Afbeelding
As an action holder, CELTH starts with the implementation of an action based on the revised action agenda of ‘Perspectief Bestemming Nederland 2030’ (Perspective Destination The Netherlands 2030), namely the creation of the Sustainability Research Agenda.
Building responsible destinations
Sustainable development is high on local, national and international political agendas. Just think of climate change, biodiversity, the nitrogen crisis, the health crisis, the loss of silence and quiet areas and the development of the circular economy. This development expressly consists of aspects relating to the environment, people and the economy. The perspective of the stakeholders in the sector, companies, governments, local residents, customers and stakeholders is of great importance. The tourism sector plays a dual role in this. Oon the one hand, this sector creates a lot of value from natural resources such as the quality of nature, biodiversity, landscape, silence, clean air. On the other hand, the sector plays a role in the development of climate change, nitrogen oxides, loss of biodiversity and silence.
Sustainable growth of tourism
A major cause of the mismatch between environmental impacts and the development of the tourism sector is the central role of the growth paradigm in the tourism and travel sector. This growth model is also increasingly at the expense of the quality of the sector. Think of overtourism, for example. It is important to have a better understanding of the mechanisms behind growth thinking. The question also arises of what exactly "growth" is. Is it about:
- Growth ambitions of individual entrepreneurs?
- Increase in scale?
- Growth of the entire sector?
- And growth from what?
- Turnover, profit, number of visitors, number of nights?
The relationship with overtourism is evident in this context, but also an excessive environmental burden and an unbalanced distribution of economic benefits and burdens.
Digitisation of the tourism industry
The challenge is to find, in line with the practice of the sector, not only economic models and paradigms, but also actions and adaptations that effectively reduce the environmental impact of the sector, help to respond adequately to the new and rapidly changing policy on these themes while maintaining an economically healthy sector. Attention will also be paid to the role of digitisation in both the development of the problem and its solution.
Course of research agenda on sustainability
Based on relevant sustainability themes (climate, energy, air, water, noise, biodiversity, safety, landscape, use of space, waste, circular economy, SDGs and overtourism), a report is initially made per theme (in the form of a literature study) on the national and international policy. In a later phase, discussions will follow with relevant stakeholders (sector and government organisations).
Paul Peeters is the campaign holder on behalf of CELTH. The universities of applied sciences involved are BUAS, HZ and NHL Stenden. Our program manager Harm IJben acts on behalf of CELTH as the contact person for this action at the working group that is involved in the implementation of the (revised) action agenda.
