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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

African magic mixed with cutting edge green technology

Elizabeth Dlamini, herbalist and skincare adviser to a whole of local women, has skin that glows. She beams as she explains why. “Here in the Royal Kingdom of Swaziland we proud of our plants that we use in our traditional beauty regimes. Our grandmothers taught us how to prepare cosmetics from the oil of the Marula nut”. Now, Ubuntu Natural is bringing Swaziland’s best-kept beauty secret to the international cosmetics market.

Biodiversity and Access to Affordable medicines

Recognizing the importance of medicinal plants offers a unique opportunity to link biodiversity, health and sustainable development. Biodiversity is the source of primary health care for the majority of the world’s population. The research and development of medicinal plants is thus a way to safeguard and advance health care, which is essential for much of the population. Moreover, the ethical sourcing of medicinal plants can play an important role in the conservation and sustainable use of these species and their ecosystems, as well as provide a significant avenue for local sustainable development.

Building local plant nurseries for the rehabilitation of quarries

As part of its quarry rehabilitation process, Lafarge has developed local plant nurseries that respect indigenous species and are adapted to the local environment. This initiative is part of broader methodologies and best practices

developed by the company to optimize its quarry reclamation, with the ﬁnal objective of strengthening the acceptability of its operations in the long run.

Implementing “zero impact” invoices

Committed to neutralize the environmental impacts associated with its paper invoicing process, EDP has engaged in a compensation program based on (1) life cycle assessment and (2) externalities compensation through agroforestry good practices that restore the ecosystem service originally impacted by invoicing activities.

Setting private natural heritage reserves

Owning large natural reserves as part of its forestry activities in Brazil, Fibria has chosen to register its most biodiverse lands as part of the Brazilian-specific Private Natural Heritage Reserves scheme. Recognition of Fibria’s conservation efforts is expected to further increase public and stakeholder awareness on company conservation activities.

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Tools and Mechanisms

Global e-Sustainability Iniviative (GeSI)

http://www.gesi.org/

GeSI was born in 2001 to further sustainable development in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector. GeSI fosters global and open cooperation, informs the public of its members’ voluntary actions to improve their sustainability, and promotes technologies that foster sustainable development. GeSI brings together leading ICT companies (including telecommunications service providers, manufacturers, and industry associations) with non-governmental organizations committed to achieving sustainability objectives through innovative technology.

Scotland and Northern Ireland Forum for Environmental Research (SNIFFER)

http://www.sniffer.org.uk/Default.aspx

SNIFFER’s primary focus is addressing knowledge gaps related to environmental issues, specifically where interdependencies between economy and society exist.

Below is a sample of topic areas currently being addressed:

Climate change
Sustainable land use
Water management
Flood risk management
Water framework directive implementation.

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

http://www.un.org/Depts/los/index.htm

The UNCLOS is the international agreement that resulted from the third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III), which took place from 1973 through 1982, and came into full effect in 1994. The Law of the Sea Convention defines the rights and responsibilities of nations in their use of the world's oceans, establishing guidelines for businesses, the environment, and the management of marine natural resources

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

http://www.un.org/Depts/los/index.htm

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

http://www.globalreporting.org

The GRI is a non-profit organization that works towards a sustainable global economy by providing sustainability reporting guidance. The GRI has pioneered and developed a comprehensive Sustainability Reporting Framework that is widely used around the world. The Framework enables all organizations to measure and report their economic, environmental, social and governance performance – the four key areas of sustainability.

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Tourism & Travel

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