Green tourism – certify, promise or greenwash
Green sparks flew at this year’s debate
Said WTM "Over the last five years there has been a big push on certification. It is time for some reflection on what has been achieved and the way forward. How valuable is certification in the market place? What is the relationship between the advisory service on environmental management and the auditing or certification process? Which is more commercially valuable?"
You could argue that certification would lend the same credibility to sustainable tourism as organic certification provides to organic fruit and veg.
But organic certification always involves a thorough vetting process and some sustainable tourism certification is actually self-certified.
So what price a certificate? And will clients go for a promise rather than a third-party verification?
Yesterday at WTM the subject was debated by green tourism bosses
Chaired by Dr Xavier Font, of Leeds Metropolitan University, Rebecca Hawkins of Responsible Hospitality Partnership, Andrea Nicholas from Green Tourism Business Scheme, Sean Owens from TUI and Jenny Rushmore from Tripadvisor locked horns in the debate.
As Andrea Nicholas pointed out when customers see green they just expect one colour green and one concept- whereas in the marketplace there are many, many shades.
Many thousands of businesses have now had a strong green third-party endorsed and audited certificate (nearly 3,000 by Green Tourism Business Scheme alone) – the sign really needs to mean something more than a promise or years of hard painstaking work may be undone. Noted Xavier Font.
The better certification schemes work with tourism establishments to assist them to save energy and follow a green plan – this cannot be the case with self-certification. And as green tourism achieves more prominence the green sparks at WTM may lead to a big bonfire later in the year.
Find out more about green certification and greenwash get a copy of the Tourism and Greenwash Report which evaluates 140 certifications…HERE
Valere Tjolle
For other responsible tourism debates and events see: http://www.wtmresponsibletourism.com/
Valere
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