An Accreditation Body for Sustainable Tourism Certifiers STSC Project Summary Feasibility Study, Organizational Blueprint and Implementation Plan for a Global Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council (STSC) Thematic Session B Ronald Sanabria, Manager, Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Tourism Division Apartado 138-2150, Moravia, San José, Costa Rica. Tel/fax: (506) 248-1170 or 248-1268 rsanabria@ra.org Abstract At the World Ecotourism Summit, the Rainforest Alliance will present the preliminary findings of an internationally conducted feasibility study on establishing a Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council (STSC). The STSC is a proposed global accreditation body for sustainable tourism and ecotourism certifiers. International, national and local NGOs, as well as industry, governments and multilateral organizations have participated actively in the study, which was funded by the Ford Foundation. If this body is determined to be feasible, it will set international standards for certification of tourism industry organisations that want to claim that they are meeting sustainability standards or practicing ecotourism. Presentation Tourism has become the world's largest industry. Nature-related tourism is the fastest growing market segment of the industry, making developing countries with beautiful, species-rich natural areas particularly vulnerable. Conservation leaders, from the presidents of major nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and foundations, to the chiefs of Amazon tribes just entering the cash economy, recognize the potential of socially and environmentally sound tourism. Conservationists as well as visionary tourism industry enterprises can point to dozens of world-class attractions that were saved by tourism, from national parks in Africa, to the Galapagos Islands, to the cloudforests and turtle beaches of Costa Rica, to Khao Yai National Park in Thailand. Of equal if not greater importance, sustainable tourism can be an important mechanism to alleviate poverty and respect local populations in developing countries that are rich in natural and cultural resources. However, most conservationists, village leaders, and government officials have also learned that tourism has its pitfalls, some hidden and some obvious. For example,
tourism can be just as destructive as traditional extractive industries such as logging and mining. The industry without smokestacks requires infrastructure hotels, roads, parking lots, trails, restaurants and other services. Success and profit breed more development, which can quickly overwhelm a vulnerable natural area. Improperly managed tourism contributes to pollution and erosion, disturbs wildlife, tramples delicate plants, mars scenery, and brings undesirable influences to once-isolated cultures. Several tools, most voluntary, have been designed and implemented by tourism experts, governments, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to promote and sustain environmentally and socially sound tourism operations: technical assistance, environmental impact studies and assessments required by governments and/or international aid and lending agencies, policy statements, codes of conduct, award programs, research departments or projects, public education to travelers and local communities, informational material for travelers and tourist guides, travel programs, and development of sustainable, responsible and eco tourism projects and facilities throughout the world. Another important tool that can be used to address the impacts of the growing tourism industry is certification. Certification is the process of assessing compliance with preestablished criteria. Credible and transparent certification programs may provide a tool to reward tourism operations exhibiting best practices and differentiate them from others that are less environmentally and socially sound. Today, certification programs can be divided intro three broad categories, those for mass or mainstream tourism, sustainable tourism, and ecotourism. In this regards, the participants of the 1999 Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Certification workshop convened by the Institute for Policy Studies in November 2000 with participation from twenty countries and representatives from most of the leading global, regional, national, and sub-national sustainable tourism and ecotourism certification programs agreed that in any certification scheme, the criteria used for sustainable tourism certification should address at least minimum standards in the following areas: Overall Environmental planning and impact assessment has been undertaken and considered social, cultural, ecological and economic impacts (including cumulative impacts and mitigation strategies); Environmental management commitment by tourism business; Staff training, education, responsibility, knowledge and awareness in environmental, social and cultural management; Mechanisms for monitoring and reporting environmental performance; Accurate, responsible marketing leading to realistic expectations; and Consumer feedback. Social/Cultural Impacts upon social structures, culture and economy (on both local and national levels); Appropriateness of land acquisition/access processes and land tenure; 2
Measures to protect the integrity of local community s social structure; and Mechanisms to ensure rights and aspirations of local and/or indigenous people are recognized. Ecological Appropriateness of location and sense of place; Biodiversity conservation and integrity of ecosystem processes; Site disturbance, landscaping and rehabilitation; Drainage, soils and stormwater management; Sustainability of energy supply and minimization of use; Sustainability of water supply and minimization of use; Sustainability of wastewater treatment and disposal; Noise and air quality (including greenhouse emissions); Waste minimization and sustainability of disposal; Visual impacts and light; Sustainability of materials and supplies (recyclable and recycled materials, locally produced, certified timber products, etc.); and Minimal environmental impacts of activities. Economic Requirements for ethical business practice; Mechanisms to ensure labor arrangements and industrial relations procedures are not exploitative, and conform to local laws and international labor standards (whichever are higher); Mechanisms to ensure negative economic impacts on local communities are minimized and preferably there are substantial economic benefits to local communities; and Requirements to ensure contributions to the development/ maintenance of local community infrastructure. Additionally, in any ecotourism certification program the standards should address the same areas as for sustainable tourism certification plus at least minimum standards in the following aspects: Focus on personal experiences of nature to lead to greater understanding and appreciation; Interpretation and environmental awareness of nature, local society, and culture; Positive and active contributions to conservation of natural areas or biodiversity; Economic, social, and cultural benefits for local communities; Fostering of community involvement, where appropriate; Locally appropriate scale and design for lodging, tours and attractions; and Minimal impact on and presentation of local (indigenous) culture. 3
Simply put, certification programs for ecotourism must positively and proactively contribute to both conservation and local community well-being, not simply do no harm or mitigate negative impacts. Through voluntary, independent sustainable tourism and ecotourism certification programs, the tourism industry can demonstrate its commitment towards conserving biodiversity and fostering social well-being. Tourism operations involved in certification programs have access to a tool that provides guidelines for improving their environmental and social performance as well as the possibility to, in time, use it for market differentiation and recognition if appropriate marketing mechanism can be developed. However, due in large part to the fragmentation among the myriad certification schemes that currently exist, there is consumer confusion where consumer recognition exists and, thus, a strong need to separate and distinguish certification schemes that certify sustainable tourism and true ecotourism from other tourism certification, award, and endorsement mechanisms. The international community needs a tool to address the fragmentation among the scores of current certification schemes that exist and help socially and environmentally responsible tourism suppliers and consumers to truly and effectively contribute to biodiversity conservation and social welfare. Much discussion has taken place but no formal feasibility study has been performed to assess the possibility of creating an accreditation entity for sustainable tourism. With the support of the Community Relations and Philanthropic Services Program at JP Morgan, the Rainforest Alliance explored the subject of tourism certification during the summer of 1999. This initial study concluded that while the use of certification mechanisms to green the tourism industry at large is valid and important, the lack of a global accreditation body has become one of the main obstacles in turning certification into an effective tool for change. In principle, accreditation bodies could build credibility and transparency because they strengthen stakeholder involvement. Accreditation bodies could facilitate international/regional recognition and allow for better organization in terms of harmonization of policies, procedures, and standards. They also could permit economies of scale for promotion and research, and could represent forums for continual improvement and conflict resolution. Accreditation bodies could also help certification programs stay abreast of the changing international laws. They could attract political and financial support, and protect consumers and certifiers against false claims. Through international accreditation, certifiers could demonstrate their environmental and social commitment to consumers. Some examples of accreditation agencies in other sectors are: the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) for certifiers of sustainable fisheries, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) for certifiers of organic foods, Social Accountability International (SAI) for certifiers of social responsibility standards, and the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) for certifiers of sustainable timber operations. In tourism, many countries have experienced the boom of the natured-based tourism movement, which has allowed for "free riders" to emerge: companies that claim to 4
provide eco-services when in reality their environmental and social performance is questionable. Accredited certification schemes could help mitigate this effect by recognizing those operators that comply with internationally agreed criteria and travelers can then make informed decisions. The main responsibilities of a potential accreditation body for sustainable and ecotourism certifiers would be to establish international criteria for accreditation, monitor compliance with such criteria, promote consumer awareness, and increase credibility of certification schemes. In addition, an accreditation body for sustainable tourism could raise the environmental and social standards for all sectors of the tourism industry. Thanks to the initial support from The Ford Foundation, the Rainforest Alliance is currently coordinating a fifteen-month Feasibility Study, Organizational Blueprint and Implementation Plan for a Global Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council: An Accreditation Body for Sustainable Tourism Certifiers (STSC Project). This project s objective is to investigate the possibility for establishing an international accreditation body for sustainable tourism certification and provide a fully developed implementation plan. It is important to note that the Rainforest Alliance s objective is only to coordinate this feasibility study, not to house a potential accreditation agency in the future. Furthermore, the Rainforest Alliance concluded that a coalition of representatives from various organizations had to be established to advise in the development of this project. This group of people (see attached working list) is necessary to contribute expertise in areas such as conservation, social well being, certification and accreditation, sustainability of tourism enterprises, indigenous cultures, and environmental education, as well as a great understanding of the political, economic, cultural, social, and environmental elements inherent in the tourism industry. At the same time, this core group represents an international, multi-stakeholder team of experts for steering and supervising the development of this project through a transparent and participatory process. These individuals constitute the project s Executive Advisory Committee. Further, direct participation from major certification schemes and the tourism industry is desirable, since the people involved in existing schemes have practical handson expertise and can help identify where some of the problems lie in running and administering certification programs and having dealt with some of the obstacles. Therefore, a core consultation and advisory committee with individuals from existing certification schemes is also established and will be consulted on a regular basis. The participants to the certification workshop aforementioned endorsed the Rainforest Alliance s proposal to initiate this study whose outcomes could serve not only ecotourism certification programs, as initially envisioned by the Rainforest Alliance, but also a larger audience, namely, sustainable tourism certifiers. The Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Tourism, as the project s coordinating body and with supervision from the Executive Advisory Committee, has hired a team of specialists from the Centre for the Study of Small Tourism and Hospitality Firms at Leeds Metropolitan University and the Centre for Responsible Tourism at the University of Greenwich to carry out the study. This team will also receive support for project specific activities from 5
other specialists around the world. The project s objectives and deliverables have been grouped in the following four clusters. 1) Stakeholder participation Objective: Identify and recruit stakeholders including representatives from nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), certifiers, multilateral funding agencies, governmental entities, and members of the tourism industry to participate in the discussions concerning the viability of a sustainable tourism accreditation body. Ensure that the project involves all the stakeholders, maintains an open and participatory approach, and perform the necessary actions to ensure good participation. Document and prepare reports of recommendations based on the outcomes of stakeholder meetings. The involvement of representatives from different geographic regions and with different interests is fundamental for a successful study on the implementation of a sustainable tourism accreditation body. Thus, this cluster includes the development of at least three participatory workshops in different regions (yet to be determined). 2) Market demand Objective: Assess the demand for accreditation services and analyze the causes that are effecting the demand. Determine what the various stakeholders -- consumer, tourism operators, certifiers and ultimately countries and regions -- need from an accreditation system. 3) Financial sustainability Objective: Undertake a benchmarking study of other financial models implemented by relevant accreditation agencies. Study the financial feasibility, provide potential scenarios, and recommend a financial model for establishing and maintaining an accreditation organization. 4) Organization and implementation Objective: Produce a report on the most effective organizational structure and financial model, with the necessary timing and staffing implications, for a sustainable tourism accreditation body, as well as the steps for its implementation. Study the feasibility of defining minimum international accreditation standards. The final outcomes of this project will be concrete information on the feasibility for creating an international Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council and a complete action plan for its implementation. The Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council that is envisioned by this project will establish credibility for certified operations. A certified sustainable tourism operation, by adhering to baseline standards established by an accreditation body, will minimize impacts on natural areas. 6
It is the aim of the organizations involved in this project to provide the international community with the results of this project during 2002, the UN International Year of Ecotourism. The report to be presented at the Work Ecotourism Summit includes the first draft of proposals for a global accreditation body for sustainable tourism and ecotourism certifiers. These proposals are open to the comments and recommendations. The full report, background documents outlining research and assumptions, as well as interactive feedback mechanisms are available at www.rainforestalliance.org/programs/sv/stsc.html STSC Project Advisors 1 (Listed alphabetically) Executive Advisory Committee: Kelly Bricker, Fiji Ecotourism Association Andrew Drumm, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Herbert Hamele, European Network for Sustainable Tourism Development (ECOTRANS) Oliver Hillel, Ecotourism Specialist Martha Honey, Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) Judith Kepher-Gona, Ecotourism Society of Kenya (ESOK) Eddie Koch, Especialista en Turismo para Sudáfrica Fergus Maclaren, La Sociedad Internacional de Ecoturismo (TIES) Michael Meyer, ETE Oswaldo Muñoz, Especialista Ecuatoriano en Ecoturismo Abigail Rome, Ecotourism Specialist Greta Ryan y Seleni Matus, Conservation International (CI) Sergio Salvati, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Brazil) Bob Toth, Certification Specialist Brett Tollman, Specialist in Wildlife Tourism Tensie Whelan, Rainforest Alliance Justin Woolford, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-UK) Eugenio Yunis, Organización Mundial del Turismo (OMT) Core Consultation and Advisory Committee: Mary Altomare, The Natural Step Trevor Axford, Accreditation Specialist 1 Important note: We are constantly in the process of strengthening these committees to ensure participation from the industry and other stakeholders. The people listed have accepted the invitation to become members of the Executive Advisory Committee as independent experts. No official endorsement of the organizations they work for has been formalized. 7
Amos Bien y Rodolfo Lizano, Certificación para la Sostenibilidad Turística de Costa Rica (CST) Saul Blanco, Alianza Verde Coralie Breen, Oceans Blue Foundation (OBF) José Luis Cabada, Sunnyland Tours Crist Inman y Lawrence Pratt, Instituto Centroamericano de Administración de Empresas (INCAE) Guy Chester y Alice Crabtree, Australian Nature and Ecotourism Accreditation Program (NEAP) Antonio Compagnoni, Accreditation Specialist Angela Kalish, Tourism Concern Ruud Klep, Sustainable Tourism Experts and Partners (STEP) Sarath Kotagama, Ecotourism Society of Sri Lanka Alice Tepper Marlin, Social Accountability International (SAI) Kelly Robinson, Tourism Specialist Peter Scott, Marine Aquirium Council (MAC) Michael Seltzer, Businesses Enterprises for Sustainable Travel (BEST) Scott Wayne, SW Consultants Arthur Weissman, Green Seal Graeme Worboys, Green Globe 21 Contact Information Ronald Sanabria Project Coordinator Sustainable Tourism Division Rainforest Alliance P.O. Box 138-2150, Moravia, Costa Rica Tel/Fax: (506) 248-0483, 248-1170 or 248-1268 rsanabria@ra.org www.rainforest-alliance.org Xavier Font Project Leader Centre for the Study of Small Tourism and Hospitality Firms Leeds Metropolitan University Calverly Street Leeds LS1 3HE, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 113 283 2600 x5880 x.font@lmu.ac.uk Margot Sallows Technical Specialist Centre for Responsible Tourism 8
University of Greenwich Medway Towns Campus Chatham Maritime Kent ME4 4TB, United Kingdom Tel/Fax: +44 1442 873 465 Fax: +44 208 331 9805 margot.sallows@virgin.net Ronald Sanabria, Manager, Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Tourism Division Ronald has worked since 1992 in certification efforts, including consulting for International Standards Organization (ISO) certification in tourism-related companies in Costa Rica. He currently teaches at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Costa Rica and has been working for the Rainforest Alliance on tourism projects during the past four years. In the summer of 1998, he performed research on ecotourism and ecotourism certification for the Alliance. Ronald is now the Alliance s representative to a project called Feasibility Study, Organizational Blueprint and Implementation Plan for a Global Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council: An Accreditation Body for Sustainable Tourism Certifiers, a project with initial funding from the Ford Foundation that is being promoted by a coalition of several experts from different international organizations and coordinated by the Rainforest Alliance. Ronald has coordinated the project's Advisory Committee since the beginning. Additionally, Ronald has helped establish, in conjunction with the Ecuadorian organization Conservación y Desarrollo, the SmartVoyager Boat Certification Program in the Galapagos Islands. A Fulbright scholar from Costa Rica, Ronald Sanabria is an industrial engineer from the University of Costa Rica with a Masters in Sustainable International Development from Brandeis University. 9