Sustainable Development for Tourism Risk Management for the World s Largest Industry Tahiti Dr. Edward W.(Ted) Manning,., Guilin October 2017
People Travel Originally we were nomads Travel is a natural condition Tourism is the largest migration in human history.. and it happens every year Keeping tourism alive and well is a full time job for all of us. Grenada Spain
What and Why Sustain? Tourism cannot be planned and managed outside a framework of sustainability of the entire system and of destinations Sustainable tourism was created as a reaction to instances of unsustainability where some tourism degraded the sites it used, harmed the social or natural environments on which it depended and put at risk its future. Seno Aisen Chile
Contents of this presentation: Where it came from Information as a tool and strategy (importance of indicators/observatories) Limits capacity and sustainability Positive steps Challenges for the next decade Zhouzhuan China
Why Focus on Sustainability? Tourism is now immense and the largest source of foreign exchange for dozens of countries Size matters at all scales: impact capacity responsibility Costinesti Romania.
Origins Stockholm Conference Brundtland Commission World Conservation Strategy Realization that tourism was implicated as a contributor and as a key victim of unsustainable practice Several international conferences in 90s (UN)WTO as catalyst to focus international actions re tourism Impress tourists?
Tourism is Volatile Tourism can change rapidly in response to events in the destination and abroad Natural catastrophes, economic issues, health problems, all can rapidly change the desirability of a destination. Events elsewhere can also impact a destination (terrorism, fuel prices, economic problems) The decision to travel is very easy to change for most tourists. Key element is risk management. Machu Picchu Peru
The Challenge ( as seen in the 90s) Need to show importance of tourism and links to overall economy Tourism satellite accounts to try to quantify the presence and magnitude of the sector Find ways to bring concept of sustainable development to tourism Devise and share tools and approaches to help managers of tourism understand and manage Focus on destinations for action (DMO as prime catalyst) Xiamen China
What do tourism managers Economic factors need to know? Sociocultural factors Environmental Factors Governance External changes or threats SPECIFICALLY THOSE KEY RISKS AND FACTORS WHICH CAN AFFECT THE FUTURE OF A DESTINATION AND ITS TOURISM
Why Destinations? Scale of tourism management and planning Locus of issues, most stakeholders, interplay between tourism and other development Manageable Emerald Lake Canada
UNWTO Indicators Program Prince Edward Island Canada Began in 1992 in Madrid at Environment committee Initial request for a single index of sustainability in contrast with suggestion that 50 indicators needed just for water quality demographic change or species diversity Initial case studies in Canada, Mexico, Netherlands, and USA.
Indicators = using measurement to focus attention and action What are the risks to key values? What is the state? What are the changes? What actions will address issues of safety, sustainability and long term success? How can we best monitor these? Phuket Thailand Tsunami damage
Indicators are essentially information for risk management Seven ship day in tiny Philipsburg Sint Maartin.
Issue and Risk Driven Indicators were not considered to be an objective themselves, rather input to solutions to be applied Guidebook developed for sustainable tourism at destination level Designed to provide clarity and define elements of sustainability Used participatory process and case studies Process to help destinations define what is important and measure it. Not a prescriptive tool each destination is unique Goal =support informed decisions. Yangshuo China
Destination Workshops Balaton Hungary, 1999 Cozumel Mexico, 1999 Villa Gesell Argentina, 2000 Beruwala Sri Lanka, 2000 Kukljika Croatia, 2001 Chagauramas Trinidad 2004 Phuket Thailand, 2005 Rurrenabaque Bolivia(2005) Yangshuo China (2005) Jeddah Saudi Arabia (2006) Lombok Indonesia (2007) Kolas Montenegro (2007) Bohol Philippines (2008) Note: related applications e.g. Cape Breton Canada, Peninsula Valdez Argentina, Kangaroo Island Australia, Malta, Portugal, Kazakhstan, Cyprus. COAST Africa (UNIDO)
Key Training Component Participatory workshops helped assess the concept of sustainability and what it could really mean in a destination Understanding that each destination is unique with its own assets and values. Cape Breton Canada Cozumel Mexico Kukljika Croatia Beruwala Sri Lanka Jeddah Saudi Arabia
Indicators as Catalyst Indicators used in planning and management Cover full range of environmental economic, social and management issues Ensure coverage of concerns central to the success of the destination To involve all stakeholders in defining their tourism future To foster ability to share and benchmark information among destinations A focus for project development and evaluation Badagry Nigeria
So Did the Information Make a Difference? : Yangshuo China Bohol Philippines Cape Breton Island Canada. Chaguaramas Trinidad
Observatories An important recent advance has been to build on the indicators program and to work to establish observatories which monitor sustainability China has been the leader in establishing observatories Focus on a destination but provide for shared information and techniques among them and with the world Focus on issues e.g. sustainability, limits and carrying capacity Huangshan China
Why Observatories? Laboratories Learning Sharing Mentoring Outreach Permit overview of state of tourism across destinations countries and regions Kanas China
How does carrying capacity relate to sustainability? Sustainable tourism means planning and management within the carrying capacity of a destination. The objective is to plan and manage the destination to the benefit of the tourists, the locals and the tourism industry while sustaining that which is of value and valued by all. It is really a form of integrated risk management Banos de San Juan Cuba
HOW MANY TOURISTS ARE TOO MANY? Big Sur California.
Zhangjiajie China Guayabitos Mexico
Carrying Capacity and Action Decision-makers need to know: The key risks to the destination and to tourism The impacts of specific activities relative to limits - ecological, social and cultural and economic The development and assessment of progress towards goals and objectives The objective is to reduce future risks to the ecological, sociocultural and economic functions of regions (destinations) to the benefit of all. Kochi India.
Sensitivity and Limits are a better measure than any single capacity measure The limits relevant to tourism depend on many factors: How many tourists What they are doing where and when What they expect How they are guided or controlled The specific sensitivity of the ecological, cultural and economic systems which are used or impacted (limits) How the impacts are managed Whether or not there is mitigation, repair or cleanup. Victoria Falls Zambia/Zimbabwe.
Planning for Destination Sustainability (in order ) Kandalama Sri Lanka 1. Location siting development appropriately (don t put it where it will cause problems) 2. Density determining suitable intensity of building or use 3. Design using form to reduce negative impacts or enhance positive 4. Use control or management 5. Enforcement 6. Mitigation and/or rehabilitation. Parador nacional Cuenca Spain
Important Current Initiatives Norway GSTC criteria and indicators based on UNWTO indicators and destination work UNIDO COAST project incorporated indicators based on UNWTO approach UNEP Project screening criteria draws on indicators work as does European Commission Indicators Project INSTO tourism now recognized in key UN initiatives
Tools for Government and Industry Best Practice Model legislation Identification and removal of barriers New vs retrofit regulations often inhibit change Enabling success through regulatory reform and support Banff Canada Maldives
Significant Steps GSTC clarity through criteria and measurement Green certification(s) UN Sustainable Development Goals Green strategies increasingly by industry (hotel chains cruise lines) which are more than just waste reduction) Major gains re public accountability
Ecological Products Values and ethics? Clean and green can pay but need more evidence Kandalama Sri Lanka Las Terrazas Cuba Compilations of best practice in ecotourism development (done for WWF) can be found on the website for download (www.tourisk.com) as can generic tables of best practice for review of new resort proposals.
Greening Industry Hua Hin Thailand Many large players now leaders More hotel chains, cruise lines tour companies, with explicit sustainability strategies including social sustainability, annual reporting Smaller providers remain a challenge need support and mentoring (maybe by larger players)
Ecotourism New Zealand Small but important component of reducing the footprint of some tourists Not a panacea too many ecotourists can also cause negative impacts Remains a challenge to get shared standards and avoid greenwashing
Accessibility: Can I Go There? Accessible destinations for a new demographic Information on actual conditions will be important how steep how long etc.? New initiatives by Google, STI, Tourisk and others working to provide location specific facts to be used by travelers or their agents. Longten China
Some Common Observations Integrate tourism into a more comprehensive planning process - for destinations, not just tourism. Add criteria/indicators unique to destination for key issues Clearly define measures Flexibility needed to adapt to actual conditions for response to unique issues Oia, Santorini Greece
Sustainability includes the local economy. Stakeholders are often very diverse and hard to involve but essential. New criteria respond to this (e.g. GSTC) Community Matters Kartong the Gambia
Recommendations Removing institutional barriers to sustainability New means to foster more sustainable forms of tourism Slowing and or redirecting growth. We have in some cases been too successful in promoting growth. Workshop Field Trip Beruwala Sri Lanka.
Slow Tourism Growing market of those who have both time and money Packaging low impact in depth tours becoming successful in many markets Lower footprint per day and per journey can result Freddy Mercury s birthplace, Zanzibar..
Opportunity further integrate effective tourism planning into special places such as UNESCO World Heritage Machu Picchu.
The JUMBO in the room Tourism is a major player in global transport and resource consumption Reducing tourism consumption (notably of hydrocarbons) will be a continuing challenge Sharing positive examples may show the way
Emerging Approaches Holistic planning models for key assets Rapid assessment procedures could help more destinations begin the process to achieve sustainability Training programs ideally on site and using globally shared resources/curricula Mentoring (distance and virtual) Real time monitoring and information with the objective of managing rapid changes at all scales. Monument Valley USA
Key Challenges Whole system footprinting Greening the system at all scales The transportation challenge When goals collide culture vs environment? Virtual vacations? Carrying capacity and concentration Risk management/adaptation strategies including response to: Climate change Demographics Civil disruptions Changing demands from tourists Adaptation strategies Dominica
What do we want to sustain? Need to foster debate at global, regional, national, destination and site scales regarding what is most important to sustain and how best to make that happen. Photos Further information: www.tourisk.com