Objective: Promote responsible tourism for 2010 and beyond
Cape Town is one of the most beautiful places on earth, and attracts visitors from across the globe.
A more mindful approach to tourism that respects the natural and cultural environment and contributes in an ethical manner to local economic development is essential. Cape Town and the Western Cape are leaders in the move towards responsible tourism. Therefore, a KAS-sponsored Green Goal workshop entitled “Taking responsibility for tourism during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™” was held on 20 April 2009 to explore responsible-tourism objectives for the World Cup and beyond.
In December 2009 the City approved the Responsible Tourism Policy and Action Plan which set the scene for the tourism approach to be taken during the World Cup.
Responsible tourism was an integral part of the tourism development plan for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. The development and marketing of tourism packages that emphasised environmentally friendly and socially responsible activities, for example, hiking trips in natural areas or township tours providing economic opportunities to disadvantaged communities, were promoted. Accommodation facilities were encouraged to improve their environmental footprint and provide guests with technical, organisational and behavioural options for a more resource-effi cient stay. Activities focused on effective resource management (energy, water and waste) and the promotion of socially responsible investment, benefi ting local communities.
Local communities and visitors were made aware of their responsibilities for example, communities to ensure a clean city and be friendly to visitors and visitors to ensure that during their stay they acted in a responsible manner.
The projects
Project actions
Code of responsible conduct for visitors
The City’s Tourism Department and Cape Town Tourism (CTT) jointly developed a code of responsible conduct for visitors and tourism product owners/operators, building on the Cape Town Declaration of 2002, when the first International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations was held in Cape Town, with the ratified Cape Town Declaration becoming the global defi nition for responsible tourism.
An abridged version of this code was included in the 2009 official Cape Town visitor’s guide, and responsible-tourism tips for travellers were featured in the 2010 official visitor’s guide as well as in the 2010 official fan’s guide:
Code of Responsible Conduct for Visitors (MS Word doc)
A Responsible Tourism Policy and Action Plan was approved by the City in 2009 followed by the signing of a responsible tourism charter by the City and major tourism associations also in 2009.
A responsible-tourism DVD, “Taking Responsibility for Tourism”, was commissioned by the Tourism Department specifically for the World Cup to convey to visitors the approach taken by Destination Cape Town, and was screened at the Green Goal expo at the FIFA Fan Fest™, raising awareness of the issue.
Lessons learnt on the code of responsible conduct for visitors
As the 2009 winners of the “Best Destination” category of the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards, Cape Town has been recognised internationally by the tourism sector as a leading destination in adopting and practising responsible tourism. A programme is in place to make Cape Town a truly responsible destination, and to ensure that key stakeholders have appropriate levels of awareness and understanding of responsible tourism. The City and its partners in the tourism industry have recognised the role of responsible tourism in achieving the triple-bottom line outcomes of sustainable development, i.e. economic growth, environmental integrity and social justice.
The opportunity to use the platform of the World Cup to promote the message of responsible tourism to both local and international fans was an important one. Subsequent to the World Cup, the events industry developed a Smart Events Handbook to encourage and guide event organisers in hosting sustainable events in Cape Town.
Responsible-tourism awareness and training
CTT together with the City’s Tourism Department presented a responsible-tourism awareness and training course to the industry as part of a service excellence programme. The training was based on the contents of the City’s Smart Living Handbook, and was implemented before and during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.
In addition, the City coordinated a clean-up and awareness campaign, ‘Operation Green’, in four areas, mobilising learners and local NGO’s. The campaign focused on waste and how to be a responsible citizen in ensuring that the City was litter-free and welcoming to visitors.
Lessons learnt on responsible tourism awareness and training
The Responsible Tourism Awareness and Training workshops were successful in that the tourism industry was engaged around service excellence and responsible practise ahead and during the World Cup. The training programme is ongoing as part of the City’s Responsible Tourism approach.
The ‘Operation Green’ campaign was successful and communities felt proud to be part of the clean-up campaign in preparation for the World Cup.
Environmental certification system for accommodation sector: GreenStaySA
GreenStaySA is an online information resource and certification system that supports the move towards improved environmental performance in the accommodation sector. It provides guidance and support to facilities that wish to improve their environmental footprint and operate in an environmentally responsible manner. All accommodation establishments, however small, may use the GreenStaySA tools and resources to improve their environmental footprint.
The tools and resources that have been developed include the following:
- A self-assessment tool to assess current environmental performance
- A technical manual to assist accommodation establishments in the implementation of environmental interventions
GreenStaySA has its origin in a pilot project initiated in 2004 under the “Cleaner Production” programme of the DEA&DP. Nine accommodation establishments participating in the pilot were audited for energy and water consumption and management as well as waste management. During the pilot project, a need for a certification programme was identified. The development of such programme was subsequently funded by the DEA&DP and the British High Commission. Certification of tourism businesses under GreenStaySA commenced in 2010. It is envisaged that GreenStaySA will merge with a prominent South African responsible-tourism certification body in order to strengthen access to the tourism industry.
GreenStaySA Brochure (PDF)
Responsible tourism training workshops were convened by the DEA&DP and GreenStaySA throughout the Western Cape.
Currently, SEA and the DEA&DP are working together with the National Department of Tourism, the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) and other responsibletourism certification authorities to develop and implement a national standard for responsible tourism as well as an accreditation system for the certification agencies in South Africa. These standards are being approved through the South African National Standards public participation process, and will be launched in 2011.
After transport, the accommodation sector accounted for most of the World Cup’s carbon footprint. A survey conducted by South African Tourism indicated that, of the approximately 309 000 international visitors, 79% used hotels, guest houses or bed-and-breakfasts for overnight accommodation. With another approximately 300 000 guest nights in the form of event organiser and team accommodation, this resulted in a total of approximately 525 000 guest nights being spent in the host city.
Lessons learnt on GreenstaySA
A very small proportion (fewer than 500) of tourism enterprises in South Africa are currently accredited with responsibletourism schemes, compared to 8 457 in the country that have a star rating from the TGCSA. Although the low level of uptake by tourism enterprises in South Africa is not unusual when compared to global experience, it is an indication that responsible-tourism certifi cation is not yet mainstreamed in South Africa.
The delays in rolling out GreenStaySA or any signifi cant adoption of green certifi cation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ were due to the National Department of Tourism’s ongoing process to formalise minimum standards for responsible tourism.
FIFA and its hospitality provider, MATCH, did not require the accommodation establishments signed up with them to demonstrate that they had a greening programme. Phasing in this requirement over time could lead to the accommodation sector in host countries becoming more proactive in improving their environmental performance.
Smart Events Handbook
Host City Cape Town produced a Smart Events Handbook to guide event organisers, venue staff and suppliers in planning and implementing events in a sustainable and responsible manner. The handbook provides an overview of eventgreening and contains practical tips for implementation. It can be used for a range of events, such as meetings, conferences, exhibitions and applied equally to large sporting events and to small community initiatives.
The handbook was developed in consultation with partners and key role players in the events industry and was endorsed by a number of industry bodies and networks.
The Smart Events Handbook was published during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ to take advantage of the media opportunity presented by the event. A copy of the Smart Events Handbook can be downloaded from www.capetown. gov.za/smartlivinghandbook.
Lessons learnt on the Smart Events Handbook
The Smart Events Handbook is endorsed by a wide range of organisations active in the events and conference industry. The handbook has been widely distributed as a result of the buy-in of these industry bodies and networks such as the Event Greening Forum.
It is not yet known how widely the document is used, but early indications are that event organisers are starting to apply some of the suggestions and clients, including City departments, are using the handbook to evaluate venues for functions and inform specifi cations for service providers assisting to organise events.
Key references on responsible tourism
- City of Cape Town. 2007. Smart Living Handbook. Making sustainable development a reality in Cape Town homes.
- City of Cape Town. 2010. Smart Events Handbook. Greening guidelines for hosting sustainable events in Cape Town.
- Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning. Provincial Government of the Western Cape. 2006. Cleaner Production in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry.
- Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning. Provincial Government of the Western Cape. 2006. What Cleaner Production means for your bottom line in the Hospitality Industry (case studies).
- Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. April 2009. Towards national minimum standards for responsible tourism and an accreditation system for certifi cation agencies. Phase 1 Situation Analysis (Unpublished).
- GreenStaySA. 2009. Training manual and certifi cation criteria. www.greenstaysa.org.za.
- Sustainable Energy Africa. April 2009. A Green Goal 2010 Workshop: Taking Responsibility for Tourism during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Cape Town.
Please find the training manual and accreditation criteria on www.greenstaysa.org.za