Sustainable Tourism

Tourism is today one the largest drivers of employment and development. Millions of people are employed in the sector around the world, in a wide range of positions and levels, contributing significantly to local economic growth and wellbeing. Tourism is also responsible for 5% of the world’s CO2 emissions, out of which hotels and other types of accommodation account for 2% - a comparatively small, yet important, footprint that the tourism sector has assumed as a priority to be addressed.

Sustainable tourism is tourism attempting to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate future employment for local people. The aim of sustainable tourism is to ensure that development brings a positive experience for local people, tourism companies and the tourists themselves. Sustainable tourism is not the same as ecotourism.

What are the benefits of being sustainable?

By making sustainability a focus, businesses can:

Increase tourists by promoting your sustainability credentials to ‘green-savvy’ consumers who make purchase decisions based on minimising their own footprint.

Reduce operating costs by undertaking initiatives that reduce waste, water and energy consumption.

Develop a competitive advantage by establishing and promoting sustainable business practices as a point of difference.

Attract and retain valuable staff by adopting policies that meet with employee values and concerns.

Encourage investors interested in companies with long-term sustainability plans that minimise operating risks in the future.

Increase long-term profitability by putting plans in place now that will create savings in the future such as minimising transport costs that will continue to rise as fuel becomes more expensive.