Methods, technologies, good practices, case studies used in the implementation

Methods and technologies

Sustainable tourism is a broad umbrella term, which has several different sub-categories. Understanding the different types of sustainable tourism can be especially important for those involved in tourism marketing.

Ecotourism

Ecotourism is the name given to responsible or green tourism to areas of natural beauty, with a particular focus on ecological conservation. The aim of ecotourism is to protect the natural environment, to find ways to benefit local communities – while respecting their culture – and to educate tourists about the importance of responsible travel. Energy efficiency, water conservation and protection of wildlife and indigenous people are all key.

Community Tourism

Community tourism occurs when a local community invites tourists to visit and provides accommodation for them. Crucially, this ensures that the local community always has control over their local tourism industry, making the key decisions and setting their own restrictions. In many cases, community tourism is based on creating realistic experiences of what life is like in developing areas, and unique or unusual accommodation is a regular feature.

Rural / Ethno Tourism

Rural tourism refers to travel that centres around rural areas, rather than urban areas. It includes everything from hiking and camping trips, to agritourism, where tourists may participate in farming activities and experience agricultural lifestyles. Ultimately, this kind of tourism focuses on natural features, such as forests, hills, mountains, fields and waterfalls, rather than cities, tourist hot spots and built-up areas.

Soft Tourism

Soft tourism is a form of travel that prioritises local experiences, education, respect for local culture and the avoidance of tourist hot spots. It can be contrasted with hard tourism, or mass tourism, which is large-scale and focused on popular tourist attractions and destinations. Companies that are operating in accordance with soft tourism principles will prioritise longer stays, jobs for locals and measures to avoid over-crowding.

Good practices

Lahti Region, Finland

As European Green Capital Lahti is a frontrunner in climate work and a pioneer in sustainable and smart solutions. In the Lahti region, you can experience pure and diverse nature sustainably.

Seven environmental facts about Lahti

• Lahti will be a carbon-neutral city by 2025 as the first major city in Finland.
• The success story of Lahti as a pioneer in environmental expertise stretches back all the way to the 1970s and the restoration of Lake Vesijärvi.
• Thanks to the long-term development of waste management, Lahti has new kinds of jobs in circular economy companies, and as much as 97% of household waste is recovered.
• Lahti has already cut down its greenhouse gas emissions by 70% compared to the level of 1990.
• In Lahti, public transport is carried out with a bus fleet with the lowest emissions in Finland.
• Lahti is the first city in the world to introduce personal transport emissions trading for its residents.
• Lahti aims to become a waste-free circular economy city by 2050.

Lefay Resort and Spa, Lake Garda, Italy

Perched on the side of a mountain in Gargnano, the 11-hectare eco-resort remains one of the most beautiful in Europe. The luxury retreat was the first in Italy to be certified organic and ecological by Ecocert, one of the largest organic certification organizations in the world. Furthermore, the company was the first in the Italian tourism sector to work extensively to neutralize CO2 emissions. Its Green Book of measures allows it to take a holistic approach to sustainable tourism.

These focus on everything from saving water and energy to recycling and using resources responsibly. From its design to its daily operations, every aspect of the complex is eco-friendly. The resort is also built entirely from locally sourced biocompatible materials and is designed to merge seamlessly into the terraced hillsides. As well as creating minimal visual impact, its clever bioarchitecture also enables it to reduce energy consumption while maintaining a high level of thermal insulation. The resort also produces its own electricity on-site using state-of-the-art renewable energy systems. Meanwhile, rainwater is collected and recycled for use within the grounds; this includes six types of sauna, five relaxation areas, and an infinity pool.

https://www.expatica.com/lifestyle/travel/sustainable-tourism-destinations-europe-20175/

Self-Sustainable ‘Azurmendi’ Restaurant – Spain

Azurmendi is a restaurant in Bilbao, Spain, which has been awarded three Michelin stars, highlighting the overall quality of its food. However, what makes this restaurant truly special is its approach to sustainability, which ensures that visitors to the region can enjoy the food while engaging in sustainable tourism practices. Examples of the steps that are taken to promote sustainability include using geothermal and solar energy to power the restaurant and using the restaurant’s own vegetable garden to grow vegetables for use in the restaurant’s menu. Furthermore, much of the organic waste from the restaurant is turned into compost, which is used by local farmers.

Source:

Sustainable Tourism Guide: Why Important, Examples & More (revfine.com)

Sustainable tips for tourism operators

Start with sustainable business practices at the office

A lot of the time, sustainability begins at home. And in the case of business practices, the home is the office.

There are numerous ways you can incorporate sustainable practices in the workplace. Some proactive steps to reducing your carbon footprint at the office are:

• Switch to LED lights
• Implement a recycling program
• Permit flexible WFH options for roles where it works
• Eliminate or limit paper use with digital alternatives or a mobile booking app
• Install water-saving fixtures
• Incorporate renewable energy
• Check machine energy efficiency and replace older, less efficient machines
• Use hand dryers in the bathroom instead of paper towels

Support local communities and businesses

Tour operators possess the unique opportunity to drive positive change in their local community and help stimulate economic growth.

Supporting local economies will help instill a level of self-sufficiency into the future of your wider community. In turn, this will help attract new tourists to your destination. Here are some tips on how to support local communities as a sustainable tour operator:

• Recommend locally-owned hotels, restaurants and shops rather than international chains
• Run partnerships with local businesses to offer gift vouchers on tours
• If you provide food on your tour, source your ingredients from local businesses
• Hire from the local community and provide a fair income for your employees
• Encourage customers to purchase ethically and responsibly.

Reinvest into the community you serve

Consider reinvesting a percentage of your profit back into the broader community. This money can be used to:

• Invest in infrastructure, clean water and education
• Protect local resources and wildlife
• Donate to local social and environmental projects

Choose appropriate travel destinations

While customers find authentic experiences appealing, this authenticity shouldn’t come at the cost of damaging precious resources, sacred cultural sites or the local environment.

Respect local cultures by ensuring that the sites you take your customers to can be exposed to increased foot traffic. Some locations may require visitors to dress or behave in a certain way. Respect will look different from place to place. This makes it particularly important to keep customers informed of what is expected from them.

Promote low-emissions travel

Vehicular travel plays a significant role in the amount of emissions transmitted into the atmosphere. Organising eco-friendly transportation is a key measure you can take to actively cut down your carbon footprint and support green tourism.

You can also encourage low-emission travel to customers by recommending alternative, low-emission modes of transport to your location. Discourage customers from flying to their location if it isn’t necessary or consider promoting public transport by providing instructive information on your website on how to use local trains or buses to get to your site.

If your tour or activity business incorporates a shuttle service, consider investing in an electric or hybrid vehicle.

Ensure customers remain mindful of local cultures

Most of the time when travelers display ignorance of local customers, they are not purposefully trying to be disrespectful. Rather, inappropriate behavior while traveling often arises from a lack of awareness of local cultures.

Take the time to teach your tour customers about local cultural practices and discuss practical ways how customers can respect culture both during and after your tour. Inform your customers about local cultures in a fun and interesting way in order to inspire change.

Discourage littering

Everyone knows littering is bad for the environment, but sometimes people litter out of convenience. Encourage your customers to dispose of their litter properly by providing them with rubbish or recycling bags and limiting single-use plastics on your tour. Keep an eye out for littering and step in quickly if you spot out-of-line behavior amongst your customers.

Prevent wildlife interruption

Tourists should never alter the well-being of animals, whether that be by leaving rubbish or being in a close enough proximity to cause the animal stress. Ensure that any interaction between your guests and wild animals takes place at a distance. Teach your guests the importance of limiting interactions with wild animals and avoiding any kind of conduct that damages an animal’s habitat.