Ecotourism Certification
More and more, travelers are becoming conscious of the impact of their tourism on the environment. Ecotourism certification is available to businesses in the tourism industry, which makes it easy for tourists to determine what outfitters, lodging or transportation companies are the the most green. There are some things to remember about ecotourism certification.
Other People Are Reading
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Function
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Ecotourism certification alerts travelers that your business has been recognized as environmentally friendly and, thus, desirable for environmentally conscious tourists.
Significance
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More than half of all adults in the United States indicated that they would be more likely to choose an rental car, hotel or airline from businesses that are more environmentally friendly, according to 2007 U.S. Travel Association and Y Partnership statistics cited by Sustainable Travel International, on the web at www.sustainabletravelinternational.org/documents/sustainabletourismcertification.html.
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Features
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Sustainable Travel International offers the Sustainable Tourism Eco Certification Program and a self-assessment tool. For the certification, the program refers to the minimum baseline criteria outlined by the Partnership for Global Sustainable Tourism. Other ecotourism certification outlets listed by the International Ecotourism Society include Green Globe 2000, Blue Flag, Green Hotel Initiative, Kiskeya Alternativa, Alianza Verde's Green Deal, PAN Parks and Smart Voyager.
Analysis of meeting certification standards is based upon a company's business model, guest experience, workplace practices and operations, purchasing, energy and climate management, and community impacts.
Considerations
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Luxury hotels can also apply through Sustainable Travel International to receive certification, specifically for luxury accommodations. The certification is referred to as the Luxury Eco Certification Standard.
Benefits
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Sustainable Travel International lists improved profitability of your business, a broader market appeal by attracting environmentally conscious travelers and preserving destinations and cultures as benefits to gaining ecotourism certification.
Warning
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Despite the listed benefits, planeta.com, an ecotourism journal, notes that certification programs had not, to the point of their study, delivered a trustworthy system for locals and visitors. The journal also stated that it takes about a decade of requests and consumer awareness for certification to become marketable.
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