Sunshine Coast Tourism (SCT) has announced its commitment to the Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge, signing on to join a global movement of tourism destinations creating a sustainable future for the tourism industry.
“Sustainability has long been a priority in our region, along with responsible travel and tourism practices that consider and reduce environmental impacts,” stated SCT executive director Annie Wise. “Taking the Sustainable Tourism 2030 Pledge is an exciting move to expand on our current initiatives on the Sunshine Coast and build on our reputation as a sustainable destination of choice.”
The pledge demonstrates SCT's dedication to improving sustainability performance between now and 2030 in support of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, according to the release. The UN World Tourism Organization 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.”
Each year, SCT commits to measuring and improving its sustainability performance in the following ways:
● Continuing the ‘Sustainable Sunshine Coast’ initiative to educate visitors on how to reduce their footprint and support activities that are low-impact and regenerative
● Supporting local entrepreneurs and the community by developing a sustainable purchasing policy
● Supporting local active transportation infrastructure development to reduce carbon emissions
● Offering educational opportunities for the local tourism industry on measuring and improving sustainability performance
● Enhancing cultural awareness and acknowledgement of Indigenous Peoples and the First Nations communities of the Sunshine Coast among staff members, industry and visitors to the destination
● Achieving sustainability certification of its brick-and-mortar visitor centres and maintaining/improving performance thereafter
"We encourage our partners and stakeholders to join us in this movement," the release stated.
For more information about Sunshine Coast Tourism’s sustainability initiatives, go to sunshinecoastcanada.com/sustainability.
