Coast a Top 100 Green Destination for fourth year

For a fourth consecutive year, the Central Coast has been selected as a finalist in the internationally recognised Green Destinations Top 100 Stories List.

The region joins 99 other destinations thanks to the collaborative effort between Central Coast Council’s Destination Marketing and Visitor Services section and Environmental Management Unit to promote positive visitor behaviour.

Council’s 2024 finalist story selected by Green Destinations official judges is in the Nature & Scenery category, titled Waterways and Wildlife: Good turns to balance conservation and visitation.

The story focuses on the development and promotion of water-based ecotourism experiences, highlighting best practice destination management in local government.

It celebrates Central Coast Council’s achievement of being recognised by NSW government agencies as delivering the most successful Little Tern breeding program, which saw Karagi Point at North Entrance producing more fledglings over the past four breeding seasons than any other Little Tern nest site in NSW.

The successful Good Practice Story also celebrates the relaunch of The Entrance’s Pelican Time, which now brings an eco-friendly pelican educational experience to the much-loved holiday destination, in partnership with local marine wildlife experts.

Community and Recreation Services Director Melanie Smith said the continued international recognition of Council’s tourism teams’ work was significant and one of which the Central Coast community should be very proud.

“Last year, the Central Coast’s Good Practice Story won a place among the Green Destinations Top 100 List and was awarded first place under the Destination Management category,” she said.

“The Central Coast was also the only destination to represent Australia on stage at ITB Berlin 2024 in this international sustainability competition.

“For four years, the Central Coast has ranked a finalist status, showcasing the region’s commitment to sustainability and paving the path to responsible visitation, only adding to the destination’s ever-growing list of accolades in sustainable tourism.”

The Top 100 List is a respected annual sustainable tourism competition hosted by Green Destinations, collecting outstanding, innovative Good Practice Stories from locations across the world to inspire tomorrow’s travellers and today’s tourism professionals.

Mayor Lawrie McKinna said that being acknowledged on the internationally recognised Green Destinations Top 100 Stories List is something to be proud of.

“Recognition at this level is a great boost to the region, both from an economic and tourism point of view,” he said.

“Highlighting the region for its sustainable and environmental education programs will attract more visitors to the area, benefiting our local businesses.”

McKinna said the opportunity to enter the Top 100 was made possible through a partnership between Central Coast Council and Ecotourism Australia, as part of the ECO Destination Certification program led by Council since 2020.

“This partnership has proven extremely valuable for the Central Coast visitor economy and has given the region exceptional international recognition,” he said.

Green Destinations is a Netherlands-based organisation working on the assessment, capacity building and certification of destinations and businesses committed to sustainable tourism.

The competition is held under the auspices of the Top 100 Partnership, with special contributions by: Green Destinations, QualityCoast, ITB Berlin, Asian Ecotourism Network, Ecotourism Australia, DEL Turismo, Slovenia Green, Global Ecotourism Network and the Future of Tourism Coalition.