TAKE 3’S FIRST WAVE PROJECT LAUNCHES ONLINE FOCUS GROUPS TO TACKLE TOURISM-GENERATED LITTER

Since its launch in April 2021, Take 3’s First Wave project has taken enormous strides towards its goal of educating and inspiring the NSW tourism industry to reduce litter in visitor destinations. The project, in association with the NSW Environment Protection Authority, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS) and Outdoors NSW & ACT, is designed to introduce litter awareness and provide resources and tools to assist NSW tourism businesses to drive behavioural change by visitors to NSW.

Running throughout 2021, the project has already made significant progress:

The first stage was a comprehensive survey, designed to help us understand tourism’s plastic footprint and major pain points when it comes to litter and waste. The survey was sent to tourism operators in New South Wales and provided new insights into the tourism industry’s litter problems, as shown in the example below:  

Data collected from survey results

The next stage is a series of focus groups, initially conducted in person but now converted to online, with tourism operators and other key industry representatives. The focus groups will explore sources of litter, as well as attitudes and behaviours around litter within the tourism industry. 

Photo from First Wave workshop in the Royal National Park

Take 3 will use the information gathered via the survey and the focus groups to create a Toolkit for use by the tourism industry. The Toolkit will include resources, training and marketing material for promoting litter prevention and waste reduction for tourism operations.

 

Join the First Wave Pilot Program for tourism businesses in New South Wales:

Take 3 is calling on NSW-based tourism operators to take part in The First Wave project, tackling tourism-generated litter.

In New South Wales, we generate 25,000 tonnes of litter every year. Globally, more than 35 million tonnes of solid waste is generated by tourists every year. Position your business as a leader in litter and waste reduction. Be part of the solution.

 

Take part in an online focus group:

If you are a tourism operator in New South Wales, you are invited to join an online focus group hosted by Take 3 to create solutions to litter problems affecting the tourism industry.

Registration is free and to thank you for your time, each participant will receive a complimentary Take 3 for the Sea ‘Mini Clean Up Kit’, valued at $21.

There are multiple sessions available so please register for the session that applies to you. Focus group sessions will be via zoom.

 

Port Stephen Tourism Operators*:

• Monday 11 October, 10am – 11:15am [REGISTER HERE]
• Wednesday, 13 October, 4pm – 5:15pm [REGISTER HERE]

*Operators of accommodation, attractions or tours in the Port Stephens region are strongly encouraged to attend, but tourism operators across NSW may also attend if they are not able to attend the general NSW Tourism Operators session below. 

 

Blue Mountains Tourism Operators*:

• Monday 18 October, 10am – 11:15am [REGISTER HERE]
• Wednesday 20 October, 4pm – 5:15pm [REGISTER HERE]

*Operators of accommodation, attractions or tours in the Blue Mountains region are strongly encouraged to attend, but tourism operators across NSW may also attend if they are not able to attend the general NSW Tourism Operators session below. 

 

NSW Tourism Operators*:

• Monday 25 October, 10am – 11:15am [REGISTER HERE]
• Wednesday 27 October, 4pm – 5:15pm [REGISTER HERE]

*Operators of accommodation, attractions or tours anywhere in NSW can attend this session. Operators in Port Stephens or Blue Mountains are welcome to attend this session if they are not able to attend the sessions above.

 

This project is a partnership with the NSW Environment Protection Authority under Round 6 of the Community Litter Grants Program.

This project is a NSW Environment Protection Authority, Waste Less Recycle More initiative funded from the waste levy.

 

For more information, contact:

Tourism Manager, Rebecca Dawes | rebecca@take3.org
Project Manager, Janet Aitchison | janet@take3.org