Tourism Industry Council Tasmania
Positive Impact Tourism Roadshow
TICT is the peak body representing the Tasmanian tourism industry. They have a key role in many of the goals and actions of the new Tasmania’s 2030 Visitor Economy Strategy, specifically for Key Direction 1: Become a leading destination for climate-conscious travel.
To activate this Key Direction, TICT has an Emissions Reduction Program, to support Tasmanian tourism businesses in reducing emissions, and work towards achieving Tasmania’s net zero emissions ambition.
Across 2024, we partnered with TICT, to engage tourism businesses in these goals and initiatives through the Positive Impact Tourism Workshops and Learning tours across 8 Tasmanian destinations (Hobart, Huon Valley, Oatlands, Strahan, Devonport, St Helens, Triabunna & Launceston).
A wide range of tourism businesses and organisations from across the state joined the half and full-day programs which combined a practical workshop, with networking, and for some destinations, a learning tour where attendees could be inspired by positive impact projects happening in action in their region.
Positive Impact Tourism Workshop
Our Regenerative Tourism Specialist, Nic Cooper delivered highly practical, action-based and inspiring Positive Impact Tourism Workshop that gave participants both inspiration and tools to take immediate and longer-term action in their business.
Nic worked with TICT and the Regional Tourism Managers to craft tailored workshop content, building on The Tourism Collectives existing Sustainable and Regenerative Workshop and Learning Tour, and aligning to support TICT Emissions Reduction Program.
Throughout the workshop each business was able to work on their own business positive impact and emissions reduction plan by setting short, and long-term goals, giving tangible takeaways which could be applied immediately after the workshop and into the future.
Content Themes
- Values & Purpose
- Positive Impact Tourism Principles
- Practical Implementation Ideas
- Emission reduction ideas
Key Outcomes for Tourism Business Owners
- Inspire operators to take action with practical case studies and examples
- Inspire connections and partnerships of tourism businesses in Tasmania’s regions, and
- Build and leverage the Regional Tourism Organisation’s own positive impact programs (for example Destination Southern Tasmania’s CSR Program or East Coast Tasmania’s early stage Positive Impact Strategy).
- Confidently start thinking about and mapping their sustainability and regenerative journey, with rock solid, practical steps to get started with both short and longer term actions.
- Understand sustainability is an ongoing journey, not a destination (or a tick box exercise!)
- Support their application/rating improvement of their chosen sustainability accreditations (eg. Ecotourism Australia Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard, BCorp etc)
- Have a network of likeminded businesses who are on the same journey, so they have the local support to continue learning together
Local Impact Learning Tours
Following the Hobart, Triabunna and St Helens Workshops, Local Positive Impact Learning tours were organised by Nic with support by TICT to bring the workshop learnings to life, inspire ideas for each business and generate collaborations and conversations for positive impact action both within individual businesses and the wider Tasmania regions.
Incredible people doing amazing things generously took the time to share their inspiring and innovative positive impact programs, products and visitor experiences with the workshop participants from the following businesses and organisations:
- Grandvewe Cheeses
- Hartshorn Distillery
- Derwent Distillery
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS)
- Palawa Kipli
- Spring Bay Mill
- Sea Forest
- Martha Vale Park
Check out each of their websites and be inspired by each of their multifaceted approaches to positive impact in their businesses.
Post Workshop Mentoring
As of late 2024, an opportunity for 6 businesses to undertake individual mentoring with Nic to check in and progress their Positive Impact Workshops goals and planning will be provided by the end of 2024.
Results
Over 120 people from tourism businesses and organisations across the Tasmania attended the live workshops across the 8 workshops and learning tours.
At the start and end of the live workshop we asked participants “How confident do you feel in your ability to implement positive impact throughout your business and reduce emissions across scope 1, 2 & 3?”
The March 2024 workshops saw the following results:
At start of the workshop survey:
- Hobart - 50% completely or fairly confident
- Triabunna - 40% completely or fairly confident
- Launceston - 52% completely or fairly confident
By the end of the workshop, we asked the same question:
- Hobart -90% completely or fairly confident
- Triabunna - 91% completely or fairly confident
- Launceston - 79% completely or fairly confident
This outcome demonstrated that the content in the live workshops delivered specific and practical skills that enabled confidence within the learning cohort to implement their learnings into their businesses. This was further reflected in the short and long-term goals participants noted on the ‘Positive Impact & Emissions Reduction Plan on a Page’ activity sheets provided.
Due to these results, a further two rounds of workshops were invested to help bring the Workshops and Learning Tours to more Tasmanian communities later in 2024.
The Tourism Industry Council Tasmania wouldn’t hesitate to recommend The Tourism Collective for industry strengthening workshops, destination planning and any tourism-related work that is regenerative in focus.
We were thrilled to have partnered with The Tourism Collective for our Positive Impact Tourism Workshop series. TTC's regenerative tourism specialist Nic Cooper's lived experience as a small eco-adventure operator enabled workshop participants to truly connect with Nic as the workshop facilitator – and his countless practical tips around enhanced community partnerships & collaborations, decarbonisation and how to balance operational pressures with positive impact outcomes were well received by the audience because of this.