What is exciting for me is the potential that we have as a community to come out of the political trenches and have a mature discussion about an appropriate approach to tourism activity in these areas.

It must not become a dog fight between government and business vs the Greens and conservation movement, which seems to be looming and can only end in more division in our state.

Maybe, we can turn this into a mature debate to consider what is possible and acceptable from the perspective of the community at large.

What we do know is that in other parts of Australia, UNESCO manages their heritage listed areas at the highest levels through a combination of protective control and market based incentives.

UNESCO rates the wet tropics of Queensland as world best practice. It has created a strong partnership with the regional tourism industry to ensure high standards of presentation of the area while ensuring tourism development is sympathetic to the effective protection and conservation of the area.

I look at some of the tourism activity that occurs in the Daintree and wonder if we could do the same here.

Accommodation that nestles into the forest just off the Cape Tribulation Road, tree top canopy tours, guided walks, 4WD safaris, to name a few.

I would love to see greater access for disabled and older Australians into wild areas. This might mean allowing easier access routes to some areas rather than saying that only those that can don walking boots and a backpack will ever be able to enjoy this space owned by us all.

To me, our Indigenous Tasmanians have a vast opportunity for interpretive tourism experiences celebrating the past and current Aboriginal culture by unlocking these areas for economic activity.

The key though is ensuring that tourism activity in our national parks is right for us.

For example, for me a kayaking tour on Dove Lake would be fantastic, but I would oppose jet ski tours on the lake. According to UNESCO one of the main benefits worldwide from the introduction of tourism and visitation into heritage/wilderness areas is that public connection to the area through tourism activity secures the conservation of the area through management, awareness and creating additional funding critical for sustainability of the sites.

So, let's back off the negativity, take a positive approach and browse through the UNESCO handbook - Managing tourism at world Heritage Sites: A practical manual for World Heritage Site Managers available here.

Community and common sense will overcome.

MICHAEL BAILEY TCCI chief executive