Sustainable tourism is growing
A growing number of travel agencies, touroperators, transporters and accomodations are co-operating with NGOs to make tourism more sustainable. At the meeting on sustanibility and tourisme during the 'Vakantiebeurs' (Holiday Fair) several speakers famed IDH for the 'chain approach'. Researchers from both NBTC-NIPO as ING see a growing interest of consumers for sustainable tourism.
‘For one out of three development countries tourism is the most important source of income. Over 250 million people work in the toursim sector worldwide’. Monique van Daalen, deputy Secretary-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made it clear at the opening of the meeting: Sustainability put in practice. ‘Tourism has a huge impact. The integrated supply chain approach of the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) promises to be very effective’.
Frank Oostdam, director of the ANVR, the Dutch Association of Travel Agents, agreed and said on top of that: ‘Research reports show that the impact on employment of tourisme in developping countries is in average greater than of other sectors'.
60% of the Dutch think sustainability and tourisme is important
Results of researches by NBTC-NIPO and the ING show that consumers do not want to pay more for a sustainable holdiday nor think sustanability is a decisive factor in their choice for a holiday destination, but that 60% thinks sustainability is important and that almost 25% want to compensate their CO2 emmission.
Sustainable tourisme pays of
Figures of Sawadee show that sustainable tourisme pays of. As the branch in total suffers from the recession, Sawadee has grown, due to the fact that they offer sustainable tourisme and communicate that consequently.
At the end of the meeting the ANVR announced that yet another two travel agencies will join the IDH sustainable toursime programme: Corendon and Thika Travel.
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