Certification

There are a number of certification programs that accommodation providers and tour operators can undertake that ensure you they are a legitimate and proactive operator.
 

Eco Tourism

Australia’s Eco Certification program recognises tourism operators who provide genuine environmentally friendly tours, attraction and accommodation products.

Operators are assessed on their economic, environmental and social sustainability and ecotourism principles such as business ethics, responsible marketing, contribution to conservation and working with communities. There are three levels of accreditation available: Nature Tourism, Ecotourism and Advanced Ecotourism. Look for the logos with the operators you are considering.

 

What do they mean?

	Nature Tourism
	Tourism in a natural area that leaves minimal impact on the environment.
	Ecotourism
	Tourism in a natural area that offers interesting ways to learn about the environment with an operator that uses resources wisely, contributes to the conservation of the environment and helps local communities.
	Advanced Ecotourism
	Australia's leading and most innovative ecotourism products, providing an opportunity to learn about the environment with an operator who is committed to achieving best practice when using resources wisely, contributing to the conservation of the environment and helping local communities.
	Business Accreditation Tick
	ECO Certified businesses are also welcome to display the Business Accreditation Tick.

  
Find out more about the ECO Certification program at www.ecotourism.org.au 
 

Industry Certification

	Whitsunday Charter Boat Industry Association
	The Whitsunday Charter Boat Industry Association issues a ‘tick’ logo to its members, who must satisfy a number of crew training and safety standards in order to qualify. Go to www.wcbia.com.au for more information.
	Tourism Whitsundays membership
	Businesses who are members of Tourism Whitsundays must sign a Code of Conduct ensuring they operate ethically and fairly within our local tourism industry. A directory of Tourism Whitsundays members can be found in the Partners Directory on our site.
	The T-Qual Tick
	Travellers will be able to easily recognise quality Australian tourism experiences with a new national symbol – the T-QUAL Tick, launched in December 2011. Travellers will be able to identify which accommodation, attractions and/or dining options have been through the rigorous, truly national accreditation process to receive the T-QUAL Tick. The T-QUAL tick is a mark of quality which will become easily recognisable across any number of tourism products and services. The T-QUAL Tick is being incorporated into TripAdvisor because it is the world’s largest universal travel site, used by 44 million consumers globally to plan and book travel. The development of a T-QUAL micro site housed within TripAdvisor’s Australian site is the first of its kind between the travel site and a tourism quality assurance program. The T-QUAL Tick is about differentiating tourism products and services on the basis of quality. T-QUAL businesses have all the required licences and insurances and have committed to a number of standards including risk and environmental management and customer service. The T-QUAL Tick gives consumers the choice to book accredited over non-accredited products at every price point in the market. That can mean backpacker accommodation through to luxury cruising or a boutique tour. Currently, there are 12,500 Australian tourism products with T-QUAL Accreditation via seven Accreditation programs. More tourism accreditation programs are expected to receive the T-QUAL Tick by the Tourism Quality Council of Australia in the coming months. More information on T-QUAL Accreditation is at www.ret.gov.au/tqual.