Alex NaarSustainable Tourism Outreach CoordinatorEast Carolina UniversityNCLM Annual ConferenceOctober 26, 2009

Great Places to Visit are Great Places to Live: Sustainable Tourism as a Strategy for Growing Green Jobs, Protecting the Natural Environment and Supporting Community

1. Defining Tourism, Sustainable Tourism, and Green Tourism Jobs

2. Tourism as a Place-Based Economic Development Strategy

3. Great Places to Visit are Great Places to Live

4. Partnerships: A Strategy for Place-Based Sustainable Tourism Development

What is Tourism?

• “The activities of people traveling to, and staying in, places outside their usual environment for not less than 24 hours or one night and not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business or other purposes.” (World Tourism Organization)

• The problem with this definition is that it fails to recognize that tourism is an industry. (Smith, S., 1988)

• “Tourism is the aggregate of all businesses that directly provide goods or services to facilitate business, pleasure, and leisure activities away from the home environment.” (Canadian National Task Force on Tourism Data)

Traits of the Tourism Industry

• Activity linked to visitor spending– Exchange of dollars

• Outside income entering local economy– Considered an export– Those dollars have a direct, indirect, and induced

impact as they circulate within the local economy• Not considered a “single” industry

– A demand-side activity which affects multiple sectors

to various degrees• Lodging, recreation, retail, real estate, air passenger

transport, food & beverage, car rental, taxi services…

Economic Impact of Tourism

• Tourism-related activities led to $23.1 billion in

economic activity across the state (2007).• Total GDP of tourism was $16.9 billion, 4.2% of the

state economy. • Responsible for 375,000 jobs in the state, or 9% of all

private sector wage and salary employment in North Carolina.

• Contributed $4.18 billion to state’s payroll. • Generated $2.5 billion in state and local taxes

NC Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development

Tourism in North Carolina

Tourism jobs are found across different industry sectors

Most jobs are in retail, food and beverage, and lodging. But tourism activity creates jobs in almost every industry.

NC Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development

Describing Sustainable Tourism

Actions that contribute to a balanced and

healthy economy by generating tourism-related

jobs, revenues, and taxes while protecting and

enhancing the destination’s socio-cultural,

historical, natural, and built resources for the

enjoyment and well-being of both residents and

visitors.

Center for Sustainable Tourism

Sustainable Tourism

EnvironmentalResponsibility

Financial Responsibility

Social Responsibility

12 Categories of Sustainable Action

Ecosystem and Biodiversity Conservation

Solid Waste Management

and Reduction

Land Use Planning & Management

Responsible

PurchasingEconomic

Benefits for

Local

Community

Air Quality Protection and Noise Reduction

Training and

Education for

Employees

and Clients

Freshwater

Consumption

Reduction

Wastewater Management

Energy

Conservation &

Management

Greenhouse Gas EmissionsPreservation

Social Norms

and Culture

Green Tourism Jobs

• Green Collar Jobs can be defined as either:– Jobs in a green industry

Renewable Energy, Sustainable Farming, Wastewater Treatment

– Jobs that are now greener Truck driver that drives a more fuel efficient diesel truck

• Tourism jobs can be in either category– Commercial landowner preserving open-space for hiking trails– Glassblower that uses renewable energy

• It is estimated that in 2008 there were 7,500 green tourism jobs across the state.

Sustainable Economies Consulting

Place-Based Tourism Development

Place-based economic development is based on the premise that a sustainable local economy must be planned and developed as an appropriate response to the possibilities and limitations of that particular place and:• is rooted in a community’s interest in the “triple bottom line” of

economic, social, and environmental returns on investment, • is focused on unique features of a particular landscape or culture • is locally driven and capitalizing on existing local assets, • provides a balanced long-term approach to sustainability of

resources, and • is dependent on creative entrepreneurship and long-range vision.

NCDENR, One NC Naturally

Place-Based Tourism Development

EnvironmentalPreservation and

Conservation

Local Economic Development

Socio-Cultural Equality and

Justice

Traits of Place-Based Tourism Development• Place sensitive

• Historic sites are tied to a location

• Cultural heritage can not be boxed up and shipped

• Natural heritage is by definition immovable

• Can only be accomplished if sustainably ‘harvested’

• Local community residents will push back if they bear

the costs of tourism and not reap the benefits

• Natural amenities can become easily damaged by

overuse

• Typically not done well without local support

Place-Based Tourism Development

Sustainable Place-Based Tourism Development

Tourism

Resources

Infrastructure

Trav

eler

Servi

ces

Host Community

Great Places to Visit . . .

• Are Great Places to Live!– Attracting green oriented businesses – Attracting location neutral industries– Attracting retirees

• Using place-based tourism development as a venue to support other types of place based economic development– Working Lands

• Value added local agriculture, sustainable forestry, bio-fuels and renewable energy

– Working Waters • Commercial fishing

www.onencnaturally.org

Partnerships--Tourism Development

• Center for Sustainable Tourism, East Carolina University– www.sustainabletourism.org

• NC Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development– www.nccommerce.com/tourism

• Natural Corridors, Scenic Byways, and Self-Guided Tours– NC Birding Trail– NC Civil War Trails– Mountains to Sea Trail– HomeGrown HandMade trails

• NC Main Street Center– www.nccommerce.com/mainstreet

Partnerships—Economic Development

• ECU’s Office of Engagement, Innovation, and Economic Development– www.ecu.edu/oeied

• One NC Naturally– www.onencnaturally.org

• NC Cooperative Extension and Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project– www.ces.ncsu.edu and www.asapconnections.org

• NC Recreation Resources Services– http://cnr.ncsu.edu/rrs

Environmental Protection & Sustainability

• NC Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance– www.p2pays.org

• NC State Energy Office– www.energync.net

• NCSU Solar Center– www.ncsc.ncsu.edu

• Sustainable North Carolina– www.sustainnc.org

• NC Office of Environmental Education– www.ee.enr.state.nc.us

“Travel like Gandhi—with simple clothes, open eyes, and an uncluttered mind” Rick Steves

Alex Naar, CoordinatorSustainable Tourism OutreachEast Carolina UniversityCenter for Sustainable TourismOffice of Innovation, Engagement, and Economic Development

In partnership with NC Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development Email: naara@ECU.eduTelephone: (252)737-1346 Center for Sustainable Tourism: Serving the Region, State and Nation.www.sustainabletourism.org