A roadmap for companies and destinations to achieve and advance their tourism sustainability goals.
Each time more companies and organizations are aware of the need to develop sustainable tourism at all levels (environmental, social, economic and cultural). However, there are several challenges facing companies and destinations when it comes to managing sustainability. One of them is to move from theory, which is based on the desire to be more sustainable, to practice, implementing processes and concrete actions in that direction. Another one is the need to better position oneself in a market where more and more entities are claiming to be “sustainable”, regardless of whether this information is entirely true or not. Another is the growing demand from stakeholders (customers, suppliers, shareholders, public administration, etc.) to verify that the processes carried out by tourism companies and entities are truly sustainable and worthy of their trust.
In this scenario, sustainability certifications play an important role. Sustainable tourism certifications are processes that can help companies and destinations to implement good sustainable practices based on a previously defined standard and methodology, serving as a guide or roadmap to operate according to the axes of sustainability, improving stakeholder confidence and its positioning as a responsible entity. These axes are usually structured on the basis of specific requirements and practices that can be applied to tourism companies and/or destinations, depending on the certification. Therefore, they are important in that they have the value of materializing the organizations sustainability commitment in real facts or actions.
Other benefits of obtaining a sustainable tourism certification for companies and destinations are:
1. They set standards and help distinguish genuine sustainable tourism entities from others making empty claims, which helps to protect the integrity of the concept.
2. They have a high potential to reduce the negative impacts of tourism and ensure that the tourism industry takes responsibility for its actions and their repercussions.
3. They can help to sensitize other people, entities and companies towards this concept and appeal to them to follow the same path.
On the other hand, sustainability certification systems have their origin in quality systems. Hence, many collect continuous improvement processes, traditionally associated with quality. Therefore, companies and destinations that are interested in obtaining some certification usually not only work on aspects related to sustainability, but also on quality in their internal processes and management.
However, before starting a certification process it is important to take into account at least two essential factors. The first is to understand that certification should not be considered as an end in itself, but as a process of continuous improvement, a way to start working and materialize a real commitment; and it is one of the other tools that exist to improve sustainability performance. The second factor is to be aware that there is currently no single global sustainability certification standard and that, in fact, there are more than 200 sustainable tourism certification marks on the market; therefore, it is important to assess which processes or certifications can best suit your needs, and always prioritize those with a higher focus and rigor level.
If you need help in this area, at Pax# we can help you assess which certification can best suit your needs and give you advice! Do not hesitate to contact us.
