Accountability Paves the Way: long-awaited advancements achieved

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism in Destinations, a pivotal moment in the global push for sustainable tourism. Originally held alongside the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), the conference underscored the urgent need to prioritize responsible tourism practices as a means of fostering sustainable development.

During the WSSD, the Greenwashing Academy introduced the Greenwash Academy Awards, acknowledging instances of "environmentally and socially destructive corporations posing as friends of the environment and leaders in the struggle to eradicate poverty," a phenomenon known as greenwashing.

Responsible Tourism entails making positive changes in the tourism industry by encouraging operators, hoteliers, governments, and inhabitants to assume responsibility and take action toward sustainability. Sustainability can only be achieved through cooperation and the concerted effort to decrease negative impacts and increase positive socio-economic and environmental impacts. Consumers should be able to trust the sustainability claims made by businesses and destination authorities in an era increasingly marked by greenwashing and misinformation.

Transparency lies at the heart of responsible tourism. Businesses and destinations should be forthright about the issues they intend to address, explain the reasons these issues matter, and share the positive outcomes of their actions. Among recent strides in transparency, Federico González Tejera, CEO of Radisson Hotel Group, has developed a list of 12 basic sustainability indicators required of any hotel staking a claim to sustainability. These indicators focus on energy efficiency, waste management, carbon emissions, and biodiversity conservation, among other areas.

The Travalyst coalition has also aligned on a shared framework to collect and display flight emissions data. The framework outlines a set of shared principles and a preferred methodology for estimating carbon emissions from air travel, which have been agreed upon and committed to by coalition partners, including Skyscanner, Google, Booking.com, Trip.com Group, Tripadvisor, and Visa. The data will enable travelers to make carbon-efficient flight choices.

Every year, the WTM Responsible Tourism Awards showcase outstanding examples of businesses and destinations prioritizing responsible practices. The 2022 WTM Global Responsible Tourism Awards are currently open for entries, with the India Awards closing on June 30 and the Rest of the World category accepting submissions until August 31. Gold winners in various regional categories will automatically advance to the Global Awards presented at WTM London in November.

In the wake of the Cape Town Declaration, hotels and hostels worldwide are emphasizing their commitment to eco-tourism and sustainability.
Tour operators are striving to educate tourists on the importance of responsible tourism to preserve local destinations and minimize climate-change impacts.
Science plays a crucial role in the development of environmental-science-based policies to promote sustainable tourism and combat issues such as greenwashing.
Tourism authorities are implementing transparency measures, providing clear information about their environmental and social initiatives to build trust among consumers.
Hoteliers are adopting indicators of sustainability, focusing on energy efficiency, waste management, and biodiversity conservation to make informed decisions that support a sustainable lifestyle.
Air travel firms are collaborating to display flight emissions data, empowering travelers to choose their flights based on carbon efficiency.
Entries for the WTM Responsible Tourism Awards 2022 are now open, encouraging destinations and businesses to demonstrate their commitment to sustainable practices.
Submissions for the India Awards close on June 30, while the Rest of the World category accepts entries until August 31, giving businesses and destinations a chance to showcase their responsible tourism efforts.
Gold winners from various regional categories will advance to the Global Awards, slated to be presented at WTM London in November, acknowledging outstanding contributions to sustainable tourism.