Responsible & Sustainable Tourism –

How is it remodelling the industry?

Steve Noakes

Topics:

Planet &people

Sustainability Demand GSTC Travel agency

groups

Thanks for the photo

Photograph by Kris LeBoutillier

Less is more at Castaway Resort on Koh Lipe island, ThailandGuests dine on fresh local fare while cozily

seated on breeze-fanned platforms.

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/southeast-asian-beaches-photos-traveler/#/outdoor-dining-castaway-resort_21944_600x450.jpg

Nice planet.Good place for travel.

Asia & the Pacific

Image from Voyager 1 (1977)

Beyond our moon –7.25 million miles from Earth

Thanks NASA for the photo.

Humans on spaceship earth. Impacts & resource use

“Earth provides

enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.”

Mahatma Gandhi

http://gandhifoundation.org/

SUSTAINABILITYGanges River Festival

Photograph by David Lazar

Hindu pilgrims bathe in the Ganges hoping to wash away their sins.

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/india-photos/#/shower-festival-ganges_6744_600x450.jpg

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

CHAPTER 1

EMERGENCE OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

6

Tourism demand - continuous growth in post WW2 period.Expansion of Asia Pacific.

Green demand -Who wants responsible approaches to tourism?

Trip Advisor (2012) : 700+ US travellers surveyed

71%: will would make environmentally friendly choices this year

57% : “often” make eco-friendly travel decisions, such as their choice of hotel, transportation, or food source

41% “mostly” believe hotel claims to be eco-friendly, 32 % “rarely” do and 20 % “don’t know”.

21% would be “green believers” if they were able to see a hotel’s environmentally-friendly certification

61% rarely feel informed about whether hotels are truly eco-friendly – and 13% say they never do.

“Green initiatives are an increasing priority for hospitality businesses that are trying to reduce their environmental footprint”

Jenny Rushmore, Director of Responsible Travel TripAdvisor.

http://www.multivu.com/mnr/49260-tripadvisor-eco-friendly-travel-survey-voluntourism-go-green

Neilson (2012): 2012 Global Corporate Citizenship Survey28,000 consumers in 56 countries

Almost half of global consumers are willing to pay more for products from companies that show a commitment to social responsibility.

62% prefer to work for these companies

59% prefer to invest in these companies

http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/Nielsen-Report-Corporate-Citizenship-040312.aspx

Consumers in Asia Pacific (55%) rate higher than any other region in willingness to pay extra for products & services from socially-responsible companies

Industry responding: TUI sustainability goals

Marketplace confusion on terms & ecoloabels

GSTC: The international body for :

1. fostering increased knowledge &understanding of sustainable tourism practices

2. promoting the adoption of universal sustainable tourism principles

3. building demand for sustainable travel

www.gstcouncil.org

GSTC programs:

International standardsettingDestinations

Education & trainingMarket accessAccreditation

Global sustainable tourism CRITERIA

• Sustainable management• Socioeconomic impacts• Cultural impacts• Environmental impacts (including consumption of resources, reducing pollution & conserving biodiversity and landscapes)

Hotels & Tour Operators criteria + Destinations criteria

So far, 15 standards have achieved GSTC recognised status

1. Travelife for Hotels and Accommodations

2. Austrian Ecolabel for Tourism (Österreichisches Umweltzeichen)

3. Biosphere Responsible Tourism

4. Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) for hotels

5. EarthCheck Company Standard

6. Eco-Certification Malta

7. Ecotourism Australia's ecotourism standard

8. Ecotourism Australia's advanced ecotourism standard

9. Ecotourism Ireland Certification Programme

10. European Ecotourism Labeling Standard (EETLS)

11. Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA)

12. Japan Environmentally Sustainable Accommodations International Standard (ESAIS)

13. Rainforest Alliance standard for tourism operations

14. SustainaProgram (STEP)

15. Travelife Sustainability System for Hotels and Accommodationshttp://www.gstcouncil.org/about/news-a-announcements/713-travelife-achieves-recoble Tourism Eco-Certification gnized-global-sustainable-tourism-council-status-for-its-tour-operator-and-travel-agents-standard.html

Examples of national travel agency organisations engaging with GSTC

http://www.asta.org/BusinessServices/content.cfm?ItemNumber=3652&navItemNumber=3732

October 5, 2010: ASTA Joins Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

Feb 4, 2013: Travelife Standard for Tour Operators and Travel Agents has achieved ‘recognized’ GSTC certification status.

UFTAA’s Mission Statement – an organisation that …

‘… enhances the world travel and tourism industry and a sustainable tourism.’

How can UFTAA continuously improve its leadership for:(i) sustainable business approaches by its members?(ii) catering to the growing global market for sustainable

tourism products?

Thank you

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/india-photos/#/varanasi-train-station_6745_600x450.jpg

Varanasi Train StationPhotograph by Thomas Holton/Getty Images