The Central Coast has made the international Green Destinations Top 100 Stories list for the second year in a row, further establishing the region as a global eco-tourism destination.
The Coast is one of only two Australian destinations to achieve finalist status on the 2022 list, which was unveiled by Green Destinations in Athens on September 27, and the only Australian destination to achieve finalist status in both 2021 and 2022, showcasing its commitment to sustainability.
Green Destinations collects Good Practice Stories from all around the world to inspire travellers and tourism professionals.
As a newly certified ECO Destination, Central Coast Council’s winning story, submitted by its marketing and tourism team, focuses on the two-year ECO journey supported by Ecotourism Australia as both a rewarding business tool and sustainability tool.
Top 100 judges praised the region’s winning Good Practice Story under the Business and Marketing category, titled People Power: Rebuilding a Region with ECO at Heart.
“This Good Practice Story is an excellent source of information for any destination out there considering (pursuing) sustainability certification,” the evaluators said.
“It really shows that the ECO criteria should be used as a business tool and guide to develop sustainable management of the destination, encourage and nurture collaboration between several stakeholders in the destination.
“Results are shown in terms of marketing and visitor numbers, but the most important results are in the unity of the destination, from different council teams to local businesses and communities and learning to work together towards the same goals, creating resilient destinations.”
The Top 100 List is a respected annual sustainable tourism competition hosted by Green Destinations.
Now in its eighth year, the Top 100 Destination Sustainability Stories competition collects outstanding, innovative Good Practice Stories from locations across the world to inspire tomorrow’s travellers and today’s tourism professionals.
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, fully funded by WWF-Australia.
“Our ECO journey has unearthed a wonderful range of hidden sustainability stories and green-hearted businesses across the region, including the sustainable world of oyster farming, launching recyclable cup systems across 30 cafés, installing accessible beach matting in summer, rewilding farmland for native bird species, record-breaking breeding seasons for endangered Little Terns, litter lab sessions for local nature based businesses, and reporting marine sightings during tours for The Happy Whale Project,” the Council website sys.
“Our story shares with the world how it’s the small, people powered gestures that make up one big movement toward creating a more sustainable destination.
“Finalist status in this competition establishes the NSW Central Coast as part of a global list of respected locations leading the way for sustainable tourism.”
For more information, visit the Central Coast’s destination website:
https://www.lovecentralcoast.com/news/central-coast-green-destinations-top-100-list-2022.
Source:
Media release, Oct 4
Central Coast Council