Tourism, perhaps more than any other industry, depends largely on the environment for its continued well-being. This publication examines the role of ecolabels within the context of voluntary self-regulation in this industry. Intended to improve understanding of the principles on which tourism ecolabels depend, it analyses the important issues involved and, with many examples from existing schemes, offers practical help in the design & operation of new schemes intended to steer tourism closer to sustainability.

Annotation. There is currently immense interest in measuring the sustainability of tourism in general, and of ecotourism in particular. Until this time, it has been difficult for consumers to know whether claims of tourism destinations and products being "ecological and sustainable" are based on hard evidence. The tourism industry has therefore been developing methods to measure these objectively in the form of ecolabels. This book is the first substantial one to review this subject. Emphasis is placed on the criteria used in ecolabels to determine sustainability, the marketing of ecologically labelled tourism products, and the management of current ecolabels and awards.

Inhaltsangabe:Introduction: This section of the paper will provide an outline of the aim and objectives of the dissertation and a rationale as to why the topic was chosen. Whilst there is much debate over the economical and environmental impacts that tourism entails; the impact of tourism eco-labelling remains an under researched terrain. This dissertation analyses environmental eco-labelling and its affect on German tourists. The aim is to find out to what degree eco-labelling plays a role in the tourism decision making of German tourists. The focus is on the Blue Flag, an eco-label for coastal areas and marinas. Aim and objectives: The principle aim of this dissertation is to analyse the affect of eco-labelling in tourism on the tourism decision making process of Germans travelling to Spanish coastal areas. In order to successfully achieve this aim, it was imperative to establish a set of objectives. The objectives of this dissertation are as follows: - To review the tourism eco-labelling process. - To identify environmental eco-labelling in Spain with the focus on coastal areas. - To determine the importance of eco-labelling for German tourists. - To examine the perception and knowledge of eco-labelling in coastal areas by German tourists travelling to Spain. - To develop a conclusion based on the findings concerning the impact of eco-labelling in Spain on German tourists. The first three objectives will be answered by reviewing and critically examining secondary literature, including academic literature and journals. This will provide an understanding into what previous literature has been published on the subject and will deliver an insight of opinions and perceptions from different authors that had addressed the topic earlier. In order to investigate the recent situation of the third objective and to gain an understanding of the fourth objective primary research will be undertaken. For the purpose of explaining reliability and theory of collecting data secondary literature will be examined and support the research. The fifth objective will be answered by reviewing and evaluating the preceding objectives and deliver a conclusion on the findings. Following appropriate methods, the objectives are discussed throughout each section of the paper. In order to provide a comprehensive research paper the initial second objective was excluded since it would extend the scope of this dissertation. The third objective is modified in a way that the [...]

Accompanying CD-ROM contains detailed descriptions of 104 initiatives.

Sustainability and green topics have become a crucial element in modern economy. All sectors of the economy are concerned, also the tourism industry. This book takes an overview on developments of sustainability in tourism from a multidisciplinary view point: economy, marketing, social science, media studies, political studies. In order to under-stand the long term changes in the field it is important to include different scientific approaches.

Eco-labelling is one of the key tools used by policy-makers in many parts of the world to encourage more sustainable production and consumption. By providing environmental information on products and services, eco-labels address both business users and consumers and range from mandatory approaches, such as required product declarations, to voluntary approaches, such as national eco-labels. Eco-labels can play an important role in environmental policy. They reward and promote environmentally superior goods and services and offer information on quality and performance with respect to issues such as health and energy consumption. Eco-labels fit well into a multi-stakeholder policy framework – as promulgated recently by the EU's integrated product policy (IPP) – since the development of criteria for labels and the acceptance in the market requires the involvement of a wide range of different parties, from government and business, to consumers and environmental organisations. However, many eco-labelling schemes have had troubled histories, and questions have been raised about their effectiveness. So, are eco-labels an effective tool to foster the development, production, sale and use of products and to provide consumers with good information about the environmental impacts of those products? Is eco-labelling useful to business as a marketing tool? What factors contribute to the development of successful schemes? More than ten years after its establishment, can the EU Flower be considered a success? Are national eco-labels such as the German Blue Angel and the Norwegian White Swan more effective? Should eco-labels be harmonised? Are eco-labels achieving their original aim of fostering sustainable production and consumption? For which product groups are ISO type I eco-labels appropriate and inappropriate? Are other labels, such as mandatory, ISO type II and ISO type III labels more effective in some cases? Are eco-labels focusing on the main environmental policy targets or just on "low-hanging fruit"? Are eco-labels really linked to other tools of IPP? The Future of Eco-labelling provides answers to all of these questions. Based on a major EU research exercise, the book plots a course for policy-makers to address some of the historic problems with eco-labelling, to learn what works and what doesn't and to move forward with schemes that can make a real difference to sustainable production and consumption.The book analyses the conditions under which eco-labelling schemes-both mandatory and voluntary-are or can become an efficient and effective tool to achieve given objectives; assesses previous experiences with eco-labels in different European countries and the relationship of these schemes with business strategies, IPP and market conditions; defines strategies aimed at linking eco-labels with other IPP measures; explores how eco-labels can be used to encourage sustainable consumption patterns, create green markets, foster innovation and development of green products and services, and implement multi-stakeholder initiatives; and sets out detailed recommendations for the future of eco-labelling.The book will be required reading for policy-makers, businesses involved with eco-labelling schemes and researchers interested in the development of sustainable production and consumption and IPP worldwide.

This joint publication from the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Tourism Organization sets out guidance on effective measures to promote sustainable tourism development. Although it is acknowledged that there is not a 'one size fits all', the report highlights the need for co-operation by all key stakeholders within and outside government. Therefore, although the guidance is designed primarily for governments, it is also relevant to public authorities, non-governmental organisations, tourism businesses and trade associations.