Module 2

Understanding the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) Module 2

Learning Objectives To provide a brief introduction to sustainable tourism To understand the origin of the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria To understand the intent of the criteria To understand the content of the criteria To demonstrate proficiency in use of the criteria for business and/or scholarly applications

To achieve these objectives, this module will: Identify the purpose and need for a common set of standards that drive the sustainability efforts, claims, and offerings of the tourism industry Briefly describe the concepts behind sustainable tourism Identify the Stakeholders involved List and discuss the criteria themselves Present exercises for familiarization with the criteria

Learning Tasks At intervals throughout this module, there will be exercises to assist you in fully engaging in the material and accomplishing the learning objectives. When you have completed this module, please save it under your last name followed by an underscore, then followed by the date of completion.

Where did Sustainable Tourism concepts originate? The changing views of nature and man’s relationship with the environment. Tourism gave value to lands that were otherwise useless in terms of other forms of economic development… National Parks were seen as an attraction, a way to bring economic value

The 1987 World Commission on the Environment For a summary of this meeting and outcomes, go to: http://www.wsu.edu/~susdev/WCED87.html Sustainable Tourism Events

Link to Agenda 21 Document Sustainable Tourism Events

So in summary… Sustainable tourism development meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunity for the future. It is envisioned leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social, and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled, while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems. Sustainable tourism products are products which are operated in harmony with the local environment, community, and cultures, so that these become permanent beneficiaries, not the victims of tourism development…” (WTTC, WTO, Earth Council ) Sustainable Tourism…

What is GSTC? Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria Global…International in scope Sustainable…renewable into perpetuity Tourism…the temporary movement of people to a destination for the purpose of leisure for greater than 24 hours and less than one year Criteria…A standard upon which a judgment can be based (this is the heart of this training module )

Global International in nature, and in this case… Universal in terms of geosphere (soil and rock), biosphere, (living beings) atmosphere (air), and lithosphere (water bodies).

Sustainable Tourism The most widely accepted definition of Sustainable Tourism is that of the World Tourism Organisation. They define sustainable tourism as “ tourism which leads to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essentialecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems.” (World Tourism Organisation 1996).

Criteria A standard, rule, or test on which a judgment or decision can be based. The GSTC is the culmination of cross disciplinary and cross industry efforts to ‘standardize the standards.’

A little background on how the criteria came about In 2007, a coalition of 27 organizations (the GSTC Partnership) came together to develop the criteria. Knowing that the criteria’s success would depend on their universality, measures were taken to get as much stakeholder input as possible over the course of the 18 months that the GSTC were developed.

Pre-existing Guidance Utilized No endeavor of this magnitude can succeed without standing on some pretty strong shoulders. One important pre-existing structure for the expansion and coalescence of the GSTC was the ISEAL. The GSTC were developed in accordance with The International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labeling (ISEAL) Alliance Code of Good Practice.

Then… A Desk study was performed to develop the initial criteria (July-Aug 2007) Over 60 existing certification and voluntary sets of criteria. More than 4,500 criteria were analyzed.

And Then… 26 criteria ( version 1 ) were selected on the basis of being: already represented in existing sustainable tourism programs; universal; (there’s that global element again) achievable; applicable to the operational phase of a business; representative of four pillars of sustainability; readily subject to measurement or verification

For universal applicability… Transparency was critical, therefore broad public input was requested. This included: Outreach to over 80,000 tourism stakeholders, And input from approximately 2,000 experts, and the engagement of an international Steering Committee.

The Results The broad and inclusive consultation process resulted in a reviewer approval rating of 91% for any one of the final criterion. More than 90% of the respondents were confident that the GSTC were globally relevant and appropriate. Respondents felt that as a whole, the GSTC addressed all aspects of tourism that are required for a business to be sustainable, environmentally and economically.

Is ISEAL Still Relevant? The ISEAL provides guidance on how to craft social and environmental standards, including terminology and requirements for public input, such as a 90 day public comment period. So, in conformance with the public input provision of the Code, the GSTC is required and prepared to receive input every two years until: feedback is no longer provided or the comments are no longer unique.

Time to Think Exercise 1 Go the ISEAL link below and find the statement that lets you complete this sentence: “ In order to be credible, criteria have been included that help to ensure that a standard reflects…” ISEAL Code of Good Practice Then write a short paragraph (mini-essay) about what this might mean for your business or organization. To do this, advance to the next slide.

Answer Click on the link below and enter your answer in the response form. Click on the X at the top right-hand side of the response form when you are done. This will return you to the module. Exercise 1 Response Form

Why are the GSTC necessary ? Simply put, to avoid ‘greenwashing’, a marketing ploy in which businesses attempt to capitalize on rising consumer demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly goods and services.

Other reasons Globally recognized criteria prevent: Consumer confusion Provider confusion Market fragmentation

Jeff Glueck, chief marketing officer of Travelocity/Sabre, and a member of the GSTC Partnership states… “ Consumers deserve widely accepted standards to distinguish green from greenwashed. These criteria will allow true certification of sustainable practices in hotels and resorts as well as other travel suppliers. They will give travelers confidence that they can make choices to help the sustainability cause.”

Through a future accreditation program, consumers, the media, travel agencies, and others will be better armed to distinguish between the green-doers and the green-washers. Already many tourism businesses, industry associations, and travel distributors have taken the first step at endorsing and utilizing the criteria as a basis to build their own sustainable tourism programs.

Who Needs Them? The potential Stakeholders are … Hospitality industry professionals Tour operators Consumers/Travelers Governments Schools Travel Agents Non-Governmental Organizations (Non-profits)

The GSTC use common issues and themes that are globally relevant, measurable, and applicable to all sizes of accommodation providers and tour operators. They are designed as an input for certification and other programs to demonstrate credibility by aligning with a globally accepted and endorsed baseline standard.

How are they to be used? Tourism providers and/or managers can use the GSTC as part of their process of identifying and assessing sustainability performance, both internally and externally. Also, the GSTC Partnership is developing an accreditation program that will work with existing certifications to align themselves with the GSTC and will accredit those that meet or exceed the GSTC and other procedural criteria.

And… Through the input of the Scoring System Development Working Group , the Partnership is working to develop market access solutions to get sustainable products and services that are aligned with the GSTC to new markets.

Also the GSTC Partnership can assist with… Building business-to-business solutions based on a common understanding of sustainable tourism increases the success of the sustainable enterprise through the start-up and transition phases of their lifespan. Development and distribution of educational materials and technical tools to guide hotels and tour operators through the process of implementing sustainable tourism best practices. Finally, the GSTC and efforts of the Partnership will contribute significantly to the establishment and administration of the new global accreditation process that will, in essence, “certify the certifiers.”

In fact… The GSTC and Partnership will help organizations and businesses to: Achieve credibility and legitimacy through increased transparency of their certification procedures, Achieve beneficial cooperative links with international tourism distribution channels, and Align their internal standards with those of other businesses and organizations in ways that lead to partnerships between certification programs.

And Now For The Main Event For the full criteria, click on the link below. Browse the themes point by point. Then return to the module. The following portion of the module will summarize the intent of each of the four themes of the GSTC. Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria The Criteria

Sustainable Management Practices Overview Compliance with local, state or provincial, and national laws and regulations that govern tourism offerings is essential. Appropriate training, communication, wages, and safety measures are in place and periodically reviewed and revised as needed.

Construction of facilities is conducted in a sensitive manner, with placement of buildings that harmonize with the surroundings and use of local materials emphasized. Information and interpretation of local natural and cultural resources that help guide visitor behaviors are offered.

Socio-Economics Overview Local and indigenous peoples are employed, consulted with, and considered stakeholders. Local goods, services and expertise and used whenever possible. Socially responsible purchasing of fair trade and similar programs that keep revenue in the community are used.

Wages are fair, and women are employed and consulted for all levels of involvement. Child labor is restrained. The dignity and safety of a community’s children is respected and protected. The activities of the tourism facility or offering does not jeopardize the integrity of the communities resources such as air, water, soil and energy.

Time to Think Again Exercise 2 To review, the GSTC are organized around 4 central themes: Sustainable Management, Socio-Economic, Cultural Heritage and Environment. We have just examined the criteria for the first two. Before proceeding further with this module, click on the link below and thoroughly review the suite of criteria contained within each of the first two themes (Sustainable Management and Socio-Economic). Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria

Exercise 2 - Part 1 Click on the link provided below to test your emerging understanding of the GSTC. After carefully examining the first two criteria, answer the questions by clicking on the radio button. You will get immediate feedback by allowing temporary pop-ups. If you don’t get all of the questions right, you will want to review the criteria again before moving on to Part 2. Sustainable Management and Socio-Economic Questions

Exercise 2 - Part 2 Now, demonstrate a practical understanding of how to use these criteria by writing a series of one paragraph mini-essays on each of these themes explaining why these themes could be important to; 1) the long term physical sustainability of the destination, 2) the long term sustainability of the community, and 3) the long term sustainability of a business that interacts and depends upon these resources. You may use the link on the next slide to write and save your answers. When finished, save the answer sheet with the information on the link, minimize the screen.

Answer Click on the link below to go back to the answer sheet. Record your response to Exercise 2 Part 2 under the space designated. Exercise 2 Response Form Continue on with the rest of the Module

Cultural Heritage Overview The tourism enterprise has measures in place to protect and interpret the value of local archeological and cultural resources. Efforts are made to embrace the uniqueness of these resources while still safeguarding their integrity.

And… Information is made available to visitors and clients about the history, meaning, and fragility of the resource. The enterprise fosters an appreciation of the resource through theming, but never to the extent of compromising local values, customs, and traditions.

Environment Overview The viability and diversity of the biosphere is respected and supported. Whenever possible, measures are taken to enhance the survival and flourishing of indigenous species.

Measures are taken to recognize, analyze, and then mitigate, manage, or eliminate all forms of pollutants. Efforts are made to reuse, recycle, and reduce consumption of renewable and non-renewable resources. Renewable resources are substituted whenever possible. Green technologies are employed whenever possible.

Exercise 3 Part 1 Click on the GSTC link provided below to review the last two of the four themes. After carefully examining the last two criteria, proceed to the mini-test (Culture and Environment Questions). Answer the questions by clicking on the radio button. You will get immediate feedback by allowing temporary pop-ups. If you don’t get all of the questions right, you will want to review the criteria again before moving on to Part 2 of this exercise. GSTC Culture and Environment Questions

Exercise 3 part 2 Now, demonstrate a practical understanding of how to use these criteria by writing a series of one paragraph mini-essays on each of these themes explaining why these themes could be important to; 1) the long term physical sustainability of the destination, 2) the long term sustainability of the community, and 3) the long term sustainability of a business that interacts and depends upon these resources. You may use the link on the next slide to write and save your answers. When finished, save the answer sheet with the information on the link, minimize the screen.

Answer Click on the link below to go back to the answer sheet. Record your response to Exercise 3 under the space designated. Exercise 3 Part 2 Response Form

Some final thoughts You can see that the criteria are organized not just around themes, but also about actions. Action 1 – Identify Action 2 – Measure Action 3 – Analyze Action 4 – Actualize Action 5 – Educate Action 6 - Evaluate Action 6 – Repeat!

Tourism enterprises that wish to adopt the standards set forth in the criteria will need to embrace a self-assessment strategy that follows the actions listed previously. Any business enterprise is a dynamic entity that grows or dies with changing times. Tourism is no different. New information, research, products, technologies, and world events will always insure that a sustainable tourism entity needs to remain alert and nimble in the face of opportunities and constraints. The GSTC will help them to do just that.

Exercise 4 Go back to the GSTC. Use the link at the bottom of the page. Find one criteria out of each of the four themes that you feel that your organization or business does particularly well. Then find one criteria out of each of the four subgroups that you feel needs development by your organization or business. Go to the next slide to record your answers. Minimize the link when done. Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria

Answer Click on the link below to go back to the answer sheet. Record your response to Exercise 4 under the space designated. Exercise 4 Response Form Continue on with the rest of the Module

Exemplar The Lapa Rios Ecolodge is one of the oldest ‘green’ tourism enterprises in the world. Follow the link below to examine their home page. Then click on the side bar to examine their sustainability efforts. Lapa Rios Rainforest Ecolodge

How it was rated This sustainable tourism enterprise was certified by a professional sustainable tourism certifier as achieving more than 95% in each category listed below. Click on the link to examine the categories (they differ somewhat from the GSTC but are still informative). Costa Rica Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST) This exemplar was provided to give you a grounding in how the GSTC may be used in the field. Food for thought and a preview of your final exam.

Final Exam On the next slide you will find 2 links to web-pages that advertise a ‘green’ tourism offering. On a scale of one to five (one being low, five being high) rate both of these offerings in terms of what you understand about sustainability as measured by the intent and the content of the GSTC.

Three Camel Lodge Itamambuca After going to each link, evaluate each offering and then give a short (two to three sentence) explanation as to why you assigned the grade you did. Do this for each of the 4 ‘themes’ of the GSTC. Complete this exercise with a considered comparison (three paragraphs) of these offerings in light of the intent and content of the criteria. Final Exam

Congratulations! You just completed Module Two

Module 2

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Module 2