Nic Cooper: From Tour Guide to Eco-Tourism Founder and the Future of Responsible Tourism
Episode Description
In this episode of Tourism Matters, join Carmen Bold as she chats with Nic Cooper about his journey from working in tourism from a young age to founding Wild Adventures Melbourne, an eco-tourism company focused on sustainable travel experiences.
Nic reflects on the many stages of his tourism career, from tour guiding and destination marketing to launching his own tourism business during the challenges of COVID-19. The conversation explores sustainability, climate responsibility in tourism, and how small tourism businesses can play a powerful role in shaping a more responsible visitor economy.
What you'll take away from this episode
• How Nic’s tourism career evolved from tour guiding into business development and entrepreneurship
• Why sustainability and responsible tourism are becoming essential in the visitor economy
• The challenges of launching a tourism business during the COVID-19 pandemic
• How small tourism operators can play a major role in addressing climate change
• Why tourism has the power to inspire positive change in travellers
• Advice for the next generation of tourism professionals entering the industry
About Nic
Nic Cooper is the founder of Wild Adventures Melbourne, an eco-tourism company focused on creating meaningful outdoor experiences while promoting responsible tourism practices.
Alongside running Wild Adventures Melbourne, Nic also works as a consultant helping tourism businesses improve their sustainability practices and environmental impact. His work is driven by a strong belief that tourism can be part of the solution to climate change when operators embrace transparency, collaboration and responsible travel principles.
Connect with Nic on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niccooper/
Organisations and industry references mentioned
7 Generations Tourism: https://www.7gt.com.au/
Wild Adventures Melbourne: https://wildadventuresmelbourne.com/
Episode Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Nic Cooper and his tourism career
03:00 Early influences and starting in tourism at a young age
07:00 Backpacking, ski seasons and discovering tourism opportunities
10:00 Moving into tour guiding and building industry experience
12:00 Career growth through business development roles
21:00 Moving to Australia and exploring new tourism opportunities
26:00 Destination marketing and tourism industry insights
28:00 Pursuing entrepreneurship and starting a tourism business
30:00 Launching Wild Adventures Melbourne
32:00 Navigating COVID-19 as a new tourism business
36:00 Responsible tourism and ethical travel practices
39:00 Sustainability consulting and industry collaboration
42:00 The role of small tourism businesses in climate action
48:00 Creating meaningful tourism experiences through eco practices
57:00 Inspiring the next generation of tourism professionals