When 77% of international travelers say that sustainability is important in their daily lives, and 70% that it influences their travel choices, a long-haul destination can no longer merely promise spectacular scenery.
Tourism Australia has understood this.
Launched on March 19, 2026, at the Destination Australia conference in Melbourne (Narrm) in front of 800 professionals, the initiative “Green is Our Gold” now structures the country’s sustainable commitment.
At the Australian Tourism Exchange 2026 in Adelaide, the program was placed at the heart of professional conversations, including those aimed at European markets.
Tourism Australia has understood this.
Launched on March 19, 2026, at the Destination Australia conference in Melbourne (Narrm) in front of 800 professionals, the initiative “Green is Our Gold” now structures the country’s sustainable commitment.
At the Australian Tourism Exchange 2026 in Adelaide, the program was placed at the heart of professional conversations, including those aimed at European markets.
Five Pillars, a Toolbox, 360,000 Businesses
“Green is Our Gold brings together the Australian tourism industry around a shared promise“, explains a spokesperson from Tourism Australia’s Sustainability and Communications team met in Adelaide.According to her, operators who sign the Green and Gold Promise access a practical toolkit containing operational sustainability tools and on the five pillars to embody.
These five pillars, formalized by Tourism Australia, have become the common grammar of Australian responsible tourism:
– Celebrate Community : support local players and their businesses,
– Embrace Culture : share heritage, including the stories of the First Nations,
– Preserve Place : protect natural and iconic environments,
– Respect Wildlife : ensure the health of the wildlife unique,
– Take Care : encourage responsible travel, in the manner of locals.
More than 360,000 Australian tourism businesses are targeted by this rollout.
The momentum was confirmed at ATE26: more than 1,000 professionals signed the Green and Gold Promise during the fair, marking their formal commitment to the five principles.
The official engagement platform is accessible at greenisourgold.australia.com, where operators and organizations can sign the charter and download the practical kit.
The program is designed to last. The spokesperson describes “Green is Our Gold” as a lasting platform, designed to endure over time.
Phase 1, extending until 2027, aims to mobilize the industry. Phase 2 includes gradual integration into the Aussie Specialist program, which will directly affect French agencies trained by Tourism Australia.
Robin Mack: “Green is Our Gold is a Call to the Industry”
In an interview with TourMaG in Adelaide, Robin Mack, Managing Director of Tourism Australia, defends a strong industry conviction. “Green is Our Gold is a call to the industry to go even further,” he asserts.
“Australia has a solid history of sustainable growth in tourism, and many companies have already integrated sustainability, delivering world-class experiences that respect our natural environments, cultures and communities.”
For Robin Mack, two logics converge. First, that of the First Nations: “Our First Nations culture and sustainability are deeply linked.” Then that of geography: “We cannot escape our location. It’s a long flight to get here. When travelers are on site, we must show them how well we practice sustainability on the ground.”
The initiative fits within the national THRIVE 2030 framework and complements the National Sustainability Framework for the Visitor Economy launched in 2023.
“Australia has a solid history of sustainable growth in tourism, and many companies have already integrated sustainability, delivering world-class experiences that respect our natural environments, cultures and communities.”
For Robin Mack, two logics converge. First, that of the First Nations: “Our First Nations culture and sustainability are deeply linked.” Then that of geography: “We cannot escape our location. It’s a long flight to get here. When travelers are on site, we must show them how well we practice sustainability on the ground.”
The initiative fits within the national THRIVE 2030 framework and complements the National Sustainability Framework for the Visitor Economy launched in 2023.
Between Industry Commitment and Carbon Accounting: a Balancing Equation
The initiative is not universally welcomed. At ATE26, several professionals highlight the paradox of a country that heavy invests in mining while access remains reserved for long-haul travel.
The critique has its legitimacy. But industrial awareness, on the scale of a continent, nonetheless marks progress.
The whole challenge now lies in transmission. That the program reaches regional operators and small firms, that agents pass the baton to their clients, and that these clients in turn accept concrete gestures, such as choosing a reusable water bottle over a plastic bottle, in a country where tap water is drinkable everywhere.
Transmission, in short, as the implicit fifth pillar of the program.
The critique has its legitimacy. But industrial awareness, on the scale of a continent, nonetheless marks progress.
The whole challenge now lies in transmission. That the program reaches regional operators and small firms, that agents pass the baton to their clients, and that these clients in turn accept concrete gestures, such as choosing a reusable water bottle over a plastic bottle, in a country where tap water is drinkable everywhere.
Transmission, in short, as the implicit fifth pillar of the program.
Published by Amelia Brille 
