Great Barrier Reef Campaigns Awarded for Travel Impact
Two international campaigns celebrating the Great Barrier Reef have earned Tourism Tropical North Queensland the Initiative of the Year in the global Regenerative Travel Impact Awards 2025.
The finalists in this category represent bold, forward-thinking initiatives that place regeneration, resilience and renewal at the centre of their work – going beyond surface-level sustainability to create lasting, measurable impact.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) Chief Executive Officer Mark Olsen said the Guardian of the Reef campaign and The Lifetime of Greatness Project were world-first initiatives to draw attention to the value of the Great Barrier Reef and how visiting the World Heritage area helps its future.
“It is a great honor for these ground-breaking marketing projects to be recognized for their role in redefining what meaningful action can achieve for people, communities and ecosystems,” he said. “TTNQ united Great Barrier Reef tourism operators in October 2024 to launch Guardian of the Reef to show that experiencing the Reef is one of the most powerful ways to protect it. Once people see it, they love it and want to protect it.
“Developed in partnership with the Expedia Group, TTNQ created a word-first learning and booking platform connecting travelers to products certified by EarthCheck or EcoTourism Australia. The second initiative, The Lifetime of Greatness Project (alifetimeofgreatness.com), launched globally on Earth Day in April 2025.
“The Project nominated the Great Barrier Reef as the first non-human recipient of the United Nations Environment Program’s Champions of the Earth Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Supported by scientists, First Nations ambassadors, schools, government agencies, Reef advocates and industry leaders, the initiative generated 1.3 million supporters and reframed the Reef as a living entity worthy of the world’s highest environmental honor.
It highlighted the Reef’s ecological, cultural and economic value, while underscoring how tourism and science together drive regenerative outcomes.
The Lifetime of Greatness Project won the Richard Power Award for Tourism Marketing at the Queensland Tourism Awards in November putting it in the running for an Australian Tourism Award in March.
Check the full list of winners and finalists at regenerativetravel.com.
Getting there
The main international airport serving the Great Barrier Reef is Cairns Airport (CNS), while Hamilton Island Airport (HTI), also called Great Barrier Reef Airport, is a key gateway for the Whitsundays and Inner Reef, offering direct flights from major Australian cities and connecting to reef activities. Other domestic airports like Townsville (TSV) and Proserpine (PPP) also provide access to different reef sections.
