New Great Barrier Reef platform educates, and rewards reef-positive travel

On behalf of the Great Barrier Reef, Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) has partnered with Expedia^® in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia to introduce “Guardian of the Reef,” a new platform that promotes reef-positive travel and rewards travellers for learning about the Great Barrier Reef. 

Conservation-curious travellers can visit a new website featuring short educational videos and fact cards. As they complete each module, they earn coupons for Expedia bookings. Upon finishing all the modules, participants are entered to win a trip to the Great Barrier Reef and unlock other exclusive experiences. These include staying at Australia’s first underwater accommodation, Reefstays with Cruise Whitsundays, to join a Master Reef Guide for a private Guided Snorkel Safari. 

TTNQ Chief Executive Officer Mark Olsen said: “The opportunity to win a trip to the Great Barrier Reef and discounts through Expedia are among the rewards for travellers who take the time to understand the reef’s natural and cultural significance as well as the threats it faces so that they choose to travel with eco-certified experiences committed to its future.” 

Marine biologist and Master Reef Guide Eric Fisher said: “This world-first program gives global reach to the mantra of ‘See it. Love it. Protect it.’ Our Great Barrier Reef operators see this every day when their passengers walk away from their Great Barrier Reef experience with a new appreciation of the diversity and beauty of the world’s largest ecosystem and a greater understanding of the current health of the reef.” 

As part of the partnership with TTNQ, Expedia will make a $50,000 USD donation to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation to further extend the support in the health of the Great Barrier Reef and existing conservation efforts.  

“Expedia Group’s recent Sustainable Travel Study revealed that 90% of travellers prioritise sustainability, indicating their concern about the environmental impact they leave behind. To help, Expedia is partnering with Tourism Tropical North Queensland to offer an interactive way to learn about and support the Great Barrier Reef while earning travel discounts along the way,” said Aditi Mohapatra, vice president of Global Social Impact & Sustainability for Expedia Group. “We believe travel is a force for good and we are proud to support the Great Barrier Reef Foundation with a donation to advance reef conservation.” 

The program, developed in consultation with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Authority (Reef Authority), links travellers to eco-certified operators accredited through Ecotourism Australia, EarthCheck or the Zoo and Aquarium Association. The Reef Authority works in consultation with the 70 Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal Traditional Owner groups along the Great Barrier Reef and ensures dedicated reef operators work closely with the scientific and management communities. 

To become a Guardian of the Reef, earn travel rewards and enter to win a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, head to https://www.expedia.com.au/see/guardian-of-the-reef by October 10, 2024.  

Notes to Editors: 

• Find images and videos here 

• Tourism has been a leader in conservation for generations, and our reef operators work with the science and management community to make the Great Barrier Reef the best managed reef on earth. 

• One hundred and forty-two (142) operators along the Great Barrier Reef hold eco-certification, making up 30% of Australia’s Ecotourism Australia certified operators.  

• The collective regions of the Great Barrier Reef also hold the most eco-certified destinations. Port Douglas Daintree, Townsville, Bundaberg, Gladstone and Capricorn are all eco-certified with Ecotourism Australia. 

• In the first three quarters of financial year 2023–24, the Environmental Management Charge raised $9,110,000 (final quarter to be reported, full year projected to be $11M+). Source: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. 

• The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is about the same length as the West Coast of the United States, is half the size of Texas and is 1.41 times larger than the United Kingdom. It is equivalent to 48.2 million FIFA football fields or 70 million NFL football fields.  

• Tourism occurs in just 7% (16,800 square kilometers / 6,500 square miles) of the Great Barrier Reef and is regulated by Reef Authority, which has set a benchmark for marine-protected area management. 

• Accounting for 10% of the world’s coral reef ecosystems, as well as being one of the best known and most complex natural systems on Earth, the Great Barrier Reef is recognised as the best managed globally. It spans 344,400 square kilometers (133,000 square miles) and includes 3,000 coral reefs, 600 continental islands, 300 coral cays and approximately 150 inshore mangrove islands.  

• Tourism operators are taking proactive action to tackle climate change to ensure the best outlook for the Great Barrier Reef — this includes boat engines that use less fuel, eliminating single-use plastic where possible, offsetting remaining carbon emissions, assisting with controlling pests and with reef restoration. 

• Many tourism operators work in partnership with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to monitor the reef. They are trained to track and record the health of the reef and report unusual sightings. 

• Expedia Group’s Sustainable Travel Study 2022 found that 90% of consumers look for more sustainable options when traveling.