Workshop #4 TREN 3P11 Brock University

1. Workshop #4
March 30, 2012
SELF REGULATORY
RESPONSIBILITIES IN
INTERNATIONAL
TOURISM
Ashley Hatt and Justin Burke

2. Agenda
1. Introduction
2. Background
3. Video clips
4. Discussion questions
5. Conclusion
6. References
**Scroll over to jump slides

3. First off – THANK YOU for attending our virtual
workshop!

4. Introduction
Evidence mounts that unrestricted tourism
growth may create unwanted social and
environmental impacts at destinations; there is
a growing call to develop environmental
regulation which reduces these impacts, but
allows the industry to continue.
(Forsyth, 1997)

5. Reminder...
Sustainable Tourism
Tourism that meets the needs of present tourists
and host regions, while protecting and enhancing
opportunity for the future. Rather than being a
type of product, it is an ethos that underpins all
tourism activities. As such, it is integral to all
aspects of tourism development and management
rather than being an add-on component .
(WTTC, 2012)

6. Introduction
Self-regulation has been described as
preferable to traditional command-and-control
forms of regulation because it allows
companies to use environmentally-responsible
practices to increase competitive advantage.
(Forsyth, 1997)

7. Why Self-Regulation?
Ethical Consumerism:
Market interest for goods seeking to avoid
environmentally or socially-negative impacts
Public concern and demand for sustainable
tourism products and services provide
commercial incentives for companies to respond
to this by producing goods overtly associated with
environmental protection.
(Forsyth, 1997)

8. Why Self-Regulation?
Tourism Sectors include:
1. Tour operators
2. Travel agents
3. Hotels
4. Passenger carriers (airlines and cruise liners)
5. Tourism associations
6. National tourist offices
7. Consultancies offering advice to companies sending
tourists overseas
(Forsyth, 1997)

9. Why Self-Regulation?
 Practices of voluntary environmental
responsibility reduces the potential harmful
impacts of industry before the introduction of
restrictive legislation
 Provides marketing tools to add value to
products, or improve the corporate image with
the public

10. Who?
1. WTTRC (World Travel and Tourism Research
Council)
2. Green Globe Program
Two world-wide environmental management and
public awareness programmes for tourism
companies, including advice on integrating
Agenda 21 into business management .
(WTTC, 2012)

11. Types
 Cost- cutting
 Value-adding
 Long-term investment
 Legislation (through government)
Green Globe 21 – only international accreditation
scheme, benchmarking, and certification system
for sustainable tourism
(Bramwell, 2004)

12. Table 1
This shows a range of regulatory instruments
available to industry and government,
classified according to degree of direct
involvement and who is responsible.
(Sustainable Tourism, 2012)

13. Benefits of Self-Regulation
Economic
 Greater reign of control over implemented
regulations
 Self regulation is sustainable, sustainability
attracts tourists
 Provides business with competitive advantage

14. Benefits of Self-Regulation
Socio-Cultural
 Educates tourists and community about
surrounding destination, reduces impact
 Helps maintain cultural heritage
 Supplies local communities with jobs

15. Benefits of Self-Regulation
Environmental
 Strict regulation reduces environmental
degradation
 Protects wildlife and surrounding habitat
 Allows tourists access with minimal impact
 Aids resource management

16. However...
‘Free Riders’
Many companies are reluctant to adopt self-
regulation in fear that their position would be
undermined by other tourism competitors. Free
riders are able to operate at lower costs than
ethically self-regulated companies, gaining a
competitive standing in marketplace.
(Forsyth, 1997)

17. Challenges to Self-Regulation
Self-regulation is difficult to implement in the
tourism industry because:
1. No tangible, lasting product, but is based on
image and presentation
2. No ‘one’ industry, but rather a combination of
many sectors
3. Extreme price competition (focus on short-
term profit over long-term sustainability

18. Video #1
Tourist Arrivals Up in Antarctica
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ih949hV
s78

20. Video #2
U.S. Proposes Limits on Tourism in Antarctica
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOVjLPksei
o&feature=relmfu

21. Discussion Questions
1. From the videos shown, what would YOU do
if you could implement 3 self-regulatory
policies for tourism in the Antarctic?

22. Discussion Questions
2. Should larger companies be held to stricter
self-regulatory policies regarding
sustainable tourism development?

23. Conclusion
"The Travel & Tourism industry urges global
leaders ... to actively engage the private sector
in translating the internationally agreed
framework into transparent, supportive and
progressive national and regional policies"
Jean-Claude Baumgarten
WTTC President & CEO

24. References
Bramwell, B, 2004. Tourism Collaboration And Partner: Politics, Practice and
Sustainability (Aspects of Tourism). Edition. Multilingual Matters.
Haase, D., Lamers, M., Amelung, B. (2009). Heading into uncharted territory? Exploring
the institutional robustness of self-regulation in the Antarctic tourism sector. Journal
of Sustainable Tourism. 17 (4), pg. 411-430
Forsyth, T, 1997. Environmental responsibility and business regulation: the case of
sustainable tourism.. The Geographical Journal, [Online]. 163(3), 27-280. Available
at:
http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/4733/1/Environmental_responsibility_and_business_regulatio
n_(LSERO).pdf [Accessed 27 March 2012].
Miller, G, 2005. Monitoring for a Sustainable Tourism Transition:. Edition. CABI.
Sustainable Tourism. 2012. Regulating Tourism: Sustainability in the Free Market .
[ONLINE] Available at: http://www.fathom.com/course/21701788/session3.html.
[Accessed 26 March 12].
World Travel and Tourism Council. 2012. Research. [ONLINE] Available at:
http://www.wttc.org/research/. [Accessed 28 March 12].