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) CEO 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 honour for these ground-breaking marketing projects to be recognised 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 travellers 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 honour.
“It highlighted the Reef’s ecological, cultural and economic value, while underscoring how tourism and science together drive regenerative outcomes.
Made possible through the Federal Government’s International Tourism Recovery Program, TTNQ’s sustainability initiatives reached audiences 297 billion times through global PR and paid media.
“Guardian of the Reef generated more than $32 million in economic benefit for Reef communities and delivered over $75,000 directly to conservation programs.
The Lifetime of Greatness Project reached 5 billion people worldwide, educating audiences about the challenges facing reefs and the role regenerative travel can play in their restoration.
“Through these initiatives TTNQ reinforced its position as a global leader in sustainable tourism marketing, demonstrating that responsible travel is not only compatible with conservation, but also integral to it.”
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.
