THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF THE FUTURE OF TOURISM COALITION

By Carrie Geraci, JH Public ArtBy Tim O’Donoghue, Riverwind Foundation

In early 2020, the Riverwind Foundation joined a coalition of international organizations calling for a rebalance of the tourism sector as it recovers from COVID-19. The Future of Tourism Coalition was created by Center for Responsible Travel (CREST), Destination Stewardship Center, Green Destinations, Sustainable Travel International, Tourism Cares, and the Travel Foundation, with the guidance of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

Twenty-two founding signatories including the Riverwind Foundation and over 200 additional organizations and businesses who represent a diverse cross-section of key industry stakeholders have committed thus far. They are influencers in the movement, demonstrating leadership and adherence to the Guiding Principles in their product and business practices. They will provide guidance to the Global Coalition as plans are put in place to support travel and tourism entities long-term in their strategy to place destinations and communities at the core of their work. The Riverwind Foundation anticipates that this partnership will benefit our community with guidance, best practices, and practical strategies for protecting the very reasons why we live here and visitors come: our wildlife, wild lands, and community character.

Decades of unfettered growth in travel have put the world’s treasured places, including Jackson Hole and the greater Yellowstone region, at risk – environmentally, culturally, socially, and financially. While the global travel and tourism industries face a precarious and uncertain future due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, it’s clear that visitation and its attendant impacts will continue in Jackson Hole and Yellowstone. As tourism moves forward and recovers, re-centering around a strong set of principles is vital for long term sustainability and equitable growth. To rally global change, the Coalition has put forth Guiding Principles that outline a bold vision for tourism’s path forward. The first three of these principles are described below.

PRINCIPLE #1: SEE THE (JACKSON) WHOLE PICTURE

Most tourism by its nature involves the destination as a whole, not only industry businesses, but also its ecosystems, natural resources, cultural assets and traditions, communities, aesthetics, and built infrastructure – our place and people.

Our tourism businesses rely on the character, appeal, and resources of the destination as a whole. For us, it’s the interwoven elements of wildlife, scenery, natural and recreational resources, and western community and culture. All of these elements together constitute a sense of place for all of us.

Planning for the future of our tourism requires thinking beyond business recovery and success, and building a solid, holistic foundation for visitor and destination management. Securing the future of tourism requires investing in the long-term health and vitality of all of the different elements that comprise our lands and region as a whole.

Questions to Consider in Seeing the Whole Picture: • Where does money from tourism dollars end up? • What kind of tourists are arriving now and in the future? • What are the hidden environmental, social, and economic costs? • Who makes decisions within our community and destination, including who and what defines “success”?

PRINCIPLE #2: USE SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS

Teton County was selected in 2012 by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) as one of the first six early adopters worldwide of sustainable destination criteria. The assessment conducted by the GSTC resulted

in a baseline of our community/destination’s sustainability performance. This baseline assessment served as the basis for the inception of the Jackson Hole & Yellowstone Sustainable Destination Program in 2014. Then, Teton County became the first destination in North America to be certified by EarthCheck in 2020 based on the GSTC accredited EarthCheck sustainable destination standard and criteria. The GSTC and EarthCheck standards and criteria have provided Teton County with guidelines, a structure and process for improving our local sustainability performance, striving toward our sustainability policies and goals as described in the Jackson/Teton County Comprehensive Plan, and realizing the vision approved by the Town of Jackson and Teton County for Jackson Hole to be a world-leading sustainable community and destination.

PRINCIPLE #3: COLLABORATE IN DESTINATION MANAGEMENT

A higher functioning destination seeks to develop all tourism through a collaborative management structure with equal participation by government, the private sector, and civil society organizations that represent diversity in communities. Such management and governance structures are often called a destination management organization, destination management and marketing organization, or destination stewardship council.

Without holistic management that includes equal participation and representation from the private and public sector in the decision making process, difficulties can easily arise, and have - overtourism, stress on our services and infrastructure, disruption of resident quality of life, cultural degradation, exclusion and inequity of our workforce, and various environmental problems. A well-managed tourism can enrich our communities, improve public awareness and education, help sustain our wildlife and natural habitats, and support our historic and contemporary community and culture.

Questions to Consider in a Collaboration Around Destination Management: • Who is involved in tourism planning and management decisions? Are individuals and entities both within and outside of the tourism industry engaged? Is the diversity of our community represented and do they have an equal voice? • Is tourism meeting the needs of residents? If so, how, and if not, why? • Is/should there be a centralized entity that ensures tourism efforts are environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable and coordinated across government agencies, sectors, community groups, etc.? In summary, Teton County has made progress in understanding our holistic sustainability performance relative to international standards and our challenges and opportunities to meet these standards and our local aspirations for sustainability. One significant challenge and opportunity is to commit to an inclusive, well planned and coordinated course of action to manage tourism, not just drive it. Our community must be at the heart of determining the future of tourism here. Let’s learn from our peers and come together to create a management plan and collaboration that priorities environmental stewardship, lessens tourism’s burden on our community and stakeholders, and creates equity and economic resilience for all. As the Global Sustainable Tourism Council said in 2012, “Teton County more than any other place in the world has the potential to become a leader as a sustainable destination” and that we have “the natural capital, human capacity, and financial resources to realize this potential.”

AUTHOR BIO

Tim is the Executive Director of the Riverwind Foundation where he leads the Jackson Hole & Yellowstone Sustainable Destination Program. He also serves as a sustainability consultant for several international conservation and tourism organizations and their members. For more information contact: Tim O’Donoghue, Executive Director, Riverwind Foundation | riverwind@wyoming.com (307) 690-3316 | www.sustainabledestination.org