A destination or place is a complex entity with multiple stakeholders with diverse needs and objectives.

Managing a destination sustainably is challenging. Destinations are increasingly facing various threats and challenges, including those linked to climate change and impacts related to the well-being of both the population and visitors. It can sometimes be difficult to identify the next steps a destination should take, not only in terms of waste, energy, water, culture and heritage but also in terms of local business engagement.

Do you know how we can help?

• We understand the challenges place and destination managers face in their journey to enhanced sustainability and net-zero
• We can provide knowledge and skills to help your stakeholders prepare for their journey to sustainability and net-zero
• We bring a strategic and structured approach to enable you to create a bespoke action plan for your place
• We use and share tools to enable you to measure, benchmark, monitor and plan achievable actions
• We have a wealth of knowledge on sustainability certifications, for both businesses and destinations and can help to advise how to move forward in this area

Acorn Tourism has a set of tools and services to help, support and guide destinations through their journey to tackle these challenges, reduce their negative impacts and work towards a more sustainable and regenerative future.  In partnership with our network of sustainability experts, we will outline the next steps for you to take to achieve your objectives and goals, whether your destination is only just starting its sustainability journey or already has an established strategy and plan.

A roadmap adapted to your objectives…

We can support your journey no matter what your objective may be: 

• If your objective is to understand your carbon footprint and how climate disruptions may impact your destination (flooding, excessive rainfalls, etc.), or to identify opportunities for mitigating your impact on the environment, we have a range of tools to help. The climate footprint assessment, climate mitigation planning or climate risk assessments may be best suited for your destination. We work with leading experts in the field to undertake this work.
• If your objective is to identify your destination’s strengths and weaknesses in relation to international environmental and social standards, we can help. Or if you want to find a certification scheme to help attract inward investment and increase the visibility of your stakeholder and destination we can make the most suitable recommendations. For instance, assessing your destination’s performance on criteria recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), such as the Green Destinations Standard, may be the most appropriate next step.
• If your objective is to gain recognition for your efforts and position your destination as a leader in the industry, your destination may benefit from participating in global competitions for marketing and promotion of your sustainability efforts. We can support your participation in initiatives such as the Green Destinations Top 100 Stories, WTM Awards, and so on.
• If your objective is to encourage your local businesses to assess their performance and access guidance to improve or to empower them to help you achieve your sustainable goals, capacity building, creating online toolkits, and supporting carbon assessments or net-zero initiatives could all be put in place to support this.
• If your objective is to increase the number of certified businesses and increase the visibility of sustainability practices in your destination, benefitting from the increased visibility through online book platforms, the right communication is key. We will help you prepare the business case for sustainability certification schemes, giving you the tools and knowledge to advise your local tourism businesses on which certification scheme is most appropriate for them and how to apply successfully.
• If your objective is to build responsible and sustainable experiences by bringing together a variety of stakeholders, our expertise in certification and transparency can support this journey.
• If your objective is to assess your market position and define your strengths and weaknesses against competitors to identify priority actions, your destination may benefit from our benchmarking tool (at the national, regional, or local level) or public reporting tools.

Paired with our expertise in market research, product development, strategic planning, and branding and marketing, these extensive tools can support any destination to regenerate its tourism industry.

Take a look at our newly published ebook for destination managers who are wondering where to start to develop sustainable tourism:

Would you be interested to know more?  Contact Alison Burgh at alison@acorntourism.co.uk or +44 1580 879970.