Port Douglas operator rated Australia’s top tourism experience, eighth in world
Small-group reef tours led by marine biologists have earned a Far North Queensland operator extraordinary global recognition – above world-famous landmarks.
A Port Douglas snorkelling company that strives to not only show tourists the Great Barrier Reef but help them understand it has been ranked as Australia’s top attraction – and among the world’s top 10.
ABC Snorkel Charters maintained a 4.99 star rating on TripAdvisor from more than 3300 reviews, placing the experience eighth overall.
An escape room in Sydney was Australia’s only other attraction to make the list, compiled by Asia Geographical, which awarded the top honour to Egypt Tour Guide.
“This personalised tour service mirrors a growing interest in authentic guide-led experiences,” the judges said.
A German diving school in Egypt’s Red Sea resort town of Hurghada placed second and L’Essence Spa in Hanoi, Vietnam, was third, making it Asia’s top attraction.
Lion King Adventures in Tanzania, Phuket Elephant Care in Nai Thon, Thailand, and Alpaca Expeditions in Peru came in ahead of ABC Snorkel Charters, while Mission Escape George Street was 10th behind Morocco Fabulous Travel in Fez.
ABC Snorkel Charters co-owner Jay Wink attributed the high satisfaction rate among guests to the small size of its reef expeditions, which were limited to 12 people, and the fact most crew were marine biologists.
“People actually get a guided tour in the water, which makes a huge difference to their understanding of what they’re looking at, and how fantastic the Great Barrier Reef is,” Mr Wink said.
“People left to their own devices swim over so much of the good stuff – they only actually might see the big things and not the small things that play such an interesting role in the reef.”
He said the more personalised experience was also a chance to help people understand the reef was not dying, contrary to some reports.
“People have good questions now because of all the attention the reef has had worldwide – ‘is it dying?’ and things like that,” Mr Wink said.
“It’s nice to give them a positive outlook and explain why the reef is in some areas doing so well, and in other areas not, but that’s kind of always been like that.”
At the other end of the scale, Patong Beach in Thailand topped the list of the lowest-rated attractions, due to overdevelopment and overcrowding.
Along with Bangla Road in Patong, the Thai tourist hotspot averaged 3.5-star ratings, with reviewers suggesting they were not family-friendly destinations.
Disneyland Paris also received low satisfaction ratings based on “long queues, malfunctioning rides and poor food service”, in stark contrast to other Disney theme parks around the world, which typically scored well.
Other attractions ranked as somewhat disappointing included Snowland in Gramado, Brazil, Malaysia’s Batu Caves, and Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi.
Asian Geographical Expeditions chief executive Harish Kohli said the fact many iconic, bucket-list destinations did not make the list highlighted the importance of “meaningful connections with places and people over simply checking off famous sites”.
“The data reveals that personalised, authentic experiences led by local experts are consistently rated higher than world-famous landmarks,” Mr Kohli said.
“The highest-rated attractions share common elements: personal attention, authentic cultural immersion, and meaningful interactions with local environments and communities.”
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