Call for Papers
The Call for Papers for the 2012 Global Eco Conference has now closed. The Call for Papers for the 2013 program is coming soon!
If you missed out on the opportunity to submit a presentation for the conference, please contact the Global Eco Secretariat to enquire about availabilities. There still may be a chance for you to be part of this cutting-edge program.
P: +61 7 3012 9575
E: info@globaleco.com.au
Important information about speaking opportunities:
- Please review the list of presentation topics below
- Speakers are allocated 20 minutes including question time (optional).
- Speakers must accept the terms and conditions of submission
- Speakers receive 25% off conference registration (excluding networking and field trips).
Presentation Topics
The Global Eco Conference is offering presentation opportunities in the following theme stream sessions:
1. Sustainable Destination Management
Sustainable destinations deliver benefits to business, their community and to visitors. Destinations both large and small are witnessing how the implementation of sustainable practices has resulted in widespread and lasting benefits.
This forum will focus on how emerging destinations can prosper from implementing basic principles and learning from the experiences of successful sustainable destinations. Similarly mature destinations must remain dynamic and cutting edge – what are the necessary tools and approaches to achieve this? This stream will highlight successful case studies and initiatives from both Australia and overseas, and provide a strong insight into sustainability and ecotourism at a destination management level.
Topics such as destination planning, sustainability policy and product development, the place of certification for products and guides; and skills development will be covered in this stream.
2. Marketing Eco Wonders
Australia and the Asia-Pacific is home to many ‘eco-wonders’. Four of the seven “New 7 Wonders of Nature’ are located in the Asia-Pacific. The region is blessed with many World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves, RAMSA wetlands, National Landscapes and renowned protected areas. What are the most successful techniques and strategies for marketing tourism enterprises and destinations operating in these ‘Eco-Wonders’?
What marketing tools are working most effectively? How can small and medium sized businesses reach an international client base and optimise this high yielding sector of the industry. How is your tourism business or organisation implementing innovative, best-practice marketing strategies and tactics in order to enhance ecotourism on ‘Eco Wonders’ in your destination?
International and national marketing, technology and distribution leaders will provide insights into how the eco sector can achieve the lead when marketing ‘Eco Wonders’.
3. Tourism in Terrestrial and Marine Protected Areas
Ecotourism flourishes when it provides guests with high quality natural and cultural heritage experiences while working with local communities and putting something back to conservation. Inevitably ecotourism predominates in protected areas – the Eco Wonders of the World. Protected Area managers are serious players in the business of ecotourism. But ecotourism is also a tool for conservation. The private sector too is becoming involved in protected area management and will play an increasing role.
In the Asia-Pacific context, this stream will focus on best practice case studies, latest initiatives, policies and strategies to achieve conservation and sustainability for tourism in protected areas. Management tools including use of certification programs; involvement of the industry in research and monitoring; and interpretation will be presented. The stream will also investigate how tourism is playing a role in providing communities with an economic driver that is often less impacting than resource based uses such as mining, fishing and forestry when they are practised in an unsustainable way.
There is no better place to discuss the role of tourism in the protection of the land and ocean than in Tropical North Queensland, home to the World Heritage Listed Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest, the largest continuous area of tropical rainforest on the Australian continent
4. Indigenous and Cultural Tourism
Cultural and Indigenous tourism provides destinations with a a competitive advantage while at the same time providing valuable economic contributions through employment and business opportunities particularly in regional areas.
This stream will focus on successful strategies for indigenous communities who wish to engage with tourism - as a source of income and employment; as a vehicle to celebrate, share and maintain dynamic culture; and as an opportunity for entrepreneurial endeavour. This stream will provide examples of best practice through case studies and practical, applied sessions; and examples of government industry and indigenous communities working collectively to achieve positive outcomes.
Papers from around the Asia-Pacific region and beyond are encouraged so that the conference embraces key learnings in this vital sector.
5. Communities Benefiting from Strategic Partnerships
Strategic partnerships and innovative collaborations create widespread opportunities for the tourism industry, communities and conservation. Partnerships seek mutual benefits and winning outcomes for all involved. How are these developed, what procedures can protect the environment, and what are the business benefits?
This forum will demonstrate and discuss the opportunities available for partnerships in the sustainable tourism and ecotourism sector. Partnership professionals will give an expert insight into the strategies for establishing, managing, and ensuring the longevity of collaborations in tourism. Topics may include examples of policy that facilitate partnerships; case studies of success; innovative funding programs involving multiple partners; international and cross-destination partnerships.
6. Optimising Tropical Ecotourism
Tropical destinations predominate in the Asia-Pacific. The tropics are home to the greatest proportion of humankind and diverse natural and cultural attributes. Tropical climates favour tourism but they are also subject to some of nature’s greatest weather and climate extremes. Developing ecotourism to its full potential in tropical areas means extensive consideration of best practice sustainable tourism measures, policies and initiatives.
There are many challenges and opportunities the industry faces to truly optimise ecotourism in topical destinations.
This forum demonstrates how successfully, operators and the broader tourism industry can deliver quality tourism products in tropical areas whilst managing the concerns of local stakeholders and maintaining the integrity of the natural environment.
Topics may include areas such as design for the tropics; tropical heritage interpretation; climate change response; tropical ecotourism IP and knowledge transfer; ecotourism in the coral triangle.
Terms & Conditions
All speakers must meet their own conference registration, accommodation and travel costs. Applying to speak does not guarantee acceptance in the speaking program. All applicants will be contacted within 3 weeks of the closing date of the Call for Papers to be notified whether their paper has been slected. Selected speakers are required to register and make payment by COB Monday 3rd of September 2012 to secure their speaking spot. Expressions of interest are required to clearly identify which topic they would address and include a 150 word overview of their proposed topic. The emphasis must be in line with the overall Conference Theme. There are a limited number of speaking positions available and applicants will be reviewed and selected at the discretion of the Conference Committee.
