Strategies and plans

    Ecotourism Plan for Queensland’s Protected Areas 2025-2030

    The Ecotourism Plan for Queensland’s Protected Areas 2025-2030 (PDF, 32.7MB) (the Plan) provides the framework for planning and delivering immersive ecotourism experiences in Queensland’s spectacular national and marine parks and other protected areas. The Plan outlines the government’s commitment to foster innovative ecotourism experiences that allow visitors to actively provide a positive contribution back to Queensland’s protected areas and local communities while building a sustainable, and resilient ecotourism sector. It communicates a strong focus on working with our First Nations partners to build their capacity in offering genuine cultural experiences and begins to re-frame how we think about sustainable ecotourism with a focus on visitors consciously connecting with and contributing to conservation and local communities. We want to deliver projects that allow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to showcase their on-Country ecotourism experiences and support their priorities for Country and community.

    The Plan details actions to be delivered from 2025 to support five priority areas for action:

    1. Deliver innovative, fit-for-purpose ecotourism products, facilities and experiences to showcase Queensland’s world-renowned terrestrial and marine protected areas.
    2. Enhance client services and the permitting environment to provide greater support for tourism operators.
    3. Partner with First Nations peoples in planning and delivering ecotourism projects on protected areas to ensure outcomes are culturally appropriate and aligned with First Nations peoples’ priorities.
    4. Build the capacity of the ecotourism sector operating on protected areas to offer inclusive, best-practice, sustainable, and exceptional experiences.
    5. Foster collaboration and partnership development to build an innovative ecotourism industry that boasts a diversity of regenerative experiences.

    The Ecotourism Plan for Queensland’s Protected Areas 2025-2030 affirms our intention to capitalise on the ecotourism market and encourage visitors to experience Queensland’s environments in the most sustainable and beneficial way. The Plan aligns with Queensland’s Destination 2045 – our 20 year tourism strategy, and the key priorities outlined in Queensland’s Ecotourism Policy. For more information on these documents visit our tourism strategy webpage.

    Implementation Framework 2025: Ecotourism facilities on national parks

    • The Implementation Framework 2025: Ecotourism facilities on national parks (PDF, 4.0MB) (the framework) sets out seven Guiding Principles and provides a transparent model for assessing and approving proposals for ecotourism facilities on national parks. It recognises that any proposed ecotourism facilities will have environmental, social and financial benefits and costs that need to be considered, and that assessment needs to occur within the context of the governing legislative provisions.
    • The framework explains how ecotourism facility proposals will be assessed, the matters that will be considered, and the approval and commercial arrangements for successful proposals.
    • It also incorporates strong conservation and public interest values which reflect the Queensland Government’s commitment to low-impact, best-practice ecotourism facilities in national parks, including:
      • ensuring alternative off-national park sites have been considered first
      • a preference for proposals located on previously disturbed sites or which involve the re-use of existing redundant infrastructure
      • a contribution back to the national park estate
      • ensuring exclusive use areas associated with ecotourism facilities are restricted to only those areas that are necessary to operational requirements

    Best practice development guidelines

    • The Best practice development guidelines 2025: Ecotourism facilities on national parks (PDF, 3.1MB) (Best Practice Guidelines) assist ecotourism applicants to develop ecotourism facilities and experiences on national parks that are in the public interest, are ecologically sustainable and ensure, to the greatest possible extent, the preservation of the land's natural condition and protection of its cultural values and resources.
    • The Best Practice Guidelines show proponents how ecotourism facilities can be effectively integrated into national parks through awareness of:
      • site values and constraints, appropriate site layout, design and construction
      • low energy footprint, water and waste systems
      • appropriate visitor interpretation and activities
      • community partnerships.
    • The Queensland Government will use the Best Practice Guidelines to assist the assessment of preliminary concepts and to determine whether the proposed ecotourism use of a national park aligns with national park values and can be undertaken in an ecologically sustainably manner. The guidelines will also be used to assess detailed proposals where proponents are invited to progress further in the process.
    • Proponents should refer to the best practice ecotourism development criteria and sample prompt questions outlined in the Best Practice Guidelines when preparing their EOI submission.