Breaking Down Barriers: Sustainability Accessible to All
![Breaking down barriers report cover](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2024-03/2024-03-25%20Breaking%20down%20barriers%20cover.jpg?itok=oSk1Z5Zh)
Breaking Down Barriers: Sustainability Accessible to All
A guide providing entry points via brief context and links to resources for a wide variety of regenerative, sustainable, and inclusive tourism functions.
From the publication "With over 200 environmental certifications in the travel industry alone, embracing sustainability can seem complex and daunting. Amid so much talk about ramping up environmental commitment in the travel industry, particularly since COVID-19, there's a simmering paralysis of action.
Micro, small and medium sized enterprises are particularly susceptible to inaction since time and resources are limited. Many of these businesses fall victim to 'green hushing' (under-communicating sustainability initiatives) for fear of 'greenwashing' (over-claiming sustainability initiatives). Others simply don't know where to start.
Yet, whether tour operators or accommodations, smaller businesses play a critical part in driving change. Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises represent 90 per cent of the world's companies and are therefore fundamental in the transition towards a sustainable economy. Change from the bottom is as significant as change from the top; a tree grows from its roots rather than the canopy.
Rather than a checklist or stand-alone achievement, sustainability is a journey of continual improvement. Like all good journeys, the first leap into the unknown is the hardest but the most rewarding. Rather than waiting for perfection, the most critical thing for all travel companies, enterprises, and accommodations is to get started.
To help businesses along the way, The Long Run has created two free and practical resources, supported by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Published by: The Long Run
Authors: Vicky Smith, Kirsi Hyvaerinen, and Holly Tuppen