Sustainability
Sustainability in Business Events
Cairns & Great Barrier Reef offers business event planners opportunities to incorporate environmental initiatives, conservation experiences and lower impact practices into their programs. Across the region, tourism and business events operators are implementing environmental management initiatives, recognised certifications and conservation programs.
Planners can connect delegates with conservation projects, support local initiatives, explore certified tourism experiences and identify opportunities to measure and reduce event impacts.
Host a Reef Conservation Experience
Business events can incorporate reef conservation, cultural and citizen science activities into delegate programs. Depending on the experience selected, groups may work with marine biologists or cultural guides to learn about the reef and its World Heritage values.
Activities can include attaching coral to reef stabilising structures, monitoring marine life and learning from cultural guides about connections to Sea Country.
These experiences give planners an opportunity to incorporate conservation and cultural learning into an incentive or conference program.
Delegates participating in Reef Conservation Experience
Delegates participating in Reef Conservation Experience
Reef Conservation Experience in action
Reef Conservation Experience in action
Understand and Address Event Impacts
Understanding an event’s environmental impacts can help planners identify opportunities to reduce them. Business events in Cairns & Great Barrier Reef can also support local restoration projects through Reforest, connecting event activity with measurable outcomes such as trees planted, land restored and CO₂ removed.
Reforest works with tourism and events businesses to connect event activity with restoration projects and provides impact reporting that allows businesses and attendees to see the outcomes of their participation.
Planners can explore options to incorporate restoration into their event program and provide delegates with a tangible way to support local environmental projects.
Delegates undertaking tree planting with Reforest
Delegates undertaking tree planting with Reforest
Delegates walking to planting site
Delegates walking to planting site
Douglas Shire ECO Destination
The Douglas Shire and Port Douglas Daintree destination became the first certified ECO Destination under Ecotourism Australia’s ECO Destination Certification program in 2019. The destination currently holds ECO Destination certification at the Ecotourism level, providing a recognised framework for environmental and destination management practices.
Aerial view of Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas
Aerial view of Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas
Rex Smeal Park, Port Douglas
Rex Smeal Park, Port Douglas
