NZ, Tassie and Africa all on track

ECO-TOURISM works successfully in Tasmania, New Zealand and Africa so why wouldn’t it on the Gold Coast?

New Zealand’s designated national parks have long been open to privately guided nature walk operations.

A private operator was first allowed in to run guided tramps way back in 1966.

Now the country has nine official “Great Walks”, all run and developed by the Government’s Department of Conversvation.

They offer accommodation and many have a more luxurious privately guided option.

More than 120,000 users, many of whom are international visitor, descend on the Great Walks annually, according to international figures.

They are proving so popular with foreign visitors the debate in New Zealand in the past few years has been dominated by how to keep up with the demand without sacrificing the serenity of the experience.

Recently, the Government called for expressions of interest in developing to more “Great Walks” to add to the network.

Similarly, Tasmania has supercharged its eco-tourism offering with 2800km of managing walking tracks and 880 separate walks in its national parks, reserves and conservation areas.

They also include guided and independent options ranging from mountainous to cool temperate rainforests and coastal walks.

Eight of the guided trails are designated “Great Walks of Tasmania”, showcasing 300km of the island with guides.

Four of them are included in the list of Australia’s eight “Great Walks”, complete with guides, luxury tented camps or lodges.

Even Africa’s national parks are home to iconic luxury tourism stays in the midst of the wildlife such as Tanzania’s Tarangire National Park where visitors can overnight.