There are multiple studies outlining demand for sustainable tourism, however, be aware that most consumers will not ask for more sustainable options - they expect the tourism provider to just do it! Below are just a few highlights from studies. Sustaining Tourism has undertaken a number of studies to determine overall demand on this subject and assess demand for green products.
- a 2010 study done by a mass tour operator found that 44% of US and European customers said that if a company offered a sustainable holiday option, they would be interested. 44% also said they have a better image of a company that actively invest in environmental/social initiatives
- a 2009 study of 400 visitors to Toronto, Canada found that 15% always considered the impacts on a host community when travelling. 48% purchase locally made souvenirs in a destination and 47% choose public transport rather than renting a car in a destination
- 34% of US respondents in 2009 would visit an environmentally hotel or resort
- a US study in 2008 said that 48% of respondents were buying as much or more organic food as before the recession
- a 2007 study found that over half of respondents would be more likely to select an airline, hotel or rental car service that used more environmentally friendly products or processes.
The Millennium Development Goals although not often mentioned in tourism circles are important to tourism and should be examined and understood. 189 United Nations member states made pledges to meet the following eight goals by 2015.
8 Millennium Development Goals:
- Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
- Ensure environmental sustainability
- Promote gender equality and empower women
- Improve maternal health
- Reduce child mortality
- Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
- Achieve universal primary education
- Develop a global partnership for development
How does this affect the tourism industry?
These principles which were outlined at the World Economic Forum in 1999 and although they relate to business and government in a broad sense, they also relate specifically to tourism development as tourism can both hinder and potentially help these goals. As tourism is dependant on both natural and human assets for the promotion of the tourism product, the environment, people, disease and establishing and maintaining global partnerships for development are imperative to achieve and maintain a healthy industry. The implications of the MDG's should be considered by all players in the tourism industry.
For more information about sustainable tourism, check out the following links:
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM CHARTERS, DECLARATIONS AND CODES
Certification is popular subject in tourism and sustainability. Some
in the industry say it doesn't address the critical mass while others
say it is the only way to stop greenwashing. In late 2008, the global partnership for sustainable tourism criteria was formed. In 2009, a global body has been formed.
Certification can be described as the process of assuring industry and consumers that the assessed company has met a set of minimum standards.The purpose of certification has been to achieve voluntary standards which meet or exceed baseline standards or legislation
(Source: Dodds & Joppe, 2005)
See also ecotourism certification
Certification in tourism has always been a tumultous affair and there
is continuous debate especially as less than 1% of tourism industry suppliers are certified.
Some certification schemes which are well known in the tourism industry include:
For information about ecotourism and general tourism certification
programs, check out:
- Mohonk
Agreement - The framework and principles for the certification
of ecotourism and sustainable tourism which was agreed upon by multiple
parties within the tourism sector
Ecotourism Association of Ecuador (ASEC)
- Certification for Sustainable Tourism (Costa Rica) CST was designed to differentiate tourism sector businesses based on the degree to which they comply with a sustainable model of natural, cultural and social resource management, however, it is mainly ecolodges which have been certified.
- Nature and Ecotourism Accreditation Program (Australia) - Also check out The International Ecotourism Standard has been developed by the Ecotourism Association of Australia in conjunction with the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Sustainable Tourism of Australia.
Rainforest
Alliance
- SmartVoyager certification program is an Ecuadorian nonprofit group -- and the Rainforest Alliance, SmartVoyager minimizes the impact of tour boats in the Galapagos Islands by improving social and environmental conditions of boat operations.
- Ecotourism Certification Workshop - held by Planeta.com
the Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council (STSC) feasibility study,
coordinated by the Rainforest Alliance is available at http://www.rainforestalliance.org,
which presented its final conclusions in early 2003. An 18-month worldwide
consultation process concluded that there is a need to create regional
platforms to disseminate information about certification and to address
key issues such as the participation of small and medium-sized and community
based certification operations, financial sustainability, marketing, monitoring
and evaluation and accreditation.
- Green Key Program in Morocco
The project was established in 2008 by the Ministry and currently has over 40 certified properties.
Ecotourism can offer a viable combination of ecological and cultural protection, increase local awareness of the value of preserving the natural and cultural environments, and aid in economic development. However many sources suggest that most ecotourism efforts have focused towards advancing the economic objectives rather than protecting the very resources that attract visitors.
There has been much deliberation about the term 'ecotourism' but it is important to realize that it is the principals of ecotourism that are important - any form of tourism could become more sustainable but not all forms of tourism can be ecotourism. In addition, there is often controversy about whether ecotourism exists only in 'relatively undisturbed natural areas '. While undisturbed natural areas may be a focal point for most research and writing of ecotourism, the majority of ecotourism occurs in area that have been 'disturbed' and are often very close to activity or urban areas.
Principals of ecotourism often include:
- Natural areas
- Contains educational and interpretive features
- Generally for small groups
- Minimizes negative impacts
- Supports the protection of natural areas by generating economic benefits for host communities, organizations and authorities managing natural areas with conservation purposes
For more information about ecotourism, check out the following resources:
For information about associations/sites which offer ecotourism products, check out:
Urban sustainability is often talked about without looking at tourism as an integral part of development and promotion of a city. As 50% of the world's population live in cities, there is clearly a need to address issues of sustainable tourism as well as general sustainability and good governance.
Urban ecotourism can also be looked at as urban sustainability and exists in many forms. Urban ecotourism is often seen as a contradiction in terms however, the principals of ecotourism should be applied to all natural areas of tourism - especially for urban sustainability to develop (urban areas have culturally and environmentally sensitive areas too).
For more information about urban sustainability, check out the following resources:
Click here to read research papers
about urban ecotourism .
Responsible
tourism has been brought about as an awareness tool. Following similar
principles as ecotourism and sustainable tourism, it is aimed more specifically
at the customer or end user of tourism services.
For more information,
check out:
The more recognition more sustainable forms of tourism recieve in the international marketplace, so come the awards. Awards to recognize efforts in sustainble tourism should include all factors of triple bottom line sustainability which include environmental, social and economic factors. Some sustainable tourism awards include:
WTTC - Tourism for Tomorrow Award
Responsible Tourism Awards - Uk based
ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents) – Environmental Award
individuals, corporations, governments and governmental entities are entitled to this award. Annual international award for individuals and organisations for contributions to preservation and protection of the environment.
The
American Express Caribbean Environmental Awards
Open to all Caribbean hotel Association members for community initiatives
Conde
NasteTraveler - Ecotourism Award
Worldwide award for ecotourism including conserving the natural environmental
and helping locals
Conservation
International World Legacy Awards
International award where applicants are judged on environmental commitment,
sensitivity to environmental issues, cultural sensitivity and cultural
benefits and leadership and innovation Includes a general category of
general purpose hotels and resorts
European Sustainable Tourism Prize
This EU award is divided into public and private iniatives for sustainable tourism. The general objective of the Project is to foster the integration between tourism and environmental strategies.
The
Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa FEDHASA Imvelo Awards
2003 The Imvelo Awards enable hospitality and tourism businesses
to illustrate their commitment to responsible tourism and to showcase
their economic, social and environmental achievements.
Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI)
Environmental Champion of the year award for large hotels and also small hotels and restaurants
HotelSpec
European Hotel Design Award
Recognizes design excellence in the European hospitality sector.
IH&RA
(International Hotel and Restaurant Association) – Green Hotelier of the
Year
Promotes environmental awareness among hotels and recognise the efforts
being made to "green" the industry from within
IMEX
Environmentally Responsible Meetings Award
Recognizes environmental excellence within the international meetings industry
Green Meeting industry Council
Three green awards for greening and community efforts within the hospitality industry.
Orange National Business Awards
Environmental Awareness Award that recognizes UK businesses who demonstrate outstanding environmental performance and innovation
Queens
Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development
The Queen's award for for sustainable development recognises business
units which have made outstanding advances or have a high level of continuous
achievemen, in the environmental and social impacts included in sustainable
development.
PATA
(Pacific Asia Travel Association) Gold Award
For PATA member organizations and chapters the awards are presented in
four categories: Environment, Marketing, Education and Training and Heritage
and Culture. The Environment award has the following categories: ecotourism/travel-related
project, corporate environmental programmes and environmental education
programme
Email: paveena@pata.th.com
Royal
Destination Award
A European award in collaboration with Destilink to recognise'state of
the art' destinations which contribute to sustainable tourism development.
Skål International Ecotourism Awards
Skål is a professional organisation of tourism leaders around the world, promoting global tourism and friendship. Skål International today has approximately 25,000 members in more than 525 Clubs throughout 80 nations. The first Club was founded in 1932 in Paris by travel managers, following an educational tour of Scandinavia.
Smithsonian
Magazine/TCF Sustainable Tourism Award
Consisting of two awards , the Award for Preservation is given annually to a person, company or institution that supports preservation or restoration of historic or culturally significant entities. The recipient must demonstrate a clear connection between their endeavors and tourism. The Award for Conservation is given annually to a person, company or institution in honor of work that enhances or conserves the physical environment. The recipient must demonstrate a clear connection between their endeavors and tourism.
Stockholm Industry Water Award
Recognizes companies internationally that have shown excellence in freshwater consumption reduction, pollution elimination or innovative programmes, polices or products
The Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa FEDHASA Imvelo Awards 2003
For hospitality and tourism businesses to illustrate their commitment to responsible tourism and to showcase their economic, social and environmental achievements.
TO!DO
International contest on socially responsible tourism. This worldwide award recognizes tourism projects which take into consideration the needs and interests of the local population
More about island issues and tourism
The Icarus Foundation is a not-for-profit environmental, policy, research
and education organization focused on sustaining a climate friendly tourism
industry.
Flying is the most carbon intensive way to travel. 'Aviation at present
accounts for 2-3 % of greenhouse gases and generates nearly as much carbon
dioxide in one year as the total population of Africa.' (source: IIPC,
2004). It is estimated that air emissions are 2-4x that of air emissions
and air travel is expected to become 8% of the total contribution to greenhouse
gas emissions by 2020.
Read about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change tourism case
studies here and the Trouble with Air Travel and Trees (IIED, 2007)
Educating yourself and others about how to be a carbon conscious traveller? Use the following checklist to be a more carbon conscious traveller. Click here to download a number of tips that travellers can do.
Small businesses can track and reduce your carbon footprint with Gobi, which is an online software tool.
To read more about climate change, check out these reports:
Should you Offset?
The aviation industry is a small - although fast-growing - contributor
to greenhouse gas emissions, but per kilometre its impact outstrips that
of any other form of transport. This research paper examines whether carbon offsetting a viable green solution to the problem.
The best way to reduce emissions is to adopt more sustainable
practices in energy, water and waste - reduce, reuse, recycle - however,
whatever cannot be reduced can be offset - this should be the last step in your reduction targets. The first step to do is to calculate your carbon footprint.
Projects vary from tree planting
to investment in renewable energy sources and offset companies offer different
tonne calculations and projects. Some organisations to consider include:
However, many people don't wish to give money to a company when they cannot see where their money goes. Consider giving to a local project instead. To read more, click here.
A number of companies are offsetting their emissions. Silverjet airlines
is the first airline to go carbon neutral. Westjet in Canada has partnered
with Offsetters and Expedia and Travelocity also offer offsetting through
their website in partnership with Terrapass. As an individual or business,
you can offset your travel and reduce your ecological footprint.
