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Ecotourism has been increasing in numbers throughout the world providing you the best exploration of some of the world’s best ecosystems. FERNTV took a look down under at a company called Small World Journeys who are doing tremendous things to educate their guests about the great things that Australia’s ecosystem has to offer. Small World Journeys caters to people who wish to travel in groups, couples or on their own. As a result, this becomes an intimate adventure for all who embark on this journey. FERNTV talks with Laurie Pritchard, the owner of Small World Journeys to discuss the experience in more detail...
FERNTV: Are we making strides in Australia through ecotourism to conserve environmentally important areas from the hands of corporations that wish to wipe out these areas? Has deforestation been an issue in Australia?
Laurie: The forest fires in Victoria received a lot of media attention recently, but if you look at the bigger picture deforestation has been an issue here for quite a while. Australia has forest cover on only 20% of its landmass, and the clearing of land for agriculture and development still continues today. The ancient rainforests here in northern Queensland are threatened by development, and they contain some of the greatest biodiversity in the world. However, I am encouraged by the amount of organizations here in Australia who are dedicated to preservation and education, especially within the tourism sector. Small World Journeys is doing its part to help by teaching guests about the area’s rainforests (as well as the GB reef) and giving them information about contributing to local conservation efforts. Part of their trip fees go to offsetting their carbon emissions, and a native tree is also planted in each guest’s name.
FERNTV: Small World Journeys is so accommodating that you take children, families, couples, singles, small groups etc. Why was it important for Small World Journeys to set up this way?
Laurie: We originally set up Small World Journeys to run guided small group trips here in Cairns. However, we were surprised by the number of couples, solo travelers, families, etc. who requested independent journeys. They wanted to do their own thing, but wanted to know where to go and where the good stuff is. And so in response we are putting together a lot of packages that include stuff like making your own didgeridoo with an aboriginal family, or exotic fruit tasting on an organic farm or staying at eco-friendly “tree houses” that travelers wouldn’t normally find on their own. And these guests get full local support from us – we map out their route, tell them our favourite restaurants and recommend cool side trips (like where to find that gorgeous waterfall to swim under, where local coffee is grown and brewed, how to find a duck-billed platypus, etc.) And educational groups are close to my heart, as I have been involved with them most of my working life, so it was important for us to be able to offer them custom tailored trips as well.
FERNTV Small World Journeys is very eco-responsible is so many different ways like promoting indigenous cultures...why is this so important?
Laurie: The aboriginals are the traditional owners of this land, and it is important to acknowledge that. A crucial element to our small group trips is including an indigenous perspective, through a guided rainforest walk or other activities, which allows our guests to get a deeper understanding of Australian culture and the environment. We also encourage our guests to buy from locally-owned and fair-trade shops that sell authentic crafts and souvenirs.
More broadly, community involvement is often an overlooked element of ecotourism or sustainable tourism. If you don’t have contributions from local people (i.e. guides, hotel owners, small businesses) then your ecotourism business ends up sucking away the dollars from the community. And that is precisely what sustainable, or “responsible”, tourism is trying to advocate. This is why we have a policy about using locally-owned businesses, hotels, restaurants and suppliers—Small World Journeys is helping keep income in the community, which in turn helps its sustainability.
FERNTV: Explain the Leave No Trace principle?
Laurie: Leave No Trace is a set of environmental ethics by which we conduct our trips in the outdoors. Principles include respecting wildlife, leaving what you find, and disposing of waste properly.
FERNTV: After working for many travel groups Laurie, how does it feel to finally do this all on your own and can you explain to us on FERNTV how rewarding it has been for you on a personal level.
Laurie: It is very rewarding to have an ecotourism business. It’s funny, I always thought the biggest challenges of running a business would be getting investors or managing cash flow, or learning accounting software, stuff like that. But by far the biggest challenge has been getting past the barriers I have in my head about what it means to be a business owner, a woman in business, and a young person “giving it a go”. My biggest barrier has been me and my thoughts. Other than that, I have been so surprised with the amount of support Small World Journeys has received from the community, from the people we work with and our guests. It is tremendously empowering to be running a business that I believe, even in some small way, is helping the planet.
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