Sustainable tourism: A vademecum
AGENDA 2030
The World Tourism Organization defines sustainable tourism as “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, industry, the environment and host communities”.
The 2030 Agenda aims to “develop and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products” by 2030. The sustainable tourism sector is also identified as one of the tools to “increase the benefits economic benefits for small island developing States and least developed countries“
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a program of action for people, planet and prosperity signed in September 2015 by the governments of the 193 UN member countries. It incorporates 17 Sustainable Development Goals– Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs – in a large action program for a total of 169 ‘targets’ or goals. The official launch of the Sustainable Development Goals coincided with the beginning of 2016, guiding the world on the path to follow over the next 15 years: countries, in fact, have committed to achieving them by 2030.
Agenda 2030 objectives linked to sustainable tourism:
GOAL 8 Decent work and economic growth
GOAL 12 Responsible consumption and production
GOAL 14 Life below water
EUROPEAN AGENDA FOR TOURISM
In December 2022, the European Council adopted the European Agenda for Tourism 2030. The agenda focuses on five priorities: the green and digital transitions, resilience and inclusion, skills and support, as well as an enabling policy and governance framework, including different actions for each priority.
The European Agenda for Tourism 2030 highlights the need to protect the tourism sector and, at the same time, to develop a forward-looking vision to take advantage of the willingness of many European tourists to change their travel habits to become more sustainable and responsible .
In the transition process, the tourism community is invited to adopt measures in 27 areas, including:
invest in circularity
to reduce waste, pollution and energy and water consumption and at the same time offer a better response to the growing demand for sustainable tourism;
strengthen data sharing practices
to predict new innovative tourism services and improve sustainable destination management;
invest in skills
to ensure the availability of a qualified workforce and attractive career prospects in the ecosystem.
"Tourism is changing, almost turning into a social need"
Eduardo Santander,
Director of European Travel Commission
The European Environment Agency (EEA) has designed DestiNet, a portal designed for all those who have a role in the management of tourist destinations at European level. The portal is organized in such a way as to facilitate the dissemination of information and the exchange of knowledge between stakeholders, aimed at optimizing the coherence of political decisions and the evaluation of the effectiveness of the measures taken.
The tourism industry has now become aware of the strong impact it has on both the natural environment and local communities. If on the one hand it constitutes a strong driving force for the economy on the other, especially if we consider mass tourism, it leads to an increase in the prices of services and accommodation, high consumption of water and energy sources and impoverishment of the ecosystem.
However, tourists are becoming increasingly aware of the effects of their travel choices. It is now extremely important for tourist locations and companies to offer sustainable travel to consumers, so as to respond to the demands of a growing market share.
According to a study carried out in 2022 by Expedia – the famous OTA – the aspects that travelers consider most significant of sustainable tourism are:
1.reduction of environmental impact;
2.support for local economies;
3.support for local cultures and communities;
4.visit lesser-known destinations.
of global travelers intend to stay in a sustainable property at
least once in the coming year
of global travelers have stayed in a sustainable
accommodation at least once over the past year and the
reasons vary:
A report on sustainable tourism by Booking.com (download the pdf) states that half (50%) of those interviewed say that the latest news on climate change has influenced them to make more sustainable travel choices, and there is a growing desire to travel more sustainable.
But there are also misconceptions or actual shortcomings regarding sustainable travel and accommodation options. For example, many travelers believe that sustainable accommodation is in areas that are too remote, unattractive or poorly connected, that they are too expensive or that they do not have adequate comforts.
say that sustainable travel doesn’t provide the luxury and comfort they want on vacation
say that sustainable travel
destinations appeal to them less
than other destinations
SMALL VADEMECUM FOR BUSINESSES
The transition to a more sustainable tourism model is a complex and partly still unexplored path. Despite the new and widespread environmental sensitivity of consumers and the commitment of some institutions and companies, the numbers show that sustainability is still a path to be followed. Only 47.8% of travel executives, according to Euromonitor, say their company is investing in sustainable products and services or is driving the sustainable transformation of back-end operations.
To best address the challenges of this innovation process, the «Ariadne’s thread of tourism» project aims to provide guidelines to companies that want to embark on the path to sustainability.
UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGES
The transition to a sustainable tourism model requires commitment and continuous updating on the part of workers, given that it is an evolving sector it is necessary to keep up with the times.
Clearly communicating the company’s commitment to its environmental impact may not be easy but it must be a priority
DIFFICULTIES FOR CONSUMERS
Tourists often struggle to find the right information on sustainable travel options
The lack of recognized standards and certifications complicates research:
- Not all users understand the advantages and benefits of sustainable choices.
- Some believe that sustainable tourism is more expensive, less comfortable, less attractive.
IMPROVING COMMUNICATION OF SUSTAINABLE OPTIONS
According to the Booking report, a real difficulty that travelers experience is the difficulty in finding information regarding sustainable options, therefore the tourism industry should deal with the need for clear and achievable communication regarding its environmental impact and the various choices available .
A company wishing to enter this sector should therefore follow the following principles to define its marketing strategy: it is necessary to define a marketing strategy inspired by the following principles.
∙Transparency: to make things easier for the consumer it is necessary to provide truthful and updated information on all the company’s sustainability policies. This information can be in the descriptions of the proposed experiences or on a specific page on the official website.
∙Clarity: the language must be clear and concise, without technicalities. If you have an ecological certification, it is right to show it on the site, especially on the product and service pages.
∙Reward the end user: a good strategy is to provide incentives for customers who choose an eco-friendly tour or activity: it can be a discount, dedicated content or a free item.
SUPPORT FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
Many of the people who choose sustainable tourism believe that this is less harmful to local communities and that their travel experience is more “real”, that is, it allows them to gain experiences and knowledge linked to the territory and the social context that they visit. It is therefore a good idea for the tourism company to interact with the local community and make best use of its resources by following these guidelines:
Local sourcing:
- Collaboration with local suppliers and shopkeepers.
- Offer local products and promote local manufacturing and artisans.
Eco Tours:
- Offer experiences that promote knowledge of local flora and fauna.
- Support environmental protection projects.
Local collaborations:
- Work with environmental associations and protection organizations in the area
- Integration of environmental protection projects in tours, for example visits to the coastal area and species monitoring action with the accompaniment of an expert.
Hiring local workers:
- For some business sectors, it is possible to prioritize the hiring of local staff, staff who know the places, stories and traditions of the place well.
Environmental awareness:
- Provide tools for proper waste disposal.
- Reduce the use of single-use plastic.
- Offer different transport options and information on their level of sustainability
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM GLOSSARY
Sustainable tourism aims to minimize the negative effects and maximize the positive effects of tourism on the environment, society and the economy.
Aims to make places better for both tourists and residents, highlights the need to take responsibility for the impact of tourism activity.
Responsible travel in natural areas while protecting biodiversity and supporting the well-being of local people.
The term has introduced a new way of thinking about tourism, which in some ways surpasses concepts such as sustainable or responsible tourism: while these two focus on reducing the negative impact of tourism on places, regenerative tourism instead aims to generate value, to contribute to environmental, economic, and social well-being.
Green tourism stands for small-scale tourism that involves visiting natural areas while minimizing environmental impact.
A form of tourism that is specifically designed to encourage both the tourism industry and travelers to consider the ethical implications of their actions and avoid participation in activities that contribute to ethical abuses in tourist destinations.
Slow tourism is a way of travel that is experience-centered, slow, in-depth, and allows for deep immersion and knowledge of the destination.
Tourism experiences hosted and managed and/or owned by local communities that generate direct economic benefits and are sustainable and responsible. It allows visitors to learn about the local culture and way of life and enables communities to establish their own self-managed enterprise and improve living conditions without harming the natural and social environment.
CASE STUDIES
SUSTAINABLE HOSPITALITY ALLIANCE
Hospitality operators have long understood the financial and reputational benefits of adopting sound environmental, social and economic practices.
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance is an organization that brings together 25 percent of the global hospitality industry (by number of rooms) with the goal of addressing common issues in the areas of human rights and youth employment, as well as climate action and water management. The SHA provides resources, expertise and guidance, as well as an active network useful to hospitality professionals who want to take the direction of sustainability. Several case studies can also be viewed on the site, including the one described in the next slide.
COURTYARD STOCKOLM ÉS A COFFEEMAGIC
Instead of throwing away coffee grounds, the 4-star Courtyard Stockholm hotel has joined forces with a local start-up, Coffeemagic, to create a natural body scrub. It is a sustainable solution to reduce food waste and extend the life cycle of coffee. Sweden is one of the largest consumers of coffee in the world, with an average consumption of 80.1 thousand metric tons per year. It is estimated that it takes about 140 liters of water to produce a single cup.
In 2021, a young student interning at the Courtyard in Stockholm came up with the idea of reusing coffee grounds to create a body scrub. The team immediately got involved and supported the idea by contacting Emilie Loman of Coffeemagic, a local start-up that takes used coffee grounds, dries them, mixes them with natural ingredients, and packages them in reusable glass jars. The scrub includes only natural ingredients, has no chemical preservatives and is animal and environmentally friendly. The product is also certified by the Swedish Medical Products Agency. Coffeemagic body scrub is an innovative idea to reduce waste and fits in with Marriott International’s sustainability choices.
DESTINATION MANAGEMENT DUBROVNIK, CROATIA
Dubrovnik has a population of 42,000, of which only 2,000 live in the Old Town. The growth of visitor arrivals and the cruise industry , has led to significant challenges such as traffic congestion, overcrowding, pollution, and waste management problems.
A 2015 UNESCO/ICOMOS report concluded that to prevent environmental and social damage, the city’s carrying capacity should not exceed 8,000 tourists per dayand recommended exploring measures to ensure adequate management of cruise visitors in the Old Port. It was therefore clearly necessary to encourage major changes in the way cruise operators work in the city. The city of Dubrovnik therefore recognized the need to cooperate with stakeholders to address these issues and manage tourism growth in a more sustainable way by addressing the causes and effects of overtourism.
In 2017, Dubrovnik’s “Respect the City” campaign was launched, focusing on preserving cultural heritage, safeguarding the quality of life of residents, responsible use of resources, and providing the best possible visitor experience. The project included three phases:
- Creating public-private partnerships, promoting communication, coordination and cooperation among stakeholders;
- Development of innovative solutions through optimization, distribution and diversification;
- Introduction and improvement of short- and long-term monitoring systems.
In 2018, cameras and counting machines were installed at six key entry points to the Old City to limit access to the city to a maximum of 6,000 visitors at any one time. This information, along with data on overnight stays, cruise arrivals, and daily weather data, informs an application that uses an algorithm to predict the number of people in the Old Town. Residents and visitors can access this information on “Dubrovnik Visitor,” which helps encourage visits and daily activities during quieter hours.
Recognizing that addressing the impacts of cruise tourism is critical to the sustainable management of Dubrovnik as a destination, the city has also developed a working relationship with CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), culminating in a memorandum of understanding in 2019.
This establishes an agreement for docking policies to limit the number of passengers disembarking at one time; and a campaign to educate visitors about the city’s culture and traditions and promote other attractions so visitors are not concentrated solely in the Old Town.
VOSGES DU NORD
The Vosges du Nord Nature Park Authority has developed a choice of walking packages on the trails, linking many of them with a service offer, various small accommodation operators and organizing luggage transfer.
In addition, the park has a dedicated sustainable tourism development team that supports municipalities at the urban planning level and communities in developing and promoting local resources and know-how.
