In a world where you can be anything be the change.
In the last decades, the global effort toward a sustainable future has been intensified, but the escalation of climate crisis-related events suggests the need of doing more.
This is a crucial time to determine the future of our planet. The actions undertaken today will define whether the goal of keeping global warming to a 1.5-degree scenario above the pre-industrial levels by the end of this century will be successfully achieved, or if the overpassing of the 1.5°C threshold will unleash far more severe climate change impacts, making our planet an unhospitable place for hundreds of species, including ours. In order to reverse the negative environmental trends, the development of a holistic approach through the intensive effort of all economic sectors is required. In this framework, the role of corporate social responsibility and responsible entrepreneurship stands out in the implementation of common targets, first, the achievement of climate neutrality by 2050, which otherwise would appear far and not explanatory of the urgency of the situation. The adoption of relevant mitigation and adaptation measures, the conversion of key performances, business models and strategies from a sustainable perspective, and the design of a circular value chain are fundamental steps that involve activities of any scale in the green transition of our global economy.
Tourism may not be considered an essential activity responsive to a basic necessity, but it represents the primary means of livelihood for many populations around the world and it can play a crucial role in the climate change mitigation if well managed.
WHY SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
- The strict interaction that the nature of tourism as a service industry based on delivering an experience of new places generates between visitors, local communities, and their local environments, makes tourism very vulnerable to climate change impact risks. It creates a dependency between tourism demand and the resilience capacity of a place, measured based on the preservation of an undamaged and clean natural environment, as well as of the historical and cultural heritage. The linkage between, anthropogenic-induced climate change, sustainable tourism development and integrated quality management in tourism is clear.
- The tourist attractiveness of every destination is endangered by climate change. It's in the interest of both travelers and hosting communities to preserve natural resources and biodiversity. We believe that traveling can be the most efficient way to educate and inspire change. It has the potential to create positive synergies, raise the level of awareness about environmental-related issues and facilitate the dissemination of best practices among people from different backgrounds and nationalities. People need to be educated to care. We tend to love what we know, so we need to travel to learn how to love our beautiful planet, to realize it is our home.
-
Tourism can be very harmful, but if well managed can also be an effective vehicle for change. Embracing sustainability can represent an added value and provide important advantages in terms of mitigation of mass tourism's negative impact, which represents a stressor for the local hosting population's growth. Alternative forms of tourism have the potential to extend the tourism season, reducing its pronounced seasonality, as well as to intervene in a geographical diversification of the tourism product in favor of those locations that are still unexploited, through a process of citizens-driven destination building. Sustainable tourism allows to attract new tourists target groups and enforces measures to reduce the industry's environmental footprint, reinvesting the financial resources in the implementation of a just green transition.