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Sustainable tourism
What is sustainable tourism and what’s in it for me?
People are becoming increasingly aware of terms like sustainability, green and corporate responsibility. However few people can accurately define what they mean. So what do green issues mean for your business? And what should you be doing about them?
Sustainability is about managing not only the financial, but also the social and environmental impact of your business. Becoming a sustainable business is really about using common sense and there are several good reasons why it's a better way to operate your business:
- Save money through increased efficiency and reduced waste - water, electricity and gas are some of the biggest costs for tourism businesses. Waste is a double cost - wasted money on purchasing and wasted money on disposal. The increasing costs of waste disposal, water and energy are forcing many businesses to improve the efficiency of how they use these resources.
- Added appeal - Customers increasingly expect businesses to operate in a responsible way and will choose the ‘sustainable’ option when comparing like for like.
- Added value - Many actions that you may take, such as using local products, will add to the quality of your offer.
- More motivated and skilled team of staff - research shows that businesses involving their staff in their sustainable actions has led to better retention levels.
- More resilient - Taking action now will make you better prepared for the higher costs and tougher legislation predicted for the future, as well as the impacts of a changing climate.
A 2009 survey of Yorkshire tourism businesses found that 83% of respondents considered that good environmental performance was important to their business. While 74% of businesses believe that good environmental performance can save their business money.
Download a short survey summary with helpful hints here.
Explore the links below to find out more and do keep coming back to this page, as more tips and advice will be added over the next few months.
A range of resources and links to get you started
Be inspired and learn from other Yorkshire tourism businesses
Get official recognition for your actions
Find out how using local food can boost your business and the local economy