Central Coast NSW Wins International Sustainable Tourism Award

At the world’s leading travel trade show, ITB in Berlin, NSW’s Central Coast was among the winners for categories in the Green Destinations Top 100 Story Awards.

The tenth edition of the Green Destinations Story Awards saw the Central Coast as the only certified ECO Destination finalist from Australia and overall winner in the Destination Management category, with the story, A Destination of Eco Advocates with Whales, Alpacas, and Wheels. Second place went to Islas Cavinzas e Islotes Palominos in Peru, with third place going to Baie de Somme in France.

Since 2014, the awards have showcased the most inspiring initiatives for sustainable tourism development across six categories.

What sustainable tourism activities does the Central Coast offer?

In the report submitted by Whitney Edwards, Team Leader Marketing & Tourism with Central Coast Council, it details that: ‘The Central Coast tourism landscape was analysed and audited in 2020-2021 to reveal several key ecotourism products with great potential… the challenge was to transform and package these small, independent operators and their unique experiences into a symbolic cohort of what the region now fondly refers to as ‘ECO Advocates’ – but at the time there was simply no collective offering for eco-minded travellers to tap into’.

These included:

• Immersive waterway oyster tours
• Whale watching tours
• Marine conservation education
• Wildlife conservation parks
• Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP)
• Kayaking national parks
• Horse riding
• Cycling in sustainable forests
• Farmgate produce tours
• Luxury national park stays
• Farm to fork dining
• Aerial obstacle courses
• Luxury bush tours
• Educational native bushcraft tours

Committing to and Continuing the Sustainability Journey

The experiences listed below are the eight accredited Central Coast tourism experiences leading the region’s ECO journey, with a further 23 Central Coast local businesses pursuing an ECO accreditation program. Growing from just five in 2020, they continue to champion sustainable tourism practices in their incredible home.

• Aquafun Avoca Lake
• Central Coast Marine Discovery Centre
• TreeTops Adventure Park
• Iris Lodge Alpacas
• Terrigal Ocean Tours
• Noonaweena
• Rocky Trail Entertainment
• Sydney Oyster Farm Tours

In three years, the region has undergone a strategic transformation in its approach to presenting tourism products, shifting away from the traditional notion of coastal holidays. A joint effort led by Destination Central Coast and Central Coast Council, at the level of destination management and marketing, there are now plenty of opportunities to be mindful in engaging with eco-conscious experiences that prioritise respect for nature, culture, place, and people.

To honour the council’s ongoing commitment to ECO criteria, several teams are actively leading sustainable initiatives;

• The Tourism team has curated new destination website hubs on ecotourism, agritourism, Aboriginal tourism, and waterways and coastlines as part of a NSW Government grant
• The Environmental Education team is incorporating local Aboriginal culture in their ‘Love Our Waterways’ campaign, connecting locals and guests to the Traditional Owners, of the Darkingjung nation
• The Waste team created Central Coast Sustainable Future Festival promoting innovative ways to engage and get creative with waste as a healthy way to help the community grow, including creating ‘Waste Warriors’ and ‘The Sustainables’ as superhero characters for children
• Staff are encouraged to source local talent and suppliers first, to support local industry as standard practice

This is a massive win for Australian regional tourism to be recognised on the world stage. For these eco-entrepreneurs to have the bragging rights for world-leading and award-winning sustainability practices is something to be incredibly proud of. As a Central Coast local of almost 27 years, this is amazing news. Well done Coasties!

Feature image thanks to Isaac Tseng