A Challenge to Tourism Industry Leaders in Canada and Beyond
September 27th is World Tourism Day.
While the tourism industry is on the rebound from the pandemic, there are still plenty of challenges ahead related to future proofing and rebuilding the industry in a way that is more resilient to future risks and impacts. It’s no surprise that this year’s World Tourism Day theme, “Rethinking Tourism”, poses the questions: Where is tourism going? Where do we want it to go? And how do we get it there?
Rethinking Tourism encourages us to rethink our outlook on tourism for development, tourism’s impact on the planet, and the opportunities to continue to grow the industry in a more sustainable way.
In celebration of World Tourism Day 2022, we are calling upon the changemakers and leaders in the tourism sector to take the Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge.
Launched in partnership with the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) in 2021, the goal of the pledge is to inspire tourism businesses and destinations to make a public commitment to measure and improve their sustainability performance each year until 2030. This is done using GreenStep’s free, online Sustainability Score assessment, which uses criteria recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, and is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Tourism businesses and destinations that take the Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge will be provided with additional tools and resources to support their sustainability journey, and after making their public commitment, will be publicly listed on the Sustainable Tourism 2030 website.
Example Public Commitment
Here’s what your public commitment could look like.
“Organization Name” has signed the Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge, to demonstrate our commitment to improving our sustainability score between now and 2030.
The UN World Tourism Organization defines sustainable tourism as “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.
Each year, we commit to measuring and improving our sustainability performance in the following ways.”
You could then highlight a few sustainability initiatives you might already be working on, or use the Sustainability Score assessment for ideas – some examples could include:
- Support local entrepreneurs and the community by developing a sustainable purchasing policy
- Partner with local cultural and natural heritage organizations and sites to promote the unique cultural and natural heritage of your destination or business
- Explore how your organization can contribute to regenerative tourism
- Conduct an accessibility and inclusivity audit to ensure you meet the needs of all visitors
- Measure your energy consumption and identify ways to improve your energy efficiency, lower costs, and reduce your carbon footprint
- Join Tourism Declares A Climate Emergency and develop a Climate Action Plan
Customize and personalize your commitment as you see fit. You could include a quote about why your organization is committed to becoming more sustainable, any sustainability-related initiatives you are already working on, or messages that speak directly to your guests.
What You’ll Receive
By signing the Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge, your tourism business or destination will receive:
A Sustainability Score
Your Sustainability Score will show you how you have performed on each section and subsection of the Sustainable Tourism criteria. This will show you where you are doing well and in what areas you can improve, so that you may set some goals and create an action plan to improve your sustainability performance between now and 2030.
A listing on the Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge website
Once you have shared the link for your Sustainable Tourism 2030 Commitment, your organization name and a link to your public commitment will be published on the “Signatories” page of the Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge website.
Access to resources & support
As a signatory to the pledge, you will be provided with a Pledge Guide, and access to new tools and resources as they become available.
Take the Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge
Ready to make a commitment to measure and improve your sustainability performance? Take the Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge today.
GreenStep Solutions’ Sustainable Tourism division works with tourism businesses and destinations to measure, accelerate, and provide certification to help recognize their sustainability performance.
