The Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators (AMPTO) represents over 600 marine tourism businesses in Australia. However, when tourist Ian Cole was left alone in open water after a tour, AMPTO's executive officer McKenzie dismissed the serious safety incident. McKenzie refused Cole's request for a written apology and safety plans, reimbursing him only for his ticket. Media criticized AMPTO's inappropriate response, while stakeholders called out McKenzie's disrespect. Recommendations included that McKenzie apologize to Cole in writing and that AMPTO reevaluate members' safety protocols.

1. The Association of Marine Park
Tourism Operators

2. • The AMPTO is a non-for-profit limited
company, funded by members’ contributions,
whose role is to represent its members’
interests in all forums, and further the
development of best practice in presenting
the wonder of this world heritage area to the
world.

3. • AMPTO has members that work out of several
different cities in Australia.
• Over 600 individual marine-based tourism
businesses.
• Committed to ensuring the future of the reef
by regularly monitoring and improving
management of the reef.

4. • The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest
living coral reef.
• One of the healthiest reefs in the world today.
• Tourism is now the largest commercial activity
in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The
marine tourism industry is a major contributor
to the local and Australian economies.

5. • On June 28, 2011, Tourist Ian Cole wanted to
check out the Reef before heading back to the
U.S. after his 6 month stay in Australia.
• Cole’s boat left the reef and headed back to the
mainland without him.
• Cole had been out there for hours that day and
was left worn out in open water by himself.

6. • Luckily there was a boat within sight .
• Cole swam the 15 minute swim panicked and tired.
• The boat called the Passion of Paradise, the vessel that
left Cole, and they shortly back to pick him up.
• If the other boat wouldn’t have been within swimming
distance, Cole could have easily drowned or been
eaten by sharks.
• In 1988 two American tourists were left behind at the
reef and are believed to either have drowned or been
eaten by sharks. The movie “Open Water” is based off
of this incident.

7. Organizational Response
• Mckenzie, AMPTO executive officer, was very
inconsiderate when it came to the
organizations response.
• He believed that Cole was never in any danger,
and that because other boats were right there
there was nothing to worry about.

8. • Mckenzie made the following statement, “The
face that this guy [Ian Cole] talked about this
shows that he’s just seeking self-exposure, and
wants to be portrayed as a hero, you know, a
survivor. There’s no lesson to be learnt from
this. He is just making a mountain out of a
molehill, and trying to maximize his own self-
exposure. It’s just bullshit. He was never in any
danger. It was just like being left behind on a
beach”

9. • The organization would not send Cole a letter of
apology, with a detailed plan on how they were
going to ensure that this never happend again.
• Mckenzie and the organization thought this was a
lot of Cole to ask, and instead reimbursed him for
his ticket and sent him a $200 restaurant voucher.
• They would not talk to him about the incident.

10. Media Response
• Although there wasn’t much response in the
media, the press was sure to reiterate what
had happened and seemed to take Ian Cole’s
side of the story.
• The org. handled the crisis far too
inappropriately and the media was sure to let
stakeholders and tourists know.

11. Stakeholder Response
• Ian Cole was very upset with the org. because
all he wanted was an apology, and the written
plans for future safety. He never got them.
• Other operators in the industry said they had
an average, at best, system for ensuring role
upon departure.
• Several people commented on the online
articles about how disrespectful and horrible
Mckenzie was. Several people said they would
never use his services again.

12. Recommendations
• McKenzie should have written Cole the letter
he requested.
• It is his role to keep AMPTO an ethical and
trustworthy organization.
• AMPTO needs to reevaluate all of the
members they support and make sure all of
their safety codes are up to regulation.

13. • AMPTO didn’t take into consideration that even though
Cole wasn’t harmed, this could potentially be a fatal
mistake.
• Ultimately Mckenzie should have said something like “We
are investigating this very regrettable mistake and will take
all necessary actions to ensure this will not happen again.
We are very lucky there were other boats around so that
Cole was able to get help. We want to make a public
apology ensuring Cole and past and future tourists that this
will not happen again,” instead of being so inconsiderate
and careless about the ordeal.