In just three years, the Central Coast of New South Wales has experienced a strategic shift in the way it presents tourism products to locals and guests. Rollover sanitised coastal hollow holidays, and rollout a refreshing new era of eco-conscious experiences respecting nature, culture, place and people, to naturally make you feel whole again. This positive change at a destination management and marketing level is led by a small tourism team, Destination Central Coast, within the region’s local government organisation, Central Coast Council. But the real heroes in this landscape are a cohort of “ECO Advocates” growing since 2020. These local tourism businesses joining the wider ECO Destination journey are championing sustainable tourism practices on their home turf and now, in 2023, the Coast’s ecotourism portfolio has never been stronger, more diverse, or better placed to showcase the unfurling value in promoting sustainable tourism best practice. These are the dedicated entrepreneurs walking the talk every day, for a living.
Keywords: wildlife and nature conservation , adventure tourism , coastal destination , stakeholders engagement, eco tourism