GREAT BARRIER REEF, AUSTRALIA

Winner Destination Stewardship Award 2007

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA, an Australian Government statutory authority, is charged with managing the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest UNESCO-recognised World Heritage Area and one of the world's most recognisable tourism icons.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (the Marine Park) welcomes nearly two million tourists and 2.1 million recreational visitors each year.
The Marine Park tourism industry is based on the iconic status of the Great Barrier Reef. The future wellbeing of both the Marine Park and the tourism industry are inextricably linked - a healthy Marine Park tourism industry will always need a healthy Great Barrier Reef to present to its visitors.
The increasing realisation of this interdependence has led to the development of a strong and active partnership between the GBRMPA and the Marine Park tourism industry. This partnership directly helps achieve a well-managed and sustainable industry as well as significantly improving environmental, cultural and business outcomes in the Marine Park.