Spotlight: Sustainability
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council Launches Criteria for Destinations
May 4, 2012
GSTC Invites Public to Comment on New Guidelines for Sustainable Destinations Washington, D.C. - The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) announces the release of their Criteria for Destinations. The criteria are a set of guiding principles and performance indicators designed to lead destination managers, communities, and businesses on a path to sustainability: maximizing social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits while minimizing negative impacts. The Destination Criteria complement the existing GSTC Criteria for Hotels and Tour Operators, which have become a worldwide standard for tourism sustainability. “While many destinations have been impacted by unsustainable development in the past, more and more destinations are now realizing the importance of sustainable tourism and are seeking outside support and guidelines to help set them on the right path,” says Erika Harms, Executive Director of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. “The GSTC’s Destination Criteria... Read More →
Spotlight: Sustainability
Fight to Stop Offshore Drilling in Belize’s Barrier Reef
April 12, 2012
Despite citizen outcry in Belize, a country where 30 percent of the population works in the tourism industry, the government is going ahead with plans to drill offshore, including in the middle of the Mesoamerican reef “which is the world’s second largest barrier reef system, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a destination point for over 60 percent of the tourists that support Belize’s economy.” Many are worried that an oil spill in the area would have catastrophic effects on the entire water system and the country’s tourism. For detailed background on the international controversy, read the entire article by Ted Danson on the Huffington Post. Read More →
Spotlight: Sustainability
A Way To Save The Rhino, Just Not Its Horn
April 12, 2012
As rhino poaching numbers climb in several African regions, even as the species becomes more endangered, a controversial new way of stopping the practice is gaining traction: the rhinos are tranquilized, their horns harvested and they’re allowed to live and grow new ones. NPR reports there were 448 rhinos reported killed for their horns in 2011 - a third-straight record-breaking year in South Africa. The impetus? Widespread belief in Asia they are a medicinal cure all. The proposed solution would be rhino farms where the animals would be anesthetized and de-horned to try and decrease poaching and illegal sales. To squelch the black market, Gwin says some advocate for rhino ranches, where the horns are cut in a way that allows them to grow back. The horns would then be harvested for legal. Many conservation groups oppose the practice. For more information, read the article on NPR. Read More →
Spotlight: Sustainability
Court to Rule on Legal Case Against the Serengeti Highway
February 28, 2012
Assistant Editor’s Note: ATTA has previously stated our commitment to this cause outlined below by this member organization. We have continued to cover and support this topic – here is some more background. The East African Court of Justice will decide on March 15 whether to proceed with a case against the Serengeti Highway. A legal case was filed last year by the Africa Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW), a Kenya nonprofit organization, challenging the Tanzanian government’s decision to build a highway across the Serengeti National Park. ANAW claimed that if the highway were constructed, it would have far-reaching and destructive consequences on the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem which is shared between Kenya and Tanzania. It asked that the highway stopped through a permanent injunction. The East Africa Court of Justice Appellate Division will make a ruling on March 15th, 2012, on whether the Tanzanian government has grounds to oppose jurisdiction of the court. If the higher... Read More →
Spotlight: Sustainability
Has the Ski Industry Got its Head in the Snow about Climate Change?
February 13, 2012
With mountainous regions under threat from global warming, is the winter sports business doing enough to protect the delicate eco-system in its care? Assistant Editor’s Note: The following paragraph is the introduction to an article posted on The Ecologist, by Ben Hudson. Every year, one million skiers take to the slopes from the UK alone, while a staggering five million Brits consider themselves to be skiers even if they don’t actually make it to the mountains. Europe is home to thousands of ski resorts, with Austria, France, Switzerland and Italy among the most popular. The Alps alone has more than 600 resorts with more than 10,000 pipes, half pipes and ski lifts catering for 85 per cent of the UK’s skiers. But what impact does the annual influx of tourists have on mountainous regions’ delicate eco-systems? And what effect is climate change having on the ski business itself? To finish the article, please click here. Read More →
Spotlight: Sustainability
Travel and Responsible Climate Protection
February 13, 2012
Guest post by Megan Epler Wood A battle to curb the impacts of aviation on our global climate was won on December 21, 2011. On that day, the European Union’s highest court rejected all legal efforts to omit a group of American airlines from the emissions trading scheme in European air space. This decision should be supported by environmentally concerned travelers and the travel industry worldwide. The international travel and tourism industry has done a great deal in the last 20 years to promote more sustainable practices and better environmental management. But few initiatives have significantly lowered the industry’s contribution to the growing climate crisis. There are effective ways to get this problem under control, and most of them have to do with aviation. Total tourist trips are anticipated to grow by 180% in the next 30 years and distances traveled are predicted to double. With business as usual, aviation may grow faster than any other source green house gas emissions... Read More →
Spotlight: Sustainability
Nature’s Best, the Ecotourism Society of Sweden, is Awarded the 2011 WWF Carl Mannerfelt Prize
January 25, 2012
Stockholm – The Ecotourism Society of Sweden has been awarded the 2011 WWF Carl Mannerfelt Prize for its work with sustainable tourism and the Nature’s Best quality mark. The prize is around USD 15,000. This is not the first time the Society’s groundbreaking work with quality marking has been acknowledged – it has previously won the Great Tourism Prize and the Änglamark Prize. ”We’re very pleased and proud about the prize. It’s particularly pleasing that our work with sustainable tourism is recognised in this way,” says Ulf Lovén, Chairman of the Ecotourism Society of Sweden, which now has over 200 quality-marked Nature’s Best activities in Sweden, from Skåne in the very south to Lappland in the far north. The prize, which was awarded for the final time last year, is aimed at stimulating sustainable use of natural resources with technical and financial development under the motto, “Conservation and Development”. The comment of the jury was as follows: “The... Read More →
Spotlight: Sustainability
Leading Travel Companies Commit To Sustainable Tourism Through the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria
January 24, 2012
Assistant Editor’s Note: We asked Erika Harms, the Executive Director of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, to answer a few questions for us – those answers are below, above the recent GSTC press release. Erika Harms What role do you see the ATTA and its members should / might want to play in support for the GSTC? (In the context of what you have in mind for the growing adventure tourism community especially). The adventure tourism community is a natural stakeholder for the goals of the GSTC. Sustainable Tourism, including not only environmental conservation, but cultural and socio economic benefits for local communities is at the heart of adventure travel. Promoting clear principles that define sustainable tourism clearly differentiates between green washers and the real deal. ATTA has the ability, but promoting the GSTC criteria and enabling access to its members to its implementation, can help those that are truly seeking sustainability make a difference. ATTA... Read More →
Spotlight: Sustainability
Sustainable Travel International’s STEP Eco-Certification Standard Recognized by Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria
January 16, 2012
Portland, OREGON– Sustainable Travel International (STI) is pleased to announce that its STEP eco-certification standard has been officially recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. To achieve this recognition, STEP underwent a rigorous review and authorization procedure. As a result, STEP is now considered equivalent to the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, the worldwide minimum sustainability requirements for tourism businesses of all sizes. “We’re very excited that STEP is among the first global standards to be recognized by the GSTC,” said Bobby Chappell, STI’s Director of Standards and Certification. “As we continue to build the case for sustainability in the travel and tourism industry, this recognition is further proof that STEP is among the most innovative, engaging, and accessible tools for businesses worldwide.” STEP is designed to help tourism businesses assess their operations and identify industry best practices, in order to mitigate harmful impacts... Read More →
Spotlight: SustainabilityWTTC Calls on Governments for Low-carbon Growth Policies in the Tourism Industry
December 21, 2011
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has issued a Communiqué during the International Climate Change Negotiations in Durban which urges governments to develop Climate Change policies which ensure that Travel & Tourism can grow sustainably and continue to provide millions of new jobs across the planet, regardless of whether an agreement is reached in Durban. As one of the world’s largest industries, generating more than 9% of global GDP and accounting for some 260 million jobs worldwide, the continued growth of the Travel & Tourism industry is critical to the economic and social wellbeing of millions of people, and is therefore a key driver of economic recovery. As such, Travel & Tourism has an immense role to play in climate change mitigation and adaptation. To help governments expand on the sustainable policy structure needed, WTTC is calling for: Supportive and progressive policy frameworks; Programmes which foster innovation; Investment in transparent reporting,... Read More →
