Accreditation and Certification Programs
Accreditation & Certification Programs generally concentrate on
the built environment, with the focus on environmentally friendly infrastructure
design and advanced environmental monitoring
systems. Interpretive
material about local history, flora
and fauna,
and
guide programs designed to
foster environmental and cultural awareness amongst
guests
and visitors, need to be included. These interpretive criteria
in particular are
popular with resort developments seeking ecotourism commendation.
While
this recognition is encouraging developers to impliment projects that
are less environmentally
damaging than in the past, the question for many people remains ... is
this "ecotourism"?
- Green Tourism
Business Scheme "(GTBS)
is an accredited Visit Scotland Quality Assurance scheme. ... The
scheme was established by VisitScotland supported by Scottish Enterprise & Highland
and Islands Enterprise. This funding stopped in 2001 and the scheme
is
now a self-financing
scheme mainly supported
by membership fees. ... The GTBS will help you to reduce costs,
improve efficiency and increase your marketing potential by the implementation
of good environmental practice." Criteria areas include: Management,
Communication, Energy, Water, Green Purchasing, Waste, Transport,
Wildlife & Landscape.
- The
Rainforest Alliance's "Sustainable Tourism
Program
 works
with tourism entrepreneurs and community-based businesses
in Latin America, providing them training and information
on environmentally and socially sound management, in order
to help them gain access to and be more competitive in
the marketplace, while contributing to the conservation
of the local culture and nature." A pleasing
and easy to use web site. While Latin
American in focus, all SMEs and ecotourism visitos can
benefit from the resources available to "savvy
tour operators"
and "savvy
travelers".
- Tourism
certification schemes still leave much to be desired (August
2000) "WWF- UK
is warning that certification schemes for environmentally and socially
responsible tourism can be misleading to consumers and often fail
to guarantee high standards of environmental practice." The
399K PDF file of the full report is available for download.
- A
Strategic Overview of Ecotourism Accreditation and Certification:
The
Road Forward By Fergus Tyler Maclaren, for the International Year
of Ecotourism 2002. "The placing of
the term eco- in front of words such as “sensitive”, “friendly” or
other expressions has often meant some confusion as to what is actually
being defined and to what standard something is being held up to,
to accord it higher regard and acceptance. In the case of ecotourism,
this has often resulted in debate over what its intent actually is,
and in what circumstances it can actually be applied." This
is a deep
link on the UNWTO site with no
navigation available. While
it's getting a bit long in the tooth now, this remains a valuable
background doument.
- Eco
Certification Program "is
a world first. It has been developed by industry
for industry, addressing the need to identify genuine
ecotourism and nature tourism operators in Australia.
the Eco Certification Program is now being exported
to the rest of the world as the International Ecotourism
Standard." Definitions,
comparison tables, prices and PDF for download.
- Tourism
Sustainability Certification Research Program Previously
titled "Certification,
accreditation & rating tourism offers in Dominican Republic and
Haiti". In English, Français, Español. The web
site is a laudable effort, detailing steps taken to formulate an
ecotourism certificate program for the region, however it has been
moribund since 2000, due to lack of funding. Extensive links
to tourism, publications and local information are still updated.
- The
Certification in Sustainable Tourism Program (CST)
It's
amazing what some support from government and industry
can do. If the web site is anything
to go by, the Costa Rica Certification for Sustainable
Tourism program is humming along very nicely, with
an extensive number of participating operators,
and the site
documenting the project, along with a self evaluation
questionnaire and guidelines for operators. In
English,
Espanol, Francias
- SmartVoyager
Certification A
joint program of Conservación y Desarrollo(CyD) an Ecuadorian
nonprofit group, and the Rainforest Alliance, SmartVoyager minimizes
the impact of tour boats in the Galapagos Islands by improving social
and environmental conditions of boat operations. Operators that meet
the program's standards are "certified" and may use the
SmartVoyager® label in marketing their services. The label gives
travelers the assurance that they are supporting operators who care
about the environment, wildlife conservation, and the well-being
of workers and local communities." Links to application
documents, guidelines and certified operators.
See also Sustainable Design & Management, Academic,
Education & Scientific Organisations, Ecotourism
Papers and Articles and Industry
Associations and Societies |
|
Codes of Conduct, Practice and Operational
Guidelines
While there are many localised Codes for various kinds of tour operations
and for travellers, most aren't specifically formulated in the context
of "ecotourism".
However, we can ensure that all parties are well prepared for the type
of activity they are embarking on, and help minimise adverse impact
on the natural and cultural environments, by adopting
and using an appropriate code of practice. See also Policymaker/Stakeholder
Guidelines.
Ed Note: To determine whether your intended activity
is "eco" rather than "nature" based, "outdoor" or "adventure" tourism,
just ask yourself these questions. Is it to primarily be in and enjoy
the natural world? Is it "passive" as opposed
to "active"?
Or is the activity the end in itself? To make the most of the activity,
will you need to be quiet or still, patient, observant, respectful
of boundaries and prepared for some pysical discomfort? Or will
your experiences come to you in air conditioned 5 star comfort, and
do you expect that you will be "whooping and hollering" with
your adrenalin pumping?
Operator/Visitor Guidelines
- Green
STAR Accreditation - AAA Tourism
 "Green
STAR Accreditation is an additional endorsement
to your current STAR Rating. Green STAR Accreditation doesn't
change your original STAR Rating - it gives you special
recognition and shows your customers that you are responsible
and committed to reducing the environmental impacts
of your business."
- Antarctic Tour Operators
Guidelines It's
stating the obvious but I can't resist ... be very very very
careful out there. Great resource for operators, and excellent
website for would be Antarctic visitors as well, with guidelines
for Visitors and Wildlife
Watching and additional extensive Antarctic
Resources
- Australian
National Guidelines for Whale and Dolphin Watching 2005 One
more click to get to the PDF; which is a bit unfriendly IMO.
Given the popularity world-wide of dolphin and whale watching
along the various migratory paths, html would be preferable.
See also the
guidelines for watching marine mammals from NSW NPWS
- Ecotourism Association of Australia Code of
Practice for Operators Originally developed in the mid '90s,
it's been superseded by the Eco Certification Program,
and other geographically localised programs, but for tourism operators
wanting a brief bullet style introduction, it's a good place to
start. You might even find you're well on the way to accreditation.
- Ecotourism Association of Australia
(EAA) Guidelines for Ecotourists Published in the mid 1990s,
intending "ecotourists" can still benefit by keeping
these guidelines in mind when travelling.
- Ecotourism
Guidelines for Nature Tour Operators - (PDF - 50kb) International
Ecotourism Society: MOMMY!! Although the PDF is in plain
text format, the extensive operational guidelines from the
original booklet published in 1993 still provides a worthy
benchmark for tour operators, especially those operating
in or to "undeveloped"
destinations. The society's extensive online
library can be searched on publication title, author, date
of publication, region, keyword and file content. Go
there now!
- Ecotourism
- Taking Your Next Vacation to New Heights Lovely introduction
to the concept of ecotourism from this wonderful site, but
the gem will be found further down the page. It features
guidelines on appropriate behaviour around marine animals,
Recreational Boating Etiquette and Snorkelling/SCUBA Diving
guidelines.
- Ethical
Birdwatching "To
foster ethical bird observing as a social and individual
activity directed to benefit Australian birds". Guidelines
for birdwatching from the Bird Observers Club of Australia
(BOCA) ... "which supports the Federal, State and Local
Government regulations that protect wild birds, their nests,
their eggs and their habitat."
- Evaluating
Ecotourism Operators and Agents by Deborah McLaren.
Will your operation pass muster?
- Green
Guides for Adventure Tours from the International Centre
for Ecotourism Research. The link goes to a page where PDFs
for 4WD, WhiteWater, WhaleWatching, Scuba Diving and Blue Seas
activities can be downloaded and printed out for display
by operators using these guidelines to acceptable practices
and behavior.
- Guiding
the Way, Eco-Cultural Tourism Guides And Standards Presented
to the 1998 "Way To Go, New Travel Expo", the
page layout and text reflects the origin of the paper
as an overhead presentation, but is worthy of a visit
regardless. "A presentation to assist travellers
and travel agents understand the roles of guides in a
true eco-cultural experience, how to evaluate whether
a potential guide and outfitter is of high quality, and
describing some sources for this type of information."
- Himalayan
Tourist Code (Australia
Tibet Council)
 "This
is a guide to responsible environmental, social, spiritual
and cultural travel."
- HOW TO CHOOSE
AN ECOTOUR PROGRAM AND A HOST. "Nowadays more
than ever travelers must actively participate in choosing
their trip facilitators. You can not judge how good programs
or tour hosts are by how glamorous their magazine ads
are, how famous their sponsoring agencies are, or by
whether the guides are locally certified
or accredited! Before a trip takes place, you should
contact the tour host directly, ask probing questions,
and see how your prospective host responds."
Excellent article for travellers, on questions to ask and cationary
tales about choosing your tour guide/s, from the folk at Eathfoot.org.
- National
Geographic Sustainable Destinations Resource Center "What
is Sustainable Tourism? Geotourism? SUSTAINABLE TOURISM,
like a doctor’s code of ethics, means "First,
do no harm." It is basic to good destination stewardship. Sustainable
tourism does not abuse its product—the destination.
It seeks to avoid the "loved to death" syndrome.
Businesses and other stakeholders anticipate development
pressures and apply limits and management techniques
that sustain natural habitats, heritage sites, scenic
appeal, and local culture." A
rose by any other name ... .
- Northern
NSW Ecotourism Association Inc. (NNETA) Mission Statement/Ecotourism
Framework. NNETA encourages tourism operators to be
committed to best practice ecological sustainability and
set an example
as quality ecotourism operators.
- Responsible
Tourism Code for the Pacific "In
many Pacific Island countries, tourism is the largest industry,
impacting on both local communities and resources.
Pacific peoples recognise that tourism has the potential
to bring huge social and economic benefits to the Pacific
Islands, but they are also concerned about some of the
dangers associated with tourism." Well designed
site with codes in PDF for operators to download for
printing and display, and visitors to consider. Good
additional resources.
- Responsible
Tourism - Travel Code from Andean Web. "As
a traveler, you have a responsibility to help ensure
that tourism in developing countries such as Peru remains
a positive experience for everyone. The following "Travel
Code" offers guidelines for low-impact, culturally
sensitive and environmentally friendly travel."
- Tourism
Concern "We
work with communities in destination countries to reduce
social and environmental problems connected to tourism
and with the out-going tourism industry in the UK to
find ways of improving tourism so that local benefits
are increased." Check out How
to Avoid Guilt Trips, for some common sense guidelines
on enjoying your holiday without exploiting the locals.
- Wildlife Tourism
Australia offers Best
Practice Management Guidelines for operators in this
sensitive area of nature based and ecotourism, and
some excellent General
Wildlife Viewing Tips for visitors.
See also What is Ecotourism?, Accreditation
& Certification Programs, Outdoor Recreation
& Adventure Activities and Other
Tourism Resources |
|
Policymaker/Stakeholder
Guidelines
Policymaker/Stakeholder Guidelines
provide a framework for development of, and appropriate activity
and conduct at sensitive natural and cultural sites. - Australian
Natural Heritage Charter: "for the Conservation
of Places of Natural Heritage Significance Second
edition 2002 Australian Heritage Commission.
The Purpose of this Charter is to assist everyone
with an interest in the significance and conservation
of natural heritage. It provides definitions
of terms, a statement of principles and a rational
process for making decisions."
Available online in PDF or use Order form for printed
copy.
- Ask
First: A guide to respecting
Indigenous heritage places and
values "provides a practical
guide for land developers, land
users and managers, cultural
heritage professionals and many
others who may have an impact
on Indigenous heritage. The title
- Ask First - is the message
of this book; that consultation
and negotiation with Indigenous
stakeholders is the best means
of addressing Indigenous heritage
issues. It is also the first,
and simplest step that people
need to take, and that is to
put the subject on the agenda." In
html and downloadable PDF, as
well as for hardcopy purchase,
the descrription sums it up. This
guide is an excellent resource,
and "must have" for
any individual or organisation
dealing with Indigenous stakeholders
and heritage.
- Successful
Tourism at Heritage Places: a
guide for tourism operators,
heritage managers and communities "The
Australian Heritage Commission
and the Department of Industry,
Science and Resources with the
asssistance of the Cooperative
Research Centre for Sustainable
Tourism have over the years explored
issues of common concern about
the responsible use of Australia's
heritage places for tourism. This
guide provides information to
help people more clearly understand
the issues involved and includes
practical pointers for those
aiming at successful and responsible
tourism at heritage places."
- Steps
to sustainable tourism "Planning
a sustainable future for tourism,
heritage and the environment ...
a tool to use when managing and developing
regions, places and tourism products. ...
This guide can be used by tourism
operators, local government, tourism
organisations, heritage managers,
regional development bodies, park
managers, communities, consultants
and all those interested in fostering
a sustainable approach to tourism." In
html and PDF (495kb file) An
excellent step by step "how-to" guide
for anyone interested in sustainable
tourism development.
- Biological
Diversity and Tourism: International Guidelines
for Sustainable Tourism The International
Guidelines for activities related to sustainable
tourism development are intended to assist Parties
to the Convention
on Biological Diversity, public authorities
and stakeholders at all levels, to apply the
provisions of the Convention to the sustainable
development and management of tourism activities.
... While the guidelines were developed focusing
on vulnerable terrestrial, marine and coastal
ecosystems and habitats of major importance for
biological diversity and protected areas, they
are appropriate for tourism and biological diversity
in all areas. Governments, international institutions
and development agencies should take these guidelines
into account in their policies, programmes and
activities, and support their implementation,
especially in developing countries and should
encourage the exchange of experiences and lessons
learned concerning their implementation."
- Global Code of Ethics for Tourism from
the UN World Tourism Organization.
" The global Code of Ethic for Tourism sets
a frame of reference for the responsible and sustainable
development of world tourism at the dawn of the new
millennium."
- Guidelines
for Managing Visitation to Seabird Breeding
Islands A very useful document which
will assist in framing policy proposals and
regulations for the management of human visitation
to seabird islands wherever they occur in
Australian waters.
- Sustainable
Tourism in Protected Areas: Guidelines for
Planning and Management, UNEP Publication
by Paul FJ Eagles, Stephen F McCool, Christopher
D Haynes. "A landmark publication
jointly published by UNEP, The World Conservation
Unit (IUCN) and the World Tourism Organization
(WTO) is a contribution to the International
Year of Ecotourism 2002. The publication
aims to assist protected area managers and
other stakeholders in the planning and management
of protected areas based on a wealth of practical
case studies and experience." Purchase
the hard copy or download the individual
chapters in PDF for a total approximately
3.4Mb.
- UNEP
(United Nations Environment Programme) Sustainable
Tourism - "UNEP has developed strategy
for sustainable tourism development addressing
the following objectives; * To promote sustainable
tourism among government agencies and the
industry. * To develop sustainable tourism
tools for protected/sensitive area management.
* To support implementation of multilateral
environmental agreements related to tourism
...". A visit to any UN site is always
an eye opener, and the UNEP Sustainable Tourism
site is no exception. A pleasing, simple,
fast loading design, opens a world of sustainable
and ecotourism related resources, with themed
discussions covering government, private
sector, sensitive area management, ecotourism
and the WSSD 2002. Extensive related libraries
provide links to papers, additional resources
and publications for purchase, with some
available for free download in PDF. This
site should be a "must visit" for
anyone interested in ecotourism or sustainable
tourism.
- World Heritage Centre Everything you always wanted
to know about World Heritage but didn't know
where to find it. English, Français "Protecting
natural and cultural properties of outstanding
universal value against the threat of damage
in a rapidly developing world".
See also What is Ecotourism?, Accreditation
& Certification Programs, Outdoor
Recreation
& Adventure Activities, Other
Tourism Resources and Sustainable Design & Management |
|
Footnote 1. "What's
in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet." --From Romeo
and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2) eNotes,
see also phrases.org.uk
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