This New Platform Is Making It Easier to Visit Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Responsibly

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Park’s length is equivalent to that of the entire west coast of the U.S., yet accounts for 10 percent of the entire planet’s coral reef ecosystems — that’s nearly 3,000 coral reefs, 300 coral cays, 600 continental islands, and 150 inshore mangrove islands. 

For years, the natural reef has been in extreme danger, a combination of rising ocean temperatures, water pollution, and climate patterns. The damage can most tangibly be seen with four massive coral bleaching events within seven years, evidence of the havoc that climate change and human impact are having on the delicate (and essential) ecosystem.

So last week, Tourism Tropical North Queensland launched the Guardian of the Reef, a platform that helps travelers learn more about the World Heritage Site and better understand how to travel there responsibly.

Developed with the consultation of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, travelers can learn about the best practices through educational videos and fast facts—and be rewarded with discounts on travels to the area through Expedia, a partner of the program. 

In addition to the discount incentives, participants can also reach a virtual ocean floor on the platform, earning them the ability to enter a drawing for a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, as well as unlocking other experiences, like staying at Australia’s first underwater accommodation, Reefstay with Cruise Whitsundays with a private guided snorkel safari. 

But, of course, the greatest reward is becoming a more eco-friendly traveler, as the program aims to help visitors support more local sustainable businesses, treat the reef with respect, learn about the current issues, and appreciate the cultural importance of the area. 

“Understanding your impact on the Reef is the first step to acting with greatness,” Mark Olsen, CEO of Tourism Tropical North Queensland, said in a release shared with Travel + Leisure.

The platform also highlights the 142 eco-certified operators in the area, including citizen science tours with Be a Marine Bio with Passions of Paradise, the Lady Musgrave Experience zero carbon footprint pontoon, and a Tropic Wings electric bus tour to a rainforest. 

“This world-first program gives global reach to the mantra of See it. Love it. Protect it,” Eric Fisher, GBR Biology and Reef Unlimited marine biologist and master reef guide, said in a statement. “Our Great Barrier Reef operators see this every day when their passengers walk away from their Great Barrier Reef experience with a new appreciation of the diversity and beauty of the world’s largest ecosystem and a greater understanding of the current health of the reef.”

With the Expedia Group finding in its 2022 sustainability study that 90 percent of travelers consider more sustainable options when traveling, the Guardian of the Reef aims to funnel that desire into practice for those who visit the destination often considered one of the wonders of the natural world.