2. Tourism and the Environment17
Tourism and the Environment

3. Learning Objectives
Understand fundamental nature of sustainable development and sustainable tourism.
Identify guiding principles for achieving sustainable tourism.
Review policy aims of an agenda for sustainable tourism.
Examine major challenges facing achievement of sustainable tourism.
Identify new realities of tourism in era of global climate change.
Examine policies and measures to mitigate tourism-induced climate change.
Examine concept of ecotourism and its role in sustainable tourism.

4. WTTC Key Environmental Issues
Global warming
Depletion of the ozone layer
Acid rain
Depletion and pollution of water resources
Depletion and pollution of land resources

5. WTTC IMPLICATIONS OF RESOURCE DEPLETION
Political instability or increased competition for land could lead to loss of potential new tourism destinations and degradation of existing destinations
Loss of landscape and wildlife could cause decrease in customer satisfaction with tourism products and lower propensity to travel to some destinations
Higher fuel prices could lead to operational price increases and corresponding decreases in number of travelers in this “price-sensitive market”

6. Elements of the WTTC Vision of Travel & Tourism and the Environment
Travel & Tourism is integral aspect of modern societies.
Global awareness of environmental damage is developing rapidly.
The resources of world’s largest industry can and must be harnessed to achieve environmental goals.
The industry has potential to influence billions of customers per year and use its leverage to achieve beneficial environmental effects.
The customer challenge will exert a growing pressure to achieve environmental improvements.

7. Elements of the WTTC Vision of Travel & Tourism and the Environment (continued)
Environmental lobbies will add pressure to develop good environmental practice.
Self-regulation must be developed rapidly and effectively and used to influence development of appropriate and workable regulations.
Corporate environmental mission statements are a vital first step toward self-regulation.
Environmental leadership must come from the major international companies.

8. Sustainable Development and Tourism: The Critical Areas
Defining the Relevant Population/Community
Defining the Time Horizon
Defining the Dimensions of Sustainability
Defining the Values that Underlie Sustainable Development

9. Sustainable Development in Tourism: Possible Allocation of Responsibility

10. Sustainable Tourism: 12 Aims for An Agenda
Economic viability: Ensure viability/competitiveness of tourism destinations and enterprises, so they continue to prosper and deliver benefits in the long term.
Local prosperity: Maximize contribution of tourism to economic prosperity of host destination, including proportion of visitor spending retained locally.
Employment quality: Strengthen number and quality of local jobs created/supported by tourism, including level of pay, conditions of service, and availability without discrimination by gender, race, disability or other ways.
4. Social equity: Seek widespread, fair distribution of economic/ social benefits from tourism throughout recipient community, including improving opportunities, income, and services available to the poor.

11. Sustainable Tourism: 12 Aims for An Agenda (continued)
5. Visitor fulfillment: Provide safe, satisfying, fulfilling experience for visitors, available without discrimination by gender, race, disability, or other ways.
6. Local control: Engage/ empower local communities in planning, decision making about management /future development of tourism in their area, in consultation with other stakeholders.
7. Community well-being: Maintain, strengthen quality of life in local communities, including social structures and access to resources, amenities, and life support systems, avoiding any form of social degradation or exploitation.
8. Cultural richness: Respect, enhance historic heritage, authentic culture, traditions, and distinctiveness of host communities.

12. Sustainable Tourism: 12 Aims for An Agenda (continued)
9. Physical integrity: Maintain, enhance quality of landscapes, both urban and rural, and avoid physical and visual degradation of the environment. 10. Biological diversity: Support conservation of natural areas, habitats, and wildlife; minimize damage. 11. Resource efficiency: Minimize use of scarce and nonrenewable resources in development and operation of tourism facilities and services. 12. Environmental purity: Minimize pollution of air, water, land and the generation of waste by tourism enterprises and visitors.

13. CARRYING CAPACITY DEFINED…
Maximum amount of development, use, growth, or change a site or destination can endure without unacceptable alteration in physical environment, community’s social fabric, and/or local economy; and without unacceptable decline in quality of experience gained by the visitor.

14. Three Pillars of Sustainability
Economic
Social
Environmental

15. Three Pillars of Sustainability

16. Definitions of Ecotourism
Some definitions of ecotourism:
Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and sustains the well-being of local people
Environmentally friendly travel that emphasizes seeing and saving natural habitats and archeological treasures
A tool for conservation
Ecologically responsible tourism

17. Types of Indicators
Core indicators of sustainable tourism which have been developed for general application to all destinations
Destination-specific indicators applicable to particular ecosystems or types of tourism. These indicators fall into two categories:
Supplementary ecosystem-specific indicators for application to particular ecosystems (e.g., coastal areas, parks and protected areas, or mountainous regions).
Site-specific indicators developed uniquely for the particular site. These reflect important factors of the site, which may not be adequately covered by core and supplementary eco-system-specific indicator sets, but are nonetheless needed for management of the particular site.

18. Benefits and Importance of Ecotourism
Provides jobs and income for local people
Makes possible funds to purchase and improve protected or natural areas to attract more ecotourists in the future
Provides environmental education for visitors
Encourages heritage and environmental preservation and enhancement

19. Tourism Industry Associations of Canada
Enjoy diverse natural and cultural heritage and help to protect and preserve it
Assist in conservation efforts through efficient use of resources, including energy and water
Experience friendliness of our people and welcoming spirit of our communities. Help preserve these by respecting our traditions, customs, local regulations
Avoid activities which threaten wildlife or plant populations, or which may be potentially damaging to our natural environment
Select tourism products and services that demonstrate social, cultural, environmental sensitivity

20. Common Features of All Codes
The need to make an overall commitment to physical and human environment, to accept responsibility for environmental damage and take corrective action where necessary, and promote, reward outstanding environmental performance
The need to develop policies and strategies that take account of land-use planning regulations and the need to protect some areas from further development
The need to develop management policies that enhance beneficial and minimize adverse impacts on the environment
The need to cooperate with other firms, sectors and countries