SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL - SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
GREEN CERTIFICATION ENTICES TOURIS
CERTIFICATION OF ASSUR
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ravel, at its best, enriches us as individuals as it enriches communities across the globe. The number of people discovering the joys of travel continues to grow year after year, with more than one billion people now traveling around the world. These one billion travelers can have very positive impacts on their destinations, including supporting jobs and local businesses and preserving cultural sites. However, travel can also have negative impacts on destinations, such as degradation of natural resources, increased waste in communities, and limited economic impact. Travelers interested in contributing to the well-being of the destinations they visit can find assurance that they are choosing sustainably minded businesses by looking to certification programs. Certification is an official recognition of having met a certain level of achievement. In the case of sustainable tourism, in order to meet certification requirements, businesses must meet a set of standards in environmental, sociocultural and economic practices. These may include using renewable energy, recycling, choosing local suppliers for equipment or services, and actively encouraging customers’ respect for the culture and customs of the area. In order to become certified, businesses may have to go through an inspection process, interviews and/or paperwork. A rating system, or levels of certification, help consumers differentiate between companies highly engaged in
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sustainable practices and those less engaged. Certification can help mitigate greenwashing. Once certified, a logo is generally provided to businesses for use on marketing pieces to inform consumers and the industry supply chain of their commitment to sustainability. Arizona State University’s Center for Sustainable Tourism recently partnered with Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA) to study the sustainability practices of small tourism businesses in Alaska and company motives for becoming certified with Adventure Green Alaska, Alaska’s only sustainable tourism certification program. Study results showed businesses certified with Adventure Green Alaska were internally motivated by core company values and viewed sustainable tourism strategies as good for society and the environment. Businesses not certified were less likely to respond to the survey (which can indicate less interest in the survey topic), and those responding had implemented fewer sustainability practices. External factors, such as consumer interest, marketing benefits, and competitive advantage, are likely to be higher motivators for these companies to pursue certification. Various destinations around the world maintain “green hotels” or “sustainable tourism certification” program. In Arizona, for example, the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association (AzLTA), in collaboration with Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, manages the Certified Green Lodging program to recognize
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