Central Coast Finalist in global Green Destinations competition!
For four years running, the NSW Central Coast has ranked a Finalist in the global Green Destinations competition, showcasing the region’s commitment to sustainability, and paving the path to responsible visitation.
Our successful story highlights the development and promotion of water-based ecotourism experiences across the Central Coast.
For the fourth year in a row since first entering in 2021, the New South Wales Central Coast is celebrating its official selection as a Finalist in the 2024 Green Destinations Top 100 List.
This internationally recognised competition is hosted each year by Green Destinations to honour the innovative ‘Good Practice Stories’ presented by 100 stand-out locations across the world.
Stories each focus on the sustainable tourism practices that businesses and organisations have adopted to contribute towards making their destination a better place for the people and environment.
Last year, the Central Coast’s Good Practice Story won a highly-respected First Place under the ‘Destination Management’ category in the competition, making the Central Coast the only destination to represent Australia on stage at ITB Berlin 2024 in this international showcase of best practice in sustainable tourism strategies.
Along with being a certified ECO Destination with Ecotourism Australia since 2022, this latest announcement adds to the Central Coast’s ever-growing list of industry accolades in sustainable tourism.
The Central Coast has a diverse landscape of national park, state forest, bushland, open space and nature reserves, but stands out for its coastline fringed with over 40 beaches and interconnected waterways that flow throughout the 1,681km² area. Supporting the progress of the Central Coast Destination Management Plan 2022-2025, highlighting the development and promotion of water-based ecotourism experiences was key to this year’s story.
The Central Coast’s Top 100 Sustainability Story
’Waterways and Wildlife: Good turns to balance conservation and visitation’
Top 100 judges praised our region’s winning Good Practice Story under the ‘Nature & Scenery’ category, titled ‘Waterways and Wildlife: Good turns to balance conservation and visitation’.
The story celebrated Central Coast Council’s achievement of being recognised by NSW government agencies for delivering the most successful Little Tern breeding program. This was declared after The North Entrance’s Karagi Point produced more fledglings over the last four breeding seasons than any other nest site in the State!
The story also celebrates the relaunch of The Entrance’s ‘Pelican Time’. Now an eco-friendly educational experience in the Central Coast’s much-loved holiday destination, in partnership with local marine wildlife experts, Marine Wildlife Rescue Central Coast.
Both the Little Tern Conservation Project and Pelican Time were made possible through collaboration-led project management and ongoing monitoring and resource allocation by Central Coast Council, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Destination Central Coast and Marine Wildlife Rescue Central Coast (MWRCC), with the goals to:
- Raise awareness
- Encourage positive visitor behaviour
- Foster environmental stewardship.
The Central Coast’s 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 four years running only confirms the NSW Central Coast is part of a global list of respected locations consistently committed to leading the way for sustainable tourism.
Read the complete story here: https://www.greendestinations.org/home/what-we-do/solutions-for-travellers/top-100-destination-stories/
