Destination Stewardship Report
Winter 2022 January-March (Volume 2, Issue 3)
The Destination Stewardship Report is an e-quarterly collaboration between the Destination Stewardship Center, Center for Responsible Travel, and Global Sustainable Tourism Council. Our goal is to provide practical information and insights useful to anyone whose work or interests involve improving destination stewardship in a post-pandemic world. Subscribe HERE.
Doing It Better: Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Iceland
On a long, skinny Icelandic peninsula, five small municipalities have teamed up to create a modest destination stewardship council and supporting network. Tiffany Chan, with Jonathan Tourtellot, explores the Snæfellsnes model of sustainable collaboration – a work in progress that has already earned the place a platinum sustainability rating.
A Council-and-Network Approach to Destination Stewardship
Iceland’s narrow Snæfellsnes peninsula pokes out 90km westward into the far North Atlantic from a point partway between Reykjavík and Vestfirðir (the Western Fjords). Its wild and diverse landscapes offer… READ MORE →
Cooperation on Jeju Island
Seonheul village on Jeju Island has undergone several transformations throughout its history, but in the last ten years, community-based tourism has become a mainstay — bolstering conservation, the local economy, and the social fabric of the village. Dr. Mihee Kang and Jeryang Ko explain how stakeholders came together to establish a social cooperative that changed the future of the village.
A Village Unites to Protect its Cultural and Natural Resources
Many government-supported rural development schemes focus too heavily on infrastructure; many villagers don’t know how to run a business. By contrast, the Korean village of Seonheul on Jeju Island has established a local business that would ensure economic sustainability… READ MORE →
Teton County Stewardship Journal
What does it take to align a destination’s differing stakeholders and separate agendas into a coherent sustainability program? In Teton County, Wyoming, USA, better known as Jackson Hole, a mission to “unite efforts” sounds simple. As Tim O’Donoghue’s journal shows, however, those two words conceal a host of challenges when dealing with a complex, often overtouristed destination that includes two iconic national parks. The good news: The challenges can be overcome, with patience.
Jackson Hole’s Journey Toward Sustainability
Before I begin: Teton County covers 4,200 square miles of some of North America’s most pristine wild lands and is home to the most abundant, diverse wildlife in the lower 48 states. Also, known as Jackson Hole, our destination includes Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks… READ MORE →
OPINION: The NY Times‘s Selection of Good Stewardship Destinations
This year, The New York Times Travel section devoted its annual list of recommended destinations to places where “where travelers can be part of the solution” – a sustainability first that recognizes the interactions between tourist and destination. How did the Times do? DSR editor Jonathan Tourtellot does a quick review of their choices.
The NY Times Chooses 52 Sustainable Destinations
“Did you have something to do with this?” My friend’s message contained a link to The New York Times’s annual list of 52 places to visit. It’s issued every January, only this year the newspaper’s list could have been wrapped in recycled brown paper and tied up with biodegradable string: “52 Places for a Changed World,” announced the venerable Times, where tourism can help with problems “like overtourism and climate change.”
Thank you, but no, not me, I replied – erroneously, it turned out – “but great that they’re doing this.” The 2022 list, says the Times, “highlights places where… READ MORE →
Two Winners from the Top 100
Every year, Green Destinations organizes the Top 100 Destination Sustainability Stories competition, which invites submissions from around the world – a vetted collection of stories spotlighting local and regional destinations that are making progress toward sustainable management of tourism. From the 100 winners announced in October 2021, we’ve selected two stories, from Peru and Bosnia, that show how communities attuned to stewardship can collaborate to provide inspiring examples of destination restoration and creation.
By Their Bootstraps: Homemade Heritage Tourism in Peru
Top 100 submission by Jeniffer Stephanie Diaz Santivañez, Promotor Touristico
From Alpacas to Tourists: How the Village of Sibayo Grew a Business
The rural, pre-Hispanic town of Sibayo, nestled in the province of Caylloma, Peru, has met the test of time. Its traditional stone architecture and its living Collagua culture have survived to this day. However, in its recent history, Sibayo was all but forgotten to those outside the Colca Valley. Facing high poverty levels, malnourishment, and inequities that resulted in a period of high migration, the municipality looked towards solutions to better the lives of their community while simultaneously preserving its unique heritage… READ MORE →
Battle Over a Dam Spawns a Green Destination in Bosnia
Top 100 submission by Emir Dervisevic, Sustainability Coordinator
Dinardica Creates Itself by Fighting for its River
Located along the Sana River in western Bosnia and Herzegovina, rural Dinardica faced off against domestic and international investors who sought to tear up their landscapes and ecosystems. Relentless in the face of these external threats, Dinardica’s story shows that it is possible to form a destination’s identity around protecting natural resources and transform itself into a green destination. Through multi-stakeholder collaboration and a shared vision, Dinardicans placed 230 hectares of land under official protection, including… READ MORE →
Bookshelf
Gowreesunkar, V., Maingi, S., Roy, H. and Micera, R. (2021). Tourism Destination Management in a Post Pandemic Context. Emerald Insight. Draws on challenges faced by tourism during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, outlining mechanisms to build resilience and proposes “novel management solutions” to improve destination management.
Sharma, A. and Hassan, A. (2021). Future of Tourism in Asia. Springer. Offers well-informed insights about the future of tourism in Asia. Explores tourism themes in the context of Asia to allow readers to consider how Asian countries can capitalize on tourism in the future.
Hardy, A. (2020). Tracking Tourists. Goodfellow Publishers. Comprehensively explores tourists’ movement, taking into account the role of new technologies, such as big data and WiFi tracking. Also outlines potential future trends in tracking tourists’ mobility.
Guilbault, J. and Rommen, T. (Eds.). (2019). Sounds of Vacation. Duke University Press. Uses music as a means to gain insights into political economy, hospitality, and other aspects of Caribbean tourism. Offers insights into the realities of vacations in postcolonial spaces.
Bulahis, D., Taheri, B. and Rahami, R. (2022). Smart Cities and Tourism. Goodfellow Publishers. Illuminates the evolution of smart cities and accompanying issues such as “smart tourists…smart sports.. and creating smart tourism destinations.” Also considers how smart tourism can positively contribute to the lives of locals. [Due for release in April 2022]
Slack Valek, N. and Almuhrzi, H. (2021). Women in Tourism in Asian Muslim Countries. Springer. Considers the role of women in Asian tourism countries. Draws on the experiences of women of both Muslim and non-Muslim identities to explore women in Asian tourism.
Note: quotes are publisher blurbs
Destination Monitor
- EU to Look at New Ways to Measure Tourism | Skift
- 5 Destinations Charging an Entry Fee in 2022 | Travel Off Path
- Melting and Broke, a Vermont Ski Town Remakes Itself | NY Times Climate-ravaged Ascutney rebuilds for resiliency.
- Rome Fights Its Eternal Trash | WSJ
- Maldives Dilemma: Tourism vs Climate | Euronews
- UNESCO Nod Spurs Debate in Wales | BBC How to handle World Heritage tourism?
- Climate Confounds Tourism in S. Africa | Conversation Namaqualand’s flashy flowers bloom earlier.
- Climate War: EU to Ban Short Flights | CN Traveler No-fly if rail is available.
- Cancún Tourists Draw Drug Violence | Washington Post
- State Backs Jerusalem Cable Car | Times of Israel Eyesore here, of all places?
- Typhoon Razes Siargao, Filipino Surfing Gem | Guardian
- Venice Seeks a New Era Post-Covid | CN Traveler
- Tourism Brings Invasives to Antarctica | The Hill Species pollution comes to the pristine continent.
- More Bison Helps Alberta’s Indigenous Tourism | Nat Geo
- EVs Replace Horses in Jordan’s Petra | Euronews Is this a good thing?
- Thailand’s Popular Maya Beach Reopens | T&L With controls this time.
- Small Utah Town Exemplifies Resident vs Resort Debates | KUER
➢ DSC’s Destination Monitor and Travindy offer continuing selections of news stories.
Submission Requested
The Destination Stewardship Report relies entirely on submitted articles and notices, not to mention corrections and suggestions. All submissions must:
• pertain to some aspect of destination stewardship,
• be shorter than 1,000 words, and
• avoid self-promotion.
Photos welcome. What story can you tell that would help others?
To contribute a story, contact us with your ideas. Your next issue is planned for April 2022.
Volunteers needed
• Tourism Cares can always use some help.
Sponsored by:
Editor – Jonathan B. Tourtellot
Assistant Editors – Ellen Rugh, Amber Smith
Illustrations Editor – Gabe Gerson
Editorial assistance – Alix Collins, Cher Chua-Lassalvy, Michele Archie,
Gabe Gerson, Siobhán Daly, Lucy Matthews, Shelby Luzzi
Newsletter design & distribution – Tiffany Chan
