Benefits

The Benefits

There are a number of reasons for adopting sustainable tourism practices in your business, including:

Your Customers: as interest grows on climate friendly businesses including green travel options, you can demonstrate to travellers and holidaymakers your sustainable credentials.

Your Suppliers: many suppliers now require you to provide a summary of the sustainability credentials and your commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as part of their commitment to sustainability throughout the lifecycle of a product / experience.

Your Business: implementing sustainability practices can help you reduce operating costs, attract and retain staff with sustainability values, and meet current and predicted regulatory requirements for carbon reporting.

Specific benefits to your business could include:

• Increase your number of visitors by promoting your sustainability credentials to ‘green-savvy’ consumers who make purchase decisions based on minimising their own footprint.
• Reduce operating costs by undertaking initiatives that reduce waste, water and energy consumption, eg changing four light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs saves $65 - $70 each year.
• Develop a competitive advantage by establishing and promoting sustainable practices as a point of difference. Consumer demand for sustainable product is on the increase. If you provide the same product or experience as another business but can advertise your business as sustainable, you will have that extra point of difference.
• Attract and retain valuable staff by adopting policies that meet with employee values and concerns. Also, by creating an environment of team knowledge sharing, best practice, and innovative ideas, employees will feel better about their work environment, and new employees may be attracted to the business.
• Increase local community support and referrals to your business. Involve the community in your operations. Go to community or regional workshops. Share your knowledge with other businesses and engage with your community.
• Encourage investors interested in companies with long-term sustainability plans that minimise operating risks in the future.
• Increase long-term profitability by maximising your business potential and putting plans in place now that will create savings in the future such as minimising transport costs that will continue to rise as fuel becomes more expensive.
• Increasing your competitiveness in the marketplace through innovation and by leading the way in environmental performance.
• Know that your actions are actually making a difference to protect and enhance natural resources for future generations of Queenslanders and international visitors.

For more details on the environment and climate change and why we need to act click here.