‘Glocalisation’ key to green tourism

Glocalisation – local solutions to the global problem of climate change – are being touted by tourism chiefs in Dubai, as well as an increasing need to promote the industry’s green credentials.

As the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) annual summit came to a conclusion, the environmental agenda continued to top the agenda.

“We have to explain to the world what we are doing,”concluded Jean-Claude Baumgarten, president of the WTTC.

Delegates highlighted the fact that tourism only accounts for five per cent of global warming, according to United Nations’ research, yet the industry is still being singled out.

“The fact is we are moving into a world in which the consumption of scarce resources is one of the ways in which we will be judged,” said Christopher Rodriguez, chairman of VisitBritain.

The industry should do more to try and not make people feel guilty about travel, and advertise the giant strides that key players are taking to make their businesses more environmentally sustainable, expressed speakers.

“We are trying to measure the energy usage of a single room and help reduce our carbon footprint,” said Gerard Lawless, executive chairman of Jumeirah. “We have to be responsible, we want to be carbon neutral and we should be able to reward our guests for doing the same.”

As sustainable tourism enters the mainstream there were also calls for the industry to set some meaningful targets at the summit for emissions and that by 2020 the sector should look to being 20% more efficient.

“We need a global framework for accrediting all the carbon emissions schemes,” said Geoffrey Lipman, assistant secretary general of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation.

The event saw more than 1,100 leaders from 75 countries gathered at the Madinat Jumeirah hotel in Dubai to discuss the factors affecting the future travel landscape.

The summit also put the spotlight on the Middle East and its sustainable tourism agenda.

According to local media, Dubai is looking to issue a comprehensive initiative that will make its booming tourism industry more sustainable.

“Green initiatives are being unveiled by the government to ensure eco-friendly development projects across the emirate,” said Khalid bin Sulayem, director general of the Dubai Government, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.

“This will position Dubai as the first city in the region to adopt a green building strategy, as well as innovating new eco-developments.”

The government of Dubai is increasingly aware of the environmental impact of its breakneck growth.

The number of hotels in the emirate will be more than 500 by 2015. The growth in room numbers will vastly increase from nearly 47,000 now to over 125,000 by this date, including the world’s biggest hotel in the Bawadi project.

Nakheel, the Dubai-based tourism investment group, has recently announced its sustainability initiative – $136 million over five years for the awareness and development of sustainable coastal developments.

by:Nick Easen