NOTE: Embargoed until 1pm EST 15 June pending an announcement at the Australian Tourism Exchange in Perth on 15 June at 10.10 am WST.

Attention: News editors, Chiefs of staff, environment reporters

“It’s great to see that all the hard work over the last 12 months or so has paid off for the benefit of everyone in the Australian Alps Region”. This was the reaction of Peter Jacobs to the announcement that the Australian Alps Region has been recognised as a National Landscape and will be marketed to potential tourists from overseas as a unique Australian destination.

Mr Jacobs, from the Australian Alps Liaison Committee, is the chairperson of the Australian Alps Region National Landscapes steering committee that has been co-ordinating the bid for recognition. Mr Jacobs said, “not only does this acknowledgement recognise the outstanding value of the Australian Alps national parks but also the many other fantastic tourism opportunities the region has to offer.”

In announcing the successful candidates for the National Landscapes Program at the Australian Tourism Exchange in Perth each of the bid committees were congratulated for the hard work they had put in to developing the justification each needed to be successful.

The Australian Alps Region was announced as being successful along with Kakadu, Australia’s Red Centre, the Great Ocean Road, the Flinders Ranges, Australia’s Green Cauldron (Mount Warning/Tweed region), Australia’s Coastal Wilderness (SE Gippsland/Merimbula region) and the Greater Blue Mountains.

Another member of the Alps committee, Mr Jonathan Kobus from Australian Capital Tourism said, “this is great news for the Canberra Region, being as it is, one of the main gateways to the Alps. It will encourage more international visitors to the National Capital Region and into the Alps.” The National Landscapes initiative is targeted towards the ‘Experience Seeker’ – people in a sector of the market that are sensitive to the need to conserve the unique values of the Alps.

Mr Steve Redden from the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service, and Board member of Tourism Snowy Mountains, noted that “it has been great to see that across the whole Alps Region in the ACT, NSW and Victoria, regardless of regional and state boundaries, people have come together to support this process to recognise that tourism services need to be provided in a co-ordinated away, and that state borders should not get in the way of providing a package of experiences to tourists.

More information about the National Landscapes Program can be found at http://www.tourism.australia.com/Markets.asp?sub=0338&al=2432

Media Enquiries

Peter Jacobs, Mobile 0419 113537: Jonathan Kobus, Mobile 0418 499297: Steve Redden, Mobile 0428 421581: Rod Atkins, Mobile 0429 618 308.