Tourism split over parks development fuels standards boycott
A split in Tasmania’s $3 billion tourism industry over development in national parks is fuelling a boycott by accredited operators.
A split in Tasmania’s $3bn tourism industry over development in national parks is fuelling a boycott by tourist operators of mandatory accreditation, amid plans for a rival industry body.
There appears to be a widening revolt by operators angry at their peak body’s backing for a state government push to encourage tourist projects inside national parks.
The Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania has backed the push and a proposal giving exclusive possession of world heritage Halls Island to one private operator.
Tour operators who believe development should occur on park fringes rather than in wilderness are refusing to renew their TICT accreditation, and discussing forming a new body.
Parks and Wildlife regulatory paperwork states that TICT accreditation is “mandatory” for tour companies to operate in parks and reserves but The Australian is aware of at least six who have dropped or are considering dropping TICT accreditation, despite some fearing this may risk their licences to operate in parks.
They say the accreditation, which this year cost between $294 and $2233, depending on employee numbers, is largely a “tick-a-box exercise” and effectively a forced membership of TICT.
“That accreditation is a waste of time — you could be the shonkiest operator but all you have to do is fill out forms; no one comes out to look at your processes,” said Phil Harris, owner of Aardvark Adventures. “The TICT does not speak for me … We do what we do incredibly well, but we don’t have that accreditation and I know others are pulling out, left, right and centre.”
Wilderness flight and tour operator Par Avion is also boycotting TICT accreditation, citing a lack of benefit and concern about its“aggressive” stance on contentious proposals.
“We are regulated by so many other bodies — aviation, maritime, eco-certification — and we’ve found little benefit in having a tourism accreditation that didn’t add any value,” said Par Avion managing director Shannon Wells. “In this day and age, reputation management is more important via Google reviews, TripAdvisor or other social media.”
Mr Wells said he also did not “want to be directly associated with” TICT’s stance on development inside national parks.
Wild Cave Tours owner Deb Hunter said she would not renew her TICT accreditation. “The TICT is openly, politicly, speaking up in favour of tourism infrastructure that threatens the values of the world heritage property that I work on,” she said.
Fiona Weaver, of Tassie Bound Adventure Tours, said tourism operators who did not support TICT or value its accreditation were being “coerced into” it by government. “We cannot be licensed operators with Parks and Wildlife without being TICT-accredited,” she said. “Accreditation should be independent.”
TICT chief executive Luke Martin said whatever Parks paperwork suggested, operators were free to be accredited via another provider, Ecotourism Australia. “It’s not a closed shop,” he said. “The reality is that ours is cheaper, that’s why they (the government) push them towards us.”
TICT accreditation, part of a national system, was subsidised by $120,000 annual government funding and run on a not-for-profit basis. The next round of fees would be waived in light of COVID impacts.
“We don’t care if it’s our program or another program as long as standards are met,” Mr Martin said. “What we don’t want to see is standards cut.” He said there were “hundreds of owner-operator businesses” for whom accreditation was “a business plan 101”.
