GREEN TOURISM TRENDS, SENSE OF PLACE AND COMMUNITY

SUSTAINABILITY: GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS

A PRESENTATION AT THE GREEN TOURISM SUMMIT AND MAZINGIRA AWARDS

11TH AND 12TH JUNE 2015

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL

BY PROF. R. O. B. MAKOPONDO PhD

DIRECTOR, SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM STUDIESTHE TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OFKENYA

PRESENTATION OUTLINEINTRODUCTION

DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS SUSTAINABLE TOURISM GREEN TOURISM SENSE OF PLACE

GUIDELINES FOR TOURISM PROVIDERS

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

Definition: “Tourism that takes full account of its current & future economic, social & environmental impacts, addressing needs of visitors, Industry, environment and host communities”. (UN)

Sustainable Tourism should: Make optimal use of environmental

resources Respect socio-cultural authenticity of host

communities

Sustainable Tourism ctd’

Ensure viable, long-term economic operation

Sustainable tourism development requires the informed participation of all relevant stakeholders & strong political will to ensure wide participation and consensus building

Should maintain high level of tourist satisfaction

Sustainable Tourism ctd’

Achieving sustainable tourism is a continuous process and requires constant monitoring of impacts, introducing necessary preventive and/or corrective measures whenever necessary.

FACETS OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

Environment

Balancing the use of Balancing the use of environmental resources & environmental resources & the economic benefits changes to the

social/community values of those environmental

resources

Economic

Social

Balancing economic growth and development and the Impacts of

development on community/social values

Sustainable Tourism

Facets of Sustainable Tourism

i) Economic Facet Tourism is considered an export industry It directly and indirectly impacts global

economy Tourism contributes more than 9% of

global GDP and almost same % of jobs globally

Tourism has a value of 1trilion a year

Economic Facet ctd’

Many services linked to tourism are classified under sectors such as business, financial and recreational services

Regulatory commitment under General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) play significant role in promoting tourism

International travel has become one of the fastest growing economic activity worldwide

Facet of Sustainable Tourism Development ctd’

ii) Environmental Facet Balances the use of environmental

resources and economic benefits of tourism

The local natural environment is a major attraction for many destinations.

The local as well as tourism industry must ensure that any tourism development minimizes harm to the ecology

Facets of Sustainable Tourism ctd’

iii) Social Facet of sustainable development

Involves balancing economic growth and development and the impacts of development on community/social values

Principles of Sustainable Tourism

Increasing use of renewable energy Consuming less water Minimizing waste Using biodegradable products for guests Conserving bio-diversity, cultural heritage

and traditional values

Principles of Sustainable Tourism ctd’

Supporting intercultural understanding and tolerance

Generating local income Integrating local communities Enabling tourism business to make long

term investment

Trends & Opportunities

(i) ECO-TOURISM: This is tourism with

All nature based forms of tourism Contains educations and interpretation

feature Is generally but not exclusively

organized Minimizes negative impacts upon the

natural and socio-cultural Environment

Trends & Opportunities ctd’ Supports the maintenance of natural

areas through:▪ Generating economic benefits for ho st

communities, org▪ Provide alternative employment and income

opportunities for local community and increase awareness to conservation of natural and cultural assets.

(ii)Marine & Coastal Tourism ▪ M&C areas can be used for sustainable tourism

and recreation

Trends & Opportunities ctd’

Marine Protected Areas: these regions can develop sustainable industry i.e catering for activities like recreation fishing etc.

(iii) Agro-TourismPrimary appeal is towards cultural and

traditionally managed landscapes. Involves growing, harvesting and processing locally grown food.

GREEN TOURISM ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONSWHAT IS GREEN TOURISM?

Green tourism is tourism that respects the environment and the local community as well as making good business sense.

A green tourism business is as interested in a healthy profit margin as any good business, but it does this in a way that helps - or at the very least doesn’t harm – local people and the local environment.

It is responsible.

Impact of Green investment in Tourism

Changing consumer patterns Tourists have become more conscious of

the environment hence look for responsible alternative to traditional travel options

Sustainability Certifications Various standards of the ISO have been

used in the tourism sector to improve overall quality of service e.g ISO 9000 quality mgt, ISO 14000 environmental mgt, blue flag label etc.

Impact of Green investment in Tourism ctd’

Certification informs tourists of environmental and social impact of tourism related activities

Carbon offsets This is a reduction in emissions of

carbon dioxide or green house gases made in order to compensate for/or to offset an emission made elsewhere

Tourism businesses and destinations can "offset" travelers' carbon emissions by :

Impact of Green investment in Tourism ctd’

▪ calculating their travel-related emissions i.e air travel, local transportation, accommodation, etc.▪ Making financial contributions to

projects that address climate impact mitigation e.g. tree planting, reforestation, subsidizing renewable energy, or increasing energy efficiency).

SENSE OF PLACE

What is the sense of place?www.artofgeography.com/info/the-sense-of-place

It is a combination of characteristics that makes a place special and unique.

Sense of place involves the human experience in a landscape, the local knowledge and folklore.

Sense of place also grows from identifying oneself in relation to a particular piece of land on the surface of planet earth.

PERSPECTIVES ON SENSE OF PLACEAnthropology

Place attachment is the symbolic relationship formed by people giving culturally shared emotional/affective meanings to a particular space of piece of land that provides the basis for the individual’s and group’s understanding of and relation to the environment.

Environmental psychology Sense of place: particular experience

of a person in a particular setting (feeling stimulated, excited, joyous, expansive, and so forth)

Spirit of place: the combination of characteristics that gives some locations a special feel or personality (such as a spirit of mystery or identity with a person or group)

Setting: a person’s immediate surroundings, including both physical and social elements.

Geography Topophilia is the affective bond between people

and place or setting. Such ties vary in intensity, subtlety, and mode of expression. Responses to the environment may be aesthetic, tactile, or emotional.

Landscape architecture / history: a sense of place is something that we ourselves

create in the course of time. It is the result of habit or custom.

A sense of place is reinforced by what might be called a sense of recurring events.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TOURISM Tourism planners and developers, business

enterprises must recognize that sense of place is about how people relate with and interpret their environment and circumstances

Sense of place is a combination of the values and meanings communities make of their environment and its resources as well as the values, meanings, and experiences sought by visitors

As opposed to sustainable tourism development, visitors and residents play a greater role in green tourism

A GUIDE FOR TOURISM PROVIDERS SAYING IT, WRITING IT AND DOING

IT. TWO SIMPLE STEPS▪ WRITE AN ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY TO

CLEARLY STATE WHAT YOU WANT TO CHANGE▪ INVOLVE YOUR STAFF AND VISITORS

BENEFITS OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY IT HELPS YOU TO STAY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU

ARE DOING AND HOW YOU ARE GOING TO DO IT. EG. ….XYZ HOTEL IS COMMITED TO PROTECTING

THE ENVIRONMENT AND SUPPORTING THE LOCAL COMMMUNITY.

IDENTIFY SPECIFIC WAYS TO ACHIEVE THE ABOVE MINIMISING ENERGY USE SENDING LESS WASTE TO LANDFILL MINIMISING WATER USE PURCHASING SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS SUPPORTING LOCAL COMMUNITY ENCOURATING SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

ADOPT ENERGY SAVING STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS Insulate by about 10 inches!

Up to 35% heat is lost through the roof and windows.

Invest in low energy light bulbs. The upfront cost is greater, but these last

up to 10 times longer and use a third of the energy.

Install a water efficient showerhead. This could save you substantially on water

heating. Switch devices off at the wall instead of

leaving them on standby.

REDUCE. REUSE. RECYCLE MINIMISE WASTAGE

Conduct waste audit to better understand where your waste is coming from and how to reduce it.

Rethink your portion size. If 40% of wasted food is carbohydrates, are you

serving too much? Offer “doggy bags” to customers. Keep your fridge at 5 degrees or cooler to

maximize food lifetimes. Compost your kitchen waste and create

clearly labelled recycling stations at prominent locations.

THINK LOCAL PURCHASE AND/OR UTILISE LOCAL RESOURCES

Purchasing from external sources causes leakage of money out of the local community

Local food stuffs and materials support local families and build strong vibrant communities

Serve up local, seasonal produce Use local farmers markets and farm shops Actively support other local businesses and

initiatives Provide guests opportunities to sample local stuff

with information on where they can buy more Use local art and crafts

ENCOURAGE ALTERNATIVE MODES OF TRANSPORTATIONUse of bicycles.Encourage your customers to leave the car at home by offering pickups, discounts for those who arrive without the car and providing up to date public transport information.

Encourage walking and hiking.

KNOW, PROMOTE AND SUPOPRT THE NATURAL ATTRACTIONS AROUND YOUR SITE

Know your local area. Take time out to enjoy your own area so that you

can give your customers first hand knowledge. Support wildlife by installing nesting boxes, bird

baths. Get involved in (or organise) a cleanup effort in

your local area. Sponsor a local environmental charity or make a visitor payback scheme available. Display the ‘Leave No Trace’ principles to

encourage your customers to respect local wildlife.

REDUCE WATER WASTAGE Install a cistern displacement device -

such as a HIPPO bag. Reduce water usage by up to 70% by

fitting aerators on taps and showerheads.

Check regularly for leaks from pipes (especially in cold weather) and monitor meter readings and bills regularly to identify unusual patterns.

Communicate the importance of water efficiency to your employees and customers.

Where possible, use water butts to harvest rain water.

BUY RIGHT The way you spend your money demonstrates

your commitment to the environment Evaluate the ethical and environmental

credentials of suppliers and service providers Wherever possible, source local services and

products. Cut down on packaging – avoid small plastic packages and containers. Choose environmentally friendly paper Choose ethical and organic products. Choose natural cleaning products that are free from toxic chemicals.

DESIGN AND BUILD WITH GREEN IN MIND

Plan your building to maximise on solar insolation/ harvesting.

During the design phase, prioritize good insulation and ventilation.

Make use of rain water by installing a rainwater catchment system.

Include solar water heaters, photovoltaic panels and geothermal features or design in a way that allows for future installation of renewable energy features.

Install windmills where appropriate Consider incorporating solar-tube lighting to

allow natural light into interior rooms.

GO FOR GREEN CERTIFICATION Membership of a sustainable tourism

certification programme such as ‘Green Tourism’ makes it easy for your customers to know that you are committed to the environment.

It also provides a supported approach to going green from the beginning.

‘Green Tourism’ is one of the world’s most highly rated green certification schemes.

A green award can also help you to tap into of a growing market of consumers who are seeking out businesses which are environmentally and socially aware.

REFERENCES

Green Economy and Trade, UN., 2013

UNWTO(2013a), International tourism to continue robust growth in 2013, PR No.; 13006. world Tourism Organization

UNCTAD. (2010).The contribution of tourism to trade and development. Trade and Development Board, second session, Geneva.

Cross, J. E. (2001)L: What is Sense of Place? 12th Headwaters Conference, Western State College, USA