Tourism on the Path of Transformation in the Age of Climate Change
“My first job was as a crew assistant at a hotel in Fiji, taking people snorkeling,” said Peter Thomson, the United Nations’ Special Envoy for the Oceans, at the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3). Thomson's public service has witnessed the rise and fall of Fiji’s tourism industry. He believes that society should not only maintain sustainable resilience but also align with international standards.
In 2023, over 900 organizations signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism. In 2024, the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) will hold a “Climate Change and Tourism” thematic day for the first time. During this year’s UNOC3, the release of the Ocean Tourism Pact took another step forward in promoting blue tourism.
Zoritsa Urosevic, Executive Director of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), pointed out that the latest data shows that the tourism industry accounts for 33% of the ocean economy's export value. While tourism brings job opportunities, poor management will exacerbate pollution, climate vulnerability, and social inequality. She emphasized that the urgent task is to reposition the tourism industry to promote ocean regeneration, climate adaptation, and coastal community sustainability.
Balancing Economy and Environment, Starting Small
The Small Islands Organization (SMILO), consisting of over 50 islands from Europe, West Africa, and other regions, works to foster dialogue between the public and private sectors and civil society, ensuring that island tourism can balance ecological protection and economic development.
Sylvain Petit, the Executive Secretary of SMILO, told the Environmental Information Center that tourism is the economic lifeblood for many small islands. He mentioned that the island of Saint-Honorat, near Nice, has implemented a “no trash can” policy, where visitors are required to take their trash with them when they book tickets or board a boat. “This approach may not be suitable for all islands, but it can promote sustainable tourism and create value.”
Another example comes from the Calanques National Park in Marseille. In the past, the endangered Dusky Grouper was often caught here. “The value of this fish in the sea, attracting divers, is far higher than when it is caught and served in a restaurant,” SMILO used this argument to successfully persuade the mayor to establish the national park. Since then, the park has imposed hefty fines for illegal fishing.
Petit stressed that tourism should not only be about consuming landscapes but also about educating visitors about the land beneath their feet. For example, when visitors tour vineyards transformed into organic wine producers, “they tell the story of the wine, how they did it, and the impact on water resources.”
Tourism Requires Moderation, Sustainability Doesn’t Mean Earning Less
Tourism resources and recreational carrying capacity are not infinite, and dispersing visitors is a solution that balances both the environment and economy. Petit mentioned that when tourists are spread out to different locations, it not only relieves environmental pressure but also creates diverse tourism experiences. For example, Gorée Island in Senegal, famous for its slave trade history, has introduced new hiking trails to encourage participation in other green tourism activities.
However, limiting tourism might spark a backlash from voters, and the biggest challenge always comes from politics. Petit believes that the key lies in helping residents understand the long-term impact of resource depletion, and reflecting on whether they are only making money for tomorrow or preparing for the next 50 years.
Petit admitted that sustainable tourism does not necessarily mean earning less money. “The future of blue tourism does not lie in luxury, but in truly implementing environmental protection.” However, some businesses use ecotourism as a label but are actually just focused on sales, or exaggerate their effectiveness, leading to accusations of “greenwashing.” “We need to be vigilant about these false sustainability actions.” He called for providing more resources to the private sector to help them voice their opinions, enabling more people to see real, valuable actions and distinguish which sustainable tourism practices are worth supporting.
The Challenges of Promoting Sustainable Tourism: Increased Workload?
Taiwan, as an island nation, has great potential for blue tourism development. However, recent news often reports on overcapacity in Little Liuqiu or the exploitation of tourists in Kenting. So, how can sustainable blue tourism be developed?
Keelung’s Peace Island Geological Park, established in 2018 by four young people who returned to their hometown to start their own business, aims to become an "International Sustainable Tourism Island." In recent years, they have launched a series of environmental education activities, such as beach cleanups and intertidal zone tours. They have also been involved in community operations and recently introduced water activities for people with disabilities, promoting equal rights to access the sea.
Cai Qiuchen, the park's operations manager, said that while ecotourism and blue tourism are slow to develop in Taiwan, the biggest challenge comes from within the team as social awareness of sustainability grows. “Because (sustainability) will create a lot more work for them.”
He gave an example: previously, staff only had to sort waste into combustible and non-combustible categories, but now they are required to weigh and record the waste every day. The company holds staff meetings where ticket sellers must think about how to reduce the 20,000 physical tickets they issue. “These are things the grassroots staff never had to do or think about before.” Some of the employees are in their 70s, and for them, it’s difficult to understand why they need to do these tasks. “They quietly feel unhappy.”
However, the team believes that sustainability must be driven from the bottom up and that there must be incentives. They established a seven-person sustainability committee, with one representative from each department, ensuring that grassroots employees have a voice while also informing the management team of frontline difficulties. If there is media exposure, and employees see that sustainable operations help, “there’s a possibility the year-end bonus might be higher.”
These various sustainability efforts helped Peace Island Park receive the UK's ISO 20121 Sustainable Event Management System certification in 2020, making it the first national-level tourist site in Asia to earn the certification. In 2023, they received a two-star rating from the Green Travel Seal. In fact, they spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the UK certification and prior counseling fees. Cai Qiuchen believes that since they are targeting international markets, obtaining international certification carries more credibility, and Taiwan does not have its own sustainable certification standards. Even if there are some, they may not be recognized internationally.
He gave an example: the GDG Green Dining Guide is the official representative of the UK’s Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) in Taiwan, and the application process for green restaurants is very rigorous. In contrast, the official Green Dining Table certification from Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration has a “very, very low” threshold. “If it’s just to make KPIs look good, and then create something that doesn’t help the environment much, I feel it’s not very meaningful.”
Source: Environmental Information Center
Website: https://e-info.org.tw/node/241559
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