Lecture responsible tourism unit 16 responsible tourism for tour operators

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM FOR TOUR OPERATORS Picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cycle_rickshaw_in_Hanoi.jpg... Unit outlineObjectives By the end of this unit, participants will

UNIT 16 RESPONSIBLE

TOURISM FOR TOUR OPERATORS

Picture source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cycle_rickshaw_in_Hanoi.jpg

Unit outline

Objectives

By the end of this unit, participants will be able to:

• Understand the importance and benefits of applying

responsible tourism to travel and tour operation in Vietnam

• Apply responsible employment policies and strategies

• Explain procedures for reducing energy, water and waste

• Understand the role of responsible tourism organisational

policies and how to implement them

• Explain how to develop economically viable responsible

tourism products

• Understand the steps required to develop a responsible

tourism supply chain

• Implement responsible tourism marketing and

management

3 Developing responsible tourism products

4 Creating responsible tourism supply chains

5 Ensuring responsibility in marketing and

communications

6 Responsible support to tourism destinations

TOPIC 1 TOURS & TRAVEL SECTOR OVERVIEW

& THE NEED FOR RESPONSIBLE TOURISM

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM FOR TOUR OPERATORS

Picture source: http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-4473340424

Composition of the tours and travel sector

Transport operators

Attractions

Picture sources: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1364221; http://www.flickr.com/photos/needoptic/9861409444/; http://www.flickr.com/photos/dalbera/4399833574/; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Southern_Vectis_coaches_at_Bustival_2010.JPG; http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Victoria_Hoi_An_Hotel_Ressort_und_Spa.jpg;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/calflier001/6943300353/

Key sector figures

registered

tour guides

international-market tour operators

800 10,000 17,000

Excludes packages!

1 Tour Operators’ Initiative for Sustainable Tourism Development 2003, Sustainable Tourism: The Tour Operators’ Contribution

2 ESRT 2013, Vietnam Tourism Marketing Strategy To 2020 & Action Plan: 2013-2015 (Proposed), ESRT, Vietnam

Why tours are particularly important to the

international market in Vietnam

Picture sources: http://thethaovanhoa.vn/xa-hoi/doi-ve-tra-ve-tau-tet-phai-truoc-10-gio-tau-chay-tru-30-gia-ve-n20121202171607247.htm; http://vietnamlandingvisa.blogspot.com/2012/08/frequent-confusion-about-vietnam.html; http://www.tropicalisland.de/vietnam.html;

http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2012/mar/29/talented-students-may-lose-out

The power and influence of tour operators

TOUR OPERATOR

train, plane and other transport operators

to move guests to / at attractions

Promotes and / or provides trade to natural and cultural attractions through tours

Provides employment within organisation or

The tour operator multiplier effect:

A key to responsible tourism 1/2

1 tour

operator

30 tours / year

25 guests / tour

750 responsible travellers / year

= 750 stays in green hotels

= 750 meals in local restaurants

= 750 visitors to sustainable destinations

…

Typical tour operator:

The tour operator multiplier effect:

A key to responsible tourism 2/2

180 tour

operators

(1%)

30 tours / year

25 guests / tour

135,000 responsible travellers / year

and if just 1% of Vietnam’s 18,000 tour operators acted responsibly, we could have

135,000 responsible travel

trips in 1 year!

Typical tour operator:

Potential negative impacts of

unsustainable practices

Economic leakage

Restricted economic development

Social values

and cultural conflict

Visitor safety and security

Friction, distrust and disharmony

Destruction of natural environment Depletion of

natural resources

How responsible tourism offers tour operators

a sustainable pathway forward

Ensures natural resources are used

optimally

Promotes viable and

long term economic

benefits Promotes

conservation of

natural heritage

Uses strategically

effective business practices

Builds respect of

culture and authenticity

Why responsible tourism also makes good

Consumer’s are also demanding

responsible travel…

58%

47%

93%

of Conde Nast Travellers think

travel companies should be

responsible for protecting the

environment

of Conde Nast Travellers also say

their hotel choice is influenced by

the support the hotel gives to the local community

71%

of TripAdvisor members planned to

make a more eco-friendly choice

for their holiday in 2013 compared

to 65% in 2012

of Conde Nast Travellers are

interested in volunteer vacations, and 98% of past volunteers

satisfied with their experience

1 Source: PR News Wire 2011, “Conde Nast Traveller Announces Winners of the 2011 World Savers Awards”, http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/conde-nast-traveler-announces-winners-of-the-2011-world-savers-awards-127886823.html;

CondeNast Traveller, “Readers’ Poll.” Feb 2009; 2 Source: TripAdvisor 2012, TripAdvisor survey reveals travellers growing greener, TripAdvisor, Available [online]:

http://www.multivu.com/mnr/49260-tripadvisor-eco-friendly-travel-survey-voluntourism-go-green, Downloaded: 07/03/2014

…and are willing to pay to go green

are willing to spend more money to stay at

an eco-friendly accommodation

75% of TripAdvisor travellers say the

economic landscape does not affect their interest in eco-friendly travel choices

23% of TripAdvisor travellers would pay

up to $25 additional per night to

stay at an eco-friendly

accommodation, while 9% would be

willing to spend $25-$50 extra

Source: TripAdvisor 2012, TripAdvisor survey reveals travellers growing greener, TripAdvisor, Available [online]:

http://www.multivu.com/mnr/49260-tripadvisor-eco-friendly-travel-survey-voluntourism-go-green, Downloaded: 07/03/2014

The Responsible Travel Club (Hanoi) and the

Responsible Travel Group (Hue) 1/2

• 2 informal associations of travel agencies, NGOs and individuals

• Aim to build and practice

responsible travel for

sustainable growth in all

Examples of RTC and RTG initiatives 2/2

Compilation and distribution of sustainable best practice information

Responsible tourism projects:

Clean-up campaigns Community development projects

Responsible tourism excursions to:

Enhance local economic opportunities

Revitalise threatened cultures Provide a genuine and

memorable experience for visitors

Picture sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Belize http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Madagascar_baobab.JPG

http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-6054914564 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Recreational_cyclists_take_breaks_while_driving_on_a_bicycle_tour.jpg

The key elements of responsible tour operation

Responsible tourism internal management

Responsible tourism internal management

Responsible tourism products

Responsible tourism products

Responsible tourism supply chains

Responsible tourism supply chains

Responsible marketing &

communications

Responsible marketing &

communications

Responsible support to tourism destinations

Responsible support to tourism destinations

TOPIC 2 IMPLEMENTING RESPONSIBLE

TOURISM IN INTERNAL MANAGEMENT

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM FOR TOUR OPERATORS

Picture source: https://creativecommons.org/tag/oer/page/5

Key components of responsible tourism in

C Implement policies on responsible tourism and build capacity to achieve them

A Implement responsible practices in the

workplace

Defining responsible employment

standards that promote

opportunities for women

and men to obtain

decent and productive

work in conditions of

freedom, equity, security

and dignity (ILO)

provides benefits for all

employee benefits

Labor standards

Equal opportunity

Decent and productive work

Provide industry accepted employment

Social insurance and

leave Sick leave

Maternity leave Proper response to

accidents at work Pension plans

Provide incentives and bonuses

Examples of incentives and

bonuses:

• Staff retreat: sponsored

reward for all staff (often

annual)

• Paid holiday: awarded to

high performing staff

(competitively)

• Pay bonuses: monetary

reward for all staff for their

work by the end of the year

Provide an adequate work space

Providing an adequate

work space refers to:

safe and hygienic

working conditions; and

The 2 main types of workplace training

1 Induction training

2 Ongoing skills training

Provide an induction training programme

Ongoing skills training

related to the occupation and

needs of the employee

training plan that identifies:

– Requirements of the training for the

company

– Current skills of the workforce and

needs in the future

– Available resources for training

– Appropriate approaches for training

– Training opportunities

Key steps in developing a skills training

programme using A-D-D-I-E

Instructional Design Strategy Delivery method

Training structure and duration Evaluation methodology

Create prototype Develop training materials Desktop review

Run training pilot

Training schedule Print and prepare training material

Prepare trainers Notify learners Launch training

Collect training evaluation data

Review training effectiveness

Assess project performance

Report performance results

B Create a Green Office

Considerations for reducing energy

consumption in the office

Natural light

Ventilation

Type of

lights

Computer power use

Others:

- Power use of other electrical appliances

Office energy audit questions

• Is office equipment the most energy

efficient models (generally Energy

Star)?

• Are computers, monitors, printers, copiers and other office equipment turned off when not in use?

• Are computers, monitors, printers, copiers and other office equipment set for “sleep” or energy saving mode?

• Is equipment recycled or properly disposed of at end of use?

Source: NSW Business Chamber 2009, Sustainability Toolkit – Hospitality, Australian Government – Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Australia

Considerations for reducing energy

consumption from transport

Vehicle type

Tyre pressure

Vehicles and transportation energy audit

questions

• Are company vehicles most fuel

efficient models available for your

Considerations for minimising waste in the

office

Picture sources: http://www.buyecogreen.com.au/ecocern-a4-brown-paper-100-recycled-105-gsm-ream-500-sheets p700363

https://www.officemaxcanada.com/en/sites/core/Think_overview.aspx

http://blog.stickyinstitute.com/?p=376 http://www.printershoppers.com/printer-buying-guide/

Office equipment

Waste audit questions: Office

print double sided?

end of use?

promotions?

print double sided?

end of use?

promotions?

Source: NSW Business Chamber 2009, Sustainability Toolkit – Hospitality, Australian

Government – Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts,

Australia

Calculating your volume of waste

Number of

containers

per month

Volume per container (L)

12 (months)

Average volume (L)

of waste in

1 year

Image sources: http://highlanderimages.blogspot.com/2011/12/rubbish-man.html http://nushine.com.au/cleaning-food-hygiene-products/bins-liners/garbage-bin/prod_101.html

http://labspace.open.ac.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=465057

http://www.wmich.edu/registrar/calendars/

Baseline volume

of waste

To convert volume into cubic metres of waste or tonnes of waste:

Cubic metres = Total volume of waste (L) / 1,000

Tonnes = Total volume of waste (m3) x 2.29 (approx)

Costing your volume of waste

Image sources: http://highlanderimages.blogspot.com/2011/12/rubbish-man.html http://labspace.open.ac.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=465057 http://www.vietnamspirittravel.com/guide/vietnam_bank_notes.htm

Baseline unit cost of waste

Average volume of waste per month (m3 or tonnes)

Cost of waste

collection per

month (VND)

Unit cost of waste

C Implement policies on responsible tourism

and build capacity to achieve them

The function of company policies in

responsible tourism

• Links company vision and values

to day-to-day operations

• Communicate expectations about

work performance and

boundaries of action

• Ensures compliance with relevant

laws & regulations and provides a

defence against inappropriate

actions

• Promotes efficiency in operation

and reduces need for constant

management intervention

• Helps achieve sustainable

tourism objectives

Healthy communities

Natural environment

Economic vitality

SUSTAINABILITY

Company benefits of having responsible

tourism policies

• Helps defend a company from legal disputes

• Demonstrates company commitment to maintaining a healthy

environment, building a happier society and buoyant local economy

thereby enhancing the company brand and improving sales and loyalty

• Promotes the support of customers to help the company achieve its

sustainability objectives

• Fosters stability and consistency in decision-making and operational

procedures resulting in fewer operational setbacks

• Creates stronger and more competitive tourism destinations that have

better environments, happier people and stronger local economies for the long term benefit of business, local residents and tourists

Common types of capacity building used by

companies to train staff

• Provision of access to repositories of information and electronic and print resources

• Provision of company guidelines and manuals

• Consultation such as coaching / mentoring

• Co-ordinating alliances and observing real best practice case studies

• Workplace training

TOPIC 3 DEVELOPING

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM PRODUCTS

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM FOR TOUR OPERATORS

Picture source: Pixabay, www.pixabay.com

Key components in developing responsible

are commercially viable

C Matching markets with product development opportunities and objectives

D Responsible tourism product development strategy and action planning

A Understanding responsible tourism products

Defining tourism products

NARROW DEFINITION What the tourist buys

WIDER DEFINITION

The combination of what the

tourist does at the destination

and the services used

Types of tourism products

products

Types of tourism products in Vietnam

Others?

Picture sources: http://www.flickr.com/photos/barbararich/96982409/; http://www.flickr.com/photos/chericbaker/4446189110/; http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthieu-aubry/1242936011;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lintmachine/2386330877/; http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:VietnamCombatArtTheLadiesbyDavidFairringtonCATVI1968.jpg; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%E1%BB%B9_S%C6%A1n; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_cuisine; http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hiking_at_highest_peak_in_Kosova_-_Gjeravica.JPG;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_kayak; http://pixabay.com/en/diver-light-diving-silhouette-sea-108881/; http://www.flickr.com/photos/whltravel/4303957860/;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/agapbulusan/2418856362/; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hmong_people

Characteristics of responsible tourism products

and services that form tourism experiences and are specifically designed to be:

economically sustainable

Examples of responsible tourism products

the environment; Offers

many sustainable tourism

options

Responsible tourism attraction

Protected areas; Protected cultural heritage sites; A theme park based on a rainforest theme that both educates visitors on

sustainability issues and sells local products

Responsible tourism accommodation

Eco-resorts that have been built and managed according

to sustainable tourism principles (e.g protect the environment, involve and benefit local people)

Responsible tourism transportation

Renewable energy hybrid vehicles, Bicycle tours; Air travel with carbon offsets

Picture sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Belize http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Madagascar_baobab.JPG

http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-6054914564 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Recreational_cyclists_take_breaks_while_driving_on_a_bicycle_tour.jpg