencies for conservation outcomes -- Tourism involved in monitoring/researchTourism involved in monitoring/research

Possibilities: Marketing Possibilities: Marketing Co branding Co branding –– on a strategic, regional basis on a strategic, regional basis

CoCo--planning planning –– routes, sites, activities, routes, sites, activities, potential products, constraints potential products, constraints and and ‘‘no gono go’’zones zones

Co marketing Co marketing -- PAs info rich, cash poorPAs info rich, cash poor--integrated joint publications, including key integrated joint publications, including key management informationmanagement information

Linkages across websites or regional Linkages across websites or regional websitewebsite

Possibilities: ProductsPossibilities: Products Industry or joint funded infrastructure eg Industry or joint funded infrastructure eg

Trails, viewing platforms, Tahune Airway. Trails, viewing platforms, Tahune Airway.

Standing camps/ in remote protected areasStanding camps/ in remote protected areas

Leases over heritage buildings eg Leases over heritage buildings eg lighthouseslighthouses

Management as product, ACV, Earthwatch Management as product, ACV, Earthwatch

Partnerships with indigenous land owners, Partnerships with indigenous land owners, IPAsIPAs

Partnerships with private land owners eg Partnerships with private land owners eg Bush Heritage, AWC.Bush Heritage, AWC.

Sometimes we do it well

Sometimes we provide wonderful experiences!

Tourism and conservation can be antagonistsTourism and conservation can be antagonists

Tourism and conservation can be partners and provide us with some of the best experiences on the planet!