The environmental footprint made by the tourism industry is comparable to the fifth largest polluter worldwide, according to a new study by EarthCheck, a scientific certification group for travel and tourism.
An analysis of 1,047 global industry properties that took place between 2007 and 2013 found that membership in a metric-based environmental certification program resulted in measureable and manageable benefits. In a series of customer surveys, businesses that used the EarthCheck Certified program indicated an improved awareness of resource saving opportunities.
Data from the study focused on three major areas, determining the total annual consumption levels and the associated costs of electricity, water, and waste. The study is meant to deliver sector-specific standards for resource per guest night. It also measures resource use reduction on a per guest level since joining EarthCheck.
Results show that companies who committed to the program reduced their water usage by more than 6 percent, their electricity usage by nearly 7 percent, and waste disposal by 15 percent. Some businesses were able to generate nearly $200,000 annual electricity savings over a seven-year period.
“Our research revealed the biggest drop in consumption was in the first few year of membership, and business continued to sharpen their reductions and deliver benefits after several years in the EarthCheck Certified program,” says Griffith University’s Professor of Sustainable Tourism Susanne Becken, leader of the study.
Becken revealed that annual hotel operational costs for electricity, water, and waste disposal often range from $500,000 to $1 million. The resource savings also resulted in a sizeable financial savings.
According to Stewart Moore, EarthCheck’s CEO, it has often been difficult to get the tourism industry to support benchmarking certification because of the resources it takes to implement such measures.
“This research proves the tourism industry can make a difference both to the environment and to their operational overheads,” Moore says.
The EarthCheck Certified system is now used by more than 32 sectors of the tourism industry in over 70 countries.
