Mar 03, 2011


Photo: Gary Clarke

“Sustainable tourism” just happens to be the fastest growing sector of tourism today, and in an effort to develop a county-wide strategy for sustainable tourism, a first workshop put on by the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve (FABR) and Frontenac County attracted numerous councilors and all four township mayors, along with business owners and entrepreneurs looking to better understand and define the term.

The workshop offered insight into the topic by various leading professionals in the field. Gary Clarke, founding member and chair of FABR and a director of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, spoke of the trend for sustainable tourism which began in the early 1970s and solidified with the 1989 Brundtland Commission definition of it as tourism that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Soon afterwards, Canada Tourism developed its own definition: tourism that is “viable long term and which fosters appreciation and stewardship for natural, cultural and historic resources.”

Citing current statistics, Clarke demonstrated the increased demand for greener holidays by travelers worldwide, including 82% of US travelers to Canada, who said that environmentally friendly tourism is one of their primary considerations when choosing a destination.

Clarke pointed to countries like Wales and New Zealand who are on the leading edge of the sustainable tourism trend and who as a result are reaping the financial rewards. “Sustainability is smart business,” Clarke said. “The evidence is all there - we just need to wake up to it. Canada is already recognized globally as a tourist destination for its abundant natural beauty. So right now we are poised to take advantage of an opportunity and attitude that already exists. The questions now is – are we willing to gear up to do what it takes to take those important next steps?”

Ted Manning, director of Tourisk Inc. and also the leading provider of sustainable tourism strategies of the UN World Tourism Organization, spoke at length about the different sustainable tourism strategies he has witnessed around the world. He said that Frontenac County is an exceptional natural jewel that has much to gain. “The Frontenac area still remains in an almost untouched, pristine state and it provides experiences of nature that are just not available in most other parts of the world. Basically you're selling nature to people who do not have access to it otherwise. For that reason efforts must be made to make sure that tourism here develops in a sustainable way, keeping all of the area’s natural assets intact.”

Manning focused on targeting specific destinations; how to plan, protect and provide proper infrastructure to best develop the chosen locations; and how best to manage them in the long term. “The idea is to maximize the benefits for as many people as possible. You can't manage tourists, just the destinations.”

He covered key considerations when deciding on tourist destinations, how to capture the benefits while avoiding excessive costs, addressing issues of sensitivity, and how to measure impacts and risks. “You want to gain from tourism but not have to give up the farm to do it.” He also highlighted the fact that cooperation rather than competition between various area communities should be the order of the day.

He cited examples of this in the tourism plan of Nova Scotia which has successfully spread tourism out all along its coast into hundreds of tiny communities with the aid of coastal walking trails. “That plan has worked exceptionally well.”

The second half of the workshop was facilitated by FABR board member Louise Mantha, and participants described the present state of tourism in the county, which included descriptions of its inherent natural treasures, but also adjectives like dismal, non-existent and under-developed.

Next, participants listed the changes they would like to see in the future. The list was extensive and included better signage, access, information and mapping of trails, paddle routes, beaches and much more.

The last segment of the workshop concerned developing strategies to make these goals a reality. Imminent next steps included plans to form a steering committee on sustainable tourism at the county level; pursuing “buy in” from the various conservation authorities, municipal councils and other counties included in the area; and developing a sustainable tourism plan.

Don Ross, executive director of FABR, was thrilled with the enthusiasm shown at this first workshop. “Our job at FABR is to try to help with sustainable community development with the goal of finding ways to protect natural and cultural heritage - not by building fences or creating laws - but by bringing the community along in a stewardship role. We really hope to come out of this by being able to assist the county in writing up a blueprint for how to become sustainable in tourism over the long term. The idea is that with perspective and knowing what the interests are, to make a plan of how to go about getting there.”

It seems that after this initial meeting the county has come many steps closer to reaching that final goal.

 

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