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Tourism and Travel

About this sector

Based on its contribution to global gross domestic product, the number of people it employs, and the number of clients it serves, tourism has been described as the world’s largest industry. In 2008 these figures were 9.5% of global GDP, over 200 million jobs – one in 13 of all jobs worldwide – 924 million international travellers in 2008, and perhaps 10 times the number of domestic travellers.
The industry forms one of the top five export earners in 150 countries, and is particularly important for developing countries. For the world’s 40 poorest countries, tourism is second to oil as a source of foreign exchange.

Impacts

  • Tourism facilities and infrastructure can threaten natural and important habitats.
  • Excessive use of natural resources, such as fresh water, energy and food can threaten supplies and lead to pollution through waste.
  • Tourist behaviour can threaten species and ecosystems (introduction of invasive alien species, harvesting of wild species for souvenirs).

Opportunities/Risks

  • The rise in demand for nature-based and eco-tourism creates business opportunities that can be tied with wildlife conservation.
  • Consumer awareness of ethical and environmental issues creates markets for responsible tourism.
  • Environmental impacts can limit access to capital insurance and incur legal risks.
  • Brand and reputation are strongly influenced by a company’s environmental performance.

Case Studies


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Shell Canada Southwest Alberta Montane research program

Shell Canada Southwest Alberta Montane research program

Shell has been operating in Canada since 1911, and is now one of the country’s largest integrated oil and gas companies. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Shell Canada employs more than 8,200 people across Canada and represented nearly a third of all global recruitment in 2008. Shell Canada holds approximately 30% of Royal Dutch Shell’s global resource base. A leading manufacturer, distributor and marketer of refined petroleum products, Shell produces natural gas, natural gas liquids and bitumen, and is Canada’s largest producer of sulphur. Shell is one of Canada’s largest oil sands developers.

Oiled seabird rehabilitation program

Oiled seabird rehabilitation program

Suncor Energy Inc. is Canada’s largest integrated energy company, with its head office in Calgary, Alberta. Suncor combines a leading position in oil sands with complementary operations in refining and marketing, natural gas production and conventional oil production internationally and off shore East Coast Canada. The company’s oil sands business, located near Fort McMurray, Alberta, produces bitumen recovered from oil sands through mining and in-situ technology and upgrades it into refinery feedstock, diesel fuel and by-products. Suncor operates four refineries with a capacity of approximately 433,000 barrels-per-day and one specialty lubricants plant producing more than 350 automotive, industrial and food grade lubricants and greases. Its retail and wholesale network includes more than 1,500 Petro-Canada outlets in Canada, and 165 Phillips 66 outlets in Colorado, United States. In addition to its petroleum business, Suncor has invested in four wind power projects and operates Canada’s largest ethanol production facility. The company has a market capitalization of $58 billion Canadian (as of October 30, 2009).

Rehabilitated sites

Rehabilitated sites

Syncrude Canada Ltd., located in the Athabasca Oil Sands, Alberta, is the world’s largest producer of synthetic crude oil from oil sands and the largest single-source producer in Canada. It supplies about 13% of Canada’s oil requirements and has approximately 5 billion barrels of proven and probable reserves. Syncrude has a production capacity of 350,000 barrels per day with an expected capacity of 425,000 barrels per day by 2020. The company is a joint venture with seven partners, including Canadian Oil Sands Limited, Imperial Oil, Suncor Energy, Nexen, ConocoPhillips, Mocal Energy and Murphy Oil. Syncrude is not traded directly, but rather through the individual partners. Syncrude employs more than 5,000 employees with an additional 1,500 contractors supporting its operations. Since start-up in 1978, Syncrude has made payments in excess of $10 billion for payroll and to governments for royalties, municipal taxes and other Crown charges.

Earthcover, waterbird and water chemistry inventory for Weyerhaeuser Alberta Forest Management Areas

Earthcover, waterbird and water chemistry inventory for Weyerhaeuser Alberta Forest Management Areas

Weyerhaeuser, one of the world’s largest forest products companies, has offices or operations in 10 countries with customers worldwide. Weyerhaeuser is principally engaged in the growing and harvesting of timber; the manufacture, distribution and sale of forest products; as well as real estate development. It is the world’s largest private sector owner of softwood timberland and holds logging rights to more than 5.35 million hectares of land in Canada. Weyerhaeuser has approximately 16,500 employees globally including approximately 1,900 employees at 7 operations in Canada. Canadian operations currently include facilities in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario, producing a range of pulp, lumber and engineered wood products for Canadian and international markets.

Policy and Strategy: Dean Food - ensuring sustainable sourcing of soy

The Dean Foods WhiteWaves division buy more that 1.5 million bushels of organic soybeans farmed on more than 40,000 organic acres, for Dean Food’s Silk (Soya-Milk) products. Dean Foods have partnered with Conservation International to develop soy-sourcing guidelines, which incorporate environmental and social best practices from farmers and vendors.


Tools and Mechanisms


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European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (EuroACE)

European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (EuroACE)

http://www.euroace.org

EuroACE's mission is to work with the European institutions to help Europe move towards a more sustainable pattern of energy use in buildings, thereby contributing to the EU's commitments on carbon emission reductions.
European Construction Industry Federation

European Construction Industry Federation

http://www.fiec.org

Created in 1905, FIEC is the European Construction Industry Federation, representing via its 34 national Member Federations in 29 countries (27 EU & EFTA, Croatia and Turkey) construction enterprises of all sizes, i.e. small and medium-sized enterprises as well as 'global players', carrying out all forms of building and civil engineering activities
Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC)

Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC)

http://www.fpac.ca/index.php/en/

FPAC is the voice of Canada’s wood, pulp, and paper producers nationally and internationally in government, trade, and environmental affairs.  FPAC represents the largest Canadian producers of forest products, and members are responsible for 66% of certified forest lands in Canada. Third-party certification of member companies’ forest practices is a condition of membership in the Association - a world first.
Global Compact Network Germany

Global Compact Network Germany

http://www.globalcompact.de/index.php?id=30

The Global Compact Network Germany is an active learning and dialog platform for the implementation of the ten Global Compact principles. Biodiversity is one of the priority issues of the network in Germany in 2010.  The German Global Compact network seeks to promote multi-stakeholder dialog and constructive cooperation between government, business and other sectors of society.
David Suzuki Foundation

David Suzuki Foundation

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/climate-change/s...

The David Suzuki Foundation works with government, business, and individuals to conserve our environment by providing science-based education, advocacy, and policy work. Specific to business, the foundation has published a guide on how businesses can reduce their environmental impact.

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Tourism & Travel

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