IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

Tourism and biodiversity are intimately related. In fact, the prosperity of tourism industry is directly dependent upon healthy ecosystems. Most tourism activities are also directly based on the many services provided by ecosystems. These recreational values offered by ecosystems have been recognized as one of the main cultural services that nature provides to humankind, along with spiritual, aesthetic, and educational values. Tourism related activities and services, if carried out in a sustainable manner, can have major synergies with the conservation agenda:

• tourism can create economic development opportunities as an alternative to unsustainable use of biodiversity
• tourism can generate funds for conservation of the visited sites (through corporate donations, individual visitor contributions, etc)
• tourism can raise awareness and support the education of locals and visitors alike on the values of biodiversity. 
   

The Business and Biodiversity Programme has an increasing portfolio of tourism projects that can be divided into three key areas:

Jointly with Accor, one of the leading hotel companies in the world, IUCN has explored the contribution that hotels can make to conservation and enhancement of biodiversity through their day-to-day operations. Many hotels already make positive contributions to biodiversity in the way they manage their grounds, by obtaining organically-grown food, or by informing their guests about ways they can protect and enjoy biodiversity.

This work has resulted in the publication of "Biodiversity: My hotel in action" , a guide to sustainable use of biological resources. The Guide focuses in particular on the biodiversity implications of specific products (such as spa products, room amenities, food and drinks, souvenirs, furniture), or activities such as landscaping and ground maintenance, excursions, partnerships and sponsorships with other organizations.

The Guide highlights the different ways in which hotels can influence biodiversity conservation, which include:

• Internal operations (where the hotel has the maximum control)
• The supply chain (how biodiversity issues could be incorporated in purchasing policies)
• Customers (including through awareness raising and information provision)
• Relations with surrounding communities through both partnerships for addressing biodiversity challenges in one or more areas of a hotel’s responsibilities and through cooperation with outside partners and sponsors (traditional philanthropy through donations and support to local organisations and projects).

To ensure that the project draws strongly on Accor’s practical experience, and that the guidelines can be widely adopted and implemented, a ‘focus group’ of Accor hotel manager representatives along with relevant corporate departments has been established and is consulted regularly.

The Guide was made possible thanks to the financial contribution of the French Ministry of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and Sea (MEEDDM) and Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (MAEE).

This guide was released during the World Conservation Congress in Barcelona, where Accor also organised a workshop to receive suggestions on how to best disseminate the guide. Click here for the summary of the workshop.

The Guide is published in English, French and Japanese.

To supoport the implementation of the Guide, a Video (in English and French) has been produced by IUCN, in partnership again with Accor, to more effectively reach out to hotel managers.

 Read the Media Story