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Responsible Travel Report
The Sustainable Tourism e-Newsletter
A Message from STI's President
We are proud to announce that NSF International (NSF) and STI have completed a pilot launch for our Sustainable Tourism Eco-certification Program™ (STEP), which is designed to assist hoteliers, tour operators, attractions and transportation service providers in managing their negative and positive environmental, socio-cultural and economic impacts.
During the pilot launch, which lasted from April 1 through October 31, 2006, travel and tourism businesses throughout North America were invited to participate in the program at no cost. Over a dozen companies applied but only a few were awarded eco-certification status - Grand Teton Lodge Company, Moss Point Oaks Bed and Breakfast, and Northwest Portland International Youth Hostel.
After developing STEP in conjunction with stakeholders from around the world over the course of the last four years and undertaking a pilot test and a pilot launch, we're gearing up to launch the program during the first quarter of 2007. Our challenge has been to create a user friendly program that's applicable to tourism businesses of all sizes, limit the barriers to entry, and find the balance between meeting all of the various stakeholders' needs. Our goal is to complement and continue to support other credible certification initiatives while offering STEP in regions where comparable programs don't exist.
We're excited to effectively ease the burden on businesses who are interested in sustainability but don't know how to get started. For more information, visit www.ecocertification.org or contact us.
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Climate Corner:
Addressing Global Climate Change
Custom Carbon Calculators Now Available
More and more companies are working with STI to offer carbon calculators on their websites. New partners involved in our carbon offset initiative and custom carbon calculator program include G.A.P. Adventures, Escape Adventures, and Green Planet Expeditions. For our complete list of STI's offset partners and references, which include Whole Foods Market, WWF, FIFA, and dozens of others, please visit our website.
STI's'Best in Class' Offset Project Portfolio
STI, recently featured in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Time, CNN.com, and Condé Nast Traveler, is regarded for its due diligence in selecting the 'best of the best' offset partners. STI now offers the most comprehensive carbon offset portfolio* in the U.S. travel and tourism industry, including Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) Green Tags and MyClimate™ carbon offsets. Now travel providers, corporations and other organizations can invest in offsets that support international or domestic projects, or a mix of the two.
BEF Green Tags support domestic renewable energy projects and are certified by Green-e. Whereas, MyClimate™ projects support renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in developing countries which are developed in accordance with procedures, criteria and methodologies from the clean development mechanism of the Kyoto protocol and the criteria of The Gold Standard. All projects within our portfolio are in operation and are inspected, verified and certified by independent, third-parties.
*Note that projects currently include renewable energy and energy efficiency. Though we support reforestation projects, we believe that shifting away from heavily subsidized and polluting fossil fuel industries is mandatory to address climate change and maintain a thriving economy and healthy ecosystems.
The Ski Industry and SkiCarpool.com - Doing Their Part
Ski Resorts are now on the ball and aggressively addressing their own greenhouse gas related global warming impacts. In fact, the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) now has a "Keep Winter Cool" campaign that lists actions being taken nationwide. NSAA reports that 45 resorts now purchase renewable power, with 16 acquiring all of their power from renewable sources.
In the meantime, Colorado-based SkiCarpool.com is taking the lead in helping skiers and snowboarders address issues related to global warming, traffic, and high gas prices. SkiCarpool.com is a free service that enables skiers and boarders to find others going to any resort in Colorado, on any day of the week, from any zip code. During the 2005-2006 ski season, for example, SkiCarpool.com reported that it saved an estimated 800 potential vehicles from being on the road to Vail Resort destinations, which equates to a savings of 7,000 gallons and $8270 in gas and an avoidance of 180,000 pounds of carbon going into the atmosphere. If you live in Colorado or are planning a vacation this winter, we encourage you to participate in this wonderful program!
Global Carbon Trading Doubles Over 2005
According to the World Bank, nearly $22 billion of carbon has been traded globally in the first nine months of 2006. This compares with $10 billion during 2005. Traders in the United Kingdom have been responsible for contributing 43% of the carbon traded under the Kyoto protocol. The market for buying and selling carbon credits has a market value of about $3 billion, with the most popular location for projects generating carbon credits being China. It took a 63% share of the market in 2006. India generated 12% of the credits, and African countries nearly 6%. The lion's share of the carbon trading market is taken by the European Union's greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme, with a value of $19 billion.
Source: Financial Times, November 17, 2006
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Tourism Industry Gets the Green Light
in the Middle East
By Gemma Hornett
It's an anomaly that the green and occasionally pleasant land of England is currently suffering a water shortage while that liquid is running free and unrestricted in the parched environs of the Persian Gulf. But one consequence of the changing weather patterns is that consumers in Europe are becoming more aware of the environment, and beginning to understand the dynamics of sustainable tourism.
Indeed, big European tour operators such as Kuoni and TUI have issued guidelines advising customers how to save water, be economical with air-conditioning, avoid unnecessary use of plastic bags, clear up rubbish and care for flora and fauna by shunning activities such as 'swimming with dolphins' or 'motorbiking in deserts.'
Kuoni Switzerland has extended its good citizenship to incorporate suppliers too, offering its own Green Planet Award to beach resort hotels that meet specified ecological standards and flagging them up in brochures. "We intend to make substantial demands on our partners in particular to live up to our high environmental expectations, to help meet a growing and spreading customer demand," explains CEO Thomas Stirnimann. In addition, Kuoni's own research revealed sales staff actively 'pushed' resorts with Green Planet accreditation, although this statistic was not matched by sales, with just 15% of customers citing environmental concerns when making their travel purchases.
TUI too operates an Environmental Management department and annual reports from representatives in each region in which it operates help in monitoring and, eventually, preparing consumer information for use in brochures. This environmental reporting covers all areas, from bathing water quality and beach quality, to waste water and energy management, traffic and other noise irritants, local developments, regional conservation and environmental strategies.
With such colossi raising the bar for green tourism, it raises issues for the fast-paced expansion of tourism infrastructure in the Middle East where the environment seems to have played a less than leading role in the blueprint for growth.
Continue Reading Tourism Industry Gets the Green Light
Source: Arabian Travel News, ITP Business Publishing, Dubai.
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Travel Philanthropy in the Amazon
Online photo exhibit benefits life-saving medical clinic in the Peruvian Amazon
11:30 PM: Through the darkness that hangs over the Amazon River, the outline of a canoe slowly fights its way up the world's largest river. A lantern hangs over the front of the dugout, exposing the bank of the river. The canoe passes just below banana trees and Cicropias where Crested Oropendulas silently nest.
U.S. medical doctor Linnea Smith watches and waits. Her 16 years of living in the Peruvian Amazon have taught her that a canoe arriving at this hour means another late n ight of work treating patients in her medical clinic deep in the jungle. Freelance photographer Brian Miller's life was changed when he met Dr. Smith in Summer 2006 while working in Peru for Global Explorers, a U.S.-based non-profit organization that arranges international community service and environmental education programs for middle and high school students. That's when he decided to harness his passion for photography to benefit the Amazon Medical Project.
Miller has come up with a way to use his photographs to support Dr. Smith's medical clinic where she provides medical services at little or no charge to local communities in the Peruvian Amazon - and he needs your help. Miller is offering his photographs for sale through his website, BrianMillerPhoto.com, with at least 30% of all proceeds going directly to the Amazon Medical Project. The result is an experiment in combining photography and philanthropy while giving consumers a socially responsible and affordable way to give a gift this holiday season.
Dr. Smith's medical clinic treats 2000 to 2500 patients a year, most of whom arrive by dugout canoe or on foot. While the clinic is rudimentary by western standards, services include family planning, prenatal care and birthing, dental care, treatment of snakebites, cholera, parasites, malaria, and a multitude of infectious diseases. Charges to patients are nominal and are waived in cases of inability to pay. The closest city is 50 miles away, making the Amazon Medical Project a vital service deep in the jungle.
Photography can be a powerful tool for social change, and combining photography and philanthropy can work. BrianMillerPhoto.com has been getting several hundred hits per day since the official start date of the project.
For more information on the photos, the Amazon Medical Clinic, or how you can give a socially responsible holiday gift that helps to save lives, contact Brian Miller.
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Travel Philanthropy in the Philippines:
Protecting the 32,000-hectare Tubbataha Reefs
Project Needs and Beneficiaries
Covering 33,200 hectacres, Tubbataha Reef Marine Park is an excellent example of a pristine coral reef with a very high density of marine species, extensive lagoons and two coral islands. The Tubbataha Reefs supports fisheries in the Sulu Sea and as a natural World Heritage site, attract tourists from around the world, contributing about $4.5M in tourism associated revenues to local economy. The fisheries and tourism benefits from the park are estimated at $16.8M and social willingness-to-pay estimated at $4M. An enforcement program introduced by WWF in 1999 made Tubbataha one of the few 5% effectively managed marine protected areas in the country. This program requires an annual budget of $120,000
Project Profile
- Total project need: $20,000
- Local Project Leader: Jose Maria Lorenzo Tan
- Project Sponsor: GlobalGiving
- Theme: Environment
Activities
The project has two main activities- enforcement and visitor management which includes training, maintenance and improvement of the ranger station, surveillance, patrol and environmental education and information campaign.
Potential Long Term Impact
Direct benefits from tourism, fishery and indirect benefits from larval dispersal are estimated to reach a Net Present Value of $1.28M (assuming 10% discount rate for 20 years), provided current enforcement and management efforts are maintained.
Donation Options
- $11 - Protect 3 hectares of reefs.
- $15 - Allow 6400 fish to spawn.
- $19 - Secures food for a family for 11 years.
- Other Amount? Contact us or send a check to: Sustainable Travel International, 2885 May Street, Hood River, OR 97031
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Nepal's Village Tourism:
A Model for Sustainable Tourism
Nepal is a country of villages, which host 84.5 percent of its total population, a majority of whom work in agriculture. Though the villages located along the popular trekking routes benefit from tourism, they're in the minority. Nepal's tourism industry is concentrated in city areas and is dominated by the more affluent class. As a result, tourism has not developed in a sustainable manner. One individual aims to change things. His goal is to develop tourism at the village level, empowering villagers to improve their quality of life, and his name is Dr. Surendra Bhakta Pradhanang.
In 1979, Dr. Pradhanang, a student working on his Master's in Management went to Dasharathpur Village, Surkhet for National Development Service. After ten months of service, he came up with the low investment high return concept of village tourism in the context of the Nepalese social structure which was largely ingnored by the local tourism industry and government of Nepal. Five years later he formally established the Kathmandu Research Centre and conducted research on the potential and sustainability of village tourism in Nepal. From 1992 onward, Dr. Pradhanang's work became increasingly popular to the point where it was proposed that village tourism be included in the Nepalese tourism policy in 1995. It was defeated but not for long. Soon thereafter, the National Planning Commission realized the importance of village tourism as a model for sustainable tourism development in Nepal and gave it top priority for the first time in the history of Nepalese tourism policy.
Today, Dr. Pradhanang's vision has helped to generate employment and income within rural areas throughout the Kindgom while helping to protect the natural environment and preserve cultural heritage. Village tourism in the Sirubari village, for example, has been very successful. The Sirubari Tourism Village Committee is selling its village tourism product in the international market and is att racting many groups of tourists. The 35 village households involved have directly benefited in terms of income and employment generation, environmental protection, improved cleanliness, cultural heritage promotion, and a rise in living standards. In total, from 1998-2005 more than 1000 international tourists visited and enjoyed Nepal's village tourism product. The net result is that the direct and indirect economic benefits of tourism have increased by 70 percent. Now, especially since the political climate in Nepal has stabilized, a majority of the total population would like to take advantage of the benefits of village tourism.
Dr. Pradhanang's village tourism concept has been a very successful model for sustainable tourism development. It's now being embraced by governmental agencies, NGO's and private tourism companies around the world. For these reasons, Dr. Pradhanang was awarded the title "Father of Village Tourism in Nepal."
For more information on village tourism in Nepal, please contact Dr. Pradhanang.
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Condé Nast Traveler: 2007 Green List
Condé Nast Traveler will soon be accepting applicants for its prestigious 2007 Green List, which honors lodges, resorts, tour operators, and destinations that preserve the environment, contribute to local communities, and enrich the traveler's experience. If you'd like Condé Nast Traveler to consider your property, company, or organization, please email the magazine to request the appropriate application.
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Green Tip:
Feel like you're pushing more paper than the
characters on "The Office?"
The Bite: Incorporate a few of our green office tips, and you'll save not just paper, but also electricity and cold hard cash, making you more deserving than ever for that raise.
The Benefits: Click here to learn about the benefits of greening your office space and to review additional recources.
Submit a Green Tip: Do you have any green tips? If so, submit them to us, and our friends at Ideal Bite will include you name along with the tip in their e-Newsletter and on their website.
Sign up for the Ideal Bite: By joining the Ideal Bite community, each weekday you'll receive an eco-living tip.
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Conferences and Continuing Education
Upcoming conferences, events and continuing education opportunities include:
- Planeta.com is now offering distance learning and custom educational courses for students and professionals. Instructional courses are designed for small groups of 5 to 20 and include the Web Seminar, and in-depth reviews of marketing, signage, urban ecotourism and NGOs in tourism and conservation.
- Destinations2006, World Tourism Forum for Peace and Sustainable Development, 3rd annual Summit, will be held in Porto Alegre, Brazil from November 29 through December 2.
- The 5th National Tourism Futures Conference will be held in Melbourne from December 4-6 at the Sofitel Melbourne. This year's conference theme - 21st Century Responses to 21st Century Reality - focuses on the challenges and opportunities over the coming decade. It examines new approaches to achieve growth and sets action agendas relevant to business and government alike.
- The Adventures in Travel Expo is returning to New York City on January 13-14.
- The Benin National Ecotourism Roundtable 2007 will be held on January 15th in Cotonou, Benin. National and international tourism colleagues, scientific experts, NGOs, educational institutions, and community-based organizations are invited to take part in the roundtable, which will cover various topics on the issues, challenges, and opportunities for collaboration to promote ecotourism in Benin. For more information, contact Benin Ecotourism Concern.
- The Green Meeting Industry Council's 2007 Greening the Hospitality Industry conference is scheduled for February 6-8 in Portland, Oregon.
- The 21st Annual Educational Travel Conference, which has always had a strong focus on responsible tourism, is scheduled for February 20-23 at the Marriott Waterfront, Baltimore, MD
- The Adventures in Travel Expo is returning to Washington DC on March 3-4.
- Organized by The International Ecotourism Society, Ecotourism Norway, and The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Global Ecotourism Conference 2007 will be held in Oslo, Norway on May 14-16, 2007
- The 6th International Symposium on Aspects of Tourism - Gazing, Glancing, Glimpsing: Tourists and Tourism in a Visual World - will be held at the University of Brighton, Eastbourne Campus in the UK from June 13-15, 2007.
- Heritage and Tourism: Community, Enterprise, Government & Tourists is an international conference scheduled for July 8-10, 2007 at Sun Yat-Sen (Zhongshan) University in Guangzhou, China.
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High Moon Cartoons
If you would like to purchase any one of High Moon's six cartoon books, you may order them directly from the Japan Environmental Exchange via email or JEE's website.
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