IHTEC - Sustainable Tourism Strategies

Sustainable Tourism Strategies


21 st CENTURY AGENDA FOR PEACE THROUGH TOURISM : SUSTAINABLE TOURISM STRATEGIES

International Holistic Tourism Education Centre (IHTEC). September 14, 1999.

On July 22, 1997 a United Nations Resolution adopted by the General Assembly proclaimed the year 2000 as the ‘International Year for the Culture of Peace.’ The United Nations has also proclaimed the years 2001 - 2010 as the "International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for all the Children of the World".

Canadian groups and individuals have been recognized as leading the way by UNESCO as part of a growing global movement, towards a Culture of Peace. International Holistic Tourism Education Centre (IHTEC) is as partner with UNESCO, promoting UNESCO’s ‘Culture of Peace’ concepts. IHTEC focuses on values, attitudes and behaviour transformation through the promotion of peace, non-violence, respect for cultural and eco-system diversity, promotion of democracy, reconciliation, and friendship. The Tourism and Travel Industry (TTI) needs to consider looking at every action they take from the eyes of ‘A Culture of Peace’ and Dr. Derek Paul’s and Phyllis Creighton's ‘web of life’ concepts. IHTEC encourages the Tourism sector to work with schools involved in IHTEC’s International School Peace Gardens - ‘A Culture of Peace through Tourism" to clean up the environment and to resolve local conflicts.

Tourism is a major users of the ‘global commons’. They are expecting massive increases in the movement of people around the globe in the next 10 years. Therefore Tourism has a major responsibility with regards to Greenhouse gas emissions causing global climate change. The recent UN document "Setting the Record Straight" June 1999 Update, includes the following quote: " In June 1997 "Earth Summit +5, a special session of the UN General Assembly to assess follow-up at the five-year mark, found that despite progress in many areas, the global environment continues to deteriorate. Governments agreed to seek further action - including on fresh water, energy, transport and tourism - but few concrete commitments were made."

Tourism could influence governments worldwide, to give citizens tax incentives, so they can make the changes in the reduction of CO2. It is very important that Tourism involves themselves with Global Governance of the Global Commons. (Global Governance is not Global Government). Industrialized countries continue to commit potential genocide by ignoring the interrelationship between global climate change and coastal sea-level rise.

WATER:

These suggestions are aimed at protecting aquifers, rivers and streams globally.

* Conserve water and encourage guests to understand why and how. This could include establishing a tax incentive for all, to change toilets to a duel flush system, install shower heads that are efficient and reduce consumption in kitchens and laundries, with water saving tools such as are used in dry climates such as Africa, Australia and the Middle East.

* Increase recycling of waste water within each establishment, ensuring that there is no ‘run off’ that pollutes local water supplies.

* Develop low water consuming plants in the grounds of Hotels and Restaurants. The plants need to conserve water and enhance the local Life Zones and bio-systems. This may require removal of lawns, using bark chips and ground covers instead.

* Develop uses for all waste water.

* Collect rain water and use filtering systems to neutralize chemical impurities if being used for drinking water.

* Work with local governments to change laws.

* Encourage the Tourism Industry to play a leadership role in Climate Change concerns.

* Develop new strategies for golf courses, with shorter water holding grasses and non-use of fertilizers and pesticides.

* Increase the use of composting toilets along Trails, and in Mountains, Parks and other outdoor places involved in high visitation.

OCEANS

The Tourism Industry is required to reconsider where it builds with regards to oceans. The Antarctic and Arctic are melting, with ice-bergs floating into shipping lanes. Land based ice will cause the sea level to rise. Coral Islands will disappear first and then the coastal plains and later coastal towns. The Industry will loose billions of dollars of infrastructure in the low lying coastal lands, in the future. Already many hotels are experiencing huge repair bills as the insurance industry refuses to pay for storm damage. In Mexico, all-inclusive resorts are still filling in mangroves and, offshore, killing the fish breeding grounds that sustain their reefs. As rivers will run backwards with sea level rise, new water systems will be required and the old ones protected and sustained. Here are some ideas:

* All cruise ships must ensure that no waste or waste water enter the oceans.

* All cruise companies to work with schools on coastal regions to clean up the unwanted litter, especially in countries such as in Mexico.

* Encourage use of non-polluting chemicals for all cleaning functions on ships.

* Encourage development of alternative sources of power such as Hydrogen and Solar, wherever possible.

* Develop uses for all waste and waste water residues.

SOIL

* Clean soil impeached by past pollution and chemicals on all Tourism related sites.

* Ensure all future impacts are reduced.

* Protect arable land and those who work it because it will be needed to grow enough food for the burgeoning population of the planet.

* Encourage use of organically grown food.

* Deliver all surplus food to food banks for the hungry.

* Prevent use of pollution by chemicals that may be absorbed into the soil and consequently defused into rivers, streams and aquifers.

* Conserve and expand wilderness areas to prevent further loss of diversity of species.

* Use the Life Zone approach with regards to planting food supply for bird species.

TRANSPORTATION & ENERGY USE

* Encourage all Recreational Vehicles (RV) and Campgrounds to use Solar Energy for hot water and heating, and encourage services supporting RV and Campgrounds to use alternative energy.

* Encourage the new energy sources such as the ‘Bi-fuel’, electric, hybrid vehicles and the Ballard Fuel Cell for Hydrogen driven vehicles used in the Tourism industry.

* Encourage the experimental aircraft industry to speed up production on any possible fuels that prevent air pollution, and the need to dump fuel before landing. Some possible alternatives to consider could be, electro-magnetic launchings, the use of either hydrogen and water or hydrogen and air. The hydrogen alternatives would produce clean fuels.

* Encourage rapid cross-continent rail transport.

* Encourage use of Space technologies for transportation between continents, ensuring that if they must be in the ozone layer, that all actions and substances, do not deplete the ozone.

Written by Julia Morton-Marr for the IIPT Conference held in Glasgow, UK.