Delivering on the growing trend for conscious travel among Gen-Z and millennial travellers, Contiki’s Australia product release for 2020-21 introduces a collective of brand-new ethical travel experiences.

Handpicked especially for travellers aged 18-35, Contiki travellers can expect a fresh perspective while also giving something back to the communities and wildlife visited on their Australia trips, including a visit to a turtle hospital at the Great Barrier Reef, enjoying breakfast with koalas on Magnetic Island and an Indigenous Dot-painting workshop at Uluru. Clients seeking an Australian adventure featuring conscious travel experiences can save 15% on all Australia trips, from April 1st, 2020 departures now until January 30th, 2020*.

“Australia’s wildlife and Indigenous culture are incredibly unique and we’re proud to be supporting local providers and activities that give something back to help protect them for years to come,” says Sheralyn Berry, president of Contiki Canada. “This is key for us in our mission for sustainable travel - and we know it’s important for our audience of Gen-Z travellers too. It’s great Contiki travellers will get to experience those parts of Australia they came for, like cuddling a koala, learning about the Great Barrier Reef and coming face to face with the world’s oldest known Indigenous culture, knowing they’re doing so ethically and sustainably.”

In 2019, Contiki did a complete revamp of its Australia itineraries with new accommodation, less time on coaches and more streamlined itineraries, which received an overwhelmingly positive response. The new conscious travel experiences for 2020-21 are part of a range of cultural, local, active and wellness experiences for the Australia adventures. Some of the new experiences include: a stop-off and refreshing dip at Berry Springs on the way to Darwin, a sunset harbour cruise in Darwin, an optional visit to the Field of Lights – a spectacular art installation of 50,000 lights over a space the size of seven football fields – as well as an optional skydive at Uluru. During their time on Magnetic Island, travellers will also enjoy a Fort Walk to see historic WWII fortifications and rock wallaby-spotting at dusk.

Contiki’s handpicked Australia accommodation is a combination of conveniently located multi-share hostels and ‘Special Stays’, including Noosa Everglades Eco-Camp, with its own micro-brewery, on-site bistro and resident kangaroos, and Anbinik Kakadu Resort, 100% Indigenous owned and operated with safari-style hut accommodation, a pool and tropical gardens. On the new 2020-21 Magnetic Island excursion, travellers will stay at the beachside Base Hostel, with sea views, a guest pool and social area with hammocks and bean bags.

The commitment to sustainable travel and tourism isn’t new for Contiki - it’s all part of making travel matter, supported by its Contiki Cares initiative, powered by the TreadRight Foundation, to support key projects globally. The mission of Contiki Cares and TreadRight is to protect people, wildlife and the planet, and this is the philosophy driving the inclusion of the new conscious travel experiences on the latest trips.

NEW CONSCIOUS TRAVEL EXPERIENCES

Reef HQ Experience & Turtle Hospital Visit
The turtle hospital visit is part of a Reef HQ experience, which includes a sustainability and reef protection briefing, lagoon tour and aquarium tour. Travellers will also get a debrief from the marine crew and an overview of the Reef app, which can be downloaded and used for extra tips and information during their visit.

Do it on: The Big Walkabout; Beaches and Reefs; Reefs & Rainforests; The Sun Seeker

Breakfast with Koalas

The breakfast with koalas experience is at Bungalow Bay Koala Village, where travellers will be introduced to the sanctuary with a talk from a ranger and have the chance to interact with koalas in their natural habitat. They will be treated to a chef-cooked unlimited breakfast with locally-sourced ingredients like native Rosella jam, local honeycomb and fresh local fruit juices, and will have the chance to contribute further to the program by opting to get their photo taken holding a koala, with a percentage of profits going back into the koala protection program.

Do it on: The Big Walkabout; Beaches and Reefs; Reefs & Rainforests; The Sun Seeker

Indigenous Dot-painting Workshop

The new Dot-painting workshop is an optional experience offered in Uluru, exploring Anangu Indigenous art hosted by a local Indigenous artist. The workshop gives travellers the chance to learn about the Indigenous culture through traditional art, symbols and tools while creating their own art piece. Travellers who take part in this experience on The Big Walkabout will also have the chance to take part in an Indigenous owned and operated craft and bush medicine experience with Pudakul Cultural Tours in the Northern Territory.

Do it on: The Big Walkabout; Outback Adventure; Uluru Explorer

The epic new experiences join the ranks of hundreds of existing real, local and unique experiences across Contiki’s Australia product.

Full itineraries, pricing and booking information for all of Contiki’s Australia trips are available on its website: http://www.contiki.com.