Unpacked: Sustainability and social impact

As “carbon footprint” has become a familiar concept to many, some of us are trying flight-free travel as a way of being more sustainable and reducing our negative impact on the environment. But what about our social impact? Tourism can – and should – be a force for good, and social sustainability shouldn’t be ignored.

Travel and tourism generates income, and when tourism is developed in cooperation with the local community, it will have a positive social impact.

The World Travel and Tourism Council shares that: “Travel & Tourism is one of the world’s largest sectors, accounting for 10.3% of global GDP and 330 million jobs, or 1 in 10 people on the planet ... Travel & Tourism helps reduce poverty and improve health, housing, education, and overall well-being. It supports diversity and inclusion, employing and offering opportunities to people from all walks of life, including minorities, youth, and women.”

Tourism can empower local people and be a catalyst for positive change. The trouble comes when tourism isn’t fair and inclusive and profit isn’t evenly and locally distributed in order to directly benefit local communities. This is called tourism leakage.

Photo by Unsplash

What is tourism leakage?

This is when your money benefits only large corporations, such as international hotel chains and airlines, and leaks away from the community or country where you’re on holiday. Think about it – fly in with EasyJet and the money goes to a UK company, stay at a Radisson Hotel and the money goes to a US company (not to mention internationally-owned all-inclusive resorts, where tourists barely leave the compound).

If not managed responsibly, tourism can lead to social inequity: services and infrastructure that cater primarily to tourists, while neglecting local needs. Rising tourism demand can inflate local living costs, making housing and goods unaffordable for local people (hello, gentrification). This widens the wealth gap between locals and those profiting from tourism, and can lead to displacement for whole families.

Stuart Kenny writes about “linkage versus leakage” in his article for Much Better Adventures, where he explains: “The key to minimising leakages is creating linkages with the local community. This can be as simple as encouraging hotels to train and employ local residents and serve local, seasonal food from local suppliers, rather than importing food.”

Photo by Unsplash

Culture as a commodity for tourism

There's also a risk that local cultures and traditions can become commodities for tourist consumption. This can lead to staged authenticity, where cultural rituals and traditions are modified to meet tourist expectations, which over time will erode cultural heritage. The inflow of tourists also disrupts local customs and daily life – festivals or important historic and religious sites can be overrun and some tourists behave in ways that are inappropriate or disrespectful to local customs and norms.

Can tourism have a positive social impact?

The onus is on all of us who have the privilege of travel to ensure we have a positive social impact on the places we visit – each of us must consider how our visit is contributing to responsible and sustainable tourism practices that aim to maximise the positive impacts and minimise the negative ones. 

Sustainable holidays aren’t just about reducing carbon emissions (though that’s a big fat positive, too). The travel industry has the power to significantly contribute to social sustainability, ensuring that the benefits of tourism go directly to local people. Socially sustainable trips look a lot like this:

Supporting the local economy

Prioritising the use of locally-owned and operated accommodation, restaurants and activities – as well as using local transport and eating locally, and seasonally. This helps ensure that your money stays where it makes the biggest impact.

Paying a local tourist tax

It’s widely reported that Wales and the city of Edinburgh are the first UK destinations considering introducing a locally administered “tourist tax”, asking holidaymakers to pay a fee when they stay overnight. It’s already fairly common practice in Europe, and in the Balearics, it’s specifically a “sustainable tourism tax”: an eco contribution paid direct to the islands.

Choosing an ethical travel provider

Tourism development must be community-led and community-benefiting, educating tourists about local customs and behaviours, and implementing measures to control tourist numbers where necessary. Choose a travel company that inspires this change. At Byway, we partner with local DMOs (destination management organisations, or tourist boards) and policy makers to ensure equity and social sustainability and highlight ethical providers (we’re in great company in this sustainable travel companies round up in the Times).

Supporting fair employment

Avoid international chains and try to book a social enterprise like Good Hotel – or at least a hotel that supports local social enterprises or charities. Signing up to the UNWTO’s Global Code of Ethics in Tourism is a positive step, but in general, accredited certification schemes are complex and country specific – Richard Hammond at Green Traveller writes about some well established tourism and hospitality schemes here.

Also, ask questions! If you suspect staff at your hotel, restaurant or tour company may not be working in safe conditions, or could be working unreasonable hours, then speak out.

Getting off the beaten track

Not flying into major airports along with everyone else means avoiding overtouristed destinations – plus, tourism creates jobs in remote and rural areas. Getting off the beaten track means you can take your tourism dollar (or pound, or euro…) directly to the local community and spend more time on the ground connecting with local cultures, experiences and environments. After all, that’s what slow travel is all about.

Photo by Rachel Mills