Here at Time Out Sydney, we’re lucky enough to be well acquainted with the delights that NSW has to offer, and it’s not uncommon for some of our state’s highlights to be recognised as leading Aussie destinations; from award-winning outback towns to beaches worth travelling for. And although recognition within Australia happens relatively frequently, it’s more notable for a NSW region (as opposed to Sydney) to gain recognition on the global stage – but now the Central Coast has been awarded first place in an eco-tourism awards.
The global Green Destinations Story Awards recognise the most inspiring sustainable tourism initiatives from around the world, and this year the Central Coast came out on top in the Destination Management category. As the only Australian certified ECO Destination recognised in these awards, the Central Coast has arguably cemented its position as the most sustainable region in Australia – though as a whole, it appears our lucky country is doing pretty well on the eco-tourism front (Australia was awarded the third best place in the world for eco-tourism by Forbes earlier this year).
Known for its expansive beaches and laid-back coastal towns, the Central Coast has been focusing on its eco-tourism offering for a number of years – their focus has been world-class nature-based experiences, including farm stays and conservation-focused tours.
On the Central Coast’s win, Central Coast Council’s CEO David Farmer said the global recognition represents “the undeniable progress we have made growing our eco-tourism destination since 2021.”
Travel volumes to the Cenny Coast have seen a boost too – with total domestic visitors to the region increasing by 52.3 per cent in the year up until June 2023.
You can learn more about the Central Coast as a sustainable destination over here.