20 Lessons Learned from 20 Years of Tourism Cares
There’s a lot to reflect on when thinking about Tourism Cares’ 20-year-long history. Collaboration, service, volunteerism, innovation, events, impact, economic development and programming — all focused on uniting the travel industry around sustainability and protecting the people and places we depend on.
During these past 20 years of being involved with Tourism Cares, first as a volunteer, then board member and Chair, and now as the CEO, I’ve been fortunate enough to learn so much from our community on how to better utilize travel as a force for good. Here are 20 lessons learned from 20 years of Tourism Cares to better support your sustainability journey in travel.
1.) It needs to be more than just philanthropy. This can be tied into discussions regarding our mission-driven work and how we work with associations – to not just promote giving, but to truly help the people and places of travel thrive.
2.) Getting your arms around sustainability means the hard work is just beginning. We are now at a place where the why of sustainability has been mostly answered but the how is where the work begins. And, it is not just checking boxes off a list. It requires hard, collaborative work and measurement.
3.) Sustainability is about social and economic benefit beyond just the environmental focus. Look at the breadth of the 17 United Nation SDG’s (Sustainable Development Goals) and consider the interconnectivity of them. You will see multiple objectives embedded into sustainability.
4.) Multi-sector collaboration is necessary to ensure the right solutions are formed. Ensure that it is not simply voices solicited and randomly heard, but that the underrepresented truly get a seat at the table.
5.) Collaboration is necessary and it’s not easy! We are all used to setting our own goals, making our own action plans, and doing things the way we like to. True collaboration and partnership mean keeping the common mission top of mind, listening and learning from each other.
6.) Never underestimate the power and resiliency of the travel and tourism industry. We, as an industry, have proven we can weather crisis – this has been demonstrated time and time again. Post-9/11, many natural disasters, recession and the pandemic. We have a great case to make in terms of using our industry as a force for good and in many instances, we do our best work when our backs are against the wall.
7.) Everyone must do more, especially when it comes to preserving the travel experience for future generations. We are at a critical crossroad when it comes to climate change and the impact on the people and places of travel. While we look to meet everyone where they are at on their sustainability journeys, we recognize some will be left behind if they do not acknowledge this urgency.
8.) Doing the right thing is a great starting point. Keep it simple and personal when starting out on your sustainability journey. Focus on what moves you personally, professionally and ethically.
9.) We evolve not to forsake our past but to celebrate it. There is no time to belabor the past, but rather celebrate the good and make tomorrow a better day.
10.) Volunteerism is a great start to bigger impact. Our evolution and history show that volunteering is a great way to convene and feel good, and this leads to more immersive, impactful work. One can start local and move globally, as we have, but at its core, there is nothing like rolling up one’s sleeves and getting dirty to help out a community.
11.) By making it personal, the path becomes more evident and the journey more gratifying. We like to use the Good Life Goals to become personally familiar with the UN SDG’s. It is fun and engaging and allows you to connect personally to what makes sense to you. When you develop a personal connection, it leads to personal goals and you ultimately find yourself on the pathway of your sustainability journey.
12.) A starting point for responsible travel – think about being invited to someone’s home. A simple analogy but it is an apt one. When we travel, we are essentially being invited to someone’s home and we need to think that way in terms of respect for local culture and leaving no negative trace from our presence.
13.) All tourism is community tourism. A further extension of the above proposition. When we think of homes, we think of community. We must become hyper-conscious of our presence and impact when traveling and not lose ourselves. Through travel we should be enhancing community impact. As an industry, we must recognize the local community as critical stakeholders.
14.) Good leaders do not talk about leadership. And I will follow suit and say nothing.
15.) The best lessons come from bad examples. It’s rather unfortunate to say, but despite having some very good mentors in my life, the best lessons I have learned come from bad examples. It is a strong learning when you can say - if I ever become an influencer, I will be sure to not do “x” because I remember how much I resented it.
16.) Do we need another pandemic to remind us of what is achievable? We only get so many chances. There is no question that we derived and benefitted from silver linings from the pandemic, but we need to proactively be crisis managers and help ensure we don’t go down that road again or are better prepared in the event we do.
17.) The best thing you can have is being at the right place at the right time. I love a big, earned win as much as the next person, but I will take good timing and a little luck any day.
18.) Engage in some cathedral thinking. We need to recognize that we are building something magnificent, for which we will likely not see the outcome. We are wired to implement plans to see results, but we also need to contribute to the greater good, even when we are far from reaching the end goal.
19.) Try to meet people where they are at. This is the definition of inclusivity.
20.) “There is no future for travel and tourism if you’re not welcomed and embraced by the local community” - Taleb Rifai, former Secretary General of UNWTO
This quote sends a message that it is not all about you, the traveler. Yes, our travel represents a day of our lives, but can we think of It in terms of a day in the life of our host community?
What lessons have you learned over the course of your career in travel and tourism? We’ll be sharing more reflection, and a look to our vision of the future, throughout this year.
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