Why 2021 is the year to make your visitor attraction more sustainable – and 3 ways to make it happen
If sustainability isn’t already embedded into your visitor attraction’s operations, 2021 is the time to make it so. And if sustainability is already a consideration, it’s time to make it a priority.
Sustainability was already gaining ground before the pandemic. Just think back to the headlines garnered by Greta Thunberg, Extinction Rebellion and David Attenborough’s Seven Worlds, One Planet in 2019.
But 2020 was the year sustainable tourism went mainstream.
Sustainability underlined three of the five key trends in ABTA’s Travel Trends 2020 report. During lockdown, we watched in contemplative awe as nature flourished while human life was put on pause. In June, the One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme (led by the World Tourism Organization) announced that its new vision for global tourism involved balancing the needs of people, planet and prosperity: “Sustainability must no longer be a niche part of tourism but must be the new norm for every part of our sector," said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. By December, even The Walt Disney Company had upped the stakes in its latest environmental goals.
Then, at the end of the year, Lonely Planet announced a new approach for its Best in Travel 2021 awards. Instead of celebrating the top destinations, trends and experiences of the coming year, the 2021 awards hail the people and projects that push for positive change in three categories: sustainability, diversity and community.
What does this mean for visitor attractions?
Becoming more sustainable isn’t necessarily about achieving net-zero carbon – although if you can, please do! Rather, every decision made by each department within your VA should take sustainability into account. This means committing to ongoing improvements that move your VA towards a position where it supports and protects the local community, economy and environment in a meaningful way.
Your visitor attraction will benefit too. Many sustainable options bring a reduction in costs, and help your attraction stand out from the competition.
A few ideas to help your visitor attraction become more sustainable, now and in the future:
1. Low-cost changes to make ASAP
Major, expensive changes aren’t the only way to become more sustainable. Here are a few low-cost changes that will have an immediate impact.
- Draft and publish a sustainability policy. Read Eden Project’s for inspiration
- Encourage visitors to reach you by public transport by adding this info to your website and ticketing system.
- Make it easy for customers to offset carbon generated by their visit – but educate yourself on the downsides of carbon offset schemes; the policy has its critics and you may decide this isn’t for you.
- Switch to a green energy provider.
- Eliminate single-use plastic.
- Set aside an area to promote biodiversity.
- Wherever you can, reduce, reuse and recycle – and make it easy for visitors to do the same.
2. Longer-term initiatives
These changes require a little more investment, but could lead to savings in the long term.
- Reduce energy use by improving insulation in buildings, installing energy efficient boilers and eliminating draughts.
- Introduce a grey water system and install low-flow taps (and showers if applicable) and water-saving devices into toilets to help reduce water usage.
- Switch food suppliers to support local producers and minimise food miles.
- Install electric car charge points.
- Collaborate with local tourism businesses to help create more local jobs.
3. Join a green accreditation scheme
Consider gaining certification from an officially recognised green accreditation scheme. Green accreditation makes your VA seem more trustworthy and credible and helps you stand apart from your competitors. Once you’ve achieved this, it can be used in your marketing too – but whatever you do, be wary of greenwashing.
You could employ the services of a sustainable tourism consultant to help your attraction become more socially and environmentally responsible. If cost is a consideration, try Green Tourism’s free GreenCheck quiz. It takes less than 20 minutes to find out how green your attraction is and whether it’s already eligible for a Green Tourism award. They can give you practical advice on adopting a more sustainable outlook, too.
