After more than five decades shaping the landscape of Australian tourism, Professor Ross Dowling has formally concluded his tenure as chairman of Destination Perth and the Cruise Western Australia Committee. The 74-year-old academic and industry leader stepped down on December 31, 2025, leaving behind a formidable legacy built on merging earth sciences with travel.
From Rocks to Regional Tourism: A Pioneering Journey
Professor Dowling's unique career began with a dual passion for the environment and travel. A qualified geologist from New Zealand, he moved to Western Australia in 1988 to pursue a PhD at Murdoch University, which became the world's first doctorate in ecotourism. This groundbreaking research set the stage for a lifetime of innovation.
His early work included co-founding Ecotourism Australia in 1991, helping to bring sustainable travel practices into the mainstream. He later became a founding academic at the University of Notre Dame Australia and established the tourism program at Edith Cowan University, where he was appointed its first Professor of Tourism in 2003.
His contributions have been recognised with the State's highest tourism honour, the Sir David Brand Medal in 2019, and an Order of Australia in 2011, upgraded to Member in 2019.
Building Perth's Tourism and a Cruise Industry
As chair of Destination Perth for six years, Dowling guided the city's peak marketing body through significant development and the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. He cites building strong partnerships with local governments and major attractions as a key achievement.
Perhaps his most visible impact is on Western Australia's cruise sector. A long-time advocate, he convinced State tourism leaders to establish the Cruise WA Committee in 2012, serving as its inaugural chair for 13 years. This persistence paid off: the cruise industry now delivers a massive $368 million to the WA economy annually, with 334 ship visit days recorded in the 2024-25 period.
Tourism WA Managing Director Anneke Brown praised his tireless advocacy, noting his work was crucial in navigating the pandemic and ensuring cruise tourism is recognised as a major growth driver. Dowling himself heralds Princess Cruises' decision to homeport in Fremantle from 2027-28 as "absolutely brilliant," solidifying WA as a key cruise departure point.
The Geotourism Legacy and the UNESCO Quest
Even in "retirement," Dowling's primary passion project continues: establishing geotourism and UNESCO Global Geoparks across WA. He literally wrote the book on the subject, authoring the world's first text on geotourism and convening the inaugural global conference in Fremantle in 2008.
Geotourism, as he defines it, is the ABC of the environment: it starts with Abiotic (earth) elements, which shape the Biotic (life), which in turn shape Culture. He has taken this holistic concept worldwide, advising countries from Malaysia and Oman to Brazil and Iceland.
Despite his global influence, a key goal remains unfulfilled: Australia is the only permanently inhabited continent without a UNESCO-certified Global Geopark. Dowling is determined to change this through his work with Geoparks WA and the Australian Geoparks Network, which he co-founded in 2021.
Significant progress is being made. The Nannup WA Geopark opened in November 2024 as a major step towards UNESCO status. The Bindjareb Geopark in Peel launched a geotrail drive in 2024, and the Murchison GeoRegion—Australia's first major geotourism development—connected 21 sites in September 2020. Plans are also advancing for a future Sunset Coast Geopark.
From lecturing aboard cruise ships with figures like former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, to his ongoing ambassadorial role with the WA Parks Foundation, Ross Dowling's career exemplifies pioneering vision. As he shifts focus fully to his geotourism mission, communities across Western Australia and the globe will continue to benefit from the foundation he built.
