Travel to See and Save the World

Social responsibility is a growing concern in businesses around the globe, especially in travel. Ecotourism is one of the fastest growing segments of the industry. Some travel suppliers have gone beyond the casual call of duty, changing their business practices to address issues beyond the impact of tourism, to become leaders other companies are beginning to emulate.

World Savers Congress

Many of those companies were honored this week at Condé Nast Traveler’s World Savers Congress 2008, which took place in New York City on Tuesday, Sept. 24. This was the second year for the event, which is an outgrowth of the magazine’s Environmental Award, a 14-year tradition that recognizes individuals who are fighting to preserve the natural beauty of their homelands and protect their communities.

For a list of all award winners, speaker highlights and panel discussions, check out Concierge.com's Daily Traveler blog, written by Traveler staffers who posted updates throughout the day. Onsite commentary can be found on Twitter @ NerdsEyeView. Type in #wsc for related tweets.

The Business of Being Green

I was fortunate to have attended the event, and in addition to being wowed by the winners and speakers, was particularly interested in the Consumer panel, moderated by Wendy Perrin, Condé Nast Traveler’s consumer news editor and author of the popular blog, The Perrin Post.

Essentially, the group addressed whether social responsibility is smart business—in terms of whether a company’s social practices will influence travel consumers’ decisions. Panelists included Robert Katz, CEO of Vail Resorts; Sven Lindblad, founder and president of Lindblad Expeditions; Adam Steward, CEO of Sandals Resorts International; Tensie Whelan, executive director of the Rainforest Alliance; and Andrea Ross, director of tours and marketing of Journeys Within, an operator in Cambodia.

The panelists have incorporated several socially responsible practices into their businesses, from saving $4,000 per year and helping the environment by replacing plastic amenities bottles with refillable dispensers, to using solar panels and converting cooking oil into biofuel, and more.

Do Customers Even Care?

Some of these practices come at a cost though—not just in terms of the direct cost of implementing them, but the indirect costs of potentially turning guests off. Will someone who pays upwards of $1,000 per night for a suite balk at being asked to contribute to a local charity or want to get their soap and shampoo from a dispenser? Will average travelers think that if a property goes green, that means roughing it, backpacker style, and they’ll go elsewhere?

Ross said her well-heeled guests, not the average or budget travelers, were the ones most interested in her company’s practices and wanted to chip in, not just when on site, but even before their trips. Vail’s Katz said one of his pet peeves is walking into an empty hotel room and seeing all the lights and TV on, but acknowledged that there are plenty of guests who prefer to enter a well-lit room for safety concerns. Lindblad noted that the health of the community or destination needs to be in good condition in order for the business environment to be healthy, but that idea isn’t always instinctive.

Environmental Tipping Point

Still, it seems more people than not say they prefer to patronize companies that practice social responsibility and have incorporated green practices into their business models, at least according to several recent polls. Perrin wanted to know whether we’ve reached a tipping point where travelers make decisions based on environmental and human considerations. If not, how far away are we from that point?

What do you think? Are you more likely to use a hotel, restaurant or tour company that has green practices and contributes back to its community, even if that means paying a premium or cutting back on some comforts? Do you think it depends on the traveler’s economic situation? Their education level? Something else?

Let us know!