Tourism and Protected Areas: Partnerships in Principle and Practice

Abstract

The principal aim of this report is to describe a selection of successful partnerships between commercial tourism and protected area managers, with both public and private-sector involvement; and to identify the advantages of expanding such partnerships, and the factors which contribute to their success. The case studies reviewed are from both Australia and overseas. Their significance and implications are examined in an Australian context. The tourism and travel sector is currently valued at nearly $5 trillion p.a. worldwide, and over $60 billion p.a. in Australia (Worboys et al. 2000). At least a third of this is in the nature, eco and adventure tourism (NEAT) sector (Buckley 2000a). Tourism within natural areas makes up a significant share of this (Blamey 1995). Queensland’s parks alone generate over $1 billion p.a. in tourism expenditure. Natural environments provide a major market differentiation between otherwise similar tourism products in different countries. This is particularly important for countries like Australia which are distant from major world population centres. At present, nature-based tourism in Australia is largely dependent on protected areas, including national parks, conservation reserves, marine parks and World Heritage areas (Australia Department of Tourism 1991; Allcock et al. 1994; Cresswell and Thomas 1997; Figgis 1999; Pigram and Jenkins 1999; Worboys et al. 2000). The World Conservation Union (IUCN) defines a protected area as an area of land and/or sea especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity, and of natural and associated cultural resources, and managed through legal or other effective means (Davey 1998). Under this definition protected areas cover about 7.7% of the earth’s land surface (Worboys et al. 2000).