Maragert River’s new HEART complex will host the 2020 Global Eco Asia Pacific Tourism Conference.
Global Eco Asia Pacific Tourism Conference this year will take place at Margaret River with both online and live attendance options from 1 to 3 December 2020. Topics will range from surviving the impact of natural disasters and pandemics to ecotourism futures and revolutionary ideas.
For the first time in 28 years, Ecotourism Australia’s annual Global Eco Asia Pacific Tourism Conference will offer an online live stream option to delegates, as well as a live conference staged at The HEART conference centre in Margaret River, Western Australia.
““COVID-19 has … opened up the conference to delegates across Australia and the globe” - Tony Charters.
The conference, held from 1-3 December 2020, has adopted the measure as a response to restrictions on Australian state and territory border and international travel resulting from COVID-19 outbreaks. “Live streaming was stimulated by COVID-19, but it actually opens up the conference to delegates across Australia and the globe,” said conference convenor, Tony Charters AM. He added that the move will also create opportunities for delegates who in previous years may have wanted to attend but who couldn’t due to work commitments or other distance-based reasons.
The event is set to attract a myriad of stakeholders from public, private and academic sectors to share experiences and work together toward ‘Building Back Better.’ With the conference program centred around the theme of ‘Revolution, Driving Evolution’ many of its contemporary topics will range from surviving the impact of natural disasters and pandemics to ecotourism futures and revolutionary ideas. “This year, with the impacts of bushfires, droughts, floods and now COVID-19, the resilience of our sector has been tested like never before. Our 2020 conference will be a time for us to celebrate the wins – big and small – and to recognise the champions who have taken these challenges as opportunities to adapt, improve and reinvent their businesses,” said Ecotourism Australia CEO Rod Hillman.
“Our 2020 conference will be a time for us to celebrate the wins”- Rod Hillman.
The conference organisers hope as many people can attend physically, with registration fees starting at AUD895 per day with discounts offered for multiple days, certified operators by Ecotourism Australia, members, students, and more.
This year’s live-streamed conference content will also be available via Zoom using a unique link and taking advantage of The HEART’s state of the art conference staging and video-conferencing facilities. The rates will be AUD175 per day for individuals.
In another initiative designed to open up the conference even more, groups of two to five can enjoy live streaming for just a small additional price. Charters said Ecotourism Australia is also encouraging ecotourism operator groups, specialist work groups within tourism agencies, protected area management agencies and academic institutions to participate in the Global Eco conference as a ‘satellite node.’ This option will enable an unlimited number of attendees at an affordable price, he added.
The Revolution, Driving Evolution theme opens up the opportunity to take stock, review and re-assess the industry and to influence its evolution, said Charters. “Ecotourism has been at the forefront of experiential and sustainable … tourism for nearly 30 years. It has grown from a tiny niche market to an estimated 25% of the industry,” he added.
Courtesy Tourism Western Australia
The conference is calling for papers from experts across topics including community involvement, natural and cultural heritage protection. Accordingly the 2020 conference will give voice to a diversity of players that will contribute on urgent contemporary themes such as rebuilding after natural disasters; pandemics and tourism; evolving ecotourism and new directions; strategic partnerships; evolving technology applications; the psychology of disaster recovery and climate change and ecotourism. Papers should be submitted by COB Friday 21 August 2020.
Hillman added that these topics underscore how the Global Eco Conference has always been about bringing people in the industry together to share ideas, forge new partnerships and learn from each other about the breadth of ecotourism products, experiences and innovations worldwide.
“At such a time as this, it’s more important than ever that (the industry) supports each other. It’s also important for us to work together on practical ways to ensure our sector is even more resilient and sustainable in a post-COVID world,” he said.
To register, or for more information, visit www.globaleco.com.au.