The National Sustainability Framework for the visitor economy and a Sustainable Tourism Toolkit was jointly developed by the Federal, State and Territory governments in 2023.
The Framework was welcomed by Industry associations as an important foundation for the visitor economy, allowing it to evolve in a well-managed and responsible way.
The National Sustainability Framework is the first of its kind for the industry and provides a nationally agreed understanding of sustainable tourism and a vision for Australia to be a world leader in the sector.
Click here to access the National Sustainability Framework.
The Sustainable Tourism Toolkit provides a range of supportive guides to help businesses implement sustainable practices and communicate their sustainability stories to visitors.
Click here to access the Sustainable Tourism Toolkit.
Austrade four-part Operator Sustainable Tourism Toolkit webinar
Watch on-demand, the four part webinar series produced by Austrade on the Sustainable Tourism Toolkit designed to assist visitor economy businesses across Australia on their journey to delivering sustainable experiences. Watch webinar here.
Further Resources:
Sustainable tourism | Destination NSW
Quick tips for creating sustainable experiences | Destination NSW
Visitor Economy Industry Certifications and Programs:
- EarthCheck
Aligned to the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s (GSTC) Sustainability Criteria, EarthCheck offers certification and programs for visitor economy businesses, destinations, governments, developers and building designers, terrestrial and marine parks, and events, through two levels of certification; EarthCheck Eco and EarthCheck ECO – Certified. - Ecotourism Australia
Ecotourism Australia's certification programs assure travellers that certified products are backed by a strong, well-managed commitment to sustainable practices, certified using international best practice standards and recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). Ecotourism Australia has two overarching business certification programs both based on international best practice and recognised by the GSTC: Eco Certification and Sustainable Tourism Certification. - Green Globe
The Green Globe International Standard for Sustainable Tourism has been developed over three decades in collaboration with the travel and tourism industry, communities in tourism destinations and other stakeholders. The standard is recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and an Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).