Unleash the Power of Conservation Travel: Our 6-Step plan

Unleash the power of conservation travel to protect Wilkins Rock Wallabies Tony Martin

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Conservation Travel helps you unlock your inner desire to care for the planet as you travel. We’re proud to introduce our 6-step framework that ensures that when you travel you are giving back to nature, reducing carbon emissions and helping local communities. All while having a great holiday!

Every action makes a world of difference

In Australia, to travel is to be immersed in unique landscapes, communities built on ancient knowledge, and unforgettable experiences of the natural world.

At heart of these experiences is a story that is shaped by the natural environment and those who live in it.

These stories and experiences generally change our lives for the better; we carry them with us forever.

But there’s another less romantic travel story that is changing our lives: the negative impact of our experiences have on the environment.

Jane Goodall, famed chimpanzee researcher and conservationist, recognised that we have the power to modify our impact on the planet — and wildlife — when she said:

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make.” — Jane Goodall

We’ve recognised that every action we take makes a world of difference to the planet.

That’s why we’ve been working on a plan that unleashes conservation travel and answers an increasing call by travellers to reduce their impact on the planet.

First, the challenges Conservation Travel must overcome

The challenges of climate change and loss of biodiversity are so vast and nuanced that the impact of our travel adventures can feel insurmountable.

In reality, every flight, bus transfer, meal, accommodation, even the steps that we take, impact the ecosystems in the places we visit and, as a result, the global environment.

Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours and Australian Geographic Travel recognise that tourism can exploit natural resources, over-use harmful products, produce waste, and negatively impact communities.

As more people enjoy the wonder of nature in Australia, our environmental impact increases.

This 6 step plan unleashes the power of Conservation Travel

Front cover of our plan. To view or download it click on the image

THE PLAN – radical collaboration for a better future

Our plan is built on the belief that we share a joint responsibility: by collaborating we can give back to nature, to people and to places, wherever we travel. (Read the plan here: “Conservation Travel: Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework”)

OUR MISSION – help nature while you enjoy it

To inspire love and care for Australia: our nature, our people, our places

THE SIX PILLARS – positive foundations

Sustainable tourism
Responsible Travel
Action on Climate
Support for Indigenous People
Working with Local Communities
Empowerment through Citizen Science

THE GOALS – future-proofing travel and the planet

With a science-based approach including action-oriented and quantifiable goals, we have the opportunity to rewrite the future of the travel industry and the planet.

Our 4 goals are:

Continue to enact our Climate Action Plan
Collaborate globally with other stakeholders
Increase our Conservation and Citizen Science programs
Keep in touch with our guests

We’re taking actionable steps toward positively impacting the places we visit and those who live there by decarbonising operations, restoring ecosystems, providing cross-cultural exchange, and embracing citizen science.

“Sustainability is a journey, not a destination.” — extract from the Framework

If collaboratively implemented by travel operators across the world, this framework provides the opportunity to transform the future of the travel industry.

That’s the future we look forward to travelling in.

Help unleash the power of Conservation Travel

Step into the future of travel. Join one of our Conservation Travel tours. An increasing number of these tours include an important Citizen Science project.

The evolution of Conservation Travel

From its roots in the mid 1990’s, the concept of Conservation Travel is spreading across the globe. Here’s a brief curated history of conservation in travel starting in 1995.

1995 – Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours
Janine Duffy started our first Citizen Science project aimed at monitoring and researching koalas in the Brisbane Ranges National Park. This was done on every tour and would eventually evolve into the Koala Clancy Foundation. KCF is now recognised around the world for its efforts to plant koala forests and research koalas.
~1995 – Painted Dog Conservation – Zimbabwe
This extraordinary centre was set up against all the odds in one of the world’s most politically devastated countries – Zimbabwe. It’s work aims to protect one of Africa’s most persecuted animals, the African Wild Dog, better known as the Painted Dog. Tourism is a major supporter of this remarkable effort to bring back Painted Dogs from the edge of extinction. If a country like Zimbabwe can do this so can any country.
2002 – Sustainable Travel International
STI is one of the world’s leaders in supporting travel businesses aiming to reduce their impact on the planet. They have some incredible resources on their website. Watch one of their latest videos (2024) that details STI’s remarkable work in climate action: Destination Net Zero: Catalyzing Climate Action Through Travel
2014 – Jeff Parrish from WWF (now The Nature Conservancy)
This ground breaking video was made in 2014. In it Jeff Parrish describes how adventure travel and sustainable travel must take on board conservation travel. He describes this “as giving back and protecting the resource that is the beating heart of adventure travel”. Watch the video: Conservation Travel: WWF’s Jeffrey Parrish
2014 – Echidna Walkabout
We win the global Responsible Travel Award for best in Conservation. This was awarded for our work with koalas and was a first for Australia.
2020 – Conservation Travel Australia
This initiative by Echidna Walkabout and Koala Clancy Foundation was established during Covid to bring conservation travel home to Australia. The website aims to help protect Australia’s wildlife and natural areas through travel, learning and action.
2023 – Condé Nast Traveler
This wonderful story appeared in Condé Nast Traveler in October last year (2023). It gives a dramatic overview of the power of conservation travel to help heal both land and people: How Conservation and Community Are Helping to Heal the Land—and People—of Rwanda