Why?

Why improve sustainability performance as a small tourism enterprise?

We believe there may be diverse reasons for individuals and small tourism enterprises to improve sustainability. They may be:

  • Because they love our planet and the people in it
  • Because sustainable businesses are needed in future markets
  • Because what each of us do, influences the totality
  • Because emissions from travels also in the tourism industry leads to global climate change
  • Because land use also by tourism is the main reason for loss of animal and biodiversity

About the theme

This section gives you access to authoritative sources related specifically to development of the natural environment on a global scale and the tourism enterprises role in it:

  • Diverse sources showing how human activities are forming the globe’s future
  • Small tourism enterprises in a larger picture
  • The global wonders expressed

If you want, you can explore why sustainable development is important by using these questions. All resources below are potentially relevant for the questions. To find particular resources, an idea is to use the search function with some of the keywords in the question.

 In a sustainability perspective, what are the main values that are threatened in your area? Why? Discuss or evaluate both economic, social and environmental issues. (Tips: Use the resources on values from valuable areas as inspiration.)

 How and to what extent may global developments related to ecological changes influence your firm (or tourism enterprises in general) in the short and long run? Why? (Tips: Use for instance the IPBES and UNWTO reports, Google timelapse).

 How does small tourism enterprises influence sustainability in a local, national and global scale? Assess both positive and negative effects. (Tips: Use for instance the IPBES and UNWTO reports, Google timelapse and the resources on crowding and air emissions as inspiration.)

 If relevant: How does your firm influence sustainability in a local, national and global scale? Assess both positive and negative effects. (Same tips as above.)

 To what extent does animals, plants and ecological systems have an independent right to continued life? (Tips: Use the resources on the Anthropocene and Anthropocentrism as a starting point.)
Google Earth Timelapse screenshot
Videos,Why
Global changes since 1984 – Google timelapse
A visualization of people’s impact on the Earth through a global Google earth timelapse video of the planet since 1984. Land use is the single most important reason for decrease of numbers of plants and animals.
  • English
  • Easy
  • 2:24 min
Else Ragni Yttredal
Videos,Why
Geirangerfjord World Heritage videos
This youtube channel contains videos about the Geirangerfjord World Heritage Area, published by the Geirangerfjord World Heritage foundation.
  • English/Norwegian
  • Easy
  • 1-5 min
CWSS-Bostelmann
Videos,Why
“The Whalers’ House, Stories of cultural heritage on Texel” documentary
In this ethnographic documentary, you will dive into the rich story of the old whalers’ house on Texel in the Netherlands. The owners of the house, Annetje Capitain- Bendien, and Ineke Vonk, historian and wife of a fisherman, investigate the history of the building. It has now become a valuable cultural heritage site on Texel.
  • English
  • Easy
  • 22:14 min
Hyke Studio
Scientific articles,Why
Crowding in a world heritage site
Congestion and crowding are terms often used interchangeably in the context of heavy visitation to tourist attractions. The two terms however point to different aspects of visitor density. Congestion relates to the physical conditions of high visitation. Crowding, on the other hand, relates to tourists’ perception of the presence of other tourists. This article looks at different drivers of perception of crowding in the Geirangerfjord world heritage site.
  • English
  • Hard
  • 45 min
  • Summary: 10 min
Hyke Studio
Report,Why
Air quality in the Geiranger fjord
Surprisingly enough, the level of small particles in the air in the natural World Heritage site Geiranger Fjord was pre Covid-19 as high as in a medium range European city. The World Heritage foundation therefore started an air quality monitoring system in cooperation with the University of Bonn.
  • English
  • Hard
  • 2 h
  • Summary: 15 min
Geiranger World Heritage Administration
Videos,Why
Geiranger World heritage air emissions
Video about air pollution in Geirangerfjord World heritage and the process to change it. Distributed by Geiranger World heritage administration.
  • English
  • Easy
  • 4:01 min

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