Finger Lakes Outdoor Experience Campaign Educational Resources
Our outdoor recreation campaign, The Finger Lakes Outdoor Experience, focuses on positioning the Finger Lakes Region as the premier lakes destination. Engaging our campaign with sustainable practices will ensure that our natural spaces, lakes, and waterways are enjoyed, respected, and preserved by visitors as they are by residents.
Stay tuned for ongoing updates as we add more articles, video examples, and educational materials throughout the campaign.
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Sustainable Tourism and the Finger Lakes
A working definition and framework for understanding
Sustainable tourism means developing and supporting tourism activities that ensure the economic, environmental, and social viability of the Finger Lakes for generations to come. We focus on the four pillars of sustainability: people, planet, prosperity, and purpose.
THE FOUR P’S
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At the heart of sustainable tourism are the communities that call destinations home. Sustainable tourism empowers local communities, respects their cultures, and provides opportunities for economic and social development. By involving communities in tourism planning and decision-making processes, sustainable tourism ensures benefits are equitably distributed and communities maintain their cultural identity and way of life.
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Sustainable tourism protects the planet's natural resources and biodiversity by aligning with initiatives that promote environmental stewardship, minimize carbon footprints, and conserve ecosystems. In the FLX, that can include encouraging low-impact outdoor travel skills and invasive species awareness. By implementing sustainable practices such as waste reduction, energy efficiency, and wildlife conservation, sustainable practices strive to mitigate the environmental impact of tourism and preserve the planet's natural beauty for future generations.
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Sustainable tourism contributes to the economic prosperity of destinations while also enhancing the well-being of residents by creating meaningful employment opportunities and stimulating local economies. Planning growth with intention creates positive change and creates a more sustainable and inclusive tourism industry.
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Sustainable travel is purposeful and mindful of its impact. The FLX Outdoor Experiences Campaign helps travelers find and engage in meaningful experiences that foster cultural exchange, promote environmental conservation, and support local communities. Ensuring accessibility and adaptability in tourism enhances the value and reach of sustainable tourism so that everyone can participate and benefit from the natural beauty and cultural richness of the destinations.
Internationally Accepted Definitions of Sustainable Tourism
UN TOURISM
UN Tourism (formerly the United Nations World Tourism Organization) is an intergovernmental organization that promotes responsible, sustainable, and universally accessible tourism.
UN Tourism defines sustainable tourism as “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social, and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities.”
GSTC
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is a non-profit organization that oversees the establishment and maintenance of worldwide benchmarks for sustainable travel and tourism.
According to GSTC, “Sustainable Tourism refers to sustainable practices in and by the tourism industry. It is an aspiration to acknowledge all impacts of tourism, both positive and negative. It aims to minimize the negative impacts and maximize the positive ones.”
Where are you on the path to sustainability?
When thinking about your destination/organization, here are some key questions to ask to determine if you are using a sustainable tourism approach:
FOUNDATION LEVEL
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How do you ensure that your tourism activities respect and preserve the cultural heritage and traditions of local communities?
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If you offer tours, do you keep groups small enough to minimize the impact on the flora and fauna?
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Do you have a list of other sustainable businesses in your community to refer visitors to?
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How are you educating visitors about responsible travel practices and the importance of environmental stewardship?
DEVELOPMENT STAGE
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What provisions have you made to ensure that all people, regardless of ability, can access and enjoy your tourism offerings?
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What specific sustainable practices (e.g., energy efficiency, water conservation) have you integrated into your operations?
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Do you source your supplies locally to support your community and ensure other materials are ethically sourced?
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How do you monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of your sustainable tourism initiatives, and what mechanisms are in place for continuous improvement?
IMPACT LEVEL
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How are local communities involved in the planning and decision-making processes of tourism activities?
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What steps are you taking to minimize your tourism operations’ carbon footprint and environmental impact?
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How does your tourism strategy contribute to the economic prosperity of the local area, including providing meaningful employment opportunities?
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How do your long-term goals align with the principles of sustainable tourism, and what vision do you have for the future of your destination?
For a complete evaluation of your sustainable practices based on the GSTC criteria, you can create a free account and receive a sustainability score with GreenStep.
Sustainable Stories
Want to see what sustainable tourism looks like around the world? Check out this YouTube playlist that includes a variety of GLP videos with a focus on outdoor, adventure, and local travel to see a range of approaches to sustainable travel principles.
Free Resources
…to Deepen Your Understanding of Sustainable Tourism
The UN Tourism Academy has a wealth of free courses, webinars, and training.
We recommend starting with the course on Sustainable Destination Management, and this article about how sustainable tourism aligns with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
GSTC provides a helpful resource defining different types of travel and tourism, with links to their official criteria for sustainable industry and destination certifications.
We recommend bookmarking the GSTC Glossary of Sustainable Tourism Terms to refer to throughout your sustainable tourism journey.
Our article on the Pillars of Sustainable Tourism gives an overview of the industry and introduces some case study films that we will explore over the coming months.
To see sustainable approaches to tourism worldwide, check out our 2024 Earth Day Film.
...to Learn Key Stewardship Practices for the FLX
Introduction to low-impact outdoor travel skills
Agritourism webinars in partnership with CCE Harvest New York