This presentation showcases the results of a research study on the adoption of sustainable tourism practices by BC rural operators done in the spring of 2009.

1. Adoption of sustainable
tourism practices by rural
operators in BC
Nicole L. Vaugeois
BC Regional Innovation Chair in Tourism and
Sustainable Rural Development
Nicole.vaugeois@viu.ca
Phone 250-753-3245 Local 2772
Vancouver Island University
Lea Thuot, Project Coordinator for Fostering
Innovation in Sustainable Tourism
Canadian Association of Geographers Special Session: Rural tourism and recreation in Canada,
May 25, 2009, Ottawa

2. Looking ahead
▫ BC’s efforts to encourage sustainable tourism
▫ Study objectives
▫ Methodology
▫ Insights gained
 Sustainable practices used
 Level of incorporation
 Method of adoption
 Challenges
 Recommendations
▫ Furthering the adoption of sustainable tourism by
operators

3. BC’s efforts to support
sustainable tourism

5. Study objectives
• Determine the attitudes of
tourism operators towards
sustainability;
• Assess the extent and type
of sustainable tourism
practices adopted by
operators;
• Understand the forces that
have influenced the
adoption of sustainability
practices including
motivators and constraints;
• Determine ways to support
the adoption of
sustainability practices
among tourism operators.

6. • Field research with 20 “Made
in BC” Innovators
Key tenets of sustainable
• On line survey with N=210 tourism are that "a
tourism operators in rural BC sustainable tourism
• Snowball sample with list of business fulfills economic,
people met during fieldwork, environmental and socio-
plus encouragement from cultural obligations while
DMO’s to send to their generating income,
stakeholders contributing to
• March 2009 data collection employment, maintaining
phase cultural integrity, and
• Report to inform Strategic preserving essential
plan for the BC Sustainable ecological processes and
Tourism Partnership biological diversity”.

7. Insights gained

8. Q1. To what extent do you agree with EACH of the following statements about
economic, social, and environmental sustainability?
Incentive programs should be developed to encourage
81 14 3
businesses to become more sustainable
Customers prefer businesses that are
65 31 1
making efforts to be sustainable
We need stricter laws and regulations to protect the
46 36 15
environment
Businesses should purchase from suppliers who provide Agree
46 46 6
sustainable products
Somewhat
Sustainability is NOT a top priority for the Tourism Agree
20 39 32
Industry in BC
Disagree
The Tourism Industry as a whole is negatively impacting
15 37 43
the environment
There is not a good enough business case to become more
8 31 51
sustainable (i.e. profit)
The "eco-crisis" has been largely over exaggerated by
8 21 66
society
The costs to make a business sustainable outweigh any
4 28 54
possible financial gains
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent

9. Q2. To what extent have you incorporated EACH of the following sustainable
practices into your business operations?
Recycling of materials 70 26 1
Recruit and hire local people for job opportunities 70 23 0
Purchase from local suppliers 59 38 2
Use of low energy lighting 48 45 4
Use green products for business (i.e. biodegradable… 42 51 4
Use of low impact or no trace practices in natural… 40 25 7
Composting of waste 38 31 14
Use of a low use water management system 36 35 15
To a great extent
33 41 11 To some extent
Limiting visitor access to sensitive sites 30 24 6 Not at all
Limited paper-based marketing and promotional materials 30 59 9
Established environmental education programs for visitors 20 41 21
Donated funds or in-kind services to green initiatives 20 46 27
Use of alternative fuel sources 17 32 31
Renovated a heritage building 17 11 17
Grow or raise organic foods 15 21 27
Use renewable energy sources (i.e. Solar, wind, etc.) 13 18 44
Purchased and used "green" building materials 13 40 12
Established a "green team" or committee 11 17 39
Green certification 6 8 47
Use of carbon offsets 4 19 50
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent

10. Q3. Overall, which of the following best describes your
business/organization with respect to HOW you have incorporated
sustainable tourism practices into your operations?
Our business has not
incorporated sustainable tourism
practices into our operations
10%
27%
14%
Our business has piloted a few
sustainable practices
Our business has initiated some
sustainable practices and is
planning more
47%
Our business has committed to
sustainability practices at many
levels in the organization

11. Q4. Which of the following best describes HOW you went about
adopting sustainable tourism practices (STP's) into your operation?
Self starter - we decided to do it and figured it out as 64%
we went
Borrower - we got some ideas from other businesses 18%
and modified them to fit our business
Planner - we mapped out a strategy or plan to make 8%
our business more sustainable
Experimenter - we tested a few ideas on a small scale 6%
first before committing
Fact checker - we researched extensively before 5%
deciding to incorporate a STP
0 20 40 60 80
Percent

12. Q5. To what extent do you publicize your sustainable initiatives?
Check each that apply.
We describe our initiatives on our website 24%
We promote our efforts in our marketing materials 16%
(brochures, etc.)
We profile our efforts on site (posters, guides, etc.) 15%
We have been profiled in the media 14%
We use social networking to profile our practices (blog, 10%
etc.)
We have produced a video on our practices 2%
0 5 10 15 20 25
Percent

13. Q6. Which of the following items MOTIVATED YOU to incorporate sustainable
tourism practices into your business? Select the TOP THREE.
Personal values about sustainability 65%
Wanted to protect the resources I depend on (land, 56%
culture, wildlife, etc.)
Wanted to enhance the reputation of the business 34%
Wanted to attract environmentally conscious markets 21%
Attracted by the potential cost savings 19%
Listened to staff or family suggestions 16%
Wanted to differentiate my business from the 15%
competition
Felt some social pressure to be more sustainable 12%
Attracted by an incentive program 2%
Approached by a partner or supplier to adopt new 2%
practices
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Percent

14. Q7. Adopting STP's often requires businesses to overcome
challenges. To what extent has EACH of the following barriers
impacted your ability to adopt STP's into your operation?
Lack of available money to invest (i.e. 50% 36% 10%
Equipment, renovations, systems)
Lack of incentive programs 24% 46% 21%
Other business priorities leave little time to 19% 55% 23%
plan for sustainability Significantly
Limited access to suppliers who sell Somewhat
sustainable products (organic food, alternative 19% 56% 19%
fuels, biodegradable items etc) Not at all
Limited access to ideas on how to be more 11% 50% 34%
sustainable
Lack of commitment to the need for STP's 7% 42% 38%
Restrictive legislation 6% 21% 34%
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent

15. Exploring differences
1. Those that have not incorporated sustainable
practices into their business operations.
2. Those that have piloted a few or some
sustainable practices and are potentially
planning to initiate more.
3. Those that are committed to sustainability
practices at many levels in the organization.

16. Have not’s (10%) • Incorporating less
• Believe customers are looking activities
for sustainable businesses; • Use practices such as
• Less inclined to believe recycling, purchasing
businesses should buy from local suppliers,
sustainable products; hiring locally and using
• Not in favor of strict laws; low energy lighting
• Believe less in negative • More impacted by lack of
tourism impacts; incentive programs, lack
• Not as convinced of the of time, limited access to
business case, more likely to information and lack of
believe costs outweigh commitment to
benefits and more likely to sustainability
feel eco crisis is over-
exaggerated

17. Piloted a few… (61%)
• Agree customers are • Incorporated a few of the
looking for sustainable
“low to no cost” practices;
businesses;
• More impacted by
• Business should by barriers such as lack of
sustainable products; money to invest, limited
• Believe most strongly in access to suppliers than
need for incentive others;
programs and stricter • Impacted somewhat by
laws and regulations; lack of incentives, time
• Not as convinced as the and ideas.
“committed group” about
the business case or
whether benefits
outweigh costs

18. Fully committed (27%)
• Believe strongest that • Using a number of strategies
businesses should purchase – 100% are limiting paper
local and sustainable products; based marketing, using low
• Believe less that sustainability energy lighting, purchasing
is a top priority for BC and local, hiring locally.
that tourism is negatively • More likely to be using each
impacting the environment; other strategy listed
• Believe most that there is a • More impacted by lack of
good business case for money to invest, limited
sustainability, benefits access to suppliers and lack
outweigh costs and eco crisis of incentive programs.
has not been over-exaggerated

19. Incentives
Recommendations
by Operators
Availability of Information
Access to Programs and Products
Education of the Importance
Government Legislation and Support
Marketing of Green Initiatives in BC
Accreditation

20. Supporting sustainable tourism
amongst operators in rural areas
1. Incentive programs should be a priority to
advance sustainable tourism practices.
2. Strategies must emerge that recognize the
differences between different levels of adoption
of sustainable practices.
3. Education and information sharing should be
pursued in ways that meet the needs of rural
operators.
4. A platform to help businesses become identified
as and promoted as sustainable operators is
needed.

21. And on certification programs…
• If a certification program is pursued, it is
strongly recommended that ample input from all
sizes and locations of businesses is factored into
the design, a phased in approach is used, the
needs of rural and remote operators are
considered in the requirements, and
opportunities for continued education is
embedded within it.

22. Thank you
Open discussion about potential
collaboration, research needs