RESPONSIBLE TOURISM 25
RESPONSIBLE TOURISM 25 Wellbeing And Happiness are Key Goals for ICTP ITB Berlin News talks to Professor Geoffrey Lipman, President of ICTP, and a veteran of the travel and tourism industry, formerly in leadership positions at IATA, WTTC (its first President & CEO) and UNWTO. Hall 18 Stand 118 Hall 4.2A Stand 201 The International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP), launched in November 2011, is a global alliance that supports and promotes destinations and their stakeholders, with “a shared belief in well managed travel and tourism as a driver of community business, jobs, wellbeing and happiness”. Such ‘Alphabet organisations’ have always played a key role in the development of the travel and tourism sector – because it is international by nature, because it can only function through cooperation, and because the collaborative whole is often bigger than the sum of the competitive parts. But why do we need another one, particularly at a time when the big established players are forming a new collective aligned advocacy coalition and are finally singing the same tune on the economic importance of travel and tourism? “First, because everyone’s collaborating at the top of the pyramid,” Lipman said. “The G20, UN Assembly, OECD, UNWTO, WTTC and the like – yet the actions are really impacting at the bottom. The jobs, export income and infrastructure investment hit home in local communities and that’s where the environmental impacts are really being felt. So ICTP is all about expressing a view from the base of the pyramid.” “The second reason concerns green growth,” he added, “making sure that sustainability gets an equal billing with expansion in the discussions and actions. Not the traditional ‘green indicators’ and ‘towels in the bathroom’ debates inside the industry, but rather about the broader realities of climate response, resource efficiency, social inclusion and responsibility – taking on board our interests as a lead sector, paying a fair share of the costs and accessing the large amounts of investment that are coming on stream. ICTP wants to see those funds flow to green growthcommitted travel and tourism communities.” “Third, it’s not just about the glamour of playing on the world stage,” Lipman said. “It’s the execution that matters – so ICTP works with partners to help communities compete more effectively for new markets, while strengthening sustainability programmes and securing finance to implement green growth transformation.” He added: “And we work with members to share good practices, extend small budgets, improve education and access funding for green growth projects.” Lipman is equally adamant about what ICTP does not want to be.“We will not be a lobbying body, although we will from time to time express views on what we believe are selfevident realities that others may not want or be able to express. Nor do we see ourselves as an alternative Professor Geoffrey Lipman President of ICTP and Chairman of greenearth.travel to the other excellent bodies that are supporting the travel and tourism sector at public, private and civil society level – internationally, regionally, nationally and locally. Rather we will be a valuable complement – hopefully allowing ICTP Members to amplify the benefits from participation in these organisations’ programmes and events – by our focus on quality and green growth, our unique presentation of members’ commitments and our value-added support services.” A Natural Wonder Under the Sun In southern Europe, in the northeast corner of the region of Andalusia, the Natural Park of Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas offers the visitor a-backto-nature experience. It’s the largest natural park of Spain and the biggest Mediterranean forest in Southern Europe – and it offers cultural attractions too, including its internationally acclaimed Blues Festival and Theatre Festival. The Park is popular among walking enthusiasts, its 478 km long hiking route, taking visitors through breathtaking landscapes. The Park covers a surface of 214,300 hectares, and its mountain range divides two rivers – the Segura which flows into the Mediterranean and the Guadalquivir , which flows into the Atlantic. Nantes: European Green Capital 2013 Following in the footsteps of Stockholm, Hamburg and Vitoria-Gasteiz, the capital of the Basque country, Nantes is European Green Capital 2013, preceding Copenhagen in 2014. Each year, the Green Capital award awards a European city for its environmental commitments. This award rewards the efforts of Nantes Métropole in the field of environmental protection and planned development of the metropolis over more than twenty years. In order to successfully achieve its environmental objectives, the city drew on its many assets, supported by the city’s Climate Plan and sustainable urban development work. In a statement, the city’s municipal council says it sees the environment as an opportunity rather than a constraint. “We believe a ‘greener’ city is also a more prosperous city, and a place in which people enjoy living and working’, says the statement. Nantes plans to reduce energy consumption, promoting greener and more sustainable alternatives as a means of combatting global warming. The development of low-energy transport and buildings is an essential component of Nantes’ commitment. The award will help boost local growth and create jobs. The city also expects to reap other benefits, such as the development of tourism, an increase in investment and an influx of young professionals. Hall 2.2 Stand 201 ITB BERLIN NEWS • Saturday 9 th March 2013
