Sustainable Travel International
&
Inspire has partnered with Sustainable Travel International to make a difference
Left unchecked, tourism growth can harm the destinations we love
Travel and Tourism is a vital part of any country’s economic development. In many developing countries, tourism promotes inclusive economic growth, creates jobs and attracts foreign investors. It also enables local people in destinations to gain job skills and professional experience and promotes social mobility. And, when done thoughtfully, tourism can help protect the environment and build buffers against climate change.
However, when destinations solely focus on attracting more visitors and neglect long-term sustainability, it can lead to their ultimate deterioration and decline. Skyrocketing visitor numbers overwhelm local infrastructure and environments, while haphazard tourism development allows harmful practices to go largely unseen.
Short-term “success” often comes at the expense of local communities, ecosystems, wildlife, and cultural resources, and this in turn can cause a destination to lose its appeal. After all, dirty beaches, unwelcoming communities, extinct species, and packed trails aren’t what people typically travel to see!
At Inspire we have partnered with Sustainable Travel International so that we can help make a difference.
Since 2002, Sustainable Travel International has been charting a new course for travel and tourism — one that leads to a healthier environment, greater economic opportunity, social justice and the protection of natural and cultural resources. They believe that travel and tourism can protect the world’s natural and cultural riches and create economic opportunity.
Their mission is to protect and conserve our planet’s most vulnerable destinations by transforming tourism’s impact on nature and people. And their vision is to drive a world where tourism actively contributes to environmental and community well-being.
Through their work with governments, companies, NGOs and local communities they unite and use tourism to achieve the right balance between economic development, green growth, and protection of their natural and cultural assets. Furthermore, for more than fifteen years, they have been developing and sharing their inclusive methodologies to build knowledge, inspire action, and enable self-directed sustainability for travel and tourism.
Sustainable Travel International Initiatives
Conducting research to inform our solutions
We immerse ourselves in the destinations where we work to understand local tourism issues and identify key sustainability needs. We use this in-depth knowledge to devise solutions that are grounded in reality and address the most pressing threats to local environments, people, and wildlife.
Building the capacity of destination leaders
We empower local leaders with the knowledge they need to drive change and transform their destination’s future. We train destination managers and policymakers on best practices for sustainable tourism development, such as engaging communities and conserving their natural resources.
Advising policy makers on responsible tourism strategies
We serve as a trusted advisor to local, regional, and national governments, as well as other destination management bodies. By offering strategic guidance and recommendations, we help destination leaders plan for sustainable tourism growth and implement policies that advance environmental and human well-being.
Fostering local collaboration
Achieving sustainable tourism development requires stakeholders to join forces and work towards a common goal. We bring together local governments, community leaders, businesses, and NGOs to collaboratively tackle major challenges such as climate change, habitat destruction, pollution, and economic leakage.
Strengthening community resilience
We help destination leaders prepare for the “what-ifs” and reduce underlying risks. This strategic planning mitigates adverse impacts and strengthens the ability of local communities to respond to natural disasters, economic downturns, and other unforeseen events.
Developing local standards and certification programs
We create sustainability standards and guidelines which outline environmentally and socially sound practices for tourism businesses in a particular destination. To promote widespread adoption of these practices, we design voluntary certification programs and encourage governments to integrate the standards into local regulations.
Designing tools to monitor tourism impacts
We create monitoring programs and data collection tools that assess the environmental and social impacts of tourism in a destination. This information helps destination leaders continually track the most crucial needs so they can introduce pertinent policies and adjust their tourism strategies accordingly.
See the projects Sustainable Travel International have worked on - https://sustainabletravel.org/our-work/destination-projects/
For more information on Sustainable Travel International - https://sustainabletravel.org/
Carbon Offsets
Tourism is responsible for roughly 8% of the world’s carbon emissions, making it a significant contributor to climate change.
A one-way flight from San Francisco to London can produce about 1.25 metric tons of carbon emissions per passenger. That’s over a quarter of the amount of carbon that the average person worldwide produces per year – just from one round trip flight.
Every time you fly on a plane, stay in a hotel, ride in a taxi, or create waste, carbon emissions are being generated. While there are many ways that you can and should minimize your carbon footprint while traveling – from turning off the air conditioner to renting electric vehicles – no matter how sustainable your travel habits are, certain carbon emissions are unavoidable. That’s where carbon offsetting comes in.
If you want to make a difference and calculate your Carbon Footprint and offset that amount, please visit the below.
https://sustainabletravel.org/our-work/carbon-offsets/calculate-footprint/offset-by-amount/