Top of page

Student/Staff Portal
Global Site Navigation

School of Business and Law

Local Section Navigation
You are here: Main Content

ECU School of Business and Law Partners with City of Wanneroo to Develop a Sustainability report and Sustainable Tourism Tool

Tuesday, 19 August 2025

Tags:
  • Aerial view of visitor centre at the Yanchep National Park

    Visitor Centre - Yanchep National Park

Related Contents

Tourism plays a vital role in many local communities, including the City of Wanneroo. However, growing visitor numbers while benefiting residents and the local environment can be challenging.

Researchers from ECU’s Centre for Tourism Research and the City of Wanneroo are tackling that challenge together. In collaboration, they’re working on a new tool - the Destination Sustainability Index (DSI) -  to evaluate the impact of tourism in the region to guide future planning.

How Will the DSI Work?

Every place is different, so a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. The DSI will be tailored to meet the City of Wanneroo’s unique goals, challenges, and community values.

The tool will evaluate the impacts of tourism on the environment, local economy, tourists’ experience and resident wellbeing. To ensure a complete picture, the project will gather insights from people who experience tourism in different ways — including locals, visitors, businesses, and government agencies.

By combining real stories with hard data, the DSI will show what’s working and where there’s room for improvement.

"It’s a great example of how universities and local governments can work together to build stronger, more sustainable communities", said Professor S. Mostafa Rasoolimanesh, the DSI project lead.

What's next?

Upon project completion, in July 2026, ECU’s Centre for Tourism Research will deliver a sustainability report for the City of Wanneroo and the custom-built Index with practical guides to be used by the City in future planning and development.

The initiative doesn’t stop there.

The goal is to use the Tool in other Western Australian local government also facing challenges from the growth of tourism. This tailored approach could help many local governments plan for a more sustainable future.

By starting local and thinking national, this project could play a key role in shaping  tourism planning — not just in Wanneroo, but across the country.

Share

Skip to top of page