A growing interest in sustainable tourism is encouraging even the most adventure-hungry travellers to make more conscious choices about where they go and what they do. Now more than ever, holiday-goers are choosing to spend their time participating in environmental initiatives that will help protect our natural ecosystems.

Citizen science programs are a big part of this, and there are a number of remarkable marine-focused initiatives in Australia and New Zealand attracting altruistic travellers with a thirst for excitement.

From surveying and photographing marine creatures in their natural habitats to embarking on sailing voyages dedicated to scientific research, citizen scientists get everything they normally would out of a holiday – an opportunity to see the world, spend time with loved ones, and retreat from everyday life – while also helping our planet.

Sustainable travel is something we care about at Mercedes-Benz. A core element of our business strategy is Ambition 2039 – which is our approach to climate protection and air pollution control. By 2039, we’re aiming to make our entire fleet of new vehicles net carbon-neutral along the entire value chain and over the vehicles' entire life cycle, from technical development and the extraction of raw materials to production, service life and recycling.

To help you plan a holiday with a difference, here are two citizen science programs offering spectacular, once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Lady Elliot Island, Queensland

When it comes to sustainable resort holidays, the award-winning Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort reigns supreme. Located at the southern tip of the World Heritage Listed Great Barrier Reef, Lady Elliot Island is a haven for marine life – its pristine lagoons and coral reefs attract more than 1,200 aquatic species, including dolphins, manta rays, whales, turtles, and fish. The late great conservationist Steve Irwin adored this marine sanctuary and was a frequent visitor.

The island is within a certified Green Zone, meaning it’s highly protected and operates on a ‘look but don’t touch’ basis. Throughout their stay, guests are encouraged to participate in the Eye on the Reef survey, collecting data on reef health and marine animals for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority as part of the broader Tourism Reef Protection Initiative.

Coral health is essential to a vibrant reef ecosystem. One of the first indicators of a healthy reef is the presence of herbivorous fish, which remove algae and give corals the light and space they need to grow. Another key part of the survey is identifying and reporting the presence of Crown of Thorns Starfish, which have been responsible for major coral decline in the past. And you can do all this whilst swimming alongside schools of fish and enjoying up-close encounters with turtles – it’s a truly exhilarating feeling.

Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort is also an integral part of Project Manta, a research program based at the University of Queensland. Professional and recreational divers who visit the island are invited to photograph manta rays on dive expeditions, helping researchers to better understand their distribution and movement patterns. Every manta ray carries its own distinctive markings – comparable to human fingerprints – and the thrill of seeing one glide beneath your flippers is sure to make your day.

Protecting our oceans is important to us at Mercedes-Benz. The Mercedes-Benz Group aims to do its part to conserve the planet’s precious water resources by closing its water cycles where possible. For instance, the company uses a biocide-free biological water treatment system at some plants to ensure there are fewer pollutants in wastewater and the volume of water can be retained and reused within the cycle roughly three times longer.

Heritage Expeditions, New Zealand

New Zealand-owned and operated company Heritage Expeditions takes interactive marine citizen science to a whole new level. Since 1985, the company has been taking guests on guided voyages through some of the wildest and most remote parts of the world, increasing awareness for environmental conservation as they go.

Join expert scientists aboard the 140-guest expedition ship Heritage Adventurer or 18-guest expedition yacht Heritage Explorer for a unique sea voyage. Guests can travel to Antarctica, Japan, the Sub-Antarctic Islands of New Zealand and Australia, the South Pacific islands of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and the Philippines, Australia's iconic Kimberley Coast, or coastal New Zealand – assisting with real science projects along the way.

One project involved collecting air samples on a cruise through the Antarctic and analysing tree rings from New Zealand’s Sub-Antarctic islands. This formed part of the organisation’s ongoing research with GNS Science into the Southern Ocean's role as the planet's largest carbon sink.

In October, Professor Tim Flannery, an Australian palaeontologist, environmentalist, conservationist, explorer and author, will join the Indonesian Explorer voyage from Raja Ampat to Papua New Guinea. The expedition will include swimming with Whale Sharks in Kwatisore Bay, visiting Komodo National Park (the home of the famed Komodo Dragon) and travelling to rarely visited jungles and islands, where guests may even be involved in discovering new species.

On a previous voyage through the Southeast Asian archipelago, the crew and guests identified several new mammal species on Kofiau Island. Previously only one species of mammal had been recorded there – now there are 12!

Whichever of the world waterways you’re keen to explore, it’s certainly worth devoting a few hours, or days, of your holiday to protecting our wildlife. And if you want to make your next adventure even more eco-conscious, get behind the wheel of one of the progressive and intelligent all-electric vehicles from Mercedes-Benz – the ideal entry into a more sustainable electric mobility lifestyle – and make it a road trip to remember.

Explore our range of all-electric vehicles here.

By Roxanne Andrews