Good news in tourism March 15 – 21, 2021
Because be all that you can be …
Published most Sundays, “Good news in tourism” is the perfect pick-me-up for the start of a new week in travel & tourism … everyone’s business.
This week’s good travel & tourism news menu:
(Click / touch an item to go straight to it.)
- “Good Tourism” news & “GT” Insights
- Travel & tourism’s COVID recovery
- Nature-based, rural, & ecotourism
- Climate-friendly travel & tourism
- Cultural heritage tourism
- Odds & ends
It’s “Good Tourism”. And go!
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“Good Tourism” news & “GT” Insights
With no “Good news in tourism” post last week, there are two weeks’ worth of “GT” Insights and “GT” Partner news this week.
The COVID-induced travel & tourism depression has hit Thailand hard. Ranked eighth in terms of international visitor arrivals in 2019, Thailand is the poorest of the destinations in the top 10. It is no wonder then that an industry-led public relations campaign advocating for a safe reopening has emerged: #OpenThailandSafely. Heading up its messaging and media relations is Ken Scott who lets us in on: “The PR challenge of opening Thailand safely to inbound travel & tourism”. It’s a “Good Tourism” Insight.
The World Heritage wilderness of Lutruwita (palawa kani for Tasmania, Australia) is under threat from collusion between state government and private tourism interests, according to Tom Allen of The Wilderness Society. Mr Allen reckons tourism does best when it complements not compromises natural values. “Losing Lutruwita: Tourism troubles in Tasmania’s World Heritage wilderness” is a “Good Tourism” Insight.
Thanks to its pandemic-induced pause, travel & tourism has an opportunity to reinvent itself to better serve the aspirations of destination communities, according to Apisalome Movono, Regina Scheyvens, and Sophie Auckram. In a “Good Tourism” Insight, the Massey University researchers draw on their ongoing study of five Pacific Island states to argue why the industry should be more attuned to hosts’ interests. “What do the people want? Reimagining Pacific Island travel & tourism”
“I can’t think of anything more exciting than seeing better representation and women’s empowerment throughout the sector,” Karen Simmonds writes in her second “Good Tourism” Insight. In “Women’s travel & tourism livelihoods matter too: What I’m doing about it” Ms Simmonds sets out her concerns about women in travel & tourism and broader society and how she’s taking action.
Sustainable experiences reach into themed rooms at the Riverside Boutique Resort in Vang Vieng, Laos while General Manager Mathieu Thaeron cuts consumption by relying on common sense and a clued-in staff. “Going local: Riverside Boutique Resort, Vang Vieng, Laos” is the second Sustainable Tourism Laos Showcase by “Good Tourism” Destination Partner WeAreLao.
“GT” Partner SUNx — Strong Universal Network president Geoffrey Lipman reported: “UN Climate Chief Patricia Espinosa has formally confirmed to our SDG 17 partner Gloria Guevara at the WTTC top level support for the SUNx Malta Climate Friendly Travel Registry, and urged travel & tourism organisations to file their carbon reduction plans.”
“GT” Insight Partner Planet Happiness’ global webinar, “Tourism & Happiness: For a Brighter Future”, took place on the International Day of Happiness, March 20, 2021. “GT” Partner SUNx — Strong Universal Network was a convenor and its president Geoff Lipman was a presenter. Also among the speakers were “GT” Partner World Tourism Association for Culture & Heritage (WTACH) CEO Chris Flynn and, of course, Planet Happiness’ leader Paul Rogers. A recording (or a link to a recording) should be available here.
Kevin Phun has enhanced the course entitled “Creating pro-poor tourism” by “GT” Partner The Centre for Responsible Tourism Singapore (CRTS). Mr Phun says there is now even more content and learning resources. For those looking for a foundation of knowledge for themselves about tourism’s potential for poverty alleviation, or employers wanting their furloughed staff to keep learning, this CRTS short course represents great value; even better value if you apply the coupon code GTB-20-OFF for a 20% discount.
The importance of good partnerships
Many commentators would like to see destinations recover from the COVID-19 depression focused on quality rather than quantity. That would be nice, of course, particularly if host communities want that. However, some or many extant tourism stakeholders will likely go out of business. Don’t let one of those be you.
Seek out good partnerships with those who make you their priority.
“GT” is a good partner. Please verify that with a “GT” Partner and then ask about partnership opportunities. There’s a partnership opportunity for everyone — big or small; public or private; commercial or not-for-profit — because travel & tourism is everyone’s business. All “GT” Partners enjoy: a 125 x 125 “Good Partner” button; input into “GT’s” curated list of worthy charitable causes “Friends indeed”; and the outstanding opportunity every week to contribute positive news items to these almost-famous “Good news in tourism” posts and/or the “GT” newsletter.
Travel & tourism’s COVID recovery
Australia & Singapore: “Australia is ‘working with Singapore’ to create a travel bubble between the two nations as early as July, officials said …”
Canada: The Ontario government’s new Tourism Economic Recovery Ministerial Task Force will determine “how to help the province’s $36-billion tourism industry recover from the COVID-19 pandemic”.
Croatia: “Croatia is ready to receive tourists from the United Kingdom as soon as the epidemiological rules in the [UK], which is currently under a lockdown, allow.”
EU: Members of the European Parliament are “set to call for a new European strategy to make tourism cleaner, safer and more sustainable as well as get it back on its feet, after the pandemic, including a common vaccination certificate”.
India: “The owners of Srinagar’s famous shikaras, or boats, are optimistic, desperately waiting for a turnaround. They believe a good tourism season will bring cheers in 2021, if indications from the past few months are anything to go by.”
Portugal: “The British government is set to remove Portugal from its [‘red list’] of countries for whom arrivals are subject to a mandatory hotel quarantine period.”
South Africa: “Romy Wenzel of Sapphire Coast Tourism is hopeful that lockdown level one will bring about a much needed influx to local tourism.” The Sapphire Coast region is south of Durban.
Spain: “Airlines in Germany have reported a huge surge in booking for Mallorca over the weekend after German authorities authorised flights to the Balearics …”
Uganda: COVID-19 has given “local tourism a chance to press the reset button and those who adjusted are reaping the benefits”. Companies have formed to “fill a gap that was created with the surge in the number of domestic tourists”.
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Nature-based, rural, & ecotourism
Canada: “Activities such as canoeing, hiking, camping, bird-watching, boating and fishing have all seen a surge in popularity. Canoe outfitting businesses have set records for canoe rentals. Shops selling canoes, bikes, skis, recreational vehicles, and camping equipment often run out of stock. It seems that the shortages aren’t sorted out yet.”
Dominican Republic & Haiti: “The agribusiness expansion of Villas Codevi will generate more jobs on the border [and ‘economic mobility’] since it will promote sustainable community-based tourism and ecotourism.”
England: According to research from Rewilding Britain, “full-time equivalent jobs increased by 47% — from 151 before rewilding began to 222 afterwards [ — ] with many of the new jobs focused on nature-based tourism”. This was across more than 20 rewilding areas in England and 10 years’ time frame on average.
India: Karnataka’s state tourism department is “working on promoting agri-tourism but with a twist […] combining rural idylls and wellness to offer a wholesome package”.
Jamaica: “The Riversdale Natural Bridge, considered by community stakeholders to be ‘an eighth wonder’ of geological significance, has been pitched as a potential economic game-changer for the farming-dependent rural district.”
Malaysia: North Seberang Prai has ecotourism and agritourism potential, according to Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow. And there is ecotourism potential for the “mangrove forest around the Santaba jetty area in Kampung Patiambun”, Limbang, Sarawak, according to Malaysia’s tourism minister Nancy Shukri.
Scotland: A new visitor hub and accessibility upgrades can go ahead at the Hermaness National Nature Reserve on Unst, one of the Shetland Isles. Hermaness “overlooks Muckle Flugga Lighthouse and is home to thousands of seabirds including fulmars, skuas, shags, gannets, puffins and kittiwakes”.
USA: In Maine, “outdoor recreationists will have another spot to explore in Hancock county”. “The Frenchman Bay Community Forest will provide residents with 1400-acres of trails while protecting local wildlife and boosting the local economy.”
Vietnam: “Ecotourism development has been deemed a sustainable and realistic means of effectively preserving bird parks in the southernmost province of Ca Mau and of harmonising the interests of households managing the parks.”
Sustainable tourism & responsible travel is everyone’s business
Freedom of movement is a basic human right. And the travel & tourism industry is everyone’s business. “Everyone” includes not only those who earn a living from the travel & tourism industry, but also people who travel, and people who live in places travelled to and through. EVERYONE. Please share “Good news in tourism” with your friends and colleagues. And dive deeper into “Good Tourism” Insights for ideas on how to make sustainable tourism and responsible travel better … for you, for your people, and for your place. For they are your people. And it is your place.
Climate-friendly travel & tourism
“UN Climate Chief Patricia Espinosa has formally confirmed to our SDG 17 partner Gloria Guevara at the WTTC top level support for the SUNx Malta Climate Friendly Travel Registry, and urged travel & tourism organisations to file their carbon reduction plans.”
Australia: The premier of Tasmania, Peter Gutwein, announced that the state’s tourism industry “will set a target to become a Carbon Neutral Destination by 2025”.
Canada: Air Canada “says it will invest $50 million in sustainable aviation fuels over the next decade to help it [achieve] a 20% reduction in emissions (from a 2019 baseline) by 2030”; net-zero by 2050.
England: Bristol-based start-up “Electric Aviation Group (EAG) has secured funding from lessor Falko Regional Aircraft as it bids to bring a new environmentally friendly passenger aircraft to market”.
EU: “The EU’s upcoming ReFuelEU proposal, aimed at cutting emissions in the aviation sector, will apply a staggered blending mandate for green jet fuel, with the percentage scaling up in roughly five-year intervals, EURACTIV understands.” Meanwhile, “Airbus and Rolls-Royce are participating in a study to examine in-flight emissions from commercial aircraft powered entirely by sustainable aviation fuel. The study involves monitoring emissions from an Airbus A350-900, both on the ground and in the air.”
Scotland: “The Cairngorms National Park Authority board has made a bold commitment [to] achieve net zero emissions by 2025 at the latest as an organisation and by 2045 for the region as a whole.”
UK: The Department for Transport has launched a GBP 15 million (USD 20.8 million) Green Fuels, Green Skies competition “to support the development of cutting-edge facilities capable of turning everyday waste into jet fuel”. Meanwhile, “the first electric commuter flight in the UK will take place at Exeter Airport, following a successful bid to UK Research and Innovation’s £30m Future Flight Challenge”.
USA: “A new approach to making jet fuel from food waste has the potential to massively reduce carbon emissions from flying …” University of Dayton researchers and the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory have taken “another step toward turning wet food waste into a sustainable aviation fuel”.
Friends indeed
“Friends indeed” are worthy travel & tourism industry fundraisers and charitable causes. Please help if you can. Share the page with your social networks. And link to it from your website or email signature.
Cultural heritage tourism
Australia: In South Australia, “11 festivals have signed a cross-industry alliance to promote SA as a cultural destination, work with government [to] grow tourism, encourage investment in SA’s attractions”.
India: “Heritage walks, weekly literary and cultural events at historical sites, […] and schemes to develop theme-based circuits […] are among several proposals to brand the national capital as tourist and cultural hub.” Delhi Tourism, Delhi Archives, and relevant government departments will roll out the programmes.
Ireland: Everyone appropriates Irishness at least once a year, it seems. And Tourism Ireland’s fine with that. A ‘Global Greening’ went ahead March 17 “with a record 690 iconic landmarks in 66 countries lighting up green” for St Patrick’s Day.
Odds & ends
Bits ‘n pieces that don’t necessarily fit into this week’s arbitrary clusters:
England: Destination Plymouth has drafted an “ambitious plan to encourage an additional 800,000 visitors to the city each year, boosting the economy by [GBP 100 milion (USD 139 million)] annually and creating 1,000 jobs”.
Saudi Arabia: “The Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has launched ‘Tourism Shapers’, a new initiative to support the learning and development of local travel trade partners …”
Stay healthy, smile, have a good week … And when you can travel again, remember:
It’s not ‘no’. It’s ‘know’.
Featured image (top of post): Forest path, Walpole, Western Australia. By David Gillbanks (CC BY 4.0).
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Disclaimer 1: It is “GT’s” policy to fully disclose partner/sponsor content. If an item is not disclosed as partner or sponsor-related then it will have caught “GT’s” attention by some other more organic means. Partner with “GT”. You know you want to.
Disclaimer 2: None of the stories linked from this week’s post have been fact-checked by “GT”. All terminology used here is as the linked sources used it according to the knowledge and assumptions they have about it. Please comment below if you know there has been buzzword-washing or blatant nonsense relayed here, but be nice about it. As for “GT” bringing it to your attention for you to set the record straight, you’re welcome! 🙂
