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Green as the “new normal”? Copenhagen claims highest number of green hotel
rooms. Not a surprise, given COP15 legacy, but even in Las Vegas, USA, the
ARIA resort and casino advertises green food, rooms, art, and even energy-
efficient slot machines. Web page: sustainableeventsdenmark.org
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Boutique hotels like Melbourne’s Alto have pioneered the way. From the Alto:
“Carbon audit conducted by the Carbon Reduction Institute shows a one night stay at Alto Hotel produces an average 11.8 kilograms of carbon, compared to the estimate for hotels as set by Sustainable Tourism CRC of 24-26 kilograms.
Electricity 100% of all electricity used is generated from renewable sources - we use only Green Earth Electricity; 95% of all lighting is based on energy efficient, FCL or LED globes.
Air-conditioners
Our A/C plant has a 6 star energy rating that uses inverter & movement sensor techology
Water All toilets have a AAA rating. Our water use is limited to 123.1 litres per guest, per night
Gas Hot water is heated "on demand" the energy savings of this is substantial
Carbon produced from gas use is offset via Origin Energy. Our energy use (electricity & gas) is limted to 36.3 megajules per guest, per night
Windows All windows are double glazed, heat reflecting and are able to be opened. Balcony glass doors are heat reflecting and are 13mm thick, all this dramatically lowers air-conditioning use Food Locally grown or produced items where practical Honey from our own rooftop beehive & fresh herbs from our planter box garden Toiletries
We have eliminated all plastic bottles for toiletries and replaced them with refillable, pump-action dispensers. Shampoo, conditioner and hand-soap used in them are biodegradable. Waste is separated by Paper, Organic [vegetable], Plastic, Glass and General. Landfill is limited to 3.9 litres per guest, per night. Organic [vegetable] waste is composted onsite. Used cooking oil is collected and recycled into biodiesel Transport Complimentary recharging of electric vehicles from Green Earth electricity (100% renewable resources)
Management initiatives such as:
Using recycled / refilled ink cartridges in all compatible printers. First hotel in the Pacific region to use Saflocks biodegradable key cards made from cornstarch. Even our pens are biodegradable”
Photos: copyright Jonathan Tourtellot
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Long term growth of tourism--here measured in annual international arrivals--
has been undeterred by terrorism, war, or disease. While visitation has soared,
the destinations visited have stayed the same size. Managing the volume
becomes a more critical challenge every year.
Cruise ships in particular can flood historic sites and towns with thousands of
tourists simultaneously.
Three cruise ships at a time disgorge thousands of passengers into Philipsburg,
Sint Maarten, a town only two blocks wide.
Photo: copyright Jonathan Tourtellot
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Where will all these people go? How will this traffic be managed?
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Irresponsible practices and poor crowd control threaten the monuments at
Angkor, Cambodia.
By contrast, the NatGeo stewardship survey of World Heritage destinations
scored Grenada/Alhambra very highly for excellent crowd management and
benefit to the gateway community. A best-practice example.
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No character of place here! Where are you? This hotel could be anywhere palm
trees can grow. It can be undersold by any similar hotel with lower costs. Yet
many development planners think this is the model of what tourism should be.
Photos: copyright Jonathan Tourtellot
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Many seashore resort developments have no character or sense of place. Not
this hotel/condo development in St Martin, West Indies.
It looks like a Caribbean village. A bit overly cute, perhaps, but not generic.
Photo: copyright Jonathan Tourtellot
www.geotourism.org
The terminal in Helena uses local timber, local stone facing on the pillars, and
Old West art. Result: The arriving tourist immediately gets the feel of Montana.
Photo: copyright Jonathan Tourtellot
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Hotels and resort areas in the tropics need to support efforts to protect coral
reefs, for these four reasons. AND educate guests in the process.
New program in the Cayman Islands seeks to improve management of diver
tourism traffic. Like farm fields, some sites need a rest—to lie fallow. Photo
courtesy Cayman Islands.
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Mega-ships belong in mega-cities that can absorb huge passenger counts. New
Oasis-class ships carry over 8,000 souls. The soon-to-open terminal on the old
Kai Tak runway will be able to handle two such. The location keeps cruise
crowds close but not too close to Hong Kong streets, a shuttle ride away for
passengers sincerely interested in the city itself.
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The RC initiative begins to address a major cruise-line problem: Irresponsible
shore-excursion operators. Some even encourage pax to stand on the reefs,
thereby slowly killing them.
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Too much of the world looks like this: ugly. Tourists will not cross oceans or
continents to look at scenes like this. Photos: copyright Jonathan Tourtellot
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Don’t do billboards. Don’t advertise “eco” on them. That’s not eco.
Photo: copyright Jonathan Tourtellot
Switzerland’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve to protect rural cultural practices
and natural assets, especially endangered alpine peat bogs.
Photo: copyright Jonathan Tourtellot
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Several restaurants modestly list themselves as “Gastro Partners,” serving local
foods.
Photos: copyright Jonathan Tourtellot
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This pasta is made by local small businessman Bruno Hafner, who has
invented new forms of Entlebuch-based pasta. He has created a demand for
spelt, leading local farmers to return to growing a traditional crop that they had
largely abandoned in favor of cattle. Pasta-making is not considered part of the
tourism industry, but his work catalyzes a virtuous circle: heritage agriculture/
enhanced local food/restaurant tourism. The unique dishes help with market
differentiation: Only in Entlebuch can you dine on them.
Photos: copyright Jonathan Tourtellot
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For “Responsible Business Week,” InterContinental Johannesburg O.R. Tambo
Airport showcased Traditional Crafts and Beadwork in the hotel lobby:
“Guest participation: Being a corporate airport hotel with an average length of
stay of less than 1 day it is difficult for guests to join our activities so instead
we brought activity to the hotel. In our lobby the ladies of the nearby
community demonstrated their beadwork and other indigenous crafts to our
guests. Guests were informed of the meaning of the colorful artworks and their
significance to their culture as well as being given an opportunity to purchase
merchandise thus benefitting the SA Children’s Home the ladies represented.
The staff at Quills Restaurant developed a special local African menu for
guests to enjoy. The menu featured some dishes that one may find at a
traditional roadside stall that guests would hitherto been reluctant or nervous to
visit. Half of the proceeds of the menu was used to buy bins for the nearby
Korsman’s bird sanctuary.” Photos courtesy InterContinental Hotels
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Ten Knots Development Corporation/El Nido Resorts, the Philippines won the
Community Benefit Award. The award recognises a company's actions that
directly benefit local people, support community development and also
enhance cultural heritage. A total of 90 per cent of the staff of Ten Knots are
from the local area. Photo: El Nido Resorts
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http://www.sustainabletrip.org/profile/porta-hotel-del-lago
Porta del Lago is committed to protecting the environment while maintaining
sustainable tourism along the shores of Lake Atitlán:
“How do we do it? By utilizing the latest technology, our hotel has minimized the
amount of energy it consumes on a daily basis. We train and encourage our staff to
reduce their impact on the environment. From waste management to limiting
greenhouse-gas emissions, Porta del Lago continues to seek out new ways to operate
as eco-friendly as possible.
Staff and management recognize the importance of giving back to the local economy.
We recruit and train residents from nearby communities, ensuring that the entire
region also benefits from the success of Porta del Lago. We consistently participate
with our neighbors to make our destination a better one everyday, Understanding and
respect for indigenous cultures and customs is also promoted at every opportunity.”
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Systematized destination support: An all-Brazil association inspired by Relais
& Châteaux, but with two notable differences: a firm environmental
commitment and a variety of price points among the hotels. This hotel helped
reforest much of the mountainside.
Photos: Roteiros de Charme
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Qantas Excellence in Sustainable Tourism awards "protect, enhance and
promote our distinctive destinations and environment.”
Among several other programs: "Clean up Australia” participation; Tasmanian
Devils program; Aboriginal Reconciliation Action Program. Photos courtesy
Qantas Airways.
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Tourism is an excellent vehicle for public education, from hired tour guides to
incidental bits on history or nature on the back of a restaurant menu.
Photo: Jonathan Tourtellot/NGS
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Holistic, long-term, commercially viable thinking: Jochen Zeitz’s Foundation
certifies “Long Run” destinations that meet the requirements of the four C’,
such as Sweden’s Wanås: a medieval castle, an organic farm, a sculpture park,
with landscape art added in as well.
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Namibia claims one of the world’s most impressive community-based tourism/
conservation initiatives.
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Destination enhancement, Newfoundland-style. A historic fishing community
seeks to be come an arts-oriented destination by adapting island traditions and
skills, an approach in keeping with the geotourism definition: “Tourism that
sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place—its environment,
culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents.” Photo:
Courtesy Shorefast Foundation
www.geotourism.org
Enhancement: Traditional fishing “stages” (top) inspire the design of new
visiting-artist studios.
Photos: Courtesy Shorefast Foundation
31 www.geotourism.org
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Traditional skills, new product, for sale to visitors. Additionally, a new high-
end restaurant features dishes based on sustainably caught cod.
Photos: Courtesy Shorefast Foundation
www.geotourism.org
BIOSPHERE RESPONSIBLE TOURISM: “This certification, sponsored by
Instituto de Turismo Responsable (ITR), recognizes and certifies the touristic
industry that have a sustainable management and, therefore, they are examples
of sustainability in the international tourism.
BIOSPHERE is a voluntary certification based on the principles of sustainable
development. The BIOSPHERE's standards have specific criteria on
environmental, cultural and socio-economic performance.
Photo: copyright Jonathan Tourtellot
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Four pillars of the GNH also demonstrate the national approach to tourism
management. Price point keeps traffic from getting out of hand, even though
raising elitist objections. Photo and text from Bhutan’s official tourism website:
“Minimum Daily Package
You are entitled to the following services as part of the minimum daily tariff:
• A minimum of 3 star accommodation (4 & 5 star may require an additional
premium).
• All meals
• A licensed Bhutanese tour guide for the extent of your stay
• All internal transport (excluding internal flights)
• Camping equipment and haulage for trekking tours
It also includes:
• All internal taxes and charges
• A sustainable tourism Royalty of $65. This Royalty goes towards free education, free
healthcare, poverty alleviation, along with the building of infrastructure.
The minimum daily package for tourists travelling in a group of 3 persons or more is
as follows:
USD $200 per person per night for the months of January, February, June, July,
August, and December.
USD $250 per person per night for the months of March, April, May, September,
October, and November.”
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