With 2002 drawing to a close, we take another look at the world’s largest industry – travel and tourism – designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Ecotourism. International concern is focused on how it will continue to grow, given that the industry relies on the world’s natural and cultural assets remaining in tact for its survival.
Today, there are over 100 green certification schemes for the travel and tourism industry worldwide. Nearly all of them are voluntary, and operate on a local or national basis – and the number is growing. Consequently there is debate on the feasibility of creating regional and international certification and accreditation programmes to establish internationally-agreed but locally-relevant equivalent standards.
About Certification
Certification is a voluntary procedure that involves assessing a visitor attraction or tourism business and awarding the use of a rating number, logo or seal to those that meet or exceed a set of baseline standards. Environmental certification programmes cover mass tourism, sustainable tourism and ecotourism markets and tend to fall into two categories:
* those that are ‘process’ led, such as ISO 14001, where certification recognises setting up an environmental management system;
* those that are ‘performance’ based, where certification is attained by meeting performance criteria.
Xavier Font, at Leed Metropolitan University, leading consultant for the Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council (STSC) and co-editor of a book on tourism ecolabels, argues that the strongest labels use performance benchmarks as minimum requirements and require companies to introduce management systems to ensure continuous improvement beyond those benchmarks.
Martha Honey, Director of the Institute for Policy Studies’ (IPS) Ecotourism and Sustainable Development Program, and co-author of a comprehensive survey of certification schemes titled, “Protecting Paradise: Certification Programs for Sustainable Tourism and Ecotourism”, believes the uneven and unregulated way these programmes have developed has led to overlap and confusion. She also believes there is now widespread recognition that certification is necessary to help the responsible traveler “and to hold the industry’s feet to the fire.”
The result of two years’ research around the world, ‘Protecting Paradise’ also brought together practitioners of the major sustainable tourism and ecotourism certification schemes, with selected academics and industry and NGOs in an international conference. A significant outcome was the Mohonk Agreement, a 4-page proposal containing the basic framework and principles for any sound eco-and sustainable tourism programme. Among its requirements are that the development of any certification scheme should be a participatory, multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral process. Other elements include: periodic review of criteria, provision to withdraw certification in the event of non-compliance, control of the use of logos, motivation for continual improvement and the use of independent auditors.
“The goods news is that among practitioners of certification programmes, there is growing understanding of what should be the ingredients of sound, socially and environmentally responsible certification programmes,” says Honey. “We don’t need to keep ‘reinventing the wheel.’ Rather we can work to harmonize existing and new certification programmes and move towards a universally accepted logo or seal. An international accreditation system is also an essential step in this process.”
Unfortunately, most tourists are virtually unaware that sustainable/ ecotourism certification programmes exist. “Neither the travel industry, the media, nor the programmes themselves have done enough to educate consumers about the need to consider their travel choices carefully and how to go about doing so,” says Abigail Rome, co-author of the IPS report with Honey. She adds: “One of the most distressing limitations to advancing sustainable tourism practices is the lack traveller’s lack of awareness of tourism impacts on hosts and host communities.
The Rainforest Alliance proposed the need to study the feasibility of setting a global accreditation system to ‘certify the certifiers’, market sound certification schemes and serve as a forum for continual improvement. This initiative, the Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council (STSC) feasibility study, has been supported by a multidisciplinary coalition. The board includes certification and accreditation experts from the World Tourism Organisation, WWF, The International Ecotourism Society, ECOTRANS, Business Enterprises for Sustainable Tourism (BEST) and Conservation International, as well as many others. The report is due by the end of 2002. Progress reports are posted at www.rainforest-alliance.org.
The World Tourism Organisation (WTO) is completing a study on all existing ecolabels, certification schemes and other voluntary initiatives in tourism. It will include criteria for examining their effectiveness, the conditions for their success and recommendations for governments and tourism companies on how to support or choose between them.
Sample Schemes
Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST), Costa Rica
CST is being used as a model for all Central American countries. The CST is a government-supported, non-profit programme. It is applicable to most types of tourism and accommodation businesses and addresses environmental, social and community issues. Primarily performance-based, CST includes some environmental management system or process criteria. An evaluation questionnaire contains a checklist of 152 criteria.
Each question is weighted in importance from one to three. The total points received in each category are calculated, translated into a percentage and then given a rating level of sustainability based on a scale from zero to five. The final score equals the lowest rating received in the four different areas – so even if it achieves four or five in one area – its overall rating and logo may only be a one or two if that was the score for any of the other three areas. Certification involved inspection through a site visit, then a detailed formal on-site assessment and visit to the surrounding community.
After the evaluation, the hotel is given a list of recommendations and 15 days to sort out any problems that have been identified. There is also an on-line self evaluation enabling hotels to rate themselves and assess where improvements are needed. Before they can be certified, a final on-site third party inspection must be make.
Nature and Ecotourism Accreditation Programme (NEAP), Australia
Administered and managed by the Ecotourism Association of Australia, this non-profit certifies products such as individual lodges and tours rather than whole companies.
Certified products receive a logo with one to three ticks. Unlike the CST, certification is based initially on a self-administered paper audit. It takes about six hours to complete and must be supported by two references.
While NEAP is working to expand its coverage and improve its performance in Australia, it has also been involved in assisting and forming alliances with other
certification programmes in the Asia Pacific region, providing support to the Fiji Ecotourism Association and the Pacific Asia Travel Association PATA. Extensive discussions have been held with Green Globe 21 (Asia Pacific) with a view to producing a global ecotourism certification standard for the Green Globe 21 Standard for Travel and Tourism (GG21). This would be an international version of the NEAP programme.
Says Alice Crabtree, Chair of NEAP’s Mangement Group: “The base ecotourism standard will target a ‘common denominator’ that will ensure the certified product meets the same criteria in Mongolia as it does in New Zealand. The advanced ecotourism standard recognises that different countries, regions and localities may have different strengths and may excel across a number of different criteria. Like the original NEAP, it will be based on continuous improvement – with criteria upgraded on a three year cycle.
NEAP’s success in Australia is a result of clear multi-stakeholder involvement in design and delivery of the standard, combined with the fact that it is designed as a self-funding model independent of government or industry sponsorship, and without complex administrative systems. However, it has not had the resources to deliver effective marketing of the brand to consumers or achieve regular on-site audits on more than a small percentage of certified product. “The rigour and technical jargon of the criteria also make it daunting to some operators,” says Alice. “The next generation of NEAP will address the need for simpler language, incorporating examples and pro-formas that will help support a product’s application.”
Green Leaf Certification Programme, Thailand
This hotel certification programme is run by the Green Leaf Foundation which was established in 1998 by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Thai Hotels Association, UNEP, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, and other authorities. Hotels are audited on their environmental policies, standards and performance. They are awarded up to five ‘green leaves’, but the certificates are valid for only two years to encourage continuous improvement. 64 hotels have been certified thus far. Contact Jumpoon Chavasiri: jumpoon_ch@minornet.com
The Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS), Scotland
This programme started in 1998 and is run by the non-profit, Green Business UK Ltd. in partnership with VisitScotland. The program has been self-financing since 2001. Also in that year, various pilots were set up with an eye toward expanding the program throughout the UK. A series of Green Tourism Business Scheme seminars are being held to roll out the membership programme over the next three years. The English Tourism Council decided to proceed with a National Green Tourism accreditation scheme based on this model.
The GTBS is applicable to a wide range of tourism businesses, In 2001, there were over 300 members in Scotland, covering all accommodation sectors and visitor attractions. The scheme has three levels: bronze, silver and gold. The application criteria cover 120 elements and are updated every two years. It is based on an EMS approach where minimal standards must be met but beyond that, business is encouraged to identify its own priorities and to prepare a programme to achieve them. The hotel is audited every two years to maintain its award. Hotels awarded the ecolabel had an average of 6% higher occupancy rate in 1999 and smaller establishments like bed and breakfasts had a 10% higher rate. Contact Jonathan Proctor: jon@green-business.com.
The Ecotel Collection
Launched in 1994, Ecotel-certified hotels must pass a detailed inspection and satisfy stringent criteria designed by experts such as the Rocky Mountain Institute. There are five separate inspections each with a three-tiered scoring system, each inspection corresponding with the five globe awards:
* environmental commitment
* solid waste management
* energy efficiency
* water conservation
* employee training/ community involvement
The inspections are unannounced. Bonus points are awarded for environmental programmes beyond the primary criteria. Based on the scores in each category, the hotel receives up to five globes, qualifying for two years. If the hotel falls short of achieving certified status, the inspection team prepares an action plan to help management effect changes and prepare for re-inspection. Contact Christopher Balfe: cbalfe@hvsecoservices.com; www.hvsecoservices.com
Some Tourism Environmental Schemes
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The Future
Since 1999, 18 countries in the European Union have been looking at forming a single eco-label for accommodation in Western Europe, for which there is strong support.
Whether or not a universal certification programme can be created and work as a regional or global model remains to be seen. It is the subject of much discussion. Whilst being based on an international set of principles, such a programme must also be tailored so that it realistically fits the needs of the geographic and cultural area it’s covering. Crucially, it must not penalise the poorer countries and locally-owned businesses that may not be able to meet the criteria in the short term. It would seem then that implementation would be most appropriately done on a regional (in the case of small regions like Central America or the Caribbean), country-by-country or even state-by-state basis.
| Hotel Nikko Hong Kong developed a CD-ROM called “Environmental Management for Hotels in Hong Kong.” The practical guide covers how to set up an EMS, energy and water conservation, indoor air quality and environmental legislation. The Hong Kong Hotels Association developed the “Hotel Building Environmental Assessment Scheme,” an initiative to promote more environmentally responsible management in Hong Kong Hotels. Both of these products are available free of charge and would help any hotel improve its environmental performance. Contact: James Lu: hkha@att.net.hk |
For more resources see the SustainableBusiness.com Resource Directory, Ecotourism and Hospitality section.
Further Reading:
Ecolabels in the Tourism Industry, UNEP, 1998: unep.tie@unep.fr
Ecotourism & Certification: Setting Standards in Practice, Martha Honey, Editor, Island Press, 2002.
Feasibility & Market Study for European Eco-Label for Tourist Accommodations (FEMATOUR 2000), Consultancy & Research for Environmental Management (CREM), August 2000.
Protecting Paradise: Certification Programs for Sustainable Tourism & Ecotourism, by Martha Honey & Abigail Rome, Institute for Policy
Tourism Certification: An Analysis of Green Globe 21 and Other Certification Programmes. Independent report in 2000 by Synergy for WWF-
Tourism Ecolabelling: Certification & Promotion of Sustainable Management, Xavier Font & Ralf Buckley, Editors, 2001.
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Excerpted FROM The Green Hotelier, May 2002, a SustainableBusiness.com Content Partner.
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