 BC Partnership for Sustainable Tourism
What is Sustainability?
What is Being Done?
Foresight
Green Tourism Forum
Additional Information
Sustainability Resources!
Announcing BC Partnership for Sustainable Tourism
British Columbia's tourism industry and the provincial government are taking major steps to ensure the long-term sustainability of the industry. The Province, industry organizations and businesses have contributed $560,000 to create a new BC Partnership for Sustainable Tourism.
The BC Partnership for Sustainable Tourism will:
- Establish best practices for sustainability specific to tourism businesses
- Develop and implement a certification program for "green" tourism operators
- Set up a system for tracking and reporting sustainable tourism indicators
- Offer practical carbon calculators for small and medium-sized tourism enterprises
- Embark on communications and outreach for businesses and travellers
- Hold workshops across the province to educate businesses on carbon emission strategies and best practices
To read more, click here
To read the full news release, click here
What is Sustainability?
"Sustainability" has become a household term in recent years, with the general public, government and businesses increasingly paying attention to the impacts that their actions will have on the environment, society and the economy.
There are a number of different definitions and interpretations of the word "sustainability." After much research and deliberation, members of the B.C. tourism industry have arrived at the following definition:
A sustainable B.C. tourism industry:
- Is prepared for and readily adapting to change
- Addresses the needs and aspirations of present and future generations
- Promotes and encourages ethical behaviour in all stakeholders, including visitors
- Recognizes the connectivity of the entire planet
- Promotes the long-term health and well-being of visitors, suppliers, employees, host communities, and the natural and built environment
- Promotes long-term socio-cultural and economic viability of the tourism system
- Is seen as a leader in Canada, across North America and in the rest of the world in the way in which it has tackled this in a successful, collaborative and unified way.
What is Being Done?
British Columbia has become a world leader in sustainable practices in a number of fields, and the tourism industry is no exception.
Whether it's through energy reduction programs, local hiring & purchasing programs, contributions toward wildlife conservation efforts, or countless other endeavours, nearly all businesses now incorporate some sustainability practices into their operations.
COTA, the Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts, Tourism British Columbia, and the BC Sustainability Collective are jointly developing a strategy to further build upon these successes and support a broader and deeper commitment to sustainability in a variety of areas.
Foresight
Between 2005 and 2007 COTA led a pan-industry effort to establish a vision and framework for sustainability in the B.C. tourism industry, and released a report entitled FORESIGHT: Shaping a Sustainable Vision for Tourism in British Columbia.
The report describes the industry's most desired scenario for the year 2020, and outlines the many trends and issues that will influence its trajectory toward that scenario. It also includes a framework for action to achieve this scenario, and includes a Sustainability Policy and Code of Conduct that was created by the tourism industry, for the tourism industry.
To download the full Foresight Report, click here
To download the Foresight Summary Report, click here
Foresight Award
Each year at the annual B.C. Tourism Industry Conference, COTA sponsors the Foresight Sustainability Award for a business that demonstrates leadership in environmental, social/cultural and economic sustainability.
The 2008 winner was the Vancouver Aquarium, for its groundbreaking work on fish habitat conservation and restoration of populations of sea lions, whales and other Pacific Northwest marine mammals. The aquarium's Ocean Wise program also helps consumers to make sustainable seafood choices.
Green Tourism Forum
Following the completion of the Foresight project, COTA and the B.C. Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts sponsored the Green Tourism Forum in October 2007. The Forum brought together leaders in the B.C. tourism industry to further develop a strategy for promoting sustainability in the industry.
To read the summary of the October 2007 B.C. Green Tourism Forum, click here
To read the summary of the April 2008 B.C. Green Tourism Forum, click here
Foresight Background Research
Known as Foresight: Shaping and Sustaining a Vision for Tourism in BC, the project features a task force of industry leaders that advise on the project's development. The task force takes the lessons learned from 2003 - the year of fires, floods, SARS, the war in Iraq, and the pine beetle - and applies them to a forward looking planning exercise.
Foresight's vision of tourism sustainability is that of an industry with active mechanisms embracing external forces, rather than being devastated by them. Thus, the Foresight project will create a plan for the future, universal best practices, an industry sustainability policy, plus a Code of Ethics.
Project goals include:
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identification of key social, cultural, economic and environmental change drivers that affect the industry
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the development of scenarios given the variability of tourism's drivers
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identification of key industry measures
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creation of recognition tools to enable individual operators to assess and provide proof of their success in achieving sustainability
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and more.
After a rigorous process following a Request for Proposals in September 2005 for organizations to help facilitate the project, and partnership contributions from the Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts and Western Economic Diversification Canada, COTA and its new partners began the project in earnest on December 1, 2005.
Research into issues that drive the industry performance began immediately in preparation for a scenario planning workshop in January 2006. Results from the workshop lead to an all-industry Foresight Workshop at the BC Tourism Industry Conference in Penticton on February 15, 2006.
Over the course of the next two years, a period of research and consultation will result in an action plan that incorporates all aspects of the project.
More than 18 months of research, analysis and consultation went into the development of the Foresight Report.
COTA would like to thank the BC Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts and Western Economic Diversification Canada for their support and participation in the project. COTA would also like to extend a special thank you to the 30-member Foresight Task Force and its two Chairpersons, Petrus Rykes and Dave Butler for their leadership and commitment to the sustainable future of the BC tourism industry.
Updates
& Documents
| Title |
Date |
Link |
| Foresight Discussion Paper |
January, 2007 |
 |
| Foresight Workbook |
January, 2007 |
|
| COTA Tourism Drivers
Research |
January, 2006 |
|
| Foresight Project
Description |
January, 2006 |
|
| Foresight Workshop
Results (TIC 2006) |
February, 2006 |
|
| Foresight Workshop
Scenarios Handout (TIC 2006) |
February, 2006 |
|
| Foresight Workshop
Drivers Handout (TIC 2006) |
February, 2006 |
|
|
