Eco Lodges of Australia
have been launched in China
after completing Welcome China training organised by AVANA, Ecotourism Australia and
Spirit of China over the past year.
The launch event in Shanghai
was supported with a series of meetings with key trade and Shanghai based representatives of the
Australian government tourism bodies.
“We are extremely excited by the opportunities in China for the members of Eco Lodges of Australia and the wider Australian ecotourism
industry.” said Kym Cheatham CEO of Ecotourism Australia. “There is clearly a
market for Australian ecotourism product in China, and it is not the homogenous
‘shopping tour market’ that many think it is.”
“We met with wholesalers who were selling similar and
comparable experiences in other destinations.” Kym Cheatham said. ”We have
started a number of relationships with the trade and media in China and we will continue to work with them to
seek opportunities initially for the members of Eco Lodges of Australia, but
more broadly for the rest of the Australian ecotourism industry.”
The Welcome China training has developed through a
partnership which was formed two years ago between Ecotourism Australia,
AVANA and Spirit of China with the goal of connecting the Australian ecotourism
industry with Chinese travel agents and tourism consumers.
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In August 2011, the project was awarded T-QUAL funding
from the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism to develop a China Ready
training program pilot for the members of Eco Lodges of Australia.
The success of the project has come from the research
conducted in both Australia
and China, which
substantially informed the training content to ensure the Eco Lodges of Australia were
provided with current information on the needs and desires of the Chinese
traveller which will help them refine and develop their product to meet
the needs to the Chinese market.
All members of Eco Lodges of Australia
carry Advanced Ecotourism Certification and offer the ECO conscious traveller
responsible, ethical and sustainable ECO experiences in Australia’s
most amazing natural locations. Eco Lodges of Australia website now
carries Chinese targeted information.
To find out more about Eco Lodges of Australia
and the Welcome China training, please contact Kym Cheatham on ceo@ecotourism.org.au
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