How to lobby for a more sustainable tourism industry
The latest IPCC report on climate change is an alarming read. For the first time, it unequivocally states that humans are responsible for the unprecedented and irreversible changes to the climate. Extreme heatwaves, wildfires, floods and droughts will impact every part of the planet.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called it a “code red for humanity” but scientists say there is some cause for hope - if we act now.
While we can all make a difference through our individual, everyday decisions, such as switching to a green energy supplier, it’s the changes we work towards together that will have the biggest impact.
Did you know that tourism accounts for around one-tenth of global carbon emissions (2018)? But as well as being one of the world’s biggest polluters, tourism is also one of the industries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. As an instrumental part of that industry, visitor attractions can make a real difference when we come together*, especially when it comes to sustainable tourism policy. The time to do so is now.
Here are a few ways you can make sure your VA’s support for sustainable tourism is registered.
Join the B Corps
If you’d like to see your VA being used as a force for good, push to join the ranks of the B Corps. This group of community-minded businesses is way ahead of the curve; more than 500 B Corps declared a climate emergency back in December 2019.
What is a B Corp? “Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. B Corps are accelerating a global culture shift to redefine success in business and build a more inclusive and sustainable economy.”
Some Certified B Corporations you might have heard of include Cook, Guardian Media Group and Vivobarefoot. Those in the travel sector include Sawday’s, Intrepid and Lovat Parks.
The benefits of becoming a B Corp are wide ranging although it’s not easy to get certified, which is exactly as it should be. But don’t feel daunted. The process starts with a free and confidential B Impact Assessment, which covers everything from your supply chain to employee benefits.
As well as being better for the planet, your local community and your employees, you’ll find that B Corp Certification helps build credibility, trust and value for your VA. Plus, you’ll tap into a community of like-minded leaders who want to use their business to help solve social and environmental issues.
If your VA isn’t currently able to work towards becoming a Certified B Corporation, try to choose B Corps Certified partners whenever you can, whether that’s stocking food and drink from B Corps suppliers, for example, or choosing a B Corps Certified digital services provider to help you with your next digital development. Just as consumers vote with their feet, so can visitor attraction businesses. Start by using the B Corps business directory.
Shout about sustainability via the Tourism Alliance
Surprisingly, the current Tourism Sector Deal does not include a strand on Sustainability - a major oversight, and something that the Tourism Alliance is already trying to fix as part of its 12 Key Policies for Tourism Growth listed in its whitepaper, UK Tourism: 2020 and Beyond. The first of the 12 policies directly addresses sustainable tourism:
Delivering Sustainable Tourism: “Incorporate a new Sustainability Pillar into the Tourism Sector Deal and create an Office for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (OSAF) to make the UK a world-leader in this technology.”
The policies also highlight the lack of investment in transport infrastructure and services outside major cities as a major barrier to sustainable tourism, including concerns about the lack of electric vehicle charging infrastructure outside urban areas. The proposed solution? “Make the development of tourism transport infrastructure and policies a core requirement of DfT and establish a Cross Whitehall working group to develop strategies for improving tourism-related public transport.”
Fifty-two tourism industry organisations are members of Tourism Alliance, including ALVA, Heritage Alliance, Historic Houses, National Trust, National Coastal Tourism Academy and numerous DMOs. Its main purpose is to lobby the government on the key strategic issues facing the industry. If you’re already a member of a member organisation, step up and make sure your voice is heard.
The more members make a noise about sustainable tourism, the more likely it is to be pushed to the top of the agenda.
*The government said as much to the tourism sector back in 2017 when it stipulated that those sectors with the broadest reach and ability to speak with “one voice” were the most likely to achieve a sector deal; doing exactly that helped achieve the Tourism Sector Deal, which isn’t perfect, as we noted above, but does show what the tourism industry can do when it works together.
Read these tips for more immediate ways to make your visitor attraction more sustainable.
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