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Beyond Greening: Reflections on Tourism in the Rio-Process | PositioningpaperIn response to the proliferation of sustainability standards and labels in tourism, theSustainable Tourism Stewardship Council (STSC) was launched as a UN Type II partnershipin 2009. The STSC was modelled on similar councils in other sectors, most notably forestryand marine products, with the aim of harmonising the sustainable tourism certification sector.The STSC was endorsed by certifiers from around the world as it aimed to create a moreenabling environment for their work based firstly on third-party accreditation of certificates tocreate a common playing field and secondly on improved market penetration and publicawareness raising about the benefits of travelling more responsibly.In parallel to the establishment of the STSC, a broad range of sustainable tourism stakeholderswere engaged in publishing a common definition for sustainable tourism: the GlobalSustainable Tourism Criteria (GST-Criteria) in 2007. The GST-Criteria is a holistic definitionof sustainability in tourism comprised of four sets of statements focusing on sustainablemanagement systems; socioeconomic impacts; cultural impacts; and environmental impacts(GSTC, 2012).In 2009, the GSTC and STSC were united into a single institution, known briefly as theTourism Sustainability Council (TSC) and since 2010 the Global Sustainable Tourism Council(GST-Council). The GST-Council is currently in the process of becoming a member of theGlobal Association for Sustainability Standards (ISEAL Alliance). The GST-Council offersservices to standards-setters and certifiers as well as directly to the travel and tourism industry,and operates as a membership organisation. While the GST-Council’s membership basecontinues to grow, the strong multi-stakeholder emphasis and governance of the STSC has tosome degree been lost. The strategic focus of the GST-Council has also become broader, as theorganisation has taken on a broader range of programmes in addition to the accreditationmandate of the former STSC.Regardless, the multi-stakeholder focus and consensus-based governance of the STSC hasbeen diluted, and the much needed international accreditation framework for sustainabletourism certification is not yet fully operational. Granted, this framework is in process,however the GST-Council currently lacks capacity and resources to deliver on its expendingprogramme of work.A sister initiative, the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism (GPST) was formed in 2011bringing together UN agencies, donors and development institutions, national governments,civil society and to some degree the tourism private sector in an effort to improve thesustainable development impact of tourism policies, projects and programmes. UNEP is theSecretariat of the GPST, and the strengthening of UNEP post Rio+20 must be leveraged todrive SCP in the travel and tourism industry more broadly and effectively. The GPST will bean important mechanism to ensure that the sector receives sufficient attention from donorsand development agencies and that sustainability standards and labels in tourism draw lessonsfrom experience in other sectors.The GST-Council and GPST acknowledge the need to define better their respective roles andresponsibilities, not only in relationship to one another but also regarding the mandate of theUnited Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). Other internationally orientatedprogrammes must be part of this dialogue, including the Code International (owner andoperator of the Tourism Child-Protection Code of Conduct), the Tour Operators Initiative(TOI) and other industry-led initiatives. There is some degree of coordination in place,however the existence (and proliferation) of potentially competing programmes begs thequestion of whether the pitfalls that have characterised SCP in travel and tourism to date,primarily within and between destination-based initiatives, are not now being replicatedglobally. Clearer delineation of mandates, improved coordination and more effective68
Beyond Greening: Reflections on Tourism in the Rio-Process | Positioningpapergovernance procedures are needed, and the question of target audiences must be betteraddressed to avoid industry fatigue. All these initiatives share a common end-goal: toinfluence private sector and consumer behaviour in a manner that improves the quality of lifeof people living in destinations, in particular the economically poor and the sociallyvulnerable. This common goal must not be displaced by competition for members, funding,status and other resources.Likewise, improved coordination between international and national certification systems isneeded, and the post Rio+ context is likely to be characterised by the consolidation of schemesbased on mutual recognition, licensing, dual certification and other forms of cooperation. TheGST-Council is an important vehicle for achieving this, as GSTC-recognised standards andGSTC-accredited certificates will have a level playing field for working together. TheInternational Trade Centre (ITC), a programme of the World Trade Organization (WTO),operates a sustainability standards map and database that can compare sustainable tourismstandards with each other, with the GST-criteria and with standards in other sectors includingagriculture, mining, forestry and marine products. The ITC database also has capacity tocompare governance systems and the tourism certification and accreditation sectors shouldmake better use of this resource, as an independent sounding board as well as a mechanism toreduce the costs of accreditation.The larger certification schemes like Travelife and verification programmes like that operatedby the Rainforest Alliance must take a lead in cooperating with national systems. Standardsand certificates developed locally are well positioned to grow the numbers of certifiedbusinesses within destinations, and it should be easier for businesses certified locally to entervalue chains controlled by international tour operators. Schemes have begun talking with oneanother about improved coordination, however the financial mechanisms that will underpinmutual recognition, licensing and dual certification have not yet been tested. Certification isexpensive particularly for small businesses and the costs of accreditation and cooperationbetween certifiers must not become a burden for the tourism private sector.Regionalisation: opportunities and threatsThe post Johannesburg environment has also been characterised by the regionalisation ofsustainable tourism initiatives, often in support of global processes. Commencing in 2003, theRainforest Alliance led the establishment of the Sustainable Tourism Certification Network ofthe Americas, in an attempt to harmonise sustainable tourism standards and certificationsystems throughout Latin America. The Network of the Americas brought together 150organizations operating in 23 countries and created new capacity amongst its members toalign their systems with the GSTC, in anticipation of accreditation. The Rainforest Alliancesteed out of the technical secretariat in 2010 and the leadership was handed to a steeringcommittee of founding members. Since then, the Network has become inactive to some extentbecause it had achieved its initial objectives but also in the absence of a strong secretariat;however the legacies of improved trust and coordination must not be underestimated. Mostmembers developed partnerships among each other, which continue to grow and a significantnumber became part of the GSTC.The Voluntary Initiatives for Sustainability in Tourism (VISIT) association was established inEurope during 2001-2004, with financial support from the European Union. VISIT created aplatform for leading European sustainable tourism certificates to share best practice andimprove coordination. The seven founding certificates are based in the Netherlands, Italy,Denmark, Latvia, UK, Switzerland and Luxembourg and together represented over 3,200certified tourism enterprises. VISIT became less active after 2008 following the establishmentof the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (VISIT, 2012).69
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Beyond Greening - Tourism Watch

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