NEW YORK—The creation of a Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council (STSC) moved a step closer to becoming a reality recently as a coalition of international organizations agreed to establish a body that will increase credibility around sustainable tourism certification programs, and ultimately help protect the environment, rights and livelihoods of local communities. The United Nations Environment Program, the United Nations World Tourism Organization and the United Nations Foundation are among the supporters of this initiative. As part of this joint scheme, they will work with the Rainforest Alliance, an international environment organization, and other NGOs and industry groups, to raise funds, recruit stakeholders and launch the STSC in early 2009.
“With tourism as the world’s largest industry, and nature-related tourism the fastest growing market segment of the industry, certification programs have become more relevant than ever to help conservation and community development through sustainable tourism operations,” said Tensie Whelan, executive director of the Rainforest Alliance, who was listed last year by “Ethisphere” magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in business ethics. “We are delighted that various U.N. agencies, NGOs and industry leaders are committed to getting the STSC off the ground.”
If not executed properly, tourism can be a damaging industry: rapid development and improper management can overwhelm a vulnerable natural area, contributing to pollution and erosion, disturbing wildlife and once-isolated cultures. However, certification can address the impacts of tourism through a process of assessing compliance with pre-established criteria. Credible and transparent certification programs provide a tool to reward tourism operations exhibiting best practices and differentiate them from others that are less environmentally and socially sound.
Unifying Body Needed
Through sound certification, tourism businesses can channel the effort to alleviate poverty and generate respect for local communities in countries rich in natural and cultural resources. However, a missing tool to make certification effective has been the lack of a council that will unite the programs that currently exist.
The STSC will become the accreditation body that will endorse sustainable tourism certification programs. It will create the first set of comprehensive global requirements that such programs will have to meet.
Among its responsibilities, the STSC will issue a seal of approval to certification programs that meet accreditation requirements; evaluate the social and environmental impacts of STSC-accredited certification programs; and provide guidance for the establishment of new certification programs in countries where there are none.
Introducing an STSC will bring about many benefits to the tourism industry. Governments will be able to call on the STSC to assist them in raising the profile of destinations with high environmental standards. It will also provide legitimacy and credibility to all those sustainable tourism certification programs that meet STSC requirements, and through its seal of approval, differentiate from those programs that have lower standards and weaker certification practices.
Easier to Make Smart Choices
“The STSC will give tourists the confidence that programs are audited, accredited and will continuously monitor those programs that are serious about social and environmental accountability,” said Erika Harms, executive director for Sustainable Development of the U.N. Foundation, speaking about the necessity of the STSC. “This will also improve the quality of information that tourists can consider when planning their trips and will make it easier for them to make smart choices when they travel.”
The Rainforest Alliance has provided technical and administrative support for the STSC initiative since 2001. Having achieved this and other commitments to sustainable tourism, the Rainforest Alliance and its director of Sustainable Tourism Program, Ronald Sanabria, have also been recognized with the prestigious 2009 Friend of Nature award, in Costa Rica.
The proposed STSC will have an elected international board representing all stakeholder groups in the tourism industry. The work of the board would be supported by an independent (and non-voting) scientific and advisory board comprising research and academic institutions, associations and international organizations.
Go to the Rainforest Alliance.
