Tourism & CC Challenges & Opportunities - Global Commons Institute

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Stakeholders 3.1.4 ‘Decreasing Demand’ The majority of stakeholders believed that an overall (combined) 10% increase in travel cost would lead to a 1-5% decrease in consumer demand for the region and that a 25% increase in overall travel costs to the Caribbean would result in a much larger decrease in demand (15% +). 3.1.5 ‘Carbon Neutral Tourism Region’ All the stakeholders believed that if the Caribbean region became a carbon neutral tourist destination, that this would generate media attention and create a positive, environmental image for the region, encouraging more tourists to travel to the Caribbean. They all believed that this would compensate, in varying degrees, for the potential reduction in consumer demand expected due to increased travel costs. In summary, there was strong support for the development and implementation of policies and strategies aimed at establishing the Caribbean as a carbon neutral tourist destination/region (see Simpson et al 2008 for more detail on this concept). 3.1.6 ‘Push-Pull Factors’ The link between physical impacts and destination choice was raised repeatedly by the stakeholders in terms of shifting ‘push-pull’ factors (unfavourable climate condition in country/place of origin of tourists and favourable conditions at destinations). If physical conditions at a given Caribbean destination deteriorate as a result of climate change, i.e. water shortages, increase in vector borne diseases such as dengue fever, loss of attractiveness due to coastal and shoreline erosion, biodiversity loss e.g. coral bleaching, this coupled with increased prices will alter the usual ‘push-pull’ factors to the detriment of that destination. At the same time, environmental actions conducted at destination level by tourism stakeholders may address the physical impacts of climate change and raise the desirability of the destination to travellers who are more sensitive to environmental issues and choose to book accordingly. According to many stakeholders these actions together with an increase in standards of service and levels of hospitality may go some way to compensate for increased costs by encouraging more people to the destination. However, this was tempered by the opinion of other stakeholders that ‘price rules’. 3.1.7 ‘Livelihoods and SMMEs’ Significant concern was raised by every stakeholder over the social, economic and livelihood impacts of rising travel costs and climate change. It was noted that small-medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), which are prolific in the Caribbean, are particularly vulnerable. Food security, housing, and other poverty issues were raised consistently by the stakeholders. 3.1.8 ‘Additional Industry Sectors’ Most of the stakeholders also raised important anxieties over other related sectors and secondary industries and how a potential reduction in demand for tourism in the region would affect sectors such as agriculture, water, arts and crafts, food and beverage (restaurants), land use, finance, and construction. Energy use, security and efficiency was the related sector most commonly raised, this is addressed in more detail in Chapter 4 of the report. 56
Stakeholders 3.1.9 ‘Opportunities for Stakeholders and the Region’ Many of the stakeholders identified a series of opportunities these mainly focused on the potential for increasing links across different organisations or groups (stakeholders in the climate change and tourism nexus). For example, opportunities were identified for sectors to work in closer coordination or perhaps to be forced into working closer together due to the threats associated with climate change. The water, energy, health, waste management, land use and agricultural sectors were seen as key areas that would benefit from the requirement to work more closely across the issue of tourism and climate change. Benefits for the region were expected from other stakeholders working more closely together such as international development agencies and United Nations (UN) agencies e.g. Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the German Development Agency (GTZ), the UK Development Agency (DFID), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), UN Development Programme (UNDP), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Should development banks including the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank work closer together as a result of climate change this was also expected to potentially benefit the region. 3.1.10 ‘Other Opportunities Identified’ A number of stakeholders believed that the climate change agenda would result in a more sustainable and diverse ‘energy mix’ in the region i.e. an increase in the use of renewable energy technologies. Another opportunity or benefit was expected to be the chance to re-examine policies relating to the environment and climate change, both the obvious and the not so obvious, and the opportunity to initiate a more thorough environmental assessment of the Caribbean region. 3.1.11 ‘Political Problems’ A lack of cross-departmental and inter-ministerial collaboration was identified as a serious problem by stakeholders the vast majority of stakeholders interviewed also made reference to the fact that due to the political system in every country being based on a 4 – 5 year term in office there was a tendency towards short-term goals rather than taking a more long-term view of the issues surrounding climate change. 57
Page 1:
Report on the International Policy
Page 4 and 5:
The Caribbean Regional Sustainable
Page 6 and 7:
Contents List of Tables List of Fig
Page 8 and 9:
Contents Case Study 7: Lastminute.c
Page 10 and 11:
Acknowledgements This report is an
Page 12 and 13:
Executive Summary In the Caribbean,
Page 14 and 15:
Executive Summary debiting software
Page 16 and 17: 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background Com
Page 18 and 19: Introduction is to develop a cohere
Page 20 and 21: Introduction concentrated. Cruise t
Page 22 and 23: 2.0 Situational Situational Analysi
Page 24 and 25: Situational Analysis As a result of
Page 26 and 27: Situational Analysis State/Province
Page 28 and 29: Situational Analysis Consequently,
Page 30 and 31: Situational Analysis pursuant to Ar
Page 32 and 33: Situational Analysis 2.3 Economic I
Page 34 and 35: Situational Analysis become more di
Page 36 and 37: Situational Analysis has increased
Page 38 and 39: Situational Analysis 2.3.4 Travelle
Page 40 and 41: Situational Analysis 2.4 Voluntary
Page 42 and 43: Situational Analysis • Greenhouse
Page 44 and 45: Situational Analysis In comparison,
Page 46 and 47: Situational Analysis Box 2: Charact
Page 48 and 49: Situational Analysis - obviously wi
Page 50 and 51: Situational Analysis Organisation B
Page 52 and 53: Situational Analysis the Kyoto-goal
Page 54 and 55: Situational Analysis Offset Company
Page 56 and 57: Situational Analysis Many NGOs, bot
Page 58 and 59: Situational Analysis C - Willingnes
Page 60 and 61: Situational Analysis of the outcome
Page 62 and 63: Situational Analysis 1. Air Traffic
Page 64 and 65: Stakeholders Box 4: Examples of Sta
Page 68 and 69: Stakeholders 3.2 Information and As
Page 70 and 71: 4.0 Case Case Studies Studies of In
Page 72 and 73: Case Studies Case Study 4 Spice Isl
Page 74 and 75: Case Studies Case Study 8 Beautiful
Page 76 and 77: Case Studies Case Study 12 Casuarin
Page 78 and 79: Case Studies Case Study 16 Global S
Page 80 and 81: Case Studies Case Study 20 Caribbea
Page 82 and 83: Case Studies Case Study 24 Caribbea
Page 84 and 85: Case Studies WAY FORWARD, ANNEX to
Page 86 and 87: Case Studies Figure 8: Natural Gas
Page 88 and 89: 5.0 Conclusions Overall and Conclus
Page 90 and 91: Conclusions and Recommendations Pra
Page 92 and 93: Additional Information Sources and
Page 94 and 95: Additional Information Sources and
Page 96 and 97: Glossary Emissions Trading A market
Page 98 and 99: References American Forests, US (20
Page 100 and 101: References Department of Environmen
Page 102 and 103: References Intergovernmental Panel
Page 104 and 105: References Tewarie, B. (1997), A St
Page 106: Notes . . .. .. . .. . . .. . . ..
show all

Tourism & CC Challenges & Opportunities - Global Commons Institute

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?