Free “Dummies Guide” Follows Guilt Free Green Romance in South West

South West Tourism marked Valentine’s Day with the launch of a guide on how to offer “guilt-free indulgence” helping tourism businesses offer romance and luxury that didn’t cost the earth. It’s followed it up with the launch of a free “Dummies Guide” to sustainable tourism. And passed the 300 mark of tourism businesses joining its green scheme.

Now with over 300 accredited tourism businesses in its “Green Business” accreditation scheme, South West Tourism have teamed up with the well-known Dummies guides to launch an idiot-proof booklet to help the regional tourism industry go even greener.

The Guide to Sustainable Tourism for Dummies is a 36-page pocket guide specifically designed to help tourism businesses who have never considered the benefits of going green or aren’t sure where to start. The guide sends a strong message that a greener business should expect to save money, meet visitors’ expectations as well as reducing their impact on the environment.

Funded by South West Regional Development Agency, the guide is available free of charge from South West Tourism (hard copy or by internet download) to all tourism businesses in the region, as a beginner’s guide to having a greener business.

The “Guide to Sustainable Tourism for Dummies” breaks the big issues into a range of practical tips on improving environmental performance, and benefiting the business. It is particularly targeted at smaller businesses, such as B&Bs and self-catering property owners, with simple and immediate advice on low cost measures to make a green difference.

It incorporates three main sections: Going Greener: Simple Steps to Sustainable Tourism; Wielding Your Purchasing Power; and Communicating Green and Getting to Market.

Content includes a wide range of practical solutions in areas such as:

– Top ten energy saving tips
– Recycling and composting
– Improving water efficiency|
– Reducing packaging
– Finding local suppliers
– Encouraging customers to act sustainably
– Promoting your green credentials

Neil Warren, Sustainable Tourism Manager of South West Tourism, said: “We’re hoping that the Dummies guide will catch the imagination of those tourism businesses which haven’t yet thought about the benefits of going green. There are thousands of tourism businesses in the region and each one has an impact on the environment. Even if you are small and open only for the summer, there is still an impact which when combined with others adds up and every business has electricity and gas bills to pay, which could be reduced through becoming more energy efficient.

We have already seen a great response to initiatives like Action of the Year and the Green Tourism Business Scheme but we can’t rest. We want to help every business in the South West grasp the opportunities of going green and the Dummies guide provides the perfect opportunity to reach those who want a quick and easy starting point. Those South West tourism businesses who want to take their very first steps in saving money, attracting visitors and caring for the environment through going green can obtain a free copy by contacting Charlotte Reynolds at South West Tourism on: 01392 353 231 or by email: [email protected]

South West Tourism is a partnership of private enterprise and both local and central government. They work to encourage the promotion and development of tourism in Bath, Bristol, Bournemouth/Poole, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Gloucestershire (including Cotswolds & Forest of Dean destinations) and Wiltshire.

The Green Tourism Business Scheme is now Europe’s largest green accreditation scheme for the tourism sector, and rewards businesses for measures taken in the following categories: energy, water, waste, support of the local economy, wildlife, involving and informing customers, transport, management and marketing.

Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) is operated by Green Business, with funding support from the South West RDA and with South West Tourism supporting its promotion in the South West..

Valere Tjolle

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