The economic benefits of sustainability must be well communicated to rally people and businesses to take action, says Mat Woods, CEO at Destination Queenstown in Aotearoa New Zealand. This approach has helped the city become a leader in electrification. It has been able to rally a community-wide movement toward carbon-zero tourism and experiences that show travellers a glimpse of a tourism future less reliant on fossil fuels. In this episode, we discuss Queenstown’s “good ancestor” philosophy, carbon-zero goals, electric innovations travellers can enjoy, and the economic benefits of destination stewardship.

In October 2025, Destination Think Collective members and other travel leaders gathered in Queenstown to experience sustainable innovations first-hand. Visit our blog for the five takeaways from that event: https://destinationthink.com/blog/5-green-themes-from-an-energizing-forum-2025-in-queenstown-aotearoa/

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