National Regional Challenge
Sustainability
How does your region keep tourists coming even when the water runs low?
Regional tourism and drought are on a collision course. We’re looking for communities already finding a way through.
Inspiring this challenge
Australia is the driest inhabited continent on Earth and among the most drought-exposed nations globally. The OECD’s 2025 Global Drought Outlook found that the average drought today carries economic impacts up to six times greater than in 2000, with costs expected to rise by at least 35% by 2035. Australia is listed among the most severely affected countries.
The cycle of drought is inevitable, though inconsistent in onset, duration, geography, and intensity. Individual droughts have reduced national GDP by more than one per cent, while local economies can contract by as much as 15 per cent. Public funds dedicated to addressing drought exceed $15 billion. The economic impact must be considered alongside equally significant social, environmental, and institutional impacts related to mental health, social cohesion, ecosystem services, community infrastructure, and vulnerable populations.
Practical considerations
When a region is in drought, staying away may seem like the right thing for visitors to do. But that’s exactly when regional economies need visitors most.
The communities figuring out how to welcome visitors sustainably, manage water across the full visitor economy, and make water stewardship part of their story are doing something the rest of Australia can learn from.
Tell us how your organisation, town or region is addressing this challenge and be part of national action.
Come on Australia – show us yours.
Show Australia how your region does it
We are looking for tourism operators, event organisers, destination managers, business owners, councils and community members across regional Australia who are working on this right now. Tell us how:
- You’ve kept visitors coming through drought by changing how you tell your destination’s story.
- You’ve designed (or re-designed) an event, festival or visitor experience to embed water efficiency, not just as a constraint, but part of the offer.
- You’ve worked across a supply chain: accommodation, hospitality, transport and logistics, wellness, retail to reduce water use without reducing the experience.
- You’ve helped visitors to understand water scarcity in a way that built connection to your region rather than keeping them away.
- You tried something, it didn’t work and you have some clues about the why.
Australia, show us yours!
Contribute to the National Regional Challenges today
How does your region keep tourists coming even when the water runs low? We put that question to the Sustainability conversation for the 2026 National Regional Challenges. The connection between drought and tourism offers an opportunity to discuss a multifaceted