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So you like the idea of Ecotourism, but how do you find or plan a trip that is truly eco-friendly? What does it mean for a lodge or hotel or tour operator to be certified as an ecotourist facility or operation?
These are the questions facing the concerned consumer interested in finding an ecotourist experience.
Martha Honey, director of the Institute for Policy Studies' Sustainable Development Program, describes certification as a three-legged stool.
The first leg measures health and safety issues, most of which is legally mandated. The second leg measures quality and service, much like the certification programs of organizations like the Automobile Association of America. The third leg measures sustainability. Ideally, this will include standards for assessing environmental and social impacts of hotels, resorts, and tour operations.
There are now more than 100 certification programs for the tourism industry. Of these, 60 are in Europe and only 7 are global, including Green Globe and Ecotel.
The challenge of certification of travel comes form the varying set of rules and regulations found in each business category that encompasses tourism. Like most traditional certification programs, most "eco" labels cover only hotels and lodges. There are, however, an increasing number of programs that certify tour operators, naturalist guides, beaches, parks, golf courses, and boats. Among these are the Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) in Costa Rica; The Nature and Ecotourism Accreditation Program (NEAP) in Australia; Blue Flag in Europe, South Africa, and the Caribbean; Protected Area Network (PAN) in Europe; Committed to Green in Great Britain; and Smart Voyager in the Galapagos.
There is a wide variety in the types and rigors of certification programs. Some, like Green Globe, focus on the traditional tourism market and set up environmental management systems within businesses. Eco-labels are awarded for reducing water and electricity consumption and don't set any performance standards. These programs focus on intent as opposed to outcome.
On the other hand, performance based programs focus on outcome instead of intent. They set forth clear environmental and social standards. For example, stating that more than 90 percent of a hotels employees be hired locally. Businesses within this certification framework can be compared one from another.
As stated in the Ecotourism Primer, the International Year of Ecotourism is a chance for the industry to consolidate the certification process. This is crucial, as ecotourism gains popularity, to distinguish and encourage sustainable ecotourism from mere greenwashing.
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