International Trends in Standards

1. International Trends in Standards Jamaica Community Tourism Symposium May, 2003

2. Tourism Activity is 11% of Global GDP • Tourism is no longer a second cousin to other economic sectors • WTTC (2001) estimates tourism generates: • 8% of the world’s total employment • 200 million jobs • US $3.5 trillion in expenditures

3. Selected Caribbean Countries Ten Year Visitor Expenditure Growth Rates ($US millions) Source: CTO

4. Travel Account Balances (US$ millions)

5. North America Travel Account Balance ($US Millions)

6. Standards - “Traditional” Tourism • Decades of experience in standards • Started with protecting people • Public safety – building codes • Public health – food safety • Evolved to hotel and tourism acts • Permits to run accommodation facilities

7. Public Sector Health Safety Operational practices through consumer laws Liquor laws Casino laws Private Sector Codes of Practice Franchising and standards Rating systems Green codes Roles & Responsibilities

8. Examples • Growth of franchises • Now more than 60% of all hotel rooms in US are “flagged” – belong to a brand • Growth of cooperatives • Largest hotel company in world is a non-profit cooperative The World's Largest Hotel Chain® Best Western International, Inc., is the world's largest hotel brand with more than 4,000 hotels in 80 countries.

9. Why This Trend in Last Several Decades? • Responds to consumer demand and expectations • AAA rating system in North America (47 million members) • AA system in UK (26 million members) • Buying and booking with quality assurance

10. Community Tourism Doesn’t have such a Long History • Less experience with standards • The orientation seems to be to guidelines, forms of certification • World Tourism Organization in 2001 • Found about 500 current initiatives including ecolabels, awards, & codes of practice

11. Certification SystemsExamples • Green Globe 21 • Blue Flag • Nature and Tourism Accreditation Programme (NEAP) • Certification for Sustainable Tourism • Costa Rica • Various Ecolabelling Systems

12. The Standards Challenge

13. The Draft (for Comment) International Ecotourism Standard NEAP & Green Globe 21 Presented at the May, 2002 Quebec City Ecotourism Conference

14. The Eight Principles • Natural Area Focus • Ecotourism Interpretation & Education • Ecological Sustainability Practice • Contributing to Conservation • Ecotourism Benefits to Local Communities • Cultural Respect & Sensitivity • Customer Satisfaction • Responsible Marketing

15. Also Includes Minimal Impact Codes • Walking & Trekking • Vehicle Use • Power Boat Use • Non-Powered Boat Use • Minimizing Impacts of Snorkeling & Diving • Animal Riding & Animal Tours • Aircraft Use • Spotlighting Code • Marine Mammal & Megafauna Viewing • Rock Climbing & Abseiling • Caving

16. The Importance of Standards • It is about bringing the product to market • Being “market ready” • Delivering on the experience promised

17. Who is Concerned About Standards?

18. Let’s Start With Markets • Consumers want to know what they are buying • Quality assurance very important & replacing word of mouth • Many niche markets • They have lots of choices around the world • They are going on-line (54 million of them in US researching on-line)

19. The Markets Already Here

20. One of The Questions You Overhear Most Often • What are we going to do tomorrow, dear?

21. The Travel Trade

22. Why? To protect their customers LETA Building a quality assurance program “I have a customer base of 25,000 who rely on me to recommend product. I cannot afford to make a mistake.” Travel Trade Has Some Questions

23. And the Questions • Do you meet public health & safety standards? • Do you have the necessary licenses? • Are your staff trained? What is your guide training? Do you have life jackets in your boat? • What food safety practices do you follow? • Do you have liability insurance? • Who am I signing a contract with? • And so on……………..

24. The Financing Sources Have Questions • It is mainly about 2 areas: • Marketing • Management • They seek comfort in a clear marketing plan • preferably clear access to booking systems or marketing partnerships • They want to know that the product is managed professionally • Meets standards accepted in marketplace

25. Meeting These Standards Means a Call to Action for Community Tourism How Do We Get There? The Communities Need Some Support

26. In the old tourism Investment in major infrastructure and facilities to attract private investment was the norm In the new tourism Investment in tourism is only made where improvements in the quality of life of the destination’s citizens can be realized Tourism Investment

27. Investing in Community Tourism is a Sound Strategyfor Community Development&Environmental & Social Sustainability

28. It is a Also a Sound Tourism Investment Strategy WTO’s Top 5 Hottest Tourism Products The Market is Changing & Positive for Community Tourism

29. In the old tourism The main driver was selling “rooms” with sun, sea and sand packages in large resort In the new tourism We sell “experiences” with heritage, communities, nature, culture And yes – sun, sea & sand too The Thinking Has to Change

30. In the old tourism We encouraged large properties and off-shore investor partners We didn’t pay a lot of attention to small enterprises In the new tourism We need new mechanisms and models to assist, finance and sustain indigenous investment & community tourism Our Approaches Have to Evolve

31. Our Partnerships Have to Evolve with Our Thinking In the old tourism • The major hotels had concierge and tour desks

32. Our Partnerships Have to Evolve with Our Thinking In the new tourism • The major hotels have a concierge and tour desks & a community desk

33. Commitment Needs to be At All Levels • It is a major shift in thinking & approaches • Leadership from government & the private sector • Characterized by partnerships • Recognition that it is long term • Capacity building in essential • It is not just about tourism • An investment in quality of life for citizens

34. Thank You