Sustainable Tourism

When most of us hear about sustainable tourism, ecotourism is usually the first thought that comes to mind. So what exactly is sustainable tourism and what is ecotourism? Are they the same? Do they refer to consumers (a market) or to hotels and destinations (products)?

Hector Ceballos-Lascurain, a Mexican architect, coined the word ecotourism and its preliminary definition in 1983, to be later adjusted and officially adopted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Since then, several ecotourism sites have been developed around the world. According to The International Ecotourism Society, ecotourism is "Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people” (1990).

For example, in Mexico you can enjoy “ecotourism” by participating in activities that range from white water kayaking in Veracruz, to bird watching tours through the Sian K’aan Biosphere Reserve, or hiking through the Sonora desert. In short, ecotourism can refer to both a tourism product and a market.

In all, sustainable tourism refers to the practices of destinations, companies and governments to ensure that minimal negative impacts are created. There are no sustainable tourism markets per se, however, there are well known segments and niches that are more sensitive towards “sustainable practices” and they make their choices based on that criteria. These segments include SAVE (scientific, academic, volunteer and educational travel), geotourists, ecotourists and birdwatchers for example.

On October 6th, 2008, the United Nations Foundation Founder and Chairman Ted Turner joined the Rainforest Alliance, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to announce the first-ever globally relevant sustainable tourism criteria at the IUCN World Conservation Congress. The new criteria – based on thousands of best practices culled from the existing standards currently in use around the world – were developed to offer a common framework to guide the emerging practice of sustainable tourism and to help businesses, consumers, governments, non-governmental organizations and education institutions to ensure that tourism helps, rather than harms, local communities and the environment.

Consumers are becoming more savvy about their travel choices and are realizing how their lifestyles impact the places they visit in a positive or negative way. That is why, in the fall of 2005, Expedia and the UN Foundation came together to create the World Heritage Alliance with the agreement of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. The Mexico Tourism Board was the first country to join the Alliance. The World Heritage Alliance for Sustainable Tourism is a membership based initiative that works to support World Heritage conservation, sustainable tourism, and local economic development for communities in and around UNESCO World Heritage sites.

So how are all of these commitments making a difference in the environment and in community and consumer satisfaction?

The type of experiences consumers will find when visiting these member destinations and hotels include:

• • Guided tours that highlight World Heritage sites given by local communities who now feel more pride in their heritage, protect it and earn a living while doing so
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  • Specialized programs where you can be confident that your dollars are going directly to support local cultural heritage
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  • Educational experiences right at your hotel room to help you better understand how your dollars and actions are leaving zero negative footprints behind while empowering local communities
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  • The confidence to forget about Montezuma’s revenge and venture into unique Mayan local cuisine in communities that have been trained in food and beverage management by five-star hotels
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  • High quality handicraft products made by the local community available at your hotel at fair trade prices and with authenticity, worry free
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  • The opportunity to pamper yourself at spas and restaurants that offer 100 percent natural, locally produced and fair trade products.
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  • Volunteerism opportunities to dedicate some of your time to local causes

Not finding what you want? Visit www.worldheritagealliance.org for more details and updates on progress as new members join on an ongoing basis.

Curious about what else is happening in sustainable tourism in Mexico? Go to www.visitmexico.com and the Mexican Ministry of Tourism website www.sectur.gob.mx