Alex NaarSustainable Tourism Outreach CoordinatorEast Carolina UniversityNCLM Annual ConferenceOctober 26, 2009
Great Places to Visit are Great Places to Live: Sustainable Tourism as a Strategy for Growing Green Jobs, Protecting the Natural Environment and Supporting Community
1. Defining Tourism, Sustainable Tourism, and Green Tourism Jobs
2. Tourism as a Place-Based Economic Development Strategy
3. Great Places to Visit are Great Places to Live
4. Partnerships: A Strategy for Place-Based Sustainable Tourism Development
What is Tourism?
• “The activities of people traveling to, and staying in, places outside their usual environment for not less than 24 hours or one night and not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business or other purposes.” (World Tourism Organization)
• The problem with this definition is that it fails to recognize that tourism is an industry. (Smith, S., 1988)
• “Tourism is the aggregate of all businesses that directly provide goods or services to facilitate business, pleasure, and leisure activities away from the home environment.” (Canadian National Task Force on Tourism Data)
Traits of the Tourism Industry
• Activity linked to visitor spending– Exchange of dollars
• Outside income entering local economy– Considered an export– Those dollars have a direct, indirect, and induced
impact as they circulate within the local economy• Not considered a “single” industry
– A demand-side activity which affects multiple sectors to various degrees• Lodging, recreation, retail, real estate, air passenger
transport, food & beverage, car rental, taxi services…
Economic Impact of Tourism
• Tourism-related activities led to $23.1 billion in economic activity across the state (2007).
• Total GDP of tourism was $16.9 billion, 4.2% of the state economy.
• Responsible for 375,000 jobs in the state, or 9% of all private sector wage and salary employment in North Carolina.
• Contributed $4.18 billion to state’s payroll. • Generated $2.5 billion in state and local taxes
NC Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development
Tourism in North Carolina
Tourism jobs are found across different industry sectors
Most jobs are in retail, food and beverage, and lodging. But tourism activity creates jobs in almost every industry.
NC Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development
Describing Sustainable Tourism
Actions that contribute to a balanced and healthy economy by generating tourism-related jobs, revenues, and taxes while protecting and enhancing the destination’s socio-cultural, historical, natural, and built resources for the enjoyment and well-being of both residents and visitors.
Center for Sustainable Tourism
Sustainable Tourism
EnvironmentalResponsibility
Financial Responsibility
Social Responsibility
12 Categories of Sustainable Action
Ecosystem and Biodiversity Conservation
Solid Waste Management
and Reduction
Land Use Planning & Management
Responsible
PurchasingEconomic
Benefits for
Local
Community
Air Quality Protection and Noise Reduction
Training and Education for
Employees and Clients
Freshwater
Consumption
ReductionWastewater Management
Energy Conservation
& Management
Greenhouse Gas EmissionsPreservation
Social Norms
and Culture
Green Tourism Jobs
• Green Collar Jobs can be defined as either:– Jobs in a green industry
Renewable Energy, Sustainable Farming, Wastewater Treatment
– Jobs that are now greener Truck driver that drives a more fuel efficient diesel truck
• Tourism jobs can be in either category– Commercial landowner preserving open-space for hiking trails– Glassblower that uses renewable energy
• It is estimated that in 2008 there were 7,500 green tourism jobs across the state.
Sustainable Economies Consulting
Place-Based Tourism Development
Place-based economic development is based on the premise that a sustainable local economy must be planned and developed as an appropriate response to the possibilities and limitations of that particular place and:• is rooted in a community’s interest in the “triple bottom line” of
economic, social, and environmental returns on investment, • is focused on unique features of a particular landscape or culture • is locally driven and capitalizing on existing local assets, • provides a balanced long-term approach to sustainability of
resources, and • is dependent on creative entrepreneurship and long-range vision.
NCDENR, One NC Naturally
Place-Based Tourism Development
EnvironmentalPreservation and
Conservation
Local Economic Development
Socio-Cultural Equality and
Justice
Traits of Place-Based Tourism Development• Place sensitive
• Historic sites are tied to a location• Cultural heritage can not be boxed up and shipped• Natural heritage is by definition immovable
• Can only be accomplished if sustainably ‘harvested’• Local community residents will push back if they bear
the costs of tourism and not reap the benefits• Natural amenities can become easily damaged by
overuse• Typically not done well without local support
Place-Based Tourism Development
Sustainable Place-Based Tourism Development
Tourism
Resources
Infrastructure
Trav
eler
Serv
ices
Host Community
Great Places to Visit . . .
• Are Great Places to Live!– Attracting green oriented businesses – Attracting location neutral industries– Attracting retirees
• Using place-based tourism development as a venue to support other types of place based economic development– Working Lands
• Value added local agriculture, sustainable forestry, bio-fuels and renewable energy
– Working Waters • Commercial fishing www.onencnaturally.org
Partnerships--Tourism Development
• Center for Sustainable Tourism, East Carolina University– www.sustainabletourism.org
• NC Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development– www.nccommerce.com/tourism
• Natural Corridors, Scenic Byways, and Self-Guided Tours– NC Birding Trail– NC Civil War Trails– Mountains to Sea Trail– HomeGrown HandMade trails
• NC Main Street Center– www.nccommerce.com/mainstreet
Partnerships—Economic Development
• ECU’s Office of Engagement, Innovation, and Economic Development– www.ecu.edu/oeied
• One NC Naturally– www.onencnaturally.org
• NC Cooperative Extension and Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project– www.ces.ncsu.edu and www.asapconnections.org
• NC Recreation Resources Services– http://cnr.ncsu.edu/rrs
Environmental Protection & Sustainability
• NC Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance– www.p2pays.org
• NC State Energy Office– www.energync.net
• NCSU Solar Center– www.ncsc.ncsu.edu
• Sustainable North Carolina– www.sustainnc.org
• NC Office of Environmental Education– www.ee.enr.state.nc.us
“Travel like Gandhi—with simple clothes, open eyes, and an uncluttered mind” Rick Steves
Alex Naar, CoordinatorSustainable Tourism OutreachEast Carolina UniversityCenter for Sustainable TourismOffice of Innovation, Engagement, and Economic Development
In partnership with NC Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development Email: [email protected]: (252)737-1346 Center for Sustainable Tourism: Serving the Region, State and Nation.www.sustainabletourism.org