What is Sustainable Tourism and How it Affects You as a Host
Sustainable tourism is the focus around building a sustainable future for the environment and world, whilst simultaneously creating and generating employment for local individuals. With the world showcasing such an impressive and extensive range of flora and fauna, preservation of this incredible bio-diversified environment is crucial in todays’ rapidly expanding global economy.
Travelling, in today’s world has become far more accessible as means of transport have become more available and affordable to individuals of all socioeconomic classes. With this increase in ‘transport availability’ sustaining tourism principles have become imperative, in the hopes of preserving ‘tomorrows future’.
Understanding common initiatives are the first step towards forming an ‘action plan’ in creating a sustainable future. A few of the common key initiatives of ‘sustaining tourism’ principles are; expanding consumer awareness, raising revenue for community programs and building incentives around the conservation of local and global habitats.
So, what does all of this mean for you as a host?
A Hosts Role In Sustainable Tourism
A hosts role in sustaining tourism is a lot more important than one would expect. With a frequent interchange of consumers renting your property, as compared to a traditional rent tenant, the ability to raise awareness and implement protective programs, as well as the responsibility which comes alongside it is much broader for a host. An Airbnb host, in unison with the consumer market, must adapt the ideology that travelling can and should be fun, but shouldn’t come at the detrimental cost to the environment of which one travels in.
How can you as a Airbnb host start your journey of sustainable tourism? You can start by simply implementing a few principles listed below.
Sustainable Tourism Action Plan For Airbnb Hosts
- Creating an action plan for guests ‘run-off’ water (collection trays in sink)
- Implementing energy conservation methods (whether that’s introducing solar power, or even reducing the wattage and lumens of the lightbulbs within the property)
- Offering rental bicycles at the property for guests to use (increases potential revenue for a host, whilst also providing a safer/greener method of transport)
- Plant natural trees and flora around the property to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
- Maintain and protect any heritage standards associated with your property
- Using environmentally friendly and biodegradable cleaning chemicals and materials
- Adding a recycle, bio-degradable (compost) and regular trash can to your property and also labelling them clearly
- Finding an environmental program which you personally can support (either financially, or by investing time within)
Sustainable Tourism Summary
It’s extremely easy for a host to delay starting a ‘green initiative’ for their property, as they are usually unaware of the incredible listing and revenue benefits that coincide with it. It has recently been stated by Airbnb on their website that hosts who list a few of the sustainable tourism principles on their properties listings, will appeal to over 65% more guests than a ‘standard’ host and thus most likely increase their ‘bookings’ and positive reviews significantly.
(Airbnb states this fact here)
Hopefully, this article has helped to raise your awareness around what sustainable tourism is, your role as a host in sustaining tourism and some immediate steps you can take, to start making our future generations world a better one.
