VISION’S 21 SUSTAINABLE TOURISM WINNERS OF 2008

So, it’s the end of a tough year and the good news is that there WERE some winners. Who were they? (In our opinion – of course!)

In no particular order…

1. Kenya – has been slaving away at the shrine of sustainable tourism for quite a few years now, establishing organisations like ecotourism Kenya and projects to share the benefits of tourism. Still success seems to have eluded them, civil disturbance didn’t help. What do they want – a relationship with the US president? Now it’s happened, let’s hope that the tourists come in their droves again AND the locals benefit!
2. Palestine – One of the key facets of true sustainable tourism is its resourcefulness and ability to come back again and again. The recently re-inaugurated Nazareth to Bethlehem trail has the ‘legs’ to be promoted globally, the ability to spread tourism benefits widely and the enthusiasm to make it work. Even in a really troubled area.
3. Mumbai – Another destination that has really been hit, fallen down and struggled back to its feet with a fabulous welcome for tourists.
4. Venice – has had its share of problems this year, and they are always big global news because of its history and uniqueness. ‘Flooding’ didn’t help and placing advertising hoardings in the middle of a world heritage site was a bullet in the foot. But banning water bottles and giving tourists water fountain maps was a stroke of true ecological and sustainable genius.
5. The Mekong Delta – with an IFC tourism project (covering Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia) and a tourist board (adding Thailand). The area is developing hundreds of small and medium sustainable tourism initiatives.
6. Scotland – set up the Green Tourism Business Scheme (not, perhaps the most zippy name but nonetheless a great idea). Now they’ve said that not only will they add 50% more tourism revenue by 2015, but they’ll also be very green indeed.
7. Britain – that’s England, Wales and Northern Ireland – also have their own dedicated sustainable tourism unit and have appointed the International Centre for Responsible Tourism to vet certification schemes. Who’s first to be appointed? The GBTS (as above)
8. Ireland – taking sustainable tourism a step further by embedding sustainability in all of its tourism and hospitality training courses
9. Green Globe – week after week, this hitherto dormant giant makes further steps. Certification is the name of the game. Green Globe has this year woken up and started running.
10. Abu Dhabi – is going for tourism in the most expensive way. If you left a footprint in their new sustainable destination Desert Island, they’d have someone sweep it up after you.
11. Travelife – is another certification scheme with an even more snappy name and very powerful backers, including, of course Europe’s biggest tour operators.
12. Bees – are very sustainable and people like them (we think they work hard!). They also make honey which can be sold to tourists. Hence they are supported by the Travel Foundation. Bee worker training schemes, co-operatives etc
13. Bikes – are, of course, the latest in transportation. Both the big bike schemes are great for tourists. You can pick one up, cycle around and dump it again in Paris, Oslo and where else?
14. Carbon Trading – took off apace this year and is set to be a multi-trillion dollar market. Unfortunately the value of carbon credits dropped like a stone so the carbon traders caught a cold. They’ll recover
15. Canada – is quietly getting greener and greener and more and more sustainable. One of the first to enter the arena and now picking up a gear.
16. South Africa – is, of course the centre of excellence in sustainable tourism for the African continent. Fair Trade tourism is the only accredited scheme in the world but still in its infancy.
17. Responsible Tourism Networking at WTM – was started by a bunch of young, small and enthusiastic sustainable operators led by Gopi from The Blue Yonder, based in Kerala and operating throughout India. The WTM networking event was a success that will be replicated again, globally, next year.
18. Belize – has been a sustainable destination for many, many years and it’s where the next conference on responsible tourism will be held.
19. The Independent Republic of Totnes – is a small town in Devon UK which has as many therapists per square metre as, say, Scottsdale Ariz. But they also have a real interest in sustainability as a destination. A local currency, a transition plan, organic, fair trade restaurants. Simply everything that you’d associate with sustainable tourism. Even tourists.
20. The STCC (Sustainable Tourism Certification Council) – is what the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria will probably morph into and it will be the global certifier of certifiers. Until, of course another rung is announced
21. New Zealand – Saving the biggest till last. New Zealand was a worthy winner of the WTM Responsible Tourism overall prize. It’s wonderful what a lot of commitment and a vast amount of investment can do.

Congratulations to all. In sustainable tourism, 2008 was a truly vintage year. We’ll be writing all about it in the 2009 sustainable tourism report.

Remember 2009 will provide more winners. Next week – our tips for next year’s top places.

Happy, successful and sustainable 2009

Valere Tjolle