GWSB Blog Posts – International Institute of Tourism Studies

Jackson Hole Creates Destination Stewardship Council to Implement New Plan

amandareiserMarch 2, 2023March 2, 2023Leave a comment

In the summer of 2021, driven largely by people seeking outdoor vacations during COVID, national parks and other public lands around the nation set records for visitors. That summer’s unique challenges were pivotal for Teton County, WY, home to the magnificent natural resources of Jackson Hole, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Bridgerton-Teton National Forest.

The Jackson Hole community was feeling the impacts that unmitigated visitation can inflict on human and natural resources, the pillars of Jackson Hole’s destination economy. The Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board (JHTTB) recognized those impacts and decided to act.

They followed the lead of other major tourist destinations—Aspen, Brekenridge, Sedona and Vail among them—who were threatened by their own tourism success and had already developed or were developing destination management plans to respond to tourism sustainability issues. This trend in planning is also happening around the world. Queensland, New Zealand feared overtourism, so the destination reacted with a management plan that invested in roads, public transport, housing and parking, and created a visitor care code and communication campaigns to enhance and promote visitor responsibility.

Needing help to design a sustainable tourism future, the JHTTB called on George Washington University International Institute of Tourism Studies (GW IITS) and Confluence Sustainability to guide them in the creation of a Sustainable Destination Management Plan (SDMP).

An intense 18-month planning process ensued, wrapping up in December 2022 after engaging nearly 5,000 residents, and in January 2023 the finished plan was adopted unanimously by the JHTTB. In announcing the adoption of the plan, the Board said “together we will ensure that the power of travel and tourism contributes to the health and well-being of our community, our economy and our environment.”

JHTTB also adopted one of the plan’s cornerstone recommendations and created the Teton County Destination Stewardship Council to manage and implement the Sustainable Destination Management Plan in the short-term. Work is already on the way to bring the Destination Stewardship Council to fruition.

The destination’s engagement website https://www.visitjacksonhole.com/locals shares the plan and other previous research from the GW IITS team, and stresses the importance that residents be engaged and active in the SDMP implementation.

“For Teton County, Wyoming, sustainability means balancing the aspirations and needs of community members, businesses, and visitors with the protection of the public lands that are core to the county's heritage, culture, and economy” says Crista Valentino, Interim Executive Director, JHTTB. “GW International Institute of Tourism Studies and Confluence Sustainability played an essential role in building consensus amongst the many stakeholders within our community to build a short and long-term holistic approach towards tourism.”

JHTTB will stay involved to fund projects, events, and initiatives that are eligible for funding under the Wyoming lodging tax statutes. Full implementation funding requires collaborative approaches across jurisdictions and partner organizations named in the plan. The same commitment to collaboration that produced the plan, if brought to implementation, will guarantee Jackson Hole’s sustainable future.

World Class Destination Jackson Hole Tackles Sustainable Destination Management

amandareiserJune 2, 2022July 26, 2022Leave a comment

GW International Institute of Tourism Studies Guides Teton County Towards Destination Stewardship

Nestled between mountain ranges of Grand Teton National Park and the wondrous landscapes of Yellowstone National Park, Jackson Hole, Wyoming is a town with a distinct personality and big ambitions. It is one thing to be a place that caters to tourists attracted to world-class skiing and hiking with awe-inspiring scenery and wildlife, and another to create a world-class plan to keep the destination and the communities that serve them sustainable.

The George Washington University International Institute of Tourism Studies (GW IITS), –in partnership with Confluence Sustainability–has joined a high-profile effort to steer the mountain resort destination in the development of a sustainable destination management plan. The past lack of a destination management plan and the enormous success and year-round influx of visitors to Jackson Hole and Teton County, gateways to two of the most popular national parks in the U.S., has naturally created some questions about how to balance the need to protect the local environment and culture and make tourism more valuable for the local community. Traffic, housing, workforce shortage, and overcrowding at recreation facilities are commonly cited.

“Bringing people with differing interests and concerns together to create a destination management plan for a mature destination is never easy. The key is bringing people together and finding common ground. Our team at the George Washington University International Institute of Tourism Studies and Confluence Sustainability is well-positioned to assist Jackson Hole toward sustainability,” said Seleni Matus, executive director of George Washington University International Institute of Tourism Studies. “We’ve developed destination management plans for many global destinations including mountain resort and gateway communities, and our team has been at the forefront of shaping global destination certification standards. We also have strong ties to the community, having supported Teton County’s past sustainability assessment and certification efforts.”

The year-long project is consulting businesses, residents, local non-profits, governments and Federal land managers throughout the planning process. To ensure community buy-in and to develop a shared sense of responsibility for sustainable management, GW IITS has conducted a situational analysis with stakeholders, held stakeholder meetings and focus groups, and conducted a resident survey. The GW IITS and Confluence Sustainability team recently led two visioning and planning workshops in Jackson Hole and Idaho.

A steering committee of community stakeholders is providing oversight for the planning process, which build on past and existing sustainability efforts.

“Since our inception in 2011, the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board has been integral in building a strong tourism economy for the Jackson community. The current Board recognizes the need to prioritize destination stewardship with a renewed focus on enhancing the quality of life of our community. As we embark on this process, we intend to build on our valued community partners’ well-established and pioneering work on sustainability initiatives,” said Cory Carlson, JHTTB Board Chair.

Follow the project’s progress at https://www.visitjacksonhole.com/locals

The Future of Travel is Indigenous!

amandareiserMay 15, 2022July 26, 2022Leave a comment

GW International Institute of Tourism Studies Celebrates Indigenous Breakthroughs in Travel and Tourism

During this year’s National Travel and Tourism Week, themed “The Future of Travel”, the George Washington University International Institute of Tourism Studies (GW IITS) celebrated four ground-breaking awards achieved by its Indigenous tourism projects, project members and project managers:

CONGRATULATIONS SOUTH DAKOTA

Dew Bad Warrior—project manager of the South Dakota Native Tourism Alliance (SDNTA) from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe—received the Visit Rapid City Extra Mile Award this spring for her above-and-beyond support of Native tourism development.

For her leadership and contributions to Native tourism, Sarah Kills-in-Water—a South Dakota Native Tourism Alliance member from the Rosebud Sioux Tribe—was recently honored at the 2022 South Dakota Governor’s Conference on Tourism with the coveted Rising Star Award, which celebrates a tourism professional who has been in the industry for 2-4 years and is expected to make a strong impact on the tourism industry over their career.

*Sarah Kills-in-Water, who received the South Dakota 2021 Governor’s Tourism Rising Star Award in recognition of her leadership and contributions to native tourism development.*

In collaboration with GW IITS, the state of South Dakota–home to nine Native tribes–has actively embraced a destination identity that includes the state’s tribes, their cultures, land and people. GW IITS, along with tribal leaders and the Department of Tourism, have worked together to create the South Dakota Native Tourism Alliance and a five-year Native American Tourism Development and Management Plan (NATDMP) to inject indigenous culture into the state’s tourism program.

*Seleni Matus of GWU IITS presents to the South Dakota Native Tourism Alliance*

Calvin Bloemendaal, who has represented the South Dakota Department of Tourism in the Alliance from its inception, commented. “South Dakota is proud to lead in the ground-braking movement of collaboration with tribes and industry state-wide to bring Native tourism into the mainstream and support their achievements every step of the way.”

Sarah has been a source of inspiration and knowledge in the South Dakota Native Tourism Alliance from its inception to the recent roll-out of the Alliance’s strategic plan. She has endorsed and promotes the Native American Tourism Development and Management Plan, South Dakota 2020–2025 because it “represents a true collaboration between tribes, the state and the tourism industry and will demonstrate that there can be enormous benefits for everyone when Native voices are welcomed and Native communities creating visitor experiences are supported by their state.”

Tamara St. John, tribal historian and South Dakota state legislator, praised the plan as “one of the most pro-sovereignty things that a tribe can do, to take control of their cultural history and tell their stories, define their own narrative, and tell what they’d like to share with the world.”

But it’s not just South Dakota that’s breaching a historically wide gulf in Native equity and inclusion that began in the 1800s with forcing tribes off their land, or taking away their land ownership and claiming the natural resources for the U.S. North Dakota is also bridging the gap.

CELEBRATING IN NORTH DAKOTA

Vision, initiative and hard work abound in Native efforts across the Dakotas and in April, the efforts of the North Dakota Native Tourism Alliance (NDNTA) to create authentic cultural experiences for tour operators landed them the 2022 North Dakota Governor’s Trailblazer Award.

*The NDTA Board receives the 2022 North Dakota Governor's Trailblazer Award*

Native tourism was on the rise prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, with 1.9 million overseas visitors reporting visiting Native America in 2019, and popular tour companies are recognizing the demand for authentic experiences. Destination America, a sister company to Trafalgar, is offering 40-50 Native community experiences in North America this year. Intrepid Travel has also been expanding its tourism offerings in Native America.

Taking advantage of this opportunity is the North Dakota Tribal Tourism Alliance, another success story that began as a GW IITS project to bring the North Dakota tribes together to create tours and build tourism capacity.

With an increase in demand for Native tourism destinations across the country, Native community engagement is needed now more than ever to help prepare tribal communities for tourism.

CELEBRATING IN THE AMERICAS

For its “outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion in the last year through a campaign, content, partnership or other initiative,” Wanderful awarded its 2022 Bessie Award for Inclusion to the Indigenous Tourism Collaborative of the Americas.

Also breaking new ground in sustainable tourism is the Indigenous Tourism Collaborative of the Americas (ITCA), which has Native leadership, tourism industry support, GW IITS project management and a steering collaborative that includes the Organization of American States and the U.S. Department of the Interior Office of Indian Economics Development. ITCA is thriving and building an Indigenous tourism resources portal, tackling their priorities of COVID recovery, building sustainable tourism capacity and securing inclusion in industry and government decision-making.

“We are honored to receive an award named for Bessie Coleman,” steering committee member Katherine D. Edwards said, “who was the first licensed Native American and African American female pilot. Achieving new heights in sustainable economic opportunity through inclusion in tourism is what our collaboration is about.”

Begun as a forum put on by GW IITS in 2020 and endorsed by the U.S. State Department, ITCA is tackling some of the most important issues in sustainable tourism throughout indigenous communities in North and South America with the help and support of some of the most significant forces in travel and tourism including Planeterra, Intrepid Travel, Travel Foundation, Destinations International, Tourism Cares G Adventures, Adventures Travel Trade Association and the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST).

ONTO MAINE

As the success of the Dakota Native alliances have come to the attention of other states, Maine has emerged as the next state desiring GW IITS assistance to facilitate more inclusive Indigenous tourism planning on the East Coast. GW IITS is delighted to begin work in collaboration with Four Directions Development Corporation and the Maine Office of Tourism on a Native American tourism development and management plan to support stronger, more sustainable Native tourism opportunities.

Jamaica Strives for Destination Assurance

amandareiserApril 25, 2022July 26, 2022Leave a comment

New Promise for Authentic, Safe and Seamless Jamaican Visits

Clear blue water, soft sand, and salty air make destinations in the Caribbean irresistible for travelers. Jamaica’s high-quality, sustainable resorts give it an edge as a top tourist destination, and to remain competitive, the country is striving to deliver high-value experiences to visitors beyond its many resorts.

Committed to continued tourism improvement, the Government of Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism (MOT) has partnered with the George Washington University International Institute of Tourism Studies (GWU IITS) and developed a national tourism Destination Assurance Framework and Strategy (DAFS), the first of its kind in the Caribbean. The DAFS was accomplished through an extensive participatory planning process facilitated by GWU IITS that engaged nearly 300 stakeholders from the public, private and third (civic) sectors and spanned eight months. It is now under review by the Cabinet.

Destination assurance is Jamaica’s brand promise to visitors for an authentic, safe and seamless experience respectful of communities and the environment. The ultimate goal of destination assurance is increasing visitor satisfaction–crucial to the long-term success of the tourism industry.

Hon. Edmund Bartlett, Tourism Minister of Jamaica, asserts that destination assurance is “a promise to visitors that assures an authentic, safe and seamless experience, which is respectful to the community and environment,” and that the DAFS “aims to ensure that the integrity, quality and standards of Jamaica’s tourism product are maintained.” While destination assurance was incorporated in the country’s tourism model in the past, Bartlett noted that the current specialized framework and strategy was created “to better meet the needs of the GEN-C travelers who have a vested interest in unique experiences which are safe”.

*Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, addresses a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) 'Think Tank', on April 23, at the agency's Head Office in Kingston.” Photo by Dave Reid*

The new plan is for individual businesses as well as the overall destination. At the business level, licensing will be streamlined in order for more businesses to attain licenses and operate under safe, legal practices. The plan offers suggested voluntary business standards within a quality management system, destination assurance, and product development.

A national system for certifying business sustainability is also encouraged in the plan so tourists can identify businesses that are making an effort to be more sustainable. Once the National Destination Assurance Programme is enacted for tourism businesses, it can be expanded to include the certification of local destinations.

The development of regional destination management organizations (DMOs) are part of the plan and can help tackle infrastructure and security issues to ensure seamless and safe transit around Jamaica. Many Caribbean destinations have been historically perceived as unsafe outside resort walls. By enacting the assurance plan at the national and destination level, Jamaica intends to eliminate its inclusion in that narrative.

While a majority of the new standards are advisory and voluntary, the plan makes a persuasive case that actions stemming from the DAFS standards will put Jamaica and its businesses in a stronger strategic and competitive position in the Caribbean. When these new standards take effect, they will make Jamaica safer for visitors. Jamaica’s success in coordinated efforts to achieve greater destination assurance will result in travelers eager to visit the country beyond its resorts and enjoy Jamaica’s rich culture and engaging communities.

Why this travel company is committed to reconciliation with First Nations Australians

GW IITSAugust 19, 2020December 16, 2020Leave a comment

The Australia-based responsible tour operator Intrepid Travel has always been committed to making a real difference in travel destinations by investing in local communities, human rights initiatives, wildlife conservation projects and the environment. As Intrepid's website states: "We’re all about operating in a responsible manner and incorporating principles of sustainable tourism and development into the way we provide our travellers with real life experiences."

Intrepid is not only a sponsor of the Indigenous Tourism Forum of the Americas—an initiative organized by the International Institute of Tourism Studies along with the Organization of American States and the Bureau of Indian Affairs— but the company's commitment to creating more opportunities for First Nations people provides valuable learnings for all of us.

By James Thornton, CEO Intrepid Travel

The current crisis is an exceptionally challenging time for travel, but it is also a chance to consider how businesses can rebuild more responsibly – environmentally, economically and socially, which includes fostering stronger understanding with Indigenous communities. Intrepid Travel is headquartered in Australia and we formally started our reconciliation journey by committing to a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Reconciliation is about building stronger relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians.

In July 2020, our 'Innovate’ RAP was endorsed by national body Reconciliation Australia. This built on our ‘Reflect’ RAP,
which was endorsed in 2019. While our experience is uniquely Australian and we’re still in the very early phase of our reconciliation journey, we wanted to share our experience so far to help encourage other organisations to take their first step. This is particularly important at a time when the global conversation is centered on discrimination and social justice, including for First Nations peoples.

For us, as a responsible business and a certified B Corp, developing a RAP was an important step. Intrepid is a truly diverse business with offices all over the world, but we were founded more than 30 ears ago in Melbourne, where our head office is. We also run trips in every state and territory in Australia (except Australian Capital Territory), including tours that visit remote Aboriginal communities and culturally significant places such as Uluru.

Intrepid Travel acknowledges Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognizes their ongoing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and future, and support the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices.
But we cannot reflect on Australia’s history and our place in it without acknowledging the devastating and lasting effects that colonialism, land dispossession and racism has had on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We know we need to play our part to close the gap that this legacy has created.

Developing a RAP, in consultation with First Nations advisors, is a way that a business can start to address inequalities, as it provides a formal framework and time frame for a business to take specific actions.
Since adopting our first RAP 18 months ago, we’ve introduced several changes – some of these are simple to implement but are significant nonetheless.

Brian Swindley, owner of Janbal Gallery in Tropical North Queensland – Intrepid started working with the gallery and including it in itineraries as part of its commitment to partner with more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tourism operators.

Personally, I now begin all important meetings, including company updates, with an Acknowledgement of Country. Our global websites also include an Acknowledgment of Country and at a product level, we banned alcohol on our visits to Uluru and started working with some new Aboriginal tourism operators in Queensland.

Under our Innovate RAP, we’ll take further actions over the next two years. This includes exploring internship opportunities for young people interested in a career in sustainable tourism and amplifying First Nations voices in our marketing and platforms.

We very much continue to be on the journey, but I’d like to share some of the things we’ve learnt so far:

Do your homework and be open. We have a lot of learning to do. This is an ongoing process and it’s something that we’ve committed to at every level of our business. Engage First Nations advisors and do the work to understand the issues at play, and how inequalities are present in your business.
Form a working group. Seek out people at all levels of your business who are passionate about reconciliation and who are committed to making change. These people must be empowered and made accountable. Ideally the working group would include First Nations people – this is something we continue to work on. Personally, I am updated regularly by our RAP working group lead.
Build awareness. To be truly effective, everyone within the business needs to be on the reconciliation journey. You will need to dedicate time and resources to internal communications and continually share
information. We’ve found one of the most important parts of this process has been to listen, learn, engage, reflect and build respect for First Nations cultures and histories. We continue to work on this aspect, and we are fortunate that in Australia, there are many excellent resources
available.

As we rebuild from this crisis, we hope other tourism businesses will be open to change and starting their own reconciliation journey. Together we can rebuild more responsibly to benefit all communities, including First Nations peoples.

As an Australian-owned business, we acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to their Elders past, present and future.

TRIBES JOIN FORCES TO DEVELOP CULTURAL HERITAGE TOURISM

GW IITSNovember 18, 2019November 18, 2019Leave a comment

From cultural and historical sites, to parks and preserves to pow wows and traditional festivals, North and South Dakota are rich in opportunities for visitors seeking to experience Native American places and ways of life.

While in general, a growing interest in authentic and cultural heritage travel is fueling an uptick in Indigenous tourism, many tribes and communities throughout the US are not yet convinced of tourism’s potential benefits, which go well beyond economic development.

As Seleni Matus, Executive Director of the George Washington University’s International Institute of Tourism Studies explains, “We know that tourism is often the most promising way for many Indigenous communities to generate income while giving these groups the financial capability to protect their lands and cultural traditions.”

Three years ago, the Masters of Tourism Administration students, under the auspices of the International Institute of Tourism Studies, helped to establish the North Dakota Native Tourism Alliance. The idea was to bring together the state’s five Indian Nations—the Sisseton Wahpeton, Standing Rock, Mandan-Hidatsa-Arikara, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and Spirit Lake— to collaboratively design tourism opportunities and develop their own individual strategies around cultural heritage tourism.

While the project, developed with support from the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development and Division of Transportation, is building the capacity for tourism and economic development generally, this year’s focus in particular has been on developing actual tourism products and experiences that will appeal to visitors from the US, Europe and Asia. For example, these include pow wows, visits with community elders and interpretive tours of historic and cultural sites.

In addition to working with community leaders to identify and develop products and experiences, the IITS team is helping tribes to establish pricing, market their products and train guides and interpreters. They’re also identifying tour operators and potential entrepreneurs interested in working with the tribes. And, also as part of the project, the GW teams helping to strengthen micro-enterprises, including those owned and operated by local artisans, storytellers and dancers.

“The International Institute of Tourism Studies (IITS) has been an instrumental partner, helping to inform and shape our program design and delivery,” explains Ed Hall, Tourism Coordinator at the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. They designed the approach now used in our work in the Dakotas to create long-term investment in sustainable cultural tourism development for tribal communities. Our partnership provides graduate students with an opportunity to work in tribal communities and share their expertise while learning from the communities themselves. The project works with state representatives to identify existing resources, which can support tribal capacity building and facilitates coordination and access to these various resources, while identifying gaps or barriers that require additional support. Ultimately, however, it is the sovereign tribal nations and communities that must control their own tourism efforts and deliver products and experiences that are authentic to their own cultures and traditions.”

This year, the Institute expanded its reach to South Dakota, where it’s working with nine federally recognized tribes. Stakeholder meetings to establish the projects have been well received by the South Dakota Department of Tourism as well as officials including David Flute, Secretary of Tribal Affairs and Jim Hagan, Secretary of Tourism, both of whom attended recent gatherings. State representatives Senator Red Dawn Foster, Representative Shawn Bordeaux, and Representative Tamara St. John, all of whom are Native American, have also been attending meetings and publically endorsing our work.

In South Dakota, the initial goal is to develop a regional tourism strategy and build a regional alliance, similar to the approach taken in North Dakota. For now, the group is focused on addressing several challenges inherent to the state, including the concentration of tourism attractions in and around Rapid City and the Badlands National Park and the general lack of connectivity between these areas and the tribal nations.

Participants at recent meetings expressed their hope that tourism would be the vehicle to reestablish connections and reunite the Oceti Sakowin, the People of the Seven Council Fires. Until the arrival of trappers and settlers during the 1600s, these bands of the Sioux were united by language and kinship.

As meeting attendee Randy Ross, from the Alliance of Tribal Tourism Advocates said, "Tourism isn't just about money. It can make light and open a path to knowledge. Then, our future generations will have a place to hang their hat on. They will have a legacy. Tourism is a vehicle to humanity.”

Kansas Middletent from the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe added that, “This initiative is important in so many ways but overall, it allows us to control our narrative. We get to share our way of life through our own lens, our own perspective, that often isn’t told to in fullness or in truth.”

To explore the ways in which tourism can drive opportunity and contribute to a better quality of life for Indigenous communities, the Organization of American States and the George Washington University International Institute of Tourism Studies, in collaboration with the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, are organizing a two-day Indigenous Tourism Forum of the Americas scheduled for March 17^th to 18^th, 2020 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Visit the forum website to learn more and register.

TOURISM IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE

GW IITSNovember 13, 2019Leave a comment

Rising seas, melting snowcaps and rampant wildfires make destinations increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. While the tourism industry is certainly responsible for contributing to the emission of greenhouse gases that lead to a warming climate, the solution is not to stop travel. Because tourism plays a vital role in driving economic growth and development, as well as conservation, travel companies, tour operators and individuals need to find new approaches to responsible travel in the face of climate change.

On October 30, The George Washington University’s International Institute of Tourism Studies and the Adventure Travel and Trade Association (ATTA) co-hosted AdventureConnect, which brought together adventure travel industry leaders, educators and students to discuss the future of sustainable tourism. The event was moderated by attorney Chunnie Wright, who provides legal counsel to adventure travel companies, and featured panelists Karl Egloff, Director of Travel & Conservation at the World Wildlife Fund; Jeff Bonaldi, founder & CEO of The Explorer’s Passage; and Russell Walters, who serves as ATTA’s North America Strategic Director and AdventureEDU Educator.

Panelists and participants addressed a number of key issues during a lively discussion that drew an engaged crowd. The following are some of the key takeaways from the evening:

SUSTAINABILITY MUST BE A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY.

While the tourism industry as a whole—including airlines, cruise ships and hotels— needs to take the lead on adopting practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, consumers must do their part to drive efforts by demanding more of businesses and supporting those that demonstrate good environmental stewardship and leadership.

TOUR OPERATORS HAVE A KEY ROLE TO PLAY.

By fully understanding the sustainability of their own supply chains—including guides, vendors, and other suppliers—and by engaging with those companies and individuals who are demonstrably reducing their environmental footprint, tour operators can wield significant influence. They, too, can drive environmental initiatives internally by offsetting all of their trips.

TOUR OPERATORS AND DESTINATIONS CAN WORK TOGETHER TO EDUCATE TRAVELERS.

Around the world, tour operators are partnering with destinations to increase public awareness through climate-focused, educational trips. For example, renowned primatologist Jane Goodall recently joined a group to plant trees at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro, an area that is exhibiting the harsh effects of climate change, partly due to large-scale deforestation. The expedition, a partnership between adventure travel company The Explorer’s Passage and conservation group ClimateForce, raised proceeds to fund large tree-planting projects. And in Iceland, where higher temperatures are melting glaciers, companies like Into the Glacier, which leads visitors through ice tunnels, are educating the public about the impacts of climate change.

TRAVELERS SHOULD MAKE INFORMED CHOICES WHEN FLYING.

While overall air travel is responsible for 2.5 percent of the world’s gas emissions, studies estimate that by 2050, aviation could take up a quarter of the world’s total carbon budget—or the amount of carbon dioxide emissions permitted to keep global temperature rise to within 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. Tour operators and travelers can contribute to lower emissions by adhering to the NERD rule: Choose NEWER aircrafts, buy ECONOMY seats, fly on REGULAR (medium-sized) jets and fly DIRECT, without layovers.sus

SPREAD THE WORD.

Because it can be challenging to understand—much less adopt—sustainability-oriented solutions, small businesses in particular often need support. Destinations and experienced businesses could help to scale sustainability by sharing their stories, experiences and recommendations for best practices.

GW Plays Leadership Role in UN Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development

GW IITSJanuary 24, 2017December 14, 2017

GW’s Dr. Hannah Messerli and Professor Emeritus Don Hawkins were in Madrid for the launch of The International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, which the UN has designated to allow the industry to further drive responsible development that increases livelihoods, promotes the well-being of local communities and protects cultural and natural resources. “The United Nations’ recognition of sustainable tourism will support global sharing and innovation,” noted Messerli. “Key events in all regions will enable public and private sector stakeholders to share ideas and foster better tourism practices.”

While in Madrid, Messerli and Hawkins also attended a related event—the launch of the UN World Tourism Organization’s 13th Awards for Excellence and Innovation. Messerli, served on the award jury for public policy and governance applications. “These awards allow destinations from around the world to showcase and share their new ideas and—importantly—show how they can be successfully implemented,” she explained. “This year’s awards were diverse and demonstrated new achievements in measuring and monitoring tourism’s impact. It is exciting to see the increasing emphasis on all stakeholders—from tourists to governments to the private sector, and especially residents.”

The public policy and governance award went to Mexico’s Guanajuato Ministry of Tourism for a plan that aims to significantly increase tourism development in the state while developing its ability to measure and quantify impacts in a way that is useful to local communities, governments and businesses. “It is very thorough and based on extensive community participation,” said Messerli. In addition to the Guanajuato submission, Costa Rica’s Social Progress Index in Tourist Destinations, which measures the well-being of individuals living in destinations, was also noteworthy.

Over the course of the year, GW will actively participate in thought-leadership events around sustainable tourism including a global conference in November that will draw the development community, governments, donors and locals to focus on collaboration and best practices in the tourism industry. Along with UNWTO, the Jamaican government and the development group Chemonics, GW will help to organize the landmark gathering.

Creating Resilience in the Tourism Industry 1

GW IITSJanuary 11, 2017December 11, 20171 Comment

“With the dynamic nature of tourism, there are many opportunities to adapt and recover in the face of adversity—economically, socially, environmentally and even politically,” noted Hannah Messerli, The Dwight D. Eisenhower Research Professor of Tourism Policy Chair of the International Institute for Tourism Studies.

Messerli recently moderated the 2016 Fall Colloquium: Resilience in Tourism, organized by the International Institute of Tourism Studies and Tourism for Tomorrow. Discussions focused on the importance of resilience in the face of challenges including natural resource depletion, political turmoil and the changing habits of tourists. Keynote speaker Kelly Craighead, Executive Director of the National Travel and Tourism Office, U.S. Department of Commerce, was joined by Norie Quintos, Editor at Large, National Geographic Travel Media; Neil Ardeshna, Senior Director of Business Consulting, Marriott International; Carla Portalanza, Cultural and Press Attaché, Embassy of Ecuador in Washington, D.C.

Neil Ardeshna, whose team is charged with leading strategic, enterprise-wide initiatives for Marriott’s 6,000 hotels and 500,000 associates, described how the global hospitality company has built corporate resilience by diversifying its footprint across over 110 countries and by offering 30 brands that can ensure almost any traveler can find a hotel that matches their preferences and price point. Locally, Marriott hotels are both influencing and influenced by their local economies, policies, and cultures in a number of ways…

• Marriott hotel owners, general managers, and local business councils work with local governments and businesses to help ensure local tourism is resilient
• Hotels adjust rates to balance supply and demand. If there is a shift in any given market, room rates can be adjusted to help maintain demand at a hotel, which directly helps to buoy tourism in that city.
• Marriott is constantly driving the development and adoption of innovative tools to help predict demand and react to any demand spikes or dips

Ardeshna also described how Marriott is always responding to long-term consumer trends. Rather than segmenting travelers purely on traditional demographics, for example, they instead work to focus on the traveler experience. “Whether it’s for business or pleasure, we want to make sure that travel is something people look forward to.”

Communications consultant Norie Quintos, who advises destinations and travel companies on how to effectively tell their unique stories, focused on the importance of the media. “Destinations that want coverage need to adapt and change,” explained Quintos. “The tools are affordable and now in everyone’s hands.” She cited examples of initiatives including Conversations with the Earth, a website that relies on participatory journalism and serves as a platform to allow how indigenous communities to share information on their strategies for adapting to climate change.

She also discussed strategies for engaging the media post disasters. “We know that the longer sustainable tourism lags after a natural disaster, the more damage is done to the social fabric of a place and its economic well being,” said Quintos. She described that because positive, where-to-go stories are the bread and butter for travel media, travel reporters tend to shy away from coverage of a destination following a disaster. She suggested that destinations strategically pitch journalists when they’re ready for coverage. “Focusing on the return of a destination following a disaster is always a great angle,” remarked Quintos.

How Airlines Contribute to the Popularity of Tourism Destinations

GW IITSOctober 31, 2016December 11, 2017

Anthony Hunt, Chair of the Belize Tourism Board’s Airline Development Team and Director of Marketing and Route Planning for Tropic Air recently met with a group of George Washington University tourism students to discuss the role that airlines generally—and route planning more specifically—play in determining a destination's potential for tourism development. During the brown bag lunch presentation, he discussed his own approach to growing Belize’s tourism arrivals and the ongoing collaboration involved in such an undertaking.

1) What is the relationship between flight capacity and the ability of a tourism destination to develop?

Airline seats are what allow a destination to grow. An increased number of seats spurs competition, drives prices down and stimulates demand. Increased arrivals also leads to hotel investment and employment in the hospitality support sectors. So the launch of even one new route creates enormous trickle down benefits.

2) How do you define airlift in this case?

It means the overall capacity provided by an airline to a specific destination or market, and it can be measured in terms of inbound seats (arrivals) or round-trip flights.

3) If a destination is managing for sustainability, what are guidelines for responsible growth in terms of air traffic and new routes?

The single most important guiding factor should be a close correlation between the demographics of the airline’s passengers and the character of the destination. If there is a misalignment around demographics, it can lead to unhappy visitors. For example, if tourists are anticipating white sandy beaches and don’t care about protected mangrove areas, which harbor wildlife, you’re setting the state for unhappy visitors. A good example of contrasting airline demographics is Alaska Airlines vs Spirit. One airline’s passengers might be a better fit for Guanacaste, Costa Rica, which is more nature-oriented. The other may be better off in Cancun, which is all about sandy beaches and nightlife.

4) What are some of the challenges you've faced in helping Belize to develop as a tourism destination?

The five greatest challenges, in descending order, have been: 1) the need to advocate around issues such as removing visa restrictions 2) competition with other destinations willing to offer revenue guarantees 3) support for the process over time, which requires ongoing stakeholder engagement and education 4) funding, which is needed for the constant advocacy work as well as building the business case 5) developing a cohesive, diverse team, which represents the various the public and private stakeholders.

5) What is the number one lesson that you've learned from your experience in Belize, which you feel could be applied elsewhere?

Respect for the process. People often want to go to straight to the CEO when they’re advocating. But it’s important to include everyone in the process as you work through each obstacle and truly lay the groundwork for a successful service launch.