paradise

found

guiding principles
for a sustainable
tourism development

By Stephanie Draper and Vicky Murray

With Fiona King, Shannon Carr-Shand,
Vanessa Ravenscroft and Ben Wood. September 2008
contents
1 introduction 3

2 environment 7

3 people 15

4 community 20

5 infrastructure 25

6 finance 30

7 creating sustainable 34
destinations

Forum for the Future – the sustainable development

charity – works in partnership with leading organisations
in business and the public sector. Our vision is of
business and communities thriving in a future that is
environmentally sustainable and socially just. We believe
that a sustainable future can be achieved, that it is the
only way business and communities will prosper, but
that we need bold action now to make it happen. We
play our part by inspiring and challenging organisations
with positive visions of a sustainable future; finding
innovative, practical ways to help realise those visions;
training leaders to bring about change; and sharing
success through our communications.

www.forumforthefuture.org

Registered charity number: 1040519

Cover image: www.bernardtouillon.com

Throughout 2008 and 2009, Forum for
the Future is engaged in an ambitious
work plan around issues of sustainable
tourism and travel. Paradise Found
– a report focusing on sustainable
destinations – is the first in a suite of
projects that we are conducting with the
leading players in the sector.

The Overland Heaven project aims to make overland

travel in Europe a genuinely exciting and low-carbon
alternative to flying. An intial scoping study for the
project, conducted with The Co-operative Travel,
confirmed the potential for this and identified some
of the challenges and perceptions that will need to be
overcome. We hope that this will catalyse an industry-
wide initiative to meet these challenges and create an
accessible and sustainable overland travel market.

Tourism 2023 is a project that aims to help the UK

outbound industry and some of its key destinations
understand more about their future and be able to
plan for it. The study will explore issues around climate
change and increasing pressure on key resources such
as water. Forum for the Future will deliver this crucial
piece of work during 2009 with key members of the
industry, including TUI Travel, Thomas Cook, ABTA,
The Travel Foundation, Carnival UK, The Co-operative
Travel, and British Airways.
1 introduction
“One of the most encouraging developments in the travel industry is that ‘responsible tourism’ has become
a buzzword, something we all want to sign up to. But it has been used far too loosely and it’s time to draw
breath and work out just what it all means and how we can adopt it. Incorporating sustainability into the
travel business is in the interest of everyone – not least the industry – by preserving the environments and
cultures that we all want to continue to enjoy.”
Mark Ellingham, Founder – Rough Guides
Holidays are a positive part of our lives and they make
an important contribution to the global economy.
But there is potential for them to be more beneficial,
in most cases substantially so. We want a sustainable
future where tourism always benefits the local economy
and community, enhancing rather than damaging the
natural environments that support them.
Sustainable tourism has sometimes been portrayed as
a trade-off between the negative environmental impacts
of developing and travelling to destinations and the
socio-economic benefits that activity can bring. But as
this report demonstrates, this is increasingly out-of-date.
Sustainable tourism is a clear opportunity to combine
environmental protection with socio-economic benefits,
in a profitable, future-proofed business.
At the Forum, we consider that to be truly sustainable
businesses must invest in five key areas: the Five
Capitals. We rely on natural capital – the environment –
for overall sustenance; human capital and social capital
– our people and communities – describe our personal
happiness and the soundness of the social structures
that support us; manufactured capital relates to physical
infrastructure; and financial capital enables other forms
of capital to be traded.
This report demonstrates that the tourism industry, by
investing in these five broad areas, can reap both
long-term and some immediate financial benefits:
Environment: The hotel chain Accor will not only
benefit the environment with the installation of solar
panels for water-heating purposes in 47 of its hotels
(page 9), but should also reduce energy bills.
People: UK luxury hotel chain, Hotel du Vin, is
already seeing the financial benefits of adopting more
sustainable business practices. Its recruitment costs
have halved with the implementation of a development
programme, which has significantly reduced staff
turnover (page 16).
Community: Further afield, in Kenya, the tourism
business in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve is enjoying
new-found sustainability due to changes in the way the
Maasai receive revenue from tour operators and
lodges (page 23).
Infrastructure: Investment in infrastructure in the
early stages of a project can make significant financial
savings. By integrating sustainability and energy
efficiency into the construction of the new Soneva Kiri
Eco-suite in Thailand (page 27), the organisation will see
financial benefits.
Finance: The Sheraton Rittenhouse in Philadelphia
made a huge saving of $65,000 after implementing
several energy saving initiatives, including a state-of-the-
art heating and cooling process that virtually eliminates
the need for air conditioning and heating equipment
(page 30).
3
Why is sustainable development stretching targets needed to tackle climate change.
But we are already at a stage where a degree of climate
important?
change is inevitable and leading businesses are already
There is a strong business rationale for a sustainable
planning for some level of adaptation. Sustainable
approach to tourism. Businesses need to manage the
tourism is not merely about managing risks though – it’s
risk presented by key issues like climate change and
about opportunity too. High energy prices present an
water stress. But there are also substantial opportunities
opportunity to make savings through greater efficiency.
to innovate and differentiate too.

Slowly, customers too are starting to ask for more

It makes good business sense to think about
sustainable holiday choices. TripAdvisor’s annual travel
sustainability upfront in any big investment – be that a
trends survey of 2500 travellers from around the world
new development, a redevelopment or a refurbishment.
last year found that: ‘26% of respondents said they
The unabated growth of tourism in some areas has
will be more environmentally conscious in their travel
destroyed the character of places we love to visit
decisions in the coming year.1’ Whilst people often
through overdevelopment and this is bad for business.
say they’ll do something and then do something quite
New developments need to learn from past mistakes.
different, this shows the intention, and market, is there.

It is also important to have considered other options

As a result, business is booming for an ever-increasing
before developing on a virgin site. It is generally
number of hotels, resorts and even entire destinations
preferable from both a cost and environmental
claiming to be ‘eco’ for a share of the growing market for
perspective to redevelop or retrofit, as it uses fewer
sustainable holidays. But are they truly sustainable, or is
resources and can protect pristine sites, as well as use
it just ‘greenwash’? What does being sustainable actually
existing infrastructure and labour.
mean for a tourism development?

Climate change is a live issue too, representing a

double-edged sword for tourism. The industry’s CO2
emissions – particularly from aviation – are contributing
to climate change. At the same time tourism will be
seriously impacted by a changing climate. Leading
travel businesses and developers are wise to this and
are taking a proactive response. They are anticipating
greater regulation, particularly on transport, to meet the

4
http://www.tripadvisor.com/PressCenter-i155-c1-Press_Releases.html
1
Destinations: getting there and
being there
The main focus of this report is to identify what it really
means for a tourism development, resort or hotel to be
sustainable. However, to provide a really sustainable
holiday destination, operators need to consider how
tourists get there too. We recommend using the ‘travel
hierarchy’:
of sustainability. That said, we are not endorsing the
case studies featured as 100% sustainable. Few, if any,
developments have been able to excel in all areas. As
this report shows, some elements of sustainable tourism
are harder to achieve – whilst others are already easily
within reach of the mainstream tourism sector. For this
reason some of our hallmarks are, or will appear to be,
more aspirational than others.

1. Go local Reflecting the global nature and huge diversity of the

2. Go overland industry, our examples are drawn from across the
3. Go longer globe. This also helps to demonstrate the variety of
4. Go direct sustainability challenges. It is obviously important for
5. Offset tourism developments to prioritise the most relevant
areas to have maximum impact from the start e.g. water
This means providing local holidays and offering low- stress in drought-prone regions. In order to be truly
carbon alternatives to flying. Where flying is unavoidable economically, socially and environmentally sustainable,
this means encouraging fewer, longer holidays, and all our hallmarks of a sustainable tourism development
offering direct routes as well as offsetting transport need to be considered. It may not be possible to act on
emissions that cannot be avoided. them all at once, but beginning with the most pressing
issues is a good start.
About this report
This report outlines the key features of an exemplar
sustainable tourism development. There are impacts
throughout the holiday experience – both in getting
to a tourism destination and in the time spent being
there. This report focuses on the latter, and so is aimed
at developers, operators, hoteliers and other holiday
providers. By using this guidance, leading businesses
can be confident that they are tackling the key issues
and are well placed to capture the sustainability
opportunity.

Using the Forum’s Five Capitals model we have

pulled together a total of 21 features of a sustainable
tourism development. Where possible we have used
case studies to illustrate these features of sustainable
tourism – hotels, resorts and developments of all sizes
that have demonstrated excellence in different areas

5
Sustainable tourism developments ...
Environment •a
 re zero carbon and ready for a ‘low-carbon economy’ where people see
carbon as a valuable currency that is in short supply.
Developing and
• protect and enhance local biodiversity.
operating within
•e
 nsure that materials are responsibly sourced – where possible knowing
environmental
their provenance from the bottom of the supply chain.
limits
•p
 rotect water resources and water quality – abstracting less water from
fresh supplies than is replaced naturally, and do not impact on the ability
of local communities to meet their water needs.
• are zero waste – they do not send any waste to landfill.

People •d
 evelop local staff for long-term employment opportunities
and career progression.
Helping staff
•a
 re safe places to be, have happy, healthy employees and protect
and guests to fulfil the local community from exploitation.
their potential
• are accessible and can be enjoyed by everyone.
• help staff and visitors change their behaviour to live more sustainably.
•a
 re places to unwind, relax and have a good time – visitors and staff
enjoy being there and their well-being is actively promoted.

Community • respect local culture and are sensitive to local customs.

• involve and enhance the local community.
Building strong
links with the •b
 enefit the local economy and prioritise goods and services
from the local area.
local community

Infrastructure • use innovative design to promote sustainable living.

• are built to the highest environmental standards.
Creating a built
environment •h
 ave smart logistics and encourage people to travel to and from
the resort in the most sustainable way possible.
that supports
sustainable living •e
 nhance the infrastructure in the local community in the most
sustainable way.
• are prepared for the future impacts of climate change.

Finance • are a good long-term investment, with solid returns to shareholders.

•p
 romote their sustainability credentials and encourage other businesses
Creating long-term to do the same.
financial value
• have a long-term vision for and commitment to the local area.

6
2 environment
Developing and operating within
environmental limits
7
Zero carbon
Sustainable tourism developments are zero carbon
and ready for a low-carbon economy2 – where people
see carbon as a valuable currency that is in
short supply.
Climate change is a major challenge facing the world.
It will also have a profound effect on tourism. It is
estimated that travel and tourism contribute between
4-6% of global emissions and that these are forecast
to grow by up to 150% in the next 30 years.3 At the
same time tourism is vulnerable to the effects of climate
change as many holiday experiences are reliant on
predictable weather patterns. What’s more, increasing
oil prices are making tourism operations more expensive.
So it makes sense for developments to reduce their
carbon intensity and their reliance on fossil fuels.
To do this, tourism developments need to have a
carbon strategy in place that follows the carbon
management hierarchy:
•A
 void: rethink your business – design out carbon
and develop low-carbon processes and products;
• Reduce: do whatever you do more efficiently;
• Replace: substitute high-carbon energy sources
with low or zero-carbon ones;
•O
 ffset: offset those emissions that can’t be
eliminated by the above.
Actions at the top of the hierachy are more
transformative and lasting in terms of reducing
a company’s emissions baseline

2
A low-carbon economy is, quite simply, one in which the use of carbon has been constrained – either voluntarily or by obligation.
See Forum For The Future’s publication Making Sense of a Low Carbon Economy www.forumforthefuture.org.uk/publications/lowcarboneconomy_page575.aspx
3
Climate Change and Tourism: Responding to Global Challenges Advanced Summary, World Tourism Organization, United Nations

87
Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization, October 2007.
The design and positioning of the development is key
to avoiding and reducing greenhouse gas emissions
from the outset. Both new-build sustainable tourism
developments and retrofits need to be designed and
constructed with zero-carbon living in mind. They should
be intelligently sited and as energy efficient as possible.
Focusing on avoidance at this stage is paramount.
Natural shading could avoid the need for air conditioning
for example, alongside the use of natural daylight to limit
energy needed for lighting.
Renewable energy will play a major part in zero-carbon
development, whether sourced on or off-site. Ideally,
some renewable energy would be generated on-site
and factored into infrastructure development as early
as possible. On-site generation contributes to a wider
network of renewable energy sources, making the resort
more energy secure while some resorts will even have
the potential to benefit financially by selling energy
back to the grid (or the local community). Where it is
not possible to generate energy on-site, resorts should
look for green tariffs that encourage the development of
renewables in the area.
Once up and running, sustainable tourism developments
also need to be operated to be zero-carbon and benefit
fully from the ‘avoid, reduce and replace’ elements that
have been factored into the design. Energy efficient
electrical appliances with activity sensors can be used.
Regular maintenance and staff education will help
minimise energy use, particularly in energy intensive
areas like the kitchens and laundry rooms.
Offsetting is placed at the bottom of the hierarchy on the
basis that it does not directly reduce a development’s
emissions baseline. Developments looking to go zero-carbon
cannot simply turn to offsets – they must first look for actions
further up the carbon management hierarchy as described
above. There is lots of cynicism about companies buying
their way out of environmental responsibility. It is also very
difficult for developers to predict what the carbon intensity
and carbon price will be on completion of a development.
An early commitment to an offsetting strategy could
be expensive.
4
International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance
Nevertheless, high-quality offsetting has a role to
play in tackling climate change, especially where it is
currently impossible to be zero-carbon without it. The
type of offset is important. It needs to be ‘additional’ –
something that would not happen anyway – and focus
on setting up new renewable energy infrastructure.
We recommend offsets that are certified to the Gold
Standard (or, failing that, the Voluntary Carbon Standard)
using offset providers that have signed up to the ICROA
Code of Best Practice.4 The best offsets not only result in
genuine emissions reductions, but can also have
positive secondary benefits by providing employment,
protecting biodiversity, or by increasing the reliability
of electricity supply.
s
The Best Western Hotel Victoria in Freiburg, Germany
is considered a zero-carbon hotel. The hotel has a mix
of on-site renewable energy technology, solar water
heating, and a wood pellet heating system to ensure
there is sufficient hot water throughout the year. The
on-site photovoltaic solar panels provide 25% of the
hotel’s electricity needs and the rest is met by an
ongoing investment in a local hydropower plant and
purchasing green energy from the grid.
www.bestwestern.com
s
Accor have set themselves a target of fitting 200
hotels with solar water-heating panels by 2010, which
will produce 40% of domestic hot water. In 2004
Accor saved 1,120 MWh of energy by installing 2,370
square meters of solar heating panels on 28 hotels.
By the end of 2007, the number of hotels equipped
with solar panels for the production of domestic hot
water reached 47, and the quantity of solar power used
amounted to 1,796 MWh.
www.accor.com
9
 s
Carbon neutrality by 2010. That’s the goal that Six
Senses Resorts and Spas has set for Soneva Fushi
(below), its flagship hotel in the Maldives. Six Senses
has been monitoring and managing its energy use since
2006 and estimates a 50% carbon reduction between
2006-2008. A raft of initiatives have been put in place.
For example the resort has installed a deep-sea water
cooling system. For transport, it has fitted more efficient
outboard motors to boats, switched to battery-operated
golf buggies and provided guests with bicycles. The
group has set up a scheme to offset carbon emissions
from all guest flights, resort travel and operations. Set up
with The Converging World, the non-profit programme
is building wind turbines in South India. The Six Senses
turbine is expected to generate US$2,127,000 worth of
carbon credits over the next 20 years, with any surplus
being invested in environmental and social projects.
www.sixsenses.com/soneva-fushi
Image: Six Senses Resorts & Spas/Jorg Sundermann
Local biodiversity
Sustainable tourism developments protect and
enhance local biodiversity.
The grim reality is that globally, most ecosystems are
becoming increasingly degraded, and it’s mainly down to
us. According to the UN, species are becoming extinct a
hundred times faster than the rate shown in the fossil record.
Over 30% of amphibians, 23% of mammals and 12% of
Global Environment Outlook: environment for development (GEO-4), United Nations Environment Programme, October 2007
5
A Global Map of Human Impact on Marine Ecosystems, The National Centre for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis Science, February 2008
6
Green Code: Experiences of a Lifetime, Lonely Planet, 2006
7
birds are threatened with extinction. The evidence shows
that, alarmingly, “a sixth major extinction event” is currently
underway. And that this time, unlike the previous five, it is
primarily the result of human activities.5
The marine environment is also a critical part of the
tourist attraction in many areas. Yet 40% of the world’s
oceans are heavily affected by human activities.
We’re polluting the oceans (for example land runoff of
pollutants and nutrients into coastal waters), overfishing
and removing, altering and destroying natural habitats.
There is almost no part of the ocean that is not affected.6
So, whilst tourism is clearly not responsible for all of
this, many tourism locations rely on pristine natural
environments with diverse plant and wildlife to draw
visitors in. Whatever the location, many tourists value
wildflowers, great views, sea-life and bird song. At the
very least, it makes sense that sustainable tourism
developments ensure the local biodiversity is protected
from the impacts of construction and visitors.
In addition, as long as it is truly economically, socially and
environmentally sustainable, tourism can offer a viable
alternative income for communities living in areas where
delicate ecosystems are threatened by the money that
can be made from destroying them for short-term gain.
Sustainable tourism is about recognising that wildlife and
wild areas have a long-term monetary value. As the Lonely
Planet guide Green Code points out “you can only kill a
gorilla once, but if you can keep it alive, it can earn your
country US$90,000 every year, year after year, through
tourism”.7 A sustainable approach to tourism has helped
Costa Rica turn the tide on forest degradation. It is one
of the few countries where forest cover is increasing –
important for biodiversity and, critically, climate regulation.
Sustainable developments will ensure that this opportunity
is maximised and may even employ innovative financial
instruments such as tariffs or bonds to protect the local
area and provide returns to the local community.
10
Measures to prevent degradation of critical species,
communities or ecosystems include minimising
disturbance such as noise, dust and destruction,
during the construction or renovation phase. Where
appropriate to the habitat, native planting and
vegetation restoration can restore the natural balance
of biodiversity. Vegetation can also provide flood or fire
protection, which is increasingly important as our climate
changes [see adaptation to climate change, page 31].
Developers and operators should not introduce any new
species that might disrupt the local biodiversity balance.
Invasive species often cause irreversible damage.
Sustainable tourism developments need to protect particularly
sensitive areas completely, working with the scientific and
local communities. Visitor education on the importance and
components of local biodiversity and conservation is key –
and could add to the holiday experience.
The responsibility for biodiversity goes beyond the
borders of the resort and the immediate surrounding area.
Developers and tour operators should seek to secure food
supplies that also protect biodiversity. Taking steps to work
with local people to protect local fish stocks and identify
opportunities for certification is a good approach, as is
promoting local organic farming [see benefits to the local
economy and community, page 23].
s
Wilderness Safaris has been operating in southern
Africa for 25 years, existing first and foremost to protect
wilderness and wildlife. Over the years, it has achieved a
number of conservation successes. For example, through
collaboration with the Botswana government, Wilderness
Safaris has been working on the re-introduction of black
and white rhinos into the wild. This has been hugely
successful – the number of wild rhinos in Botswana has
grown from none in 2001 to 45 in 2008.
www.wildernesstrust.com
s
Formally an agricultural site, the Duke’s Course
in St. Andrews aims to be an example of what golf
course planning can achieve when conservation is
at the centre of its strategy. Since opening in 1995
the Duke’s has created a mosaic of woodland, scrub,
grassland and open water habitats. The course has been
designated a Listed Wildlife Site and has won a number
of environmental awards such as the ‘Scottish Award
for Environmental Excellence’ through its work with the
Scottish Golf Environment Group.
www.sgeg.org.uk
s
The Al Maha desert resort and spa (below) is situated
in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. Its owner,
Emirates Hotels, has worked with the government of
Dubai on a desert conservation programme to reintroduce
indigenous plant and animal species to the region,
many of which were endangered. It has successfully
re-established valuable habitats that have been lost in
many other parts of Dubai. Emirates Hotels was also
instrumental in the region gaining National Park status.
www.ddcr.org
Image: Emirates, courtesy of www.al-maha.com
Responsible sourcing of materials
Sustainable tourism developments ensure that
materials are responsibly sourced, knowing their
provenance from the beginning of the supply chain
wherever possible.
Globally, human consumption of resources significantly
exceeds what the earth can provide. The resources
we rely on (clean air and water, a stable climate, viable
forests and fisheries) are being depleted at accelerating
rates. As the tourism industry continues to grow it
11
contributes to the over-consumption of our earth’s
resources. One of the key impacts of a resort is the
materials and goods that it uses.
This means taking a different approach to purchasing.
Sustainable tourism developments need to prioritise the
use of sustainable materials and substitute scarce raw
materials for more abundant, sustainable sources. This
includes using reclaimed or recycled materials where
available, using renewable materials and prioritising
the use of local supply to reduce transport impact and
benefit the local community.
This should apply to both materials for construction
and for day-to-day operation. Responsible purchasing
policies need to apply to large items such as furnishings
right down to choice of cleaning product, paper and
toiletries. Where appropriate a ‘service approach’ can
reduce impact, for example focusing on comfort and
light, rather than energy.
s
Travelife is a collaboration of European tour operators
and associations (UK Federation of Tour Operators and
Dutch, Belgium and German associations) working on a
common approach in the industry towards sustainability.
Tour operator suppliers have the opportunity to evaluate their
own social and environmental management practices using
a simple web-based system. Upon reaching a certain level
of best practice, they can apply for bronze, silver or gold
Travelife sustainability awards, which are then featured in
the catalogues of tour operators. Tour operators can follow
a training programme in sustainability management and
can monitor their performance through the standardised
reporting system for tour operators.
www.travelife.eu
s
Scandic requires all of its suppliers, whether they
supply centrally or locally, to sign a ‘supplier declaration’
stating that they operate according to a sustainability
policy. It covers both environmental and social areas.
Amongst other things, the declaration asks for practical
examples of how suppliers are working to reduce the
8
www.unep.org/themes/freshwater/
9
Simpson, M.C., Gossling, S., Scott, D., Hall, C.M. and Gladin. E. (2008) Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in the Tourism Sector
10
World Climate News, World Meteorological Organization, No. 27, June 2005
11
www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/14/spain.water
negative environmental impacts from the production and
use of their products. One example of this commitment to
responsible sourcing is the four million breakfasts served
annually by Scandic, all of which are certified organic.
www.scandichotels.com
Protect water resources and
water quality
Sustainable tourism developments abstract less
water from fresh supplies than is replaced naturally,
return water to the environment of a quality
exceeding that encountered naturally, and crucially
do not impact on the ability of local communities to
meet their own water needs.
Water is going to be a critical issue in the future of
tourism, and more widely. Goldman Sachs has listed it
as one of the five key global issues that will affect the
economy. Water stress is a problem across much of the
world. According to the United Nations Environment
Programme “about one third of the world’s population
lives in countries with moderate to high water stress with
disproportionately high impacts on the poor.”8 Water
stress occurs when more water is demanded than is
available during a certain period, or when poor quality
restricts its use. Climate change is likely to make this
problem worse and will impact on different tourism
destinations in different ways [see adaptation to climate
change below, page 29].9
Many of the areas of the world affected by water stress
are heavily dependent on the tourism industry. At the
same time, tourists tend to use more water than people
in the local community. An average tourist in Spain uses
440 litres of water a day, which rises up to 880 litres of
water if you factor in filling up swimming pools, watering
gardens and golf courses, compared to 250 litres of
water a day for a Spanish city dweller.10 This inequity
is problem enough – especially when it means that
locals struggle to meet their basic water needs. It is also
costing the industry money. In 2008, it has been reported
that Barcelona is spending €22m importing shiploads of
water to ensure that demands can be met.11
12

Water resources should be considered from the start
of a development, particularly when placing water
intensive features like swimming pools and golf courses.
Developments in arid areas need to avoid the temptation
to make the desert green and instead use approaches
like natural rough and drought tolerant (indigenous)
species. There are also energy and water efficient
alternatives for swimming pools like natural bathing
pools, which also enhance biodiversity.
s
It is critically important that sustainable tourism
developments maximise water efficiency on site – during
construction and in day-to-day resort management. This
can be achieved in a variety of ways, such as installing
water meters, use of grey water and recycling water to
country specific standards and minimising the need for
irrigation through design and innovation.
Ideally resorts would be designed in a way that does
not need additional provision of water. But desalination
plants will be needed in some areas. Desalination is
generally energy intensive so plants should be run on
renewable energy.
s
Given the dry climate of Cyprus, the Aliathon Holiday
Village is keenly aware of the need to conserve water
and has implemented several water-saving measures.
Water-saving aerators, dual flushes and efficient
showerheads and taps have been installed throughout
the complex. Toilets are flushed with lower-quality dam
water and pool waste, rather than the treated water
supplied by the municipality. Water use is monitored
daily to identify any unusual activity such as leaks and
housekeepers have been trained to detect toilet leaks.
The Aliathon uses 44% less water than the efficiency
benchmark established by the International Hotels
Environment Initiative.
www.aliathonvillage.com
Allsopp, Michelle., Walters, Adam., Santillo, David., and Johnston, Paul., Plastic Debris in the World’s Oceans, Greenpeace, November 2006
12
s
Sandals Negril Beach Resort in Jamaica has been
managing its water use for a number of years. Measures
to increase efficiency include using low-flush toilets,
low-flow and aerated devices on taps, water-saving
showerheads and a computerised leak monitoring
system. In addition the thawed water from the icehouse
is stored in fishponds and used for irrigating the grounds.
www.sandals.com/main/negril/ne-home.cfm
Hotel Dietlgut in Hinterstoder, Austria, abandoned its
conventional chlorinated pool in 1995 and commissioned
a 900m natural open-air swimming pool. The pool
system is made up of a regeneration pool into which the
water from the swimming pool flows to be cleaned by the
plants and bacteria to cleanliness levels that meet health
and safety standards. The pool is heated by the sun in its
shallows. The temperature is maintained between 22 and
30 degrees centigrade without any additional heating.
www.dietlgut.at/englisch/dietlgut.asp
Zero waste
Sustainable tourism developments do not send any
waste to landfill.
Poor waste management can have far-reaching
consequences in tourist destinations for humans,
wildlife and the environment. According to a report from
Greenpeace at least 267 different species are known to
have suffered from entanglement or ingestion of plastic
marine debris including seabirds, turtles, seals, sea lions,
whales and fish. Tourists who leave litter on the beach
are cited as one of the sources of this debris.12
Waste elimination for sustainable tourism developments
starts upfront at the design phase. Structures can
be designed for flexible future use, configuration and
recyclable dismantling. In addition sustainable waste
management infrastructure should be designed into
plans from the very beginning (e.g. natural wastewater
management, composting and recycling points).
During day-to-day resort management staff and guests
should follow the reduce, reuse, recycle mantra, and
compost all biodegradable waste on or off-site as
13

appropriate. In some destinations local facilities don’t
make recycling easy so tour operators should aim for the
best solution and then, with others, try to influence the
development of a better infrastructure.
A resort’s procurement policy should reflect the need to
reduce waste and where possible should avoid buying products
that cannot be recycled or composted. This will include working
with suppliers to design out waste and reduce packaging.
Where organic waste cannot be eliminated it can be used
as a useful energy source through anaerobic digestion.
Again visitor and staff education will be key to achieving
zero waste – and could have the added benefit of
s Thirty years of tourism, 47 hotels, 72 lodges,
potentially changing people’s habits when they return
home [see staff and visitor education, page 18].
s
s
The Six Senses Soneva Kiri resort in Thailand is
working on several innovative programmes to turn waste
into wealth. All liquid waste will be treated and used for
garden watering, while solid waste will also go some way
to improving the landscape through composting and
fertilising. Used cooking oil will be converted in a biofuel
plant for use in conventional engines to power the resort
vehicles. To avoid the need for plastic bottled water, the
resort is producing its own drinking water, by treating rain
and bore water, a process which is already successful in
sister resorts Soneva Fushi and Soneva Gili.
www.sixsenses.com/soneva-kiri
44 restaurants and 350 shops all took their toll on the
beautiful beach of Kovalam (below) in south-west India.
Tourist litter, coupled with a very laid back local attitude

Five hotels in Hua Hin, Thailand, recognised the
benefits of composting for use in the hotel grounds. Waste
separation systems were introduced and training sessions
educated the hotel staff in composting techniques.
One hotel manager used proceeds from the sale of
the recyclable waste to support a low-interest fund for
hotel staff. Staff could then borrow money for personal
purposes, such as healthcare and education. These loans
have created an incentive for staff involvement in waste
management practices in the hotel. 13
s
towards waste disposal, had resulted in some serious
environmental and public health issues for the authorities
to deal with. Recognising the potential of a zero
waste programme, the authorities, with support from
Greenpeace and local organisation Thanal, took several
steps to re-examine waste production and disposal.
Alongside raising public awareness and introducing
waste segregation techniques, a community project
emerged, which provides an income to local women
creating various items from waste.
www.zerowastekovalam.org/theproject

The Hilton Tokyo Bay hotel has been managing its

waste since 1998. By 2004 it had increased its rate of
recycling to 58.2%, saving more than 50 million Yen.
The hotel achieved this by composting, using reusable
containers and actively looking for ways to recycle more
materials. It has also found ways to cut down on waste;
the hotel’s engineers worked with the housekeepers
to design an innovative gadget that winds together
unused toilet tissue from rolls too small to put in guest
bathrooms, diverting the tissue from landfill. Waste is
divided into sixteen kinds, including six different kinds of
paper waste. Vendors now remove paper waste free-of-
charge due to the rising cost of recycled paper.
www.hilton.co.uk/tokyobay

14
Jamieson, Walter., Kelovkar, Amit., Sunalai, Pawinee., and Mandki, Pallavi, A Manual for Water and Waste Management, United Nations
13
 3 people
Image: www.hog-hollow.com

Helping staff and guests

to fulfill their potential

15
Employee development
Sustainable tourism developments develop local
staff for long-term employment opportunities and
career progression.
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council,
In addition, sustainable tourism developments should
enable and encourage staff to work efficiently with a
low impact on the environment [see staff and visitor
education below].

s
tourism employs approximately 231 million people Hotel du Vin has successfully implemented a series
worldwide.14 Tourism in developing countries is growing of policies designed to increase staff satisfaction and
year-on-year, where it has the potential to lift millions out benefit the business. Development of existing staff is at
of poverty [see pro poor tourism, page 24]. According to the heart of the company’s policies; career development
the World Tourism Organization “developing countries opportunities have led to an improvement in staff
are attracting an increasing share of global international turnover and a halving of recruitment costs. 80% of
tourist arrivals up from 20.8% in 1973 to 42% in 2000”.15 management is home grown. Multi-skilling and flexible
working practices have cut the average working week
It goes without saying that, wherever a tourism business from 55 to 40 hours per week. Hotel du Vin was the
is based, employers should ensure their staff are winner of Best Places to Work in Hospitality 2008.
paid a fair wage and have varied and satisfying work. www.hotelduvin.com
During construction and operation sustainable tourism
s

developments should have exemplary standards on
health and safety [see employee, visitor and local
community wellbeing, page 17]. There should also be
general best practice employment policies and practices
such as diversity policies, health promotion, regular staff
consultation (including employee surveys) and equal
access to training. To have the most positive impact on
employee work-life balance, staff accommodation and
working practices need to encourage the full diversity of
family living. The location of tourism developments also
plays its part. Developing pristine desert islands not only
has an environmental impact, but also moves employees
away from their communities.
Hog Hollow country lodge in South Africa has made
a commitment to the transformation and employment
of previously disadvantaged people and only employs
people from the local area. Each new staff member is
put through a rigorous training programme consisting of
accredited courses in various aspects of the hospitality
industry. This ensures that the resort meets and exceeds
international standards of service excellence. Many of
the staff have been with the lodge for several years, so
it’s often the same friendly faces that welcome guests
back on their return.
www.hog-hollow.com

Many tourism developments rely on seasonal, casual

cheap labour. Sustainable tourism developments should
invest in the long-term employment needs of their staff.
The long-term cost savings on repeat training and the
benefits of having local staff with local knowledge are
obvious. In addition local recruitment will maximise the
benefit to the local community. For any staff that are not
from the local area, efforts should be made to integrate
employees into the local community.

www.wttc.org/eng/Tourism_News/Press_Releases/Press_Releases_2008/Tourism_leaders_examine_employment_issue_for
14

China%E2%80%99s_Travel__and_Tourism/, World Travel & Tourism Council, 2008

16
Tourism and Poverty Alleviation, World Tourism Organization, Madrid, 2002
15
Employee, visitor and local community
wellbeing
Sustainable tourism developments are safe places
to be, have happy, healthy employees and protect
the local community from exploitation.
Health and safety for staff and guests need to
be considered for the whole lifetime of a tourism
development – from construction through to operation.
Health and safety records are clearly a crucial issue for
attracting and retaining staff. It is something that is taken
as a given by guests – until anything goes wrong – after
which the reputational costs are high.
As many tourism developments are in areas where
disease is rife, this has implications for employment
(see Serena Hotels case study below). Working with
governments or local NGOs to improve employee health
can bring obvious and immediate benefits.
s
Accessibility
Sustainable tourism developments can be enjoyed
by everyone.
Making sure a tourism development is accessible by as
many people as possible makes sound business sense.
The design and operation of a resort needs to cater for
everyone, regardless of age, gender, disability or
sexual orientation.
Facilities, goods and services should also be available
to the local community. This level of inclusivity can be a
source of tension, however, for luxury or more exclusive
resorts. Even in the most exclusive resorts there should
be scope for developing a pricing strategy that enables
locals to enjoy some of the facilities. This will contribute
to a greater sense of community and a more authentic
holiday experience. This could also provide an alternative
income during any low seasons, and help to diversify
income to help secure against any financial downturns.

The Serena Hotels Group is the largest hotel chain in

s

east Africa with 2300 employees. Following the deaths
of several hotel employees of AIDS in the late 90s, the
chain developed an HIV workplace and community
programme and trained 175 wellness champions to
educate staff. Serena Hotels also provides voluntary HIV
counselling, testing and free contraceptives. As a result,
AIDS-related deaths amongst employees have declined
and the programme has been expanded to provide
advice on a range of issues such as drugs, alcohol,
sexual harassment, violence and other diseases.16
www.serenahotels.com
s
Scandic Hotels aims to make all of its guests’ stays
as easy as possible. To help achieve this it has an
accessibility standard for all hotels with 93 commitments,
77 of which are compulsory. These include walking stick
holders and hearing loops in reception, shower stools
and vibrating alarm clocks in disabled rooms and gluten
and lactose-free bread at breakfast.
www.scandichotels.com

Sexual exploitation is undeniably the dark side of

global tourism. UK-based children’s rights organisation
ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and
the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) provides
training to the travel and tourism industry on developing
policy and practical measures to protect children from
sexual exploitation. Training is available to hotels, tour
operators, travel agents and others interested in ethical
and sustainable tourism.
www.ecpat.org.uk

17
16
AIDS is Everybody’s Business. UNAIDS and Business: Working Together, UNAIDS Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, 2007
 s
Run by the Berber people of Morocco, the Kasbah
du Toubkal hotel (below) is a mountain resort catering for
a range of guests. Accommodation ranges from basic
salons for multiple-occupancy to en-suite rooms in the
gardens. The Kasbah du Toubkal resort can cater for all
levels of accessibility needs including serious hikers and
leisurely strollers.
www.kasbahdutoubkal.com
Image: Alan Keohane
Staff and visitor education
Sustainable tourism developments help staff
and visitors change their behaviour to live more
sustainably.
As highlighted throughout this report, sustainable
tourism developments have a unique opportunity to
educate guests about sustainable living. By being part of
a development with sustainability at its heart, guests can
see first hand that sustainability needn’t mean sacrifice
and this may inspire them to make changes in their
everyday lives.
Staff are the interface between the resort and visitors,
so their enthusiasm for reducing their impacts will
encourage others to do the same. Getting staff involved
in sustainability initiatives is the key to success.
Integrating sustainability responsibilities into job roles
and performance reviews, practical guidance and
training, encouraging staff to come up with sustainability
initiatives of their own via competitions and other means,
all play their part.
s
Guests of the Caiman Ecological Refuge (CER) are
never far from the wildlife of the Brazilian Pantanal. Since
1987, the owner has been implementing a sustainable
development programme to promote the conservation
of the area, focusing on three research projects: the
Blue-fronted parrot, the Hyacinth Macaw and the Jaguar.
The owner also created a private Reserve of Natural
Patrimony encompassing 5,600 ha (13,837 acres)
to preserve fauna and flora, and the Environmental
Interpretation Centre, with a photographic exhibition to
educate visitors about the region. Guests staying at the
Caiman Lodge can learn more about all these projects
on tours with bilingual naturalist leaders and local
guides, who also have extensive knowledge about
the ecosystems of the surrounding area.
www.caiman.com.br
s
Guests at the Orchid Hotel, Mumbai, are encouraged
to get involved in saving energy by pushing the
‘green button’ on the control panel in their guest
room, automatically reducing the air conditioning by
two degrees. The hotel calculates the energy saving
associated to this simple action and converts it to a
financial saving, displayed on the guest’s bill. Whilst the
guest’s voluntary participation is commemorated with
a certificate at the end of their stay, the hotel commits
to funding local environmental programmes with the
financial saving.
www.orchidhotel.com
18
s
The Aspen Skiing Company runs a ‘save snow’
campaign educating its visitors on the action they
can take to cut carbon and that way safeguard their
enjoyment of snowsports in the future. Activities range
from encouraging visitors to take political action to
promoting the use of green armbands on the slopes
to show solidarity. As well as providing online energy
saving tips, the Aspen Skiing Company sent 40,000
low-energy light bulbs to its visitors, packaged with
information on climate change.
www.savesnow.org
17
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/happiness_formula/4771908.stm
18
The Future of Luxury Travel, Future Foundation, December 2005
19
Miller, G., Rathouse, K., Scarles, C., Holmes, K. and Tribe, J. ‘Public understanding of sustainable leisure and tourism:
A report to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ University of Surrey, Defra, London, 2007
20
Responsible Tourism – who cares?, First Choice, 2005
Relaxation and fun
Sustainable tourism developments are places to
unwind, relax and have a good time – visitors and
staff enjoy being there and their well-being is
actively promoted.
We live in a world where it sometimes seems as if
happiness and well-being are in short supply. There
is evidence that as we get richer as nations, we aren’t
getting any happier. According to a BBC poll in 2006,
Britain is less happy than in the 1950s – despite the fact
that we are three times richer. The proportion of people
saying they are “very happy” had fallen from 52% in
1957 to just 36%.17
Tourism plays an important part in taking a break from the
everyday working life and contributes to general well-being.
At the same time we’re beginning to rethink what we look
for in a holiday and even what ‘luxury’ means. Increasingly
luxury is less about ostentatious wealth. According to the
Future Foundation, “today’s luxury traveller looks for an
experience that is unique and individual, without sacrificing
the comforts of everyday living”.18
As a recent report for Defra showed, currently the
majority of people do not tend to think about the
environment when they make their holiday choices.19
Also, people don’t like to think about the environment,
recycling, social impacts and the like while they are on
holiday. In a survey conducted by First Choice Holidays
in 2005, 80% of the people surveyed claimed to recycle
at home, but only 50% would be prepared to do so
on holiday.20 The focus for any break from everyday
lives is about hedonism and escapism. On the one
hand this reduces our sense of responsibility whilst on
holiday. On the other, we may be more receptive to new
ideas. In addition, tourism often takes place in beautiful
environments, which presents a valuable opportunity
to increase the awareness of guests to issues of
sustainability [see staff and visitor education, page
18]. So, the challenge and opportunity for sustainable
tourism developments is to make sustainable behaviour
easy and enjoyable.
19
4 community
Building
of a Low Carbonstrong links
A low carbon economy is, quite simply, one in which the use of carbon has been constrained – either voluntarily or by obligation. See Forum For The Future’s publication ‘Making
Sense Economy’ www.forumforthefuture.org.uk/publications/lowcarboneconomy_page575.aspx

withOrganization,
the localOctober 2007community
‘Climate Change and Tourism: Responding to Global Challenges’ Advanced Summary, World Tourism Organization, United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteo-

20
rological
Respect cultural heritage
Sustainable tourism developments respect local
culture and are sensitive to local customs.
By their very nature, tourism developments attract
visitors from across the globe with different cultural
as it was designed in close co-operation with the local
chief and community. The museum is an extension of
this existing collaboration, making the both the Park and
Eco-Museum an integral part of the local community.21

norms and behaviours. It is important to ensure that
guests (and staff) respect local traditions, religions
and cultural sensitivities. Indeed, there is increasing
evidence that people are seeking out these differences.
Cultural tourism is on the increase and more and more
holidaymakers are looking to experience ‘authentic’
holidays where local food is served, where the beaches
are unspoilt, or where English isn’t routinely spoken.
Protecting the local culture by promoting local crafts
and festivals can contribute to enhancing the authentic
holiday experience. At the design stage sustainable
tourism developments should replicate local design
and architecture, while protecting and incorporating
archaeological features into the plans. This can also play
an important part in reviving local traditional methods of
building and design that might otherwise be lost.
s
s
Castello di Spannocchia is part of a centuries old
organic agricultural estate in central Tuscany. The
building’s conservation efforts focus on architectural
preservation and the use of traditional materials and
methods. Internally, the rooms of the villa are being
restored to their original 18th and 19th century styles
using natural pigment-based paints, restoring or
replicating the original uncovered designs. The property
is also a diversified organic farm and educational centre,
hosting a range of enrichment programmes focused
on Tuscan culture and history, and a residential farm
internship programme.
www.spannocchia.org

A partnership between the owners of the Kasbah de

Toubkal hotel and the local Berber community is at the
heart of this enterprise. The hotel was restored by local
builders and craftsmen using only traditional methods,
and is furnished with the work of local artisans. It is
managed and staffed by local Berber people and the
local community is paid a levy from the takings to
spend on community projects.
www.kasbahdutoubkal.com
s

The Lope National Park in the east African country

of Gabon is home to an Eco-Museum, which is more
than just a stopping point for tourists. It is also about
providing a space to help local tribal populations
preserve their traditions and cultural identity. In fact, the
National Park itself was also created with this in mind

A low carbon economy is, quite simply, one in which the use of carbon has been constrained – either voluntarily or by obligation. See Forum For The Future’s publication ‘Making
Sense of a Low Carbon Economy’ www.forumforthefuture.org.uk/publications/lowcarboneconomy_page575.aspx
‘Climate Change and Tourism: Responding to Global Challenges’ Advanced Summary, World Tourism Organization, United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteo-

2117
21
Chehoski,
rological Eric., GoingOctober
Organization, Back to2007
Their Roots, Gabon, Summer 2006
Involving and enhancing the local
community
Sustainable tourism developments are part of the
local community.
Once pristine locations around the world are becoming
so overdeveloped and overcrowded that they are
no longer pleasant places to visit. Overdeveloped
regions are increasingly losing out to less developed
destinations. Figures released by the Canaries
government reveal that in 2006, the number of
visitors to the lesser developed of the Canary Islands,
Fuerteventura, increased by 8% compared to
3.39% for Tenerife and 1.68% for Gran Canaria.
Far from being overdeveloped blots on the landscape,
sustainable tourism developments should actually
enhance the local area, foster involvement in community
life, and ensure that they are good neighbours. This
includes consulting with local stakeholders during the
design and planning stage to take their needs into
account upfront, and to respond to any concerns. This
could have a knock-on benefit for future relationships
with the local community, and help to create innovative
solutions to avoiding overdevelopment.
During construction, being a good neighbour includes
limiting noise and congestion, and controlling air quality
issues. During the day-to-day operation of a resort,
many things can be done to build strong links with
the local community. As well as employing local staff,
sustainable tourism developments should make facilities
available to the local community, for example, opening
up conference rooms out of peak season for local group
meetings, making facilities available for IT or sports for
local people. Developments can be operated with a
holistic management plan that incorporates sustainability
into the day-to-day running of the resort.
http://www.ukprwire.com/Detailed/Travel_Tourism/Tourists_Seek_Authentic_Holiday_Experiences_7195.shtml
22
To ensure that tourism developments continue to
engage with all key stakeholders, people from the local
community can be involved in the governance structures
for the resort. This can bring lasting reputational gains,
licence to operate and potential cost savings.
s
Tribewanted is a unique community tourism project
that is simultaneously based on Vorovoro Island, Fiji and
online. Started in April 2006, the online tribe is made up
of over 1500 members from 35 countries, 500 of which
have already visited Fiji. As well as a virtual space, this
online social network has a real project in the South
22 Pacific where Tribewanted members live alongside
a small indigenous Mali community on the island of
Vorovoro, helping to build a simple sustainable village
during their one to 12 week stay. Members have debated
and voted on how the online and on-island communities
should be structured. At the end of this innovative and
experimental project, the Fijian chief and landowner,
Tui Mali, will decide the future of Vorovoro.
www.tribewanted.com
s
The founders of Guludo Beach Lodge in Mozambique
forged a partnership with the local community right from
the start. On the very first day they stepped onto the
beach and realised its potential, they held a meeting with
the Guludo community to talk about the idea of a lodge.
Alleviating poverty in the local community has remained
at the heart of the development and operation of the
lodge. More than 80% of the lodge’s expenditure,
from construction to operation, stays within a
five km radius.
www.guludo.com
22
Benefits to the local economy and
community
Sustainable tourism developments benefit the local
economy and prioritise the use of local goods
and services.
Many tourism developments across the world operate
as all inclusive, closed-gate communities, with a limited
amount of the revenue generated from tourism activities
flowing back to the host community.
Several steps can be taken to ensure the local economy
gets the maximum benefit possible from hosting a
tourism development. At the design phase, investment in
sustainable infrastructure within and beyond the project
s The Kapawi Ecolodge opened in 1996 as a
area will provide long-term benefits for local economies.
During construction, the employment of local architects
and builders and the purchasing of local building
materials are crucial for the support of local
supply chains.
Alongside sourcing local expertise and materials,
sustainable tourism destinations should ensure that
local people are employed as guides or in other roles.
They can lead the way in paying above-average wages
and providing training. Providing market space for local
goods and handicrafts can encourage local enterprise,
for example The Banyan Tree in Phuket, Thailand, has
constructed a food centre where the local hawkers
and traders can operate. According to the Overseas
Development Institute, between one quarter and a half of
tourist spending can reach the poor from expenditure on
shopping (particularly handicrafts); local transport
and excursions; and restaurants (if supplies are
purchased locally).23
It could also help secure supply chains from the future
impacts of climate change, and potentially translate into
cost savings as fuel prices rise.
Operating through local tourist operators will help keep
benefits local and, although it might seem counter
intuitive at first, sustainable tourism developments
should also invest in local enterprises. Encouraging local
(and even rival) businesses to develop sustainably will
help to promote a flourishing local economy, ensure the
local community does not become too dependent on
the resort, and can effectively function out-of-season.
partnership between Canodros, an Ecuadorian tourist
company, and the indigenous Achuar people. Each
partner shared a vision of building an economically
sustainable project with a plan to transfer the
management of the project to the Achuar over the
years. At the beginning of 2008 total ownership and
responsibility for the operation of Kapawi Ecology
and Reserve passed to the Achuar people. The local
communities also benefit by selling products and
services to the lodge, their main source of income.
www.kapawi.com

There is also a key role for developments in encouraging

best practice with local suppliers, for example supporting
local farmers to go organic and fair trade, and stimulating
efficient water management. As well as ensuring the
local community gets maximum benefit from the resort,
this will bring carbon savings from avoided transport.

23
Ashley, Caroline., and Mitchell, Jonathan, Assessing how tourism revenues reach the poor, Overseas Development Institute, June 2007
23
s

Communities in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Pro-poor tourism

Kenya, are now benefiting from an 800% increase
In September 2005, the World Tourism Organization
in tourism revenue compared to previous years.
issued a declaration on tourism and the Millennium
With continued support from The Travel Foundation,
Development Goals. It states that the tourism sector
responsible tourism consultancy, Tribal Voice
can make a substantially greater contribution to poverty
Communications, has worked to ensure the Maasai
alleviation, economic growth, sustainable development,
now receive 100% of tour fees from lodge-generated
environmental conservation, inter-cultural understanding
business and 75% of the revenue generated by tour
and peace among nations. The declaration called on the
operators through the Kenya Association of Tour
UN as well as governments, international and bilateral
Operators. Whereas in the past driver guides acquired
development assistance agencies, financial institutions,
the majority of tourist revenue for cultural tours, the
private corporations, NGOs and other interested parties to
Maasai can now look forward to a sustainable future
“Fully recognize tourism, when sustainably developed and
through tourism.
managed, as an effective tool to realize the Millennium
www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk/kenya.asp
Development Goals – especially poverty alleviation”.
s

Tourists travelling through Central America are

Not many mainstream tourism developments are created
being encouraged to visit the remote Mosquito Coast
with poverty alleviation as a main priority. Yet, the
in Honduras, thanks to an alliance of five indigenous
economic benefits of tourism are often cited and tourism
communities and RARE, an international conservation
generates over 10% of world GDP. 24 There is some
organisation which works with local villagers. This
concern, however, that much of this benefit never makes
community-based tourism project has already created
it to the local host communities – even when it comes
150 jobs, supporting more than 750 family members,
down to services provided at the destination.
with the majority of the income generated staying with
At the very least there is little evidence of exactly
the communities involved. The “La Ruta Moskitia”
how much money reaches the local economy from
alliance offers tourists a unique insight into this
mainstream tourism.
undeveloped region, with jungle-trekking, bird-watching
tours and authentic cultural exchange, as determined by Pro-poor tourism is tourism that results in increased
the indigenous communities themselves. net benefits for poor people.25 Many of the countries
www.larutamoskitia.com in which tourism is an important economic sector are
among the poorest and least developed in the world.
s

In Tobago, The Travel Foundation is working
closely with local farmers and the tourism industry to
restore the country’s agricultural economy and reduce
its dependency on imports. The ‘Adopt a Farmer’
programme is helping Tobago’s farmers supply fresh,
locally grown produce directly to hotels at the right
quantity, quality and price. This arrangement has led
to farmers earning 30-100% more and allowed them
to grow their businesses. So far, 20 farmers and their
families have supplied hotels with local produce worth
over TT$260,000 (£26,000).
www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk/tobago.asp
Support for local businesses, training up local unskilled
or semi-skilled workers and local sourcing of products
can all help to boost the local economy and improve the
quality of the holiday experience – win-win solutions.
One of the steps to achieving this will be for sustainable
tourism developments to have a fully transparent supply
chain – knowing where all materials come from and
ensuring they are responsibly sourced, with maximum
benefit (including fair wages) for producers. There will
need to be deliberate strategies in place for working with
suppliers to make improvements.

www.wttc.org/eng/Tourism_News/Press_Releases/Press_Releases_2008/Tourism_leaders_examine_employment_issue_for China%E2%80%99s_Travel
24

__and_Tourism/, World Travel & Tourism Council, 2008

24
www.propoortourism.org.uk
25
 5 infrastructure
Creating a built environment that
supports sustainable living
Image: www.whitepod.com

25
Innovative design
Sustainable tourism developments use innovative
design to make sustainable living a reality.
To be able to holiday in the future within environmental
limits and to the same, if not improved, standard as
today, entails making changes that do not compromise
on the quality or enjoyment of the holiday experience.
This will require cutting edge innovation. Sustainable
tourism developments need to lead in this new thinking
and develop revolutionary new ways of holidaying. But
they also need to apply tried and tested techniques such
as using local architectural practices to reduce the need
for artificial cooling.
Sustainable tourism developments will use innovative
design to avoid and reduce energy consumption, design
out waste and help make sustainability easy to achieve
for guests and staff. Buildings that are at the real cutting
edge of design can become educational in themselves
– promoting sustainable living as aspirational. The use
of the latest technological solutions, especially around
energy saving and generation, also need to be
given priority.
One of the key things that existing resorts can do to
reduce their carbon emissions is encourage people
to stay longer [see integrated transport and logistics,
page 30]. This might involve developments looking for
ways to enhance their information and communication
technology facilities for example, which enables guests
to stay up-to-date with events back home – particularly
in the workplace.
s
At Whitepod in Switzerland, guests stay in ‘pods’
(below) raised from the ground by wooden platforms
designed to leave no trace. When they are taken down
at the end of the season the idea is that you wouldn’t
know that they had ever been there. White covers in
winter and green in summer help them to blend into
the surrounding alpine terrain. Wood burning stoves
simply add to the relaxing ambience.
www.whitepod.com
26

Green building
Sustainable tourism developments are built to the
highest environmental standards.
Research from the United Nations World Tourism
Organization (UNWTO) shows that transport aside,
accommodation accounts for 21% of the CO2 emissions
from tourism. Inefficient buildings will also require
26
more energy to heat (or cool). Therefore investing
upfront to ensure that buildings are designed to be as
efficient as possible makes sound business sense when
operating costs are considered. Although it can be more
costly, retrofitting existing tourism developments to be
more efficient can also save money in the long-term.
According to the BRE Trust, the energy and water saving
measures they identified for an air conditioned office
(including rain water recycling, building user guides
and increasing insulation thickness), led to in-use cost
savings of 26% and 55% respectively throughout
the life of the building.27
s
The Six Senses Soneva Kiri Eco-suite on the
island of Ko Kut in Thailand (below) combines luxury
accommodation with absolute minimal impact on the
environment. The zero emissions villa has been built
using recycled materials, Forestry Stewardship Council
certified pine, and reclaimed teak. The use of natural
building techniques and non-toxic adhesives and wood
treatments has meant no need for concrete or cement. A
green roof not only provides a home for native flora but
also helps control storm water run-off, and skylights and
state-of-the-art LEDs provide lighting. Energy will
soon be produced via a wind turbine, solar panels
and a micro-hydro system using waste water from the
restaurant. Even grey water from the shower is being
recycled to irrigate the bamboo hedges.
www.sixsenses.com/soneva-kiri

Image: Six Senses Resorts & Spas/Kiattipong Panchee

Sustainable tourism developments should be designed
to high standards, such as BREEAM Excellent.28
They should also use bioclimatic design, for example
buildings that are sited to take advantage of natural
features like breezes or shading to enable energy saving.
Infrastructure needs to also be designed for low energy
use by being sited to minimise transport distances
between accommodation and key services, for example,
in order to reduce the need to travel.
s

The Travel Foundation has developed Sustainable

s

The Adrère Amellal Oasis ecolodge in Siwa, Egypt,

uses traditional Siwan architecture to limit its impact on
the environment. It has been built using local, renewable
materials such as palm roofing and kershef, a mixture
of local rock salt and mud, used to build the walls. The
hotel was designed to blend in with the landscape and
has a natural ventilation system. Strategic positioning of
doors and windows make the most of desert breezes so
that air conditioning is not required.
www.adrereamellal.net
Tourism is Good for Business, a toolkit for
accommodation providers and guidelines to help tourism
developments take small steps towards becoming
more efficient. According to The Travel Foundation, by
following the guidelines hotels can save up to 25% on
water and energy costs. The free pack includes posters
and training materials for staff, tailored to different
departments and available in several languages.
www.travelfoundation.org.uk

26
Climate Change and Tourism: Responding to Global Challenges, Advanced Summary, October 2007, World Tourism Organization, United Nations Environment
Programme and the World Meteorological Organization
27
Sweett, Cyril, BRE Centre for Sustainable Construction and BRE Trust, Putting a Price on Sustainability, May 2005

27
28
www.breeam.org
Integrated transport and logistics
Sustainable tourism developments have smart
logistics and encourage people to travel to and from
the resort in the most sustainable way possible.
By far the largest single carbon impact of overseas
holidays is air transport to and from resorts. Data
from the UNWTO analysed the contribution of various
tourism subsectors to CO2 emissions. It shows that
the 17% of aviation-based tourist trips contribute
to 40% of global tourism related CO2 emissions. In
contrast, trips by coach and rail account for 34% of
all trips, but contribute only 13% of CO2 emissions.
Ideally, to be most successful at reducing this impact,
tourism developments should avoid the need for flights
altogether by, for example, appealing to a domestic
market, or by providing alternative, more sustainable
transport options like rail.
Where air transport is unavoidable, a resort can
significantly reduce its carbon footprint by encouraging
guests to stay longer. This maintains occupancy rates,
but reduces the number of visitors overall, minimising
the number of flights taken. Resorts can also encourage
Climate Change and Tourism: Responding to Global Challenges, Advanced Summary, October 2007, World Tourism Organization, United Nations Environment
29
Programme and the World Meteorological Organization
visitors to fly with airlines operating the most efficient
fleets. Tourism developments should also develop a
‘green travel plan’ including, for example, centralised
guest collection from arrival/departure ports in efficient,
low-carbon transport.
Once guests have arrived, much can be done to reduce
transport-related carbon emissions in resorts. Tourism
developments should discourage guests from hiring
private vehicles (by, for example, limiting parking) and
instead offer incentives for the use of public transport
29 and/or bikes. Where cars are a necessity, resorts should
encourage low-emission vehicles by, for example,
supporting hybrid car-hire companies.
Other transport issues to consider include transporting
materials and people to and around the site as efficiently
as possible during the construction phase, green travel
plans for staff, and low-carbon transport for excursions.
28
Positive contribution to local
infrastructure
Sustainable tourism developments enhance the
infrastructure in the local community in the most
sustainable way.
Tourism developments are often in poor countries
with inadequate infrastructure. Although tourism is
often blamed for competing with local communities
for water, land, and coastline, they can also gain from
opportunities for infrastructure development.
To make the most positive contribution to the local
community it is important to consult local stakeholders
on their needs early in the design stage. This could
also include providing support for local schools and/or
healthcare and enabling sustainable mobility.
s
The philosophy of Borana Lodge in Kenya is about
sharing its wealth with surrounding communities.
The lodge and its ranch employ around 200 people and
buy locally to boost the local economy. Borana supports
a number of primary schools in the area, providing
construction and equipment support, as well as some
teacher accommodation. Its mobile medical clinic
works in the community five days a week and
16 employees with disabilities work in its tannery
and leather workshop.
www.borana.co.ke
s
The Samba Foundation, co-founded by the Nihiwatu
resort in Indonesia, works to benefit the surrounding
Sumbanese communities. Through its philanthropic
programmes 200 villages now have clean drinking water,
15,000 people have access to medical clinics, 6,000
people sleep under insecticide-treated mosquito nets,
2,000 children are equipped with all the school supplies
they need and six schools have been renovated or
completely rebuilt, and are now safe venues for learning.
www.nihiwatu.com
30
Ashley, Caroline and Mitchell, Jonathan, Can tourism accelerate pro-poor growth in Africa? Overseas Development Institute, 2005
31
AMcGuire, Bill, Holiday 2030, Benfield-UCL Hazard Research Centre, September 2007
32
Simpson, M.C., Gossling, S., Scott, D., Hall, C.M. and Gladin. E. (2008) Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in the Tourism Sector: Frameworks,
Tools and Practices, UNEP, University of Oxford, UNWTO, WMO: Paris, France
33
ibid
Adaptation to climate change
Sustainable tourism developments are prepared for
the future impacts of climate change.
Tourism destinations across the world will be seriously
impacted by climate change. A one to two degree
temperature rise, as predicted by many, including the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),
will have far-reaching consequences. Traditional
holiday seasons might change as destinations become
30
uncomfortably hot in summer, or inaccessible due to
unpredictable weather, storms, flooding or drought. Snow
lines will rise and delicate coral reef systems will die. Rising
sea levels mean that certain locations such as the Maldives,
will continue to disappear. Elsewhere, the principal climate
threats to tourism are likely to include increasing water
scarcity as a result of soaring temperatures.31
Resorts in the future will have to be designed and built
to be prepared for unpredictable weather, including
longer dry spells, flash flooding, more powerful storms,
and rising sea levels.
s
A range of government departments and tourism
businesses in Fiji have joined forces to cope with the
cyclones and storms that cause structural damage and
shoreline erosion in its coastal resorts. Resorts are built
2.6m above the average sea level, 30m off the high
tide mark, and can also withstand strong winds. Many
businesses have a direct line to the Meteorological
Service for early warnings and have evacuation plans
and supplies in place.32
s
Diminishing natural snowfall means that ski resorts
in New England are looking at new ways to enhance
their destinations. New ski runs are being developed
on higher, north-facing slopes and resorts are making
the most of landscaping and slope contouring, but
snowmaking remains a vital aspect of resorts. Many
have diversified to include non-skiing activities, such as
health spas and ice-skating, and are open for business
all year round providing conference facilities or non-
winter activities.33
29
6 finance
Creating long-term financial value
30

Returns to shareholders
Sustainable tourism developments are a good
long-term investment.
Any business investment needs to deliver good returns
to its investors. More and more mainstream investors are
taking sustainability considerations into their investment
decisions. For example, DTZ, one of the world’s largest
real estate advisors, recently launched Sustento,
a sustainable investment fund aimed at investors
wishing to future-proof investment in new and existing
commercial property across Europe. The fund will seek
to invest in buildings designed to high environmental
standards, and will encourage more sustainable
behaviour by tenants via financial incentives such as
‘green leases’.
Fifty leading US and European institutional investors
managing over $1.75 trillion in assets recently signed
up to and released a Climate Change Action Plan.
The Action Plan was in part put together in response
to investors demanding greater scrutiny in assessing
the financial risks and opportunities posed by climate
change. Notably, investors were calling for policy action
from governments that would deliver a 90% reduction
in carbon emissions by 2050. 34
Sustainable tourism should be about ensuring the long-
term successes of any tourism development. Tourism
is so closely tied to the natural environment and the
vibrancy of the local community, that protecting and
investing in them makes sound business sense. In
addition, many of the energy saving initiatives will also
save money through reduced energy bills – creating win-
win opportunities for the environment and investors.
Investor Network on Climate Risk, February 2008
34
s
The Sheraton Rittenhouse Hotel was the first eco-
hotel to be established in the US. The Hotel has been
recognised for a variety of energy saving initiatives,
including state of the art heating and cooling processes,
recycling water systems, staff training in environmental
maintenance techniques, energy efficient windows and
a 40-foot bamboo plant that is used in purifying the
hotel air. Within its first year of operation the hotel saved
a total of $65,000 and in 2007, the Hotel made a 78%
saving in energy consumption.
www.Sheraton.com/Philadelphia
s
Our Planet Retreats provides the opportunity for
people to own part of their very own ‘Sphere’ – unusual
tourist accommodation located in tree canopies. People
who contribute to the cost of a $55,000 Eco-Retreat,
either through investments from as little as $30, or by
buying a full Sphere, can expect a share of 75% of the
profits. Local people can also invest in the retreats and
the organisation aims to involve them in other
aspects of the experience, such as providing
tourists with local culinary delights. Our Planet
Retreats is also committed to helping solve local
environmental problems.
www.ourplanet-retreats.com
31
 s
Responsible marketing The Greenbox (below) is Ireland’s first integrated
Sustainable tourism developments promote their ecotourism destination. The unspoilt nature of the
sustainability credentials and encourage other Greenbox region has contributed to attracting a high
businesses to do the same. concentration of ‘green’ and ecotourism operators
Sustainable tourism developments should make sure to the region – now numbering more than 120. To
that they can back up their sustainability claims. There strengthen the Greenbox brand they have developed
are a variety of eco tourism and/or sustainable tourism a quality Ecotourism label for tourism providers and
schemes that can provide independent, credible also use the EU Flower Eco-label to raise standards in
assurance to guests that where they are staying meets a accommodation across the region. Key strengths of the
minimum sustainability criteria. Their various labels, strap project, which includes both Northern Ireland and the
lines and awards can then be used to promote Republic of Ireland, are training, marketing, events and
the development. capacity building.
www.greenbox.ie
Ultimately, however, only a small (but growing) customer
base will be solely interested in a development’s
sustainability credentials. For the rest, a sustainable
resort development will need to promote its other
qualities – luxury, quality, relaxation and/or fun – and
ensure that it delivers all these things in a
sustainable way.

Sustainable tourism developments should also play their
part in promoting their success and encouraging other
businesses to follow suit and become more sustainable.
This includes pushing for local and national quality
schemes to include sustainability criteria to help improve
the overall sustainability performance of the industry.
s

The New Forest has been very successful at

promoting its Green Leaf Tourism Scheme, a process
for businesses and communities wanting to develop
more socially and environmentally responsible forms of
operations. Participants annually assess their progress
in such things as car-free visitor programmes, the
establishment of Green Staff teams, and the purchase
and use of New Forest Marque food and goods which
have been grown, reared, caught, brewed or produced in
the New Forest. Businesses that reach a certain number
Image: www.greenbox.ie

of points in the assessment process are able to use the

Green Leaf symbol in their advertisements in the New
Forest Where to Stay guide and website.
www.thenewforest.co.uk

32

Long-term vision and commitment
Sustainable tourism developments have a long-term
vision and commitment to the local area.
The future is uncertain. Global issues such as shifting
demographics, climate change and changing customer
preferences mean that to be sustainable in the future
businesses have to be prepared to change. One way
to approach this is to build a vision of a sustainable
future – what would your operation look like if it was as
sustainable as possible? How would it respond to future
factors? What changes do you need to make now to
make a sustainable future a reality?
s
During the development of the Corbett National Park
in northern India (below), community-based tourism
plans were developed for each of the four local villages.
They used a ‘4 D Cycle’ – first Discovering what is
successful, what is working, what the local community
is proud of and would like to share with tourists. Next
was Dreaming – creating a vision of their future. This was
followed by Designing through feasibility studies and
development of action plans. The final stage of the cycle
was Delivering the plans. Each community tourism plan
took six to eight months to prepare and involved around
ten village meetings.
www.corbettnationalpark.com
35
Wells, Sue., Ravilious, Corinna., and Corcoran, Emily, In the Front line – Shoreline protection and other ecosystem services from mangroves and coral reefs,
United Nations Environment Programme, the International Action Network on Coral Reefs and the World Conservation Union, January 2006
A World of Science, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Vol. 6, No. 2 April – June 2008
36
s
The signing of a Declaration of Commitment by
cruise companies, NGOs and government in Belize has
recognised the need for more stringent environmental
measures to deal with the growing numbers of
tourists. Belize is one of the fastest growing cruise
destinations in the western Caribbean and is home to
part of the Mesoamerican reef, which is one of the most
endangered in the world. The Declaration commits to
enhancing marine management and regulation in the
area and promoting conservation awareness about
Belize amongst cruise passengers.
www.conservation.org
Using innovative financial instruments
to value culture and the environment
As this report highlights, tourism makes a significant
economic contribution. It also presents an opportunity
to value assets that are not always given a financial
value. For instance, coral reefs in the Caribbean have
been estimated to be worth from $2,000 a year in remote
areas to $1 million beside a tourist resort where they
draw scuba divers.35 This fragile asset is in desperate
need of saving. In the last 50 years many Caribbean
reefs have lost up to 80% of their coral cover. 36
There are mounting examples of innovative ways of
valuing natural assets that can be applied to tourism,
for example the Lonely Planet’s estimated value of
gorilla populations cited on page nine. Sustainable
tourism developments are beginning to find ways to
use techniques such as forest-backed bonds, wildlife
premiums and carbon taxes to ensure that their products
are protected and benefit people now and in the future.
As natural assets become even more endangered and in
need of protection, more instances of placing financial
values on these assets should be encouraged.
33
7 creating sustainable destinations
This report shows that sustainable tourism is achievable,
desirable and profitable if you get it right. There is a
robust business case for taking a sustainable approach
– from cost savings to market advantage. Most of the
companies in this report are becoming more sustainable
not because they’re altruistic, but because it makes
good business sense.
The hallmarks are a guide for anyone wanting to create
a sustainable destination. They should be used to shape
overarching vision and strategy. Not every hallmark will
necessarily be relevant for every destination but taking all
the five capitals into account is a must. A strong vision
based on these guidelines will drive a more sustainable
outcome and elicit a different, more future-proofed
approach. They can also be complimented by existing
standards and guidelines, many of which are listed in
section eight.
No one player can create a sustainable destination.
Collaboration is needed to make it happen – between
government, industry and communities. Paradise Found
needs to be an aspiration for all those players. We
recommend the following:
For governments and tourist boards:
The model of a sustainable destination outlined in this
report can form the basis for decisions about how to
develop your tourism assets. Governments should use
the hallmarks to create a vision of sustainable tourism
in their region or country. With this, you can create
policies and make investment decisions that are based
on a sustainable model. There are also opportunities to
encourage more sustainable practice through
fiscal measures.
For developers:
This guide gives you an overview of the factors
to consider when creating a development that
has principles of sustainability at its heart. The
hallmarks provide principles against which to plan the
development. More detailed guidance can be found
in reports like ‘Sustainable Hotel – siting, design and
construction’ produced by the International Business
Leaders Forum and organisations like LEAD who are
driving standards in this area.
For hoteliers:
These guiding principles can be used to assess how
sustainable your hotels are and to find the gaps where
more action could be taken.
For tour operators:
It’s time to start asking questions about the sustainability
of your resorts. Many tour operators already have CSR
policies and practices. These hallmarks for a sustainable
development would take these policies right to the heart
of the operation. Ensuring that the resorts and hotels
that you commission become increasingly sustainable is
an industry imperative. These hallmarks provide a high
standard to aspire to – especially for signature products
and own-brand properties and areas.
For the communities and
destinations themselves:
These hallmarks offer an indication of what’s possible.
Communities local to tourism developments should ask
for these hallmarks to be reflected in what happens next
– and hold governments, and industry players to account
for them.
Sustainable tourism has to be the way of the future. By
taking a proactive, collaborative approach the groups
above can contribute not only to their own success but
also to a more sustainable future. That way, paradise
really can be found.
34
8 sustainable tourism links

Accreditation International awards:

(accommodation only): • Tourism for Tomorrow Awards
• The Green Tourism Business Scheme www.tourismfortomorrow.com
www.green-business.co.uk • Responsible Tourism Awards
• EU EcoLabel www.responsibletourismawards.com
www.ecolabel-tourism.eu

Listings:
Accreditation (worldwide): • www.responsibletravel.com
• Green Globe • The ethical travel guide from Tourism Concern
www.greenglobe.org www.tourismconcern.org.uk
• Rainforest Alliance • Code green from the Lonely Planet
www.rainforest-alliance.org www.lonelyplanet.com
• Travelife • Fair Trade holidays in South Africa
www.travelife.eu www.fairtourismsa.org
• Blue Flag
www.blueflag.org
• Tour Operators Initiative for Sustainable Tourism Pro-poor tourism:
Development • Overseas Development Institute Tourism
www.toinitiative.org Programme www.odi.org.uk/tourism
• Pro Poor Tourism Partnership
www.propoortourism.org.uk
Fair Trade tourism:
• Tourism Concern – Fair Trade in Tourism Network
www.tourismconcern.org.uk Responsible tourism
• Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa organisations:
www.fairtourismsa.org.za • The Travel Foundation
www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk
• The International Tourism Partnership
Indicators: www.tourismpartnership.org
• WTO Indicators of Sustainable Development for • United Nations Environment Programme (Tourism) –
Tourism Destinations www.unep.fr/scp/tourism
www.wtoelibrary.org

With thanks to Jane Ashton and Sean Owens at TUI Travel, Jonathon Mitchell at the ODI, Graham Miller from the
University of Surrey and Sue Hurdle at the Travel Foundation for peer reviewing this report.

Forum for the Future is not endorsing any of the destinations featured in this report nor have we necessarily
visited them. The case studies are based on publically available information. Any errors are the authors’ own.