The Responsible Tourism programme is a workshop series designed for the visitor industry to make changes within their businesses. The programme is based around the four well-being pillars of social, cultural, economic and environmental.
The following resources and templates are here to support operators through their journey towards more sustainable and climate friendly business practices.
Key considerations to remember along this journey:
If you would like to be part of our Responsible Tourism journey or would like more information, please email tourism@northlandnz.com
To date this programme has been extremely successful with this video summarising outcomes so far. It was prepared for the Economic Development New Zealand Awards in November 2023, where the programme was a finalist in the "Best Practice for Inclusive Development and Wellbeing Outcomes" category.
To truly understand your impact, the first step it to measure your carbon footprint.
CarbonTrail creates technology to help businesses become the best versions of themselves, reducing their impact and helping them become more competitive in an evolving economy.
CarbonTrail, founded in April 2022, is based in Christchurch, New Zealand. They are a multidisciplinary team who believe in the power of technology in the fight against climate breakdown. Northland Inc has worked with CarbonTrail as part of the Carbon Footprint project.
CarbonClick was born to make climate action simple and transparent for businesses and customers alike, supporting the planet and humanity through projects we all care so much about.
They have a simple to use tool to calculate your personal carbon footprint.
Carbon Neutral New Zealand Trust (CNNZ) is a national “umbrella” organisation for citizen-based, bottom-up community initiatives aimed at addressing climate change at the local level.
CNNZ has developed a number of tools for individuals, households, businesses and communities to assess, reduce and where necessary offset their net greenhouse gas emissions.
Sustainable Travel International have been charting a new course for travel and tourism — one that leads to a healthier environment, greater economic opportunity, social justice and the protection of natural and cultural resources. They provide resources and tools specific to the visitor and travel industry.
Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI) is a methodology and free tool for hotels to calculate the carbon footprint of hotel stays and meetings in their properties.
There are already a number of existing tools and frameworks, specific to the visitor industry to help you shape your goals and journey towards a more sustainable business.
Akiaki is an online learning programme, to help you understand the principles of sustainable tourism and how you can take practical steps within your own business. Run by the TIA, the program is free for TIA members or can be purchased for non-members.
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council establishes and manages global standards for sustainable travel and tourism, known as the GSTC Criteria. There are two sets: Destination Criteria for public policy-makers and destination managers, and Industry Criteria for hotels and tour operators.
Qualmark looks to secure a strong long term sustainable position for the New Zealand tourism industry by protecting what makes New Zealand unique and desired.
The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance drives collaborative action to enable the hospitality industry to have a lasting positive impact on the planet and its people. They have created resources to support the hotel industry with their climate action activities.
The TSC was developed by Tourism Industry Aotearoa, the voice of New Zealand's tourism industry. We are inviting every New Zealand tourism business to join us on this sustainability journey. Sign up now to the Tourism Sustainability Commitment and work towards twelve Commitments across the four elements of tourism sustainability: Economic, Visitor, Community and Environment.
The Travel Foundation is a leading international sustainable tourism organisation dedicated to ensuring that tourism provides the greatest possible benefit to every destination around the world so that their communities and environments can thrive. They have a wide range of resources to assist towards sustainable tourism.
Marketing is a powerful tool for your business, the following links all have great advice on how you an ensure that you are marketing in a responsible way.
This guide from the World Travel Market (WTM), offers some great tips for marketing your service sustainable.
As more companies embrace sustainability and consumers seek out ethical brands, there’s been a rapid growth of firms trumpeting their green credentials. However, this has been accompanied by a proliferation of claims of ‘greenwashing’. For businesses wanting to let their customers know about their good work, it can be confusing to know how to communicate it. SBN has provided some useful tips on the following link.
Stories have power. They shape how we interpret the world, how we interact with each other and the natural world. In order to transform how we live, work and play in the world, we need radically new and different stories. Check out the blog and podcast from Good Awaits for storytelling inspiration.
Great resources for bringing your customers on your sustainability journey.
Tiaki – Care for New Zealand was created through a collective desire to share a connection to the natural world, inspiring and helping visitors to travel safely and conscientiously.
The Tiaki kaupapa invites your visitors to see the world through this lens. To feel a closer connection with the people and place around them. To commit to a promise to care for New Zealand.
It is an open-source tool to inspire and guide visitors in their behaviour in a way that upholds their mana, as well as that of the whenua they travel on and the communities they travel through.
DOC has some great resources around conservation for the environment.
These resources are designed to help you minimise your own waste and encourage visitors to reduce their own waste too. Some key tips to help with waste management are:
EcoSolutions is one of CBEC's enterprises which focuses on positive climate action and education throughout Northland, implementing behaviour change in our homes, businesses, schools and local community throughout Northland. EcoSolutions have lots of great resources avlaibale from waste audit templates to signage. The team can also assist you with your waste management journey, contact them directly.
An app which will show all the water refill stations in New Zealand.
Working with local communities on local initiatives and projects is a great way to engage with your community and share your passions.
Check out the DOC website for a list of Northland Conservation groups and how to get in touch with them.
The Predator Free Te Tai Tokerau Collective is a growing collaboration of more than 50 groups and organisations working towards a predator free Northland. Find out more on how you can get involved.
Have some free time? Volunteer your time.
Volunteering Northland is a non-profit organisation providing a recruitment and referral service for volunteers and facilitates and enhances volunteering in general. Local organisations and organisers of one-off community events that employ volunteers sign up at the volunteer centre and list their available opportunities for volunteers.
Our supply chain can have a significant impact on our carbon footprint, responsible procurement of goods and services is a great way to begin addressing this impact. The following resources provide guidance and inspiration on how you can change.
This factsheet explores how responsible purchasing can positively impact hotel operators, much of which is relevant across all sectors of the visitor industry.
A range of tools to help you assess the sustainability of your business and your suppliers