alliance.ppt

Sustainable Tourism Planning and
Development Laboratory
Alliance of National Heritage Areas
International Heritage Development Conference
Passport to Crossing Boundaries
June 19, 2007
Detroit, Michigan
MotorCities National Heritage Area
Sustainable Tourism Development Lab

The Sustainable Tourism Planning and
Blackstone River Valley, Rhode Island
Dr. Robert D. Billington
The Tourism Laboratory’s purpose is to educate using
sustainable, place-making development principles.
The Laboratory bases it’s work on principles developed by the
National Geographic Society, the Business Enterprises for
Sustainable Tourism Education Network , the United Nations
World Tourism Organization and the Global Sustainable
Research Center. Sustainable Tourism Development Lab

Facts Indicating Unsustainability:
Global Warming, Soil Degradation, Deforestation, Species
Extinction, Declining Fisheries and Economic Inequity
Facts contributing to Unsustainability:
Over-consumption, population growth, Dependence upon Non-
renewable resources, Pollution, Destructive Development
Patterns, Inequities in Resource Distribution, Limited Public
Participation and the failure to recognize the fundamental limits
to the Earth’s ability to withstand alterations to its natural
systems, Suburban Sprawl, Loss of Open Space & Agricultural
Land, Degradation of Water Resources, Loss of Wetlands,
Traffic Congestion & Air Pollution and Exposure to
Environmental Hazards.

According to National Geographic Traveler:
•Over half the American traveling public thinks it’s harder to
find unspoiled places than it used to be.
•Almost ¾ don’t want their visits to harm the environment at
their destinations.
•65 million American households are predisposed to support
the National Geographic Center for Sustainable
Destinations’ Geotourism Principles.
Can Sustainable Tourism Development Practices help?

Sustainability Definitions

“Sustainable tourism development
maintains the delicate balance between the
human need to improve our lifestyle, with
preserving natural resources and
ecosystems on which future generations will
depend.”
Sustainable Tourism Laboratory , 2007

“Sustainability is the capability to equitably
meet the vital human needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs by
preserving and protecting the area’s
ecosystems and natural resources.”
American Planning Association

National Geographic Defines Sustainable
Tourism as Geotourism.
“Geotourism is defined as tourism that
sustains or enhances the geographical
character of a place-its environment, culture,
aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its
residents.”
National Geographic Society’s CSD

“For a destination to develop sustainably
organizations must adopt business strategies
and activities that meet the needs of the
enterprise and its stakeholders today while
protecting, sustaining , and enhancing human
and natural resources into the future.”
BEST Education Network

“Development that meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs.”
World Environmental Commission

“By promoting economic growth strategies
based on expanded infrastructure which are
environmentally responsible and socially
acceptable we are bringing a sustainable
future closer to today’s reality.”
The World Bank

“Planning for sustainability requires a systematic,
integrated approach that brings together the
environmental,economic and social goals and actions
directed toward the four sustainability objectives for a
community.”
1. Reduce dependence upon fossil fuels, underground
metals, and minerals.
2. Reduce dependence upon synthetic chemicals and other
unnatural substances.
3. Reduce encroachment upon nature.
4. Meet human needs fairly & efficiently.
APA

“Many community's are carrying out sustainable
development projects such as green buildings,
affordable housing, smart growth or climate change
initiatives, but these are largely occurring on a
project by project basis.”
“It is recommended to use a systems approach to
sustainable development by using widespread
community awareness – integrated municipal
involvement, and using a common language to
identify what sustainability means.”
APA

Key sustainability characteristics include:
Capacities to understand and analyze problems,
Partnering with different resources/organizations to find
solutions,
Using local resources for local solutions,
Involving the whole community and all stakeholders with
comprehensive participation,
Negotiation and consensus-building from within,
Ability to incorporate and adopt external resources within
local contexts,
Respect of historical and cultural issues.
Global Research Development Center

The Seven Sustainability Triads
1. Participation
2. Decision-Making
3. Partnership
4. Governance
5. Knowledge and Information
6. Continual Improvement
7. Lifestyles
The Global Research Development Center

What is being done to insure
sustainability is in our future?
•Eco-municipalities
•UNWTO
•National Geographic Society’s CSD

Eco-municipalities – Beginning in Sweden
An Eco-municipality is one that has adopted a
particular set of sustainability principles as
guiding municipal policy and has committed to a
bottom up, participatory approach for implementing
this.
25% of all communities in Sweden are Eco-municipalities
In 2005, the Wisconsin communities of Ashland,
Washburn and Madison became the first eco-
municipalities in the United States when their city
councils each adopted either the APA sustainability
objectives of the original Swedish sustainability
framework on which these are based.

The National Geographic Society Center for
Sustainable Destinations GeoTourism Principles:
Integrity of Place
International Codes
Market Selectivity
Market Diversity
Tourist Satisfaction
Community Benefit
Protection and enhancement of destination appeal
Land use

Conservation of Resources
Planning
Interactive interpretation
Evaluation
Community Involvement

United Nations World Tourism Organization
Principles of Tourism Sustainability
•Tourism planning in the context of overall land-use planning which provides
the basis for achieving integrated, controlled and sustainable tourism
development.
•Planning is carried out according to a systematic process
•Sustainable tourism development can fulfill economic, social, and aesthetic
needs while maintaining cultural integrity and ecological processes. It can
provide for today’s hosts and guests while protecting and enhancing the
same opportunity for the future.
•Sustainable tourism development involves making hard political choices
based on complex social, economic and environmental trade-offs. It requires
a vision which encompasses a larger time and space context than that
traditionally used in community planning and decision making.

•Tourism should be undertaken with equity in mind to distribute fairly
benefits and costs among tourism promoters and host peoples and
areas.
•Good information, research and communication on the nature of
tourism and its effects on the human and cultural environment should be
available prior to and during development, especially, for the local
people, so that they can participate in and influence the direction of
development and its effects as much as possible, in the individual and
the collective interest.
•Local people should be encouraged and expected to undertake
leadership roles in planning and development with the assistance of
government, business, financial and other interests.
•Integrated environmental, social and economic planning analysis
should be undertaken prior to the commencement of any major projects,
with careful consideration given to different types of tourism
development and the ways in which they might link with existing uses,
ways of life and environmental considerations.

•Throughout all stages of tourism development and operation, a
careful assessment, monitoring and mediation program should be
conducted in order to allow local people and others to take advantage
of opportunities of to respond to changes.
•Tourism Planning, development and operations should be part of
conservations or sustainable development strategies for a
community.
•Tourism should be planned and managed in a sustainable manner,
with a due regard for protection and appropriate economic
methodologies.
•Agencies and individuals should follow ethical principles with respect
to the culture and environment of the host area.
UNWTO

The UNWTO, credentials tourism destination
management organizations that support sustainable
initiatives.
•Destination and Society at large
•Principle Stakeholders
•Strategic Corporate management
•Program Development and Implementation
•Human resources
•Other Resources, Financial and Infrastructure
The WTO.Sbest Audit, which assesses 240 standards in six
key areas to detect the strengths and weaknesses in an
organisation’s destination management process.

UNWTO .Sbest certification provides :
Enhanced tourism policy and destination
management procedures
•International recognition
Tools to make the destination more competitive
•Ability to share best practice
•Time to collaborate with UNWTO in the design and
implementation of specific actions and programmes
for the achievement of excellence at tourism
destinations
•Tools to improve visitor satisfaction levels
•Protocols to become immersed in a process of
continual improvement

The Sustainable Tourism and Development
Laboratory’s purpose is to assist community
leaders to develop tourism using tested
principles

Blackstone Valley is the birthplace of America’s Industrial
Revolution. It was home to the first river to be polluted in the
America’s.
After 150 years of industrial degradation the Blackstone Valley
fought back to bring the region into alignment with the
regeneration of the community based on the social,
environmental, historical, cultural, man-made and commercial
resources.
Using this worn landscape and the valuable lessons learned,
the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council has created a learning
environment to help communities become involved in tourism
using proper planning, and sustainable principles as their
methodology for development of tourism.

The Sustainable Tourism Laboratory focuses on place-based
tourism through an educational platform concerned with
supporting whole communities through creative and
innovative sustainable tourism development practices,
sharing the knowledge it has gained over the past twenty-two
years.
Although the primary study area of STPDL is the Blackstone
Valley, it is also home to a global network of members
seeking to understand and apply new approaches to
sustainable tourism.

Subject areas featured at the Laboratory:
General Background Analysis
Perform initial analysis of geographic boundaries, assessing history,
culture, climate, natural resources and existing economic patterns to
determine potential for tourism development.
Infrastructure Analysis and Recommendations
This component focuses on evaluating methods to bring audience to the
destination and move them within the area. Planned and approved
programs, as well as constraints on infrastructure needed for tourism will be
evaluated.
Visitor Attractions and Activities, and their Improvement
Determine primary and secondary attractions (natural, historical, cultural) all
required improvements and conservations objectives. Positive and negative
impacts on attracting visitors will be considered.

Visitor Facilities and Services and their improvement
Survey existing and planned accommodations, including
tour and travel operations, restaurants, banking and money exchange,
handicraft, specialty and convenience shopping, medical facilities and
services, post offices safety and visitor information services.
Recommended extent and forms of Tourism
Determine most appropriate volume and character of tourism, based on
an evaluation of visitor attractions and activities, visitor satisfaction
objectives, carrying capacity of the area.
Market Analysis and Projections
Analyze visitor arrival patterns and trends in the target area and
surrounding areas, as well as the impacts of existing or potential
competing visitor destinations.Establish market targets by number of
visitors, type/country/region or origin, socioeconomic group, interest
groupings, length of stay. Targets project the number, type and quality
level of accommodations, facilities, services and infrastructure required.

Recommended Tourism Development Policy and Structure
Using the data previously researched, develop time-phased development
plan, including types and location of visitor attractions, designated tourism
development regions or areas (tourism zones) and transportation linkages.
Recommend tour patterns and programs, with visitor excursion routes or
circuits.
Economic Analysis and Recommendations
Calculate present and projected economic impact of tourism by the
standard measurements of contribution to GNP, GDP, or the regional
economy, gross and net foreign exchange earnings, extent and types of
national or regional economic leakage, income generated, the multiplier
effect, direct, indirect and induced employment generated and contribution
to government revenues.
Environmental Considerations
Identify environmental problems generated by tourism and recommend
ways to lessen them immediately and in the future. Develop environmental
protection/conversation policies and programs.

Institutional Consideration and Recommendations
Review/evaluate existing organizational structures and legislations related
tourism; develop recommendations required for the effective management
of tourism, including capitol resources and development incentives.
Marketing and Promotion Recommendations
Develop marketing objectives and strategy, with specific promotion
programs, cost estimates and possible sources of funding. Evaluate roles
of public and private sectors in promotion: recommendation overseas and
local promotion representation.
Plan Implementation and Monitoring
Bring together all the components and create a development action agenda,
including demonstration projects, with cost estimates, funding sources and
identification of responsible parties.This will specify implementation
procedures, including the respective roles of government and other
agencies and the private sector, standards for the design and development
of visitor facilities, requirements of zoning and other land use constraints,
use of incentives or disincentives to encourage development according to
the plan, and techniques and procedures to monitor the plan.

Lastly….
The future belongs to the efficient, therefore destination
managers must take responsibility to insure their resources
are well managed today if we are to have a tomorrow!
Sharing knowledge and educating our communities today, will
have a positive impact on future generations to be able to
sustain a livable community.

Thank You
Questions?
Sustainabletourismlab.org

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