The Benefits of Sustainable Tourism Certification

The objective of the Sustainable Tourism Certification Program™ (STEP) is to assist tourism providers in minimizing their negative and maximizing their positive ecological, socio-economic, and cultural impacts. The benefits of STEP to travel companies include:

Enhanced Quality. STEP can help improve the quality of travel companies' products and services by determining the extent to which they meet the principles of ecologically sustainable development.

Minimized Impacts. STEP is focused on environmental and socio-cultural impact management which helps to ensure the preservation of destinations and cultures for future generations and equates to more attractive environments.

Broader Market Appeal. Travel companies licensed to use STEP logos demonstrate their commitment and performance to the environment, making them more attractive to responsible travelers, one of the fastest growing segments in the travel industry.

Improved Profitability. STEP is a systematic approach that lowers costs through resource productivity and waste reduction while positively contributing to environmental conservation and the well being of local people.

---------------------------------------------------------------

In the winter, most people love to travel to warm, tropical destinations. Coincidently, tourism significantly affects these typically "southern" countries more so than their temperate counterparts to the north. More often than not this is due to their high level of biodiversity, as well as their small size, relatively poor economy and large dependency on tourism. As such, our travel dollars speak louder in these regions than within our own economically diversified countries. What this means to the discerning traveler is that we can leverage our power to everyone's advantage by spending wisely - and locally.

Looking at specific countries as examples, we can better understand the impact of our spending decisions. In Costa Rica, for example, tourism is the second largest industry behind bananas. In Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, it is the fourth largest foreign currency earner. In fact, a recent study revealed that tourism is one of the top five exports for 83% of the countries in the world and the main source of foreign currency for at least 38% (Source: World Travel and Tourism Council). However, by some estimates, as much as 89% of expenditures remain outside of local economies! Taking these statistics into consideration, the implications of consuming our travel experiences locally become even more obvious.

If you're going on a holiday in the Chilean Andes, for example, simply taking a look at how the company operates will provide a great amount of insight. Do they stay in foreign owned hotels, eat at international restaurant chains and exclusively utilize U.S. guides and equipment? If this is the case, it's easy to see how little benefit will accrue to local economies. The hotels alone account for a significant portion of the revenue that may never reach the region where it is most needed.

Now picture the same tour with a different company. They may utilize public transport, local guides and locally owned accommodations and restaurants, as well as rent the same quality equipment but from a local company. They may even incorporate visits to local markets, schools, heath care facilities and / or communities, providing their guests with opportunities to meet and support local people. Not only does this directly benefit the host communities involved, but also the experience is generally much more authentic, eye opening and memorable.

Of course, the greatest economic benefit to local communities occurs when we travel in a manner that is traditionally associated with "budget" or independent travel; that is, by taking advantage of local hostels, hotels, restaurants, and communities that are more off-the-beaten-path. This, however, is not feasible for most of us. We may not have the time to do the research required. Also, many Western travelers seem to prefer a higher level of quality and service that is reliable and that may be booked ahead of time. But that doesn't mean that we can't make extra efforts to support local economies.

This applies domestically as well. While traveling in the U.S., be sure to check out your options ahead of time. The local B&B may not have the guaranteed swimming pool that chain hotel's do, but you are sure to receive a more authentic experience, having an opportunity to interact with the locals. And more likely than not, you'll even discover a few hidden secrets about the place you're visiting. Enjoy!

For more "Tips for Responsible Travelers", click here.

---------------------------------------------------------------