Great Barrier Reef tour operators say a decision to allow the dumping of dredge spoil near the reef's marine park area will affect the region's tourism industry and Australia's international reputation.

Nearly 3 million cubic metres of spoil will be tipped in an area near the marine park as part of the Abbot Point coal port expansion near Bowen after permission was granted on Friday by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) with 47 strict conditions.

Scientists and conservation lobbyists had urged the rejection of the expansion, arguing sediment from dredging could smother corals and seagrasses and expose them to poisons and elevated nutrients.

Jan Klaxton, the owner and operator of a business in the Whitsunday Islands for 13 years, says the authority's decision to allow the dumping of dredge spoil came as a shock.

"We take over 100 people a day out to visit the wonderful Whitsunday Islands. And we go snorkelling and bushwalking and return them as happy people, having learnt something about our reef and our Whitsunday Islands," she said.

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"I've always assumed that GBRMPA, as custodians of our reef, would be the final say and only consider the environment with the decision they make.

"And obviously this has not been the case at all, because it's black and white: if they were considering the environment, they wouldn't even give them an option of dumping dredge spoil in the reef."

Economists have estimated the Great Barrier Reef contributes $6.4 billion a year to Australia and employs more than 60,000 people.

Ecotourism Australia chief executive Rod Hillman says he believes the dredging decision will affect more than just tourism on the reef.

"You look at all the marketing collateral and the campaigns that Tourism Australia use, and the main feature is Australia's natural advantage; we've got all these national parks, we've got the unique animals, fantastic landscapes," he said.

"People will only read the headlines from overseas, they will see that these kinds of decisions seem to be saying that the Australian Government doesn't care.

"So if the Australian Government doesn't care, why should they?"

Fears reef dumping approval will impact international reputation

In announcing the decision on Friday, the marine park authority assured stakeholders there will be safeguards to ensure the reef would not be adversely affected.

Dozen of conditions have been imposed, including limits on when the spoil can be dumped, a long-term water quality monitoring plan and compensation for commercial fishers.

However, all of the tour operators contacted by AM indicated that they were looking at legal action and planned to speak with local politicians.

"There's a 20 per cent probability that the spoil can head towards the direction of the Whitsundays, and there's a lot of sedimentation locally and that's a real concern for water quality to workplace health and safety issues for diving, obviously, for visibility," Whitsunday Charter Boat Industry Association president Tony Brown said.

"UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation), if they put the reef on an endangered list, that would be detrimental to tourism not only for the Whitsundays but for the whole Barrier Reef and probably for the whole of Australia."

Alan Grundy runs tour company Explore Whitsundays and says he does not believe the conditions designed to protect the reef are adequate and overseas visitors have already expressed disappointment at the decision.

"From a tourism operator's perspective, my concern is particularly in relation to the quality of the water and the health of the Great Barrier Reef. It's already declining, but the reef can't stand any more sediments," he said.

"The reef is World Heritage listed, and it's one of the seven wonders of the world, so people are surprised that it's being used for industrial spoil dumping.

"The customers that come here are here to visit the reef and to snorkel and dive on it. They all remember the movie Finding Nemo. They come here to see that and unfortunately, it is under stress."