This question was raised at the inspirational International Centre for Responsible Tourism Global launch in London on November 4th, 2024. The conference was filled with many superb examples of what is being done, yet there was agreement that there is still too much inaction within the industry. Education was cited as a crucial solution to this problem, and that is what ICRT Global aims to solve and I am honoured to be invited as an ICRT special advisor.
We know what needs to be done. We even know how to do it. Yet, meaningful and timely action in the tourism sector, especially among non-corporates, remains delayed. So, what’s standing in the way?
From my experience working with SME hospitality business owners, there are several key factors at play.
First, there is the "why" and the "what makes sense where you are". While many businesses understand the importance of sustainability, they struggle to connect it to their specific context. We need to activate more focused conversations about what sustainability means for your location and what actions would have the greatest impact. Business values, budget constraints, and time capacity also vary greatly, and each requires tailored solutions.
Another common barrier seems to revolve around fear—a fear that not “enough” has been achieved, that not “everything” within the business has already been transformed into a truly sustainable offer. It is understandable that many SMEs worry that celebrating their sustainability wins might draw attention to areas where they are still falling short, but every business struggles with this dilemma. That should not translate as a reason, dare I say an excuse, to do nothing. Let’s acknowledge that this hesitation really stems from feeling overwhelmed by how much more there is to do.
Breaking the largely nebulous “sustainability” conversation down into manageable pieces is the only way to get moving, and that starts with asking the right questions. You can find these in this self-paced short course.
It is crucial to start somewhere—after all, small wins are still wins. We need the courage to share what we are doing well, while openly acknowledging that there is more work to do. We must transparently – and confidently – outline our plan to get there. Not one business has ever become 100% sustainable overnight. It is a journey, a continuous process, with no defined finish line.
The upcoming EU Green Claims Directive is not helping to mitigate this fear. If anything, it is compounding the confusion, especially during this phase when the details of what it will contain remain undefined. This too, however, should not stop business owners confidently taking steps forwards. If you are generating positive impact, however small (it could be simply committing to reducing food waste at breakfast); learning from action that didn’t go as well as expected (maybe the hiking clothing exchange you thought would be a winner just didn’t take off); and are clear that you have an important role to play in creating a better destination to live in and to visit (we ALL have a role to play!), then whatever the Directive says when it comes out will only support your transparent and authentic approach to sustainability. And you will also find that you have a strong head start over those who deliberated for too long.
Another factor that inhibits action is that sustainability isn’t high enough on the priority list for many SMEs. Juggling daily commitments, small teams, and limited resources, many owners feel stretched thin, and long-term sustainability efforts can seem like another burden.
So what is the solution?
What is needed is a shift in mindset, actually it is simpler than that. It is as easy as putting on reading glasses. It is to commit to applying a lens of sustainability to every business decision that is made. That is essentially the true definition of sustainability, applying intentional, responsible decision-making to everything your business requires you to take a decision on. From décor to HR, sustainability is not a separate task, or an afterthought, it needs to become the lens through which all business decisions are made.
This mindset shift is the most important first step. It requires asking different questions about supply chains, recruitment, marketing, and operations. Many SMEs feel too small to make a difference, but that crippling perspective must change. Every action counts, and collective small changes add up to significant impact.
We need to intentionally eliminate unsustainable options in all areas of our business, as well as empowering staff to support responsible business practices. The Norwegian tourist board does this well by embedding sustainability into every facet of their tourism strategy. If every business owner embraced this approach, we could see the ripple effect of change across the industry.
To create lasting change, we need this kind of choice architecture to become mainstream. We know we need a systems change, we know that the extractive, growth-dependent tourism model must evolve into one that fosters connection and care for both people and places. Fortunately, mindsets are shifting, and there are communities globally coming together to design the future they want.
Hospitality providers have a unique opportunity to lead this movement, not only by offering better, more meaningful experiences that benefit both guests and hosts in deeper ways, but also through education at all those touchpoints that are found as someone sleeps, eats, and rests at your property.
So, let your takeaway from this blog be just one thing – to intentionally apply that lens of sustainability to every new decision you take for your business.
That “responsible lens” questions the way things have always been done and gets curious about how it can be done better, all the while committing to eliminating any business operations that are inherently unsustainable in nature.
I, along with many others, am committed to driving this change. But the uptake needs to accelerate and at the risk of sounding cliché, there is no better time to act than now.
This article questions whether too much hope is stopping us from taking action. It challenges us by saying: “If you are not alarmed at what is happening to the forests, oceans, ice-caps, cities, farms and supermarkets, then you are not paying enough attention.”
It also talks about “placebo hope”, a hope where we collectively pat each other on the shoulder and say everything will be ok. It won’t be ok. We need to change our lens now, to everything we do and every decision we take.
As simple and effective as putting on reading glasses, this lens is free, does not eat into your time, and can be applied immediately therefore eliminating many of the arguments I hear around sustainability inaction.
I invite you to try out your new lens today and ask if you are truly applying responsible decision making to every decision you take.
Download the prospectus here for ICRT Global courses starting in 2025, and meanwhile get a headstart in accelerating change by tailoring your own sustainability journey with the Marketing Sustainability self-paced short course.
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