Southeast Tourism Society Spring Conference 2010

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Southeast Tourism SocietySpring Conference 2010

• Commissioner Susan Whitaker
• Tennessee Department of
• Tourist Development
• Susan.whitaker_at_tn.gov
• www.tnsustainabletourism.com
• www.tnvacation.com/green

March 23, 2010
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What is Sustainable Tourism?

• Sustaining theenvironment,culture and heritage
  of a region while at the same time sustaining
  the economic growththrough tourism.

Cades Cove - Great Smoky Mountains
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Why Should We care?

• Economic Benefits
• Townies
• Tourists
• Business
• Recruitment
• Its all inter-related!

Tourism is an Economic Engine 14.4 Billion
Industry in TN
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Economic Boost to Your Local Community

• Affluent, educated and higher-end travelers are
  the most sustainability-oriented.
• Source U.S. Travel Association and
  YPartnerships TravelHorizons

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What Should We Do As Tourism Leaders?

• Define Objective
• Tourism businesses become sustainable, one
  step at a time.
• Create Industry Awareness
• Generate buy-in with all stakeholders
• Inclusivity - demonizing NOT allowed

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What Should We Do As Tourism Leaders?

• Educational Component
• Town Hall Forums
• Sustainable Tourism Workshops
• GeoGreen Webinars
• Provide Resources
• Expertise
• Best Practices / Case Studies
• Sustainable Tourism Toolbox
• Funding Opportunities

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Develop Critical Partnerships

• Key to Credibility Sponsorship
• Governor and Cabinet
• National sustainability leaders - National
  Geographic
• State Congressional leadership
• State and local sustainability leaders
• Local political leaders
• Local industry leaders

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Tennessees Approach

• Great Smoky Mountains Sustainable Tourism
  Summit April 2008 Knoxville, TN
• Go for the Gold!
• Get the Talk Right!

Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary of the InteriorU.S.
Senator Lamar Alexander
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Strategy

• Create an initiative with sizzle and substance
• Define target markets critical to success
• Give credit where credit is due!

University of TN Students GSM Summit - April 2008
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FundingWho Paid For This?

• Attendees
• Sponsorships
• Resource Fair (Pay to Play)

Sustainable Resource FairGSM Summit - April 2008
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Tennessees Sustainable Tourism Initiative

• Program Accomplishments
• Created an open forum
• Generated growing awareness
• Grassroots level results
• Award winning program
• National model for sustainable tourism planning

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Program Accomplishments

• Tennessee Sustainable Tourism Initiative
  recognized by U.S. Travel Association as a best
  practice for sustainable tourism planning
  travelgreen.org.

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Program Accomplishments

• STS Shining Example Award for Tourism for
  Tomorrow
• Tnsustainabletourism.com and tnvacation.com/green
  rank in the top 10 Google search results for
  keywords sustainabletourism and sustainable
  travel

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The Ripple Effect

• ARC Gems of Appalachia grants announced and
  awarded in 2008, 2009 and 2010. - grants to
  promote sustainable tourism in the gateway
  communities of TN and NC
• RubyFalls receives TNCET grant for installation
  of solar panels. - Tennessee Department of
  Economic and Community Developments
  Office of Energy Policy grant.

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The Ripple Effect

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Do Your
  Part visitor campaign
• 1st Green Certification program launched in
  Chattanooga
• Unicoi County implements sustainable tourism
  development plan and community training workshops
• Gateway Green Blount, Sevier, Cocke

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Program Accomplishments

• Sustainable Tourism Summit
• Industry Web site launched (16,125 page
  views)www.tnsustainabletourism.com
• Eco-friendly toolbox print and online 1,000
  distributed

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Program Accomplishments

• Green travel planning website launched for
  consumers www.tnvacation.com/green
• 7,027 page views since launch in May 2009

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Program Accomplishments

• Sustaining our Heritage
• Tennessee Civil War Trails Program
• Launched Civil War website www.tncivilwar150.co
  m
• 10,677 page views since
  launch on February 2010.
  Ranks in top 20 pages viewed.

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Program Accomplishments

• 5 statewide sustainable tourism educational
  workshops
• 6 GeoGreen Webinarsin 2009
• 5 webinars planned for Spring / Summer 2010

Upper Cumberland Workshop Baxter, TN - June 2009
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Industry Sustainable Tourism Accomplishments

• 1st new LEED certified hotel opens - Gatlinburg
• Ruby Falls 1st attraction in U.S. to be Green
  Globe certified
• Ripley From Red to Green - sustainable tourism
  revitalization plan
• Chattanoogas Green Lodging Certification Program
  - 1st U.S. based program fully recognized by
  Green Globe

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Industry Sustainable Tourism Accomplishments

• Cooper Hotels plans solar for two existing TN
  hotels while challenging other properties to lead
  by example through solar
• Gatlinburg Green receives 75 participation from
  local businesses in green certification program
• Deaderick Street named TNs 1st green street 5
  million investment

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Industry Sustainable Tourism Accomplishments

• Greener Welcome at TN Welcome Centers new
  Lookout Valley I-24 Welcome Center utilizes
  Geothermal
• Tennessee State Parks offers eco-friendly LEED
  certified cabins Montgomery Bell State Park
• Festivals Go Green!- Bonnaroo, Manchester-
  Secret City Festival, Oak Ridge- River and
  Spires Festival, Clarksville

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Industry Sustainable Tourism Accomplishments

• Solar America Cities Project - Knoxville selected
  to join project
• Tennessees 1st solar powered convention center
  Knoxville Convention Center in planning phase to
  implement solar
• Largest green roof in Chattanooga planned at the
  Creative Discovery Museum

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Whats Next for 2010?

• Continue partnership with TDEC
• Geo-Green Webinars
• EPA Funding Source Reduction Grant to develop
  Statewide Green Certification Program for
  Tennessees Tour and Travel Industry

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Sustainable Tourism Makes Both Dollars Sense
At the end of the day, most green business
activity isor should beabout making companies,
and economies, more resilient and competitive.
That seems to me to be a recipe for success
during good times and bad. Green can make sense
when times are toughand even because times are
tough. Joel Makower, Author Strategies
for the Green Economy Source Thinking Green
in a Blue Economy (October, 2008)
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• Tennessee Department of Tourist Development
• Susan Whitaker, Commissioner
• susan.whitaker_at_tn.gov
• tnsustainabletourism.com
• tnvacation.com/green
• tncivilwar150.com