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Tourism

green strategy (ratio of present value savings to present value capital expenditures) can be between 117 per cent and 174 per cent for investment recovery from hotel buildings operation efficiency (Ringbeck et al. 2010).

Rainforest Alliance (2010) presents an estimate of costs and benefits of sustainable-energy management practices for a sample of 14 tourism businesses in Latin America (Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala and Nicaragua) based on GSTC indicators. The energy bill was reduced in 64 per cent of companies, with average annual savings of US$ 5,255 (maximum of US$ 17,300). Required investment ranged from 1 per cent to 10 per cent of annual operations costs. Average investment was US$ 12,278 (maximum US$ 56,530). The average payback of investments is 2.3 years.

Water Internal water efficiency and management programmes, and investments in water-saving technology in rooms, facilities and attractions reduce costs. Greater efficiency and improved management allows for the increase of number of rooms/visitors in water-constrained destinations. With regard to the most water-consuming factor, irrigation, considerable reductions can be achieved through alternative gardening (choice of species, landscaping) as well as the use of grey water. Golf courses can be designed to require less water, and operators can measure soil moisture to help control and optimise water use. Hotels with spas and health centres can engage in a range of water-saving measures, while new hotel construction can seek to avoid pool landscapes and other water-intensive uses (Gössling 2010).

With regard to direct water use for tourists, Fortuny et al. (2008) demonstrated that many water-saving technologies relevant to hotels and other businesses have short payback times (between 0.1-9.6 years), making them economically attractive. Investments in water-saving systems, grey water reuse and rainwater collection and management systems can help reduce water consumption by 1,045 m3 lower volume per guest per night.

per year, or a 27 per cent

In the Rainforest Alliance (2010) study, the water bill was reduced in 31 per cent of companies, with average annual savings of US$ 2,718 (maximum of US$ 7,900), a particularly large number given the very low price of water charged in those countries. Required investment ranged from 1 per cent to 3 per cent of annual operations costs. Average investment was US$ 2,884 (maximum US$ 10,000). Average annual savings were US$ 2,718, for a payback period of 1.1 years.

Waste Improved waste management provides opportunities for business and society. Lower levels of generation

improves financial return for private sector actors, and better management of that waste creates opportunities for jobs, and enhances the attractiveness of destinations. Hamele and Eckardt (2006), reporting the results of an analysis of 36 hotels in the 2 to 4-star categories in Germany and Austria, showed average values per overnight-stay for solid waste (1.98 kg) and waste water (6.03 litres). The average cost of managing these two waste streams is € 0.28 per occupied room night. In Rainforest Alliance (2010), solid waste was reduced in 71 per cent of companies, with average annual savings of US$ 3,600.

Biodiversity UNEP (2010) argues that biodiversity conservation will be greatly affected by the way in which tourism grows and develops, especially in developing countries hosting biodiversity hotspots, where tourism is expected to become increasingly important. Demand growth for experiences that involve contact with wildlife and pristine

(or near pristine) ecosystems and the

expectations from guests that tour operators respect and protect the natural resource base are increasingly driving changes in the tourist industry. Policies of mainstream tourism are likely to change towards more effective conservation of sensitive ecosystems, driven by market demand and large operator programmes (for instance, cruise-industry guidance on coastal systems). Moreover, the increasing trends for nature-based tourism will encourage conservation and tourism revenues (including protected-area fees) to grow in tandem. Current trends towards increasing nature-based and ecotourism are likely to continue or accelerate as pristine areas become increasingly rare, leading in turn to the incorporation of natural areas in tourism development and greater transfer of benefits toward natural areas.

Conservation and restoration provides a highly profitable, low-cost investment for maintaining ecosystem services (Box 3). Avoiding loss of ecosystems by conservation, particularly of forests, mangroves, wetlands and coastal zones, including coral reefs, is a sound investment from a cost-benefit analysis. This appears to hold from both a societal investment perspective as well as a private one. The review of dozens of restoration projects worldwide concludes that restoration compared with biodiversity loss provides a benefit/cost ratio of 3 to 75 in return of investments and an internal rate of return of 7 to 79 per cent (Nellemann and Corcoran 2010).

More than 70 per cent of Latin American hotels surveyed by Rainforest Alliance (2010) support biodiversity conservation while 83 per cent of them indicate that conservation practices have created competitive advantages through operation savings, improved image and process improvements. Ringbeck et al. (2010) report significant returns of green investments in tourism

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