Lexington, KY - In March, the world witnessed the devastating power of the Fukushima earthquake. April brought the system of deadly tornados that wreaked havoc in Alabama and surrounding states. Even more recently, many parts of the United States have experienced severe flooding, while others faced severe drought. And a May 5 report revealed that childhood exposure to disease-causing environmental toxins accounted for 3.5 percent of all U.S. health-care dollars ($76.6 billion) spent in 2008.
Regardless of one's stance on politics or climate change, the news has renewed many discussions on the merits of sustainability. Although it might not readily come to mind, one important economic factor that affects sustainability - both on a global scale and in a city such as Lexington - is tourism.
Now widely recognized as one of the world's largest industries, tourism generated $1.8 trillion of economic activity (3.2 percent of total GDP), and 77 million jobs (2.7 percent of total world employment) in 2009. According to Niki Heichelbech, media/ communications manager of the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau, tourism is the third-leading industry in Kentucky, generating roughly $2 billion annually here in Lexington's Bluegrass region - a tourism destination visited for its horses, its bourbon, its cultural heritage and its natural beauty.
"Most of Kentucky's iconic visitor experiences are inherently sustainable," said Mike Cooper, commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Tourism. "In our communication and education about what attracts visitors, we place a heavy emphasis on presenting and preserving the authenticity found in the culture and heritage of our communities - a major driver for today's traveler."
Lexington is also the headquarters of the National Tour Association, the leading global association for tourism providers serving travelers to, from and within North America.
"Travel professionals have a special responsibility to protect our planet, and NTA embraces sustainable travel as part of our core values," said Lisa Simon, NTA president. "On our website (NTAonline.com), we offer the Tour Operators Guide to Sustainable Tourism, a carbon calculator, examples of our own green practices and standards, and loads of links, including one to Sustainable Travel International, one of our strategic partners."
Brian Mullis of Hood River, Ore., co-founded Sustainable Travel International (STI) in 2002 to help travelers, travel providers and destinations support environmental conservation and protect cultural heritage while promoting cross-cultural understanding and economic development. "Tourism's constant growth is not always compatible with sustainable development and, unless properly managed, it can actually be harmful to local communities," Mullis said. "The chief threats from tourism come from transport, land development, water consumption, excessive energy demand, increased waste generation and impacts on culturally, historically and environmentally sensitive areas."
Defining "green tourism" terms
Given our current concern with the environment, we hear the word "sustainable" almost every day. Many "green" words and phrases have become so overused that they've lost their pungency, and "greenwashing" - pretending to be environmentally and socially conscientious for purposes of publicity - is running rampant.
Since the 1980s, the environmental movement has been creating fertile soil for the growth of sustainable development, which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainable tourism - spawned in the context of this broader environmental movement - applies the same rule to travelers, businesses and destinations involved in tourism. Sustainable tourism, then, refers to tourism that can be maintained over the long term because it results in a net benefit for the social, economic, natural and cultural environments of the area in which it takes place.
Although they often occur simultaneously, sustainable tourism differs from ecotourism. "Ecotourism typically involves responsible travel to fragile and pristine natural environments, often including protected areas, and strives to minimize negative impact as well as positively contributing to environmental conservation and the well-being of local people," said Kelly Bricker, chair of the International Ecotourism Society (TIES) board of directors. "A key component of ecotourism is building awareness and respect through interpretation and education. At TIES, our mission is both to promote the principles of ecotourism, and to highlight lessons learned from global ecotourism experiences to provide an impetus to make the tourism industry more sustainable."
Yet another term often heard in relation to green travel is responsible tourism or responsible travel. This umbrella concept is regarded as a behavior instead of a tourism development methodology. It represents an approach to tourism in which all stakeholders (i.e., travelers, local people, tourism businesses, etc.) are responsible for the kind of tourism they engage in.
Finally, when sustainable tourism is done in such a way that the local people not only benefit economically and socially, but also take a leadership role in initiating and operating the tourism activities, this is known as community-based tourism. And this model is something that is not out of reach right here in Lexington.
Working together on policy and strategy
Tourism is a force in the global economy, but also has enormous potential to contribute to local economic growth and diversification, conservation and natural resources management. But tourism requires planning and management to be successful.
"Destination planning and development strategies are the first steps towards the greening of tourism," said Mullis. "Local governments, communities and businesses need to collaborate with the city employees responsible for the environment, energy, labor, agriculture, transport, tourism, health, finance and security. These city employees need to draft clear policies for protected areas, zoning, environmental regulations, labor rules, agricultural standards, tourism standards, and health requirements - particularly related to energy, greenhouse gas emissions, water, waste, sanitation, and food production."
Policies that govern tourism need to be in line with sustainable development, taking into account the multiple stakeholders involved, offering strategies for long-term planning and balancing sustainability and quality - all with a global vision for sustainability. Government investments, tax concessions and subsidies that are tied to such green policies can leverage private sector support of and investments in sustainable tourism.
"Government spending on public goods such as protected areas, cultural assets, water conservation, waste management, public transport and renewable energy infrastructure reduce the cost of green investments by the private sector in sustainable tourism," said Mullis. "Time-bound subsidies can be given, for example, on the purchase of equipment or technology that reduces waste, encourages energy and water efficiency, facilitates the conservation of biodiversity, and strengthens linkages with local businesses and community-based organizations."
When tourism is sustainable, there are benefits for all stakeholders: to the traveler, to the company providing the tourism and to the host community. Those who choose sustainable travel gain an appreciation of other cultures, take action to help protect the destination's special sense of place and feel good about giving back. Companies that provide sustainable tourism usually benefit from improved profitability and competitive advantage, increased market strength and customer loyalty, attraction of talent and enhanced employee loyalty. Host communities enjoy an increase in local employment, better opportunities for local enterprises, improved infrastructure and access to services, and increased participation in decision-making, all of which ultimately improve residents' quality of life.
"Utilizing and preserving the environment and local culture and heritage are good for business," said Cooper. "At the state and local levels, the bottom line reason that we invest resources and effort in tourism marketing, even in tough economic times, is to build our economy - and more specifically, to create jobs. And, by definition, sustainable tourism contributes to this core mission."
Frances Figart is a travel industry writer and editor living in Winchester, KY. Click here for her blog site