SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
Tourism and Climate Change
In recent times, much has been written about the contribution of air travel to carbon dioxide emissions and the corresponding effects on climate change. This (like virtually all tourism businesses) presents a dilemma for us and we have thought long and hard about what our policy on this issue should be.
Some commentators have suggested that what is required is for all of us to simply give up air travel. In our view, this approach is neither valid nor realistic. It ignores the critically important point that tourism is the world’s single biggest industry and putting an end to all international trade would have disastrous economic and social impacts. It would also have major environmental impacts as ecosystems and habitats, previously protected through tourism activity, would be destroyed for resource gain.
While this may not seem so relevant to the UK, the lifeblood of the Highlands and Islands is tourism (13% of the economy) and its sustainable future depends upon economic success in this sector.
We believe that there is a “middle way”, whereby we can all take significant steps to deliver meaningful action on climate change. In accordance with the advice of The Carbon Trust, our climate change strategy is based upon the following business actions:
In recent times, much has been written about the contribution of air travel to carbon dioxide emissions and the corresponding effects on climate change. This (like virtually all tourism businesses) presents a dilemma for us and we have thought long and hard about what our policy on this issue should be.
Some commentators have suggested that what is required is for all of us to simply give up air travel. In our view, this approach is neither valid nor realistic. It ignores the critically important point that tourism is the world’s single biggest industry and putting an end to all international trade would have disastrous economic and social impacts. It would also have major environmental impacts as ecosystems and habitats, previously protected through tourism activity, would be destroyed for resource gain.
While this may not seem so relevant to the UK, the lifeblood of the Highlands and Islands is tourism (13% of the economy) and its sustainable future depends upon economic success in this sector.
We believe that there is a “middle way”, whereby we can all take significant steps to deliver meaningful action on climate change. In accordance with the advice of The Carbon Trust, our climate change strategy is based upon the following business actions:
- To encourage clients to access the start/end point of our trips by public transport (the meeting point for all of our group holidays is at train stations)To deliver a low-carbon holiday experience, relating to the activity, transportation, accommodation and other services used.
- To elsewhere reduce our energy consumption and consequent carbon emissions throughout our business, wherever possible.
- To work with all of our suppliers to reduce carbon emissions and to develop new low-carbon products, wherever possible.
- To focus our trips on those parts of Scotland where tourism will deliver positive socio-economic and environmental benefits.
- To financially offset by 110% all carbon emissions which are generated by the company.
- To make our clients aware of these issues and to encourage them to offset their own carbon emissions arising from air travel (see below).
Offsetting Emissions
In accordance with our climate change strategy, we consider that carbon offsetting does have a positive contribution to make. Our minds have been well and truly boggled by the various carbon offset schemes and companies that exist. In the end, we have decided to keep it simple. We know trees are good for the environment and locking up carbon, hence our decision to support one of the UK's most inspiring reforestation project.You can read all about Trees for Life in Our Projects and the reforestation and conservation work they are carrying out. Trees for Life don't offer carbon offsets but they do support the carbon conscious approach and the planting of trees to reduce the impact of unavoidable emissions.Last year we planted 200 trees and we will continue to do the same every year. We're not sure exactly what this means in carbon terms but we do know it's a great thing for the environment. You can contribute to Trees for Life Work by planting your own tree here.
However, above all, please do look at our trip joining instructions which contain detailed information on how you can travel to Inverness or Edinburgh by train. On average, travelling by train produces 90% less CO2 than flying and is probably the biggest single contribution you can make when choosing a holiday. For full details on how to get to Scotland by train, please see the Transport section of our website.
Wilderness Scotland
Inverdruie House
Aviemore
Cairngorms National Park
Scotland, PH22 1QH
Tel:+44 (0)131 625 6635
Email: info@wildernessscotland.com
© 2012 Wilderness Scotland
