Creating a Common Future: the Keys for Sustainable Destinations

April 18, 2013

Global Shift: Sustainable Destination Management Global Initiatives

Destinations

Businesses

Global Shift: Business as Usual versus Sustainable Development

Global energy demand is increasing The cost of oil is one the rise GHG emissions are increasing Global average temperatures are increasing Biodiversity is declining Sense of place and culturalheritage are being lost

Global Shift: Sustainable Development and the Greening of Tourism

Increase in green investment Increase in quantity & quality of jobs in green sectors Increase in share of green sectors in GDP Decrease in Energy/resource use per unit of production Decrease in CO2 and pollution level/GDP Decrease in wasteful consumption

Source: UNEP, The Green Economy and International Environmental Governance

Trends in Sustainable Destination Management

Shared Responsibility Assessment Planning and Policies Climate Compatible Development Monitoring and Standards Marketing and Communications

Shared Responsibility

Opportunity: To facilitate collaboration and increase engagement

Sustainable

Destinations

Assessment
Opportunity: To help destinations understand their current status on the pathway to sustainability.

Planning and Policies

Opportunity: To link the disparate planning and development activities related to tourism into an overall, broad strategic tourism plan in order to provide an integrated framework and policies for directing sustainable tourism development.

Standards and Monitoring

Opportunity: To utilize monitoring solutions based on global sustainability indicators to identify sustainability risks, monitor trends, and make informed decisions.

Climate Compatible Development

Opportunity: Use less carbon for growth by mainstreaming climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience in development practice

Marketing and Communications

Opportunity: To differentiate the destination brand, offer distinguished
products, and increase competitiveness.

Parting Thoughts
Preserving a sense of place is a competitive advantage. Tourism destinations should be great places to both visit and live. Sustainability is a journey, not a destination. Being sustainable does not guarantee success, but being unsustainable guarantees failure. Doing nothing is not a strategy. Collectively, we have all the answers.