Water-resilience strategies for sustainable tourism
As the Travel & Tourism sector grapples with the increasing threat of water scarcity and the broader implications of climate change, tourism resilience is becoming a primary focus. Hence, adopting effective water conservation strategies is crucial, not only to safeguard business operations but also to enhance sustainable tourism and community relations. Implementing these strategies can help mitigate the environmental impact of tourism, ensuring long-term viability. Additionally, sharing eco-friendly travel tips with tourists can further support water conservation efforts, promoting responsible behaviour and contributing to the overall resilience of the sector.
Understanding risks
Businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), must first understand the various water-related risks including physical risks, such as water scarcity and extreme weather events, and transition risks, like new regulations and market shifts driven by environmental concerns. For example, a hotel in a drought-prone area must plan for potential water shortages, while a coastal resort might need to prepare for the impacts of rising sea levels and more frequent storms.
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As the Travel & Tourism sector grapples with the increasing threat of water scarcity and the broader implications of climate change, tourism resilience is becoming a primary focus. Hence, adopting effective water conservation strategies is crucial, not only to safeguard business operations but also to enhance sustainable tourism and community relations. Implementing these strategies can help mitigate the environmental impact of tourism, ensuring long-term viability. Additionally, sharing eco-friendly travel tips with tourists can further support water conservation efforts, promoting responsible behaviour and contributing to the overall resilience of the sector.
Understanding risks
Businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), must first understand the various water-related risks including physical risks, such as water scarcity and extreme weather events, and transition risks, like new regulations and market shifts driven by environmental concerns. For example, a hotel in a drought-prone area must plan for potential water shortages, while a coastal resort might need to prepare for the impacts of rising sea levels and more frequent storms.
To effectively manage these risks, businesses should conduct thorough assessments of their water dependencies and impacts across their operations and supply chains. This involves evaluating how water scarcity or quality issues could disrupt services, increase costs, or damage reputations.
Implementation of water-saving technologies
Innovations such as low-flow fixtures, high-efficiency appliances, and smart irrigation systems can significantly reduce water consumption. For instance, Air France-KLM Group has implemented Ecoshine, a cleaning technology that reduces water usage for aircraft washing by 99%, demonstrating the potential for substantial water savings through technological innovation.
Hotels and resorts can benefit from sustainable landscaping practices. Using native and drought-tolerant plants, installing rainwater harvesting systems, and employing greywater recycling are effective ways to conserve water. These measures not only reduce water use but also enhance the resilience of the landscape to climate variability.
Integrating water management into sustainability strategies
Setting science-based water targets, monitoring water use, and regularly reporting progress are essential steps to incorporate water management strategy into sustainability practices. The Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) and the UN Global Compact CEO Water Mandate offer frameworks and guidelines to help businesses set and achieve these targets.
SMEs should establish dedicated teams or appoint water focal points to oversee water-related initiatives. These roles are crucial for coordinating efforts, ensuring compliance with regulations, and fostering a culture of water stewardship within the organisation.
Building water resilience also requires collaboration with various stakeholders, including local communities, government agencies, and industry partners. Collective action can amplify the impact of individual efforts and lead to more sustainable outcomes. For example, the Forward Faster platform and its Water Resilience target aim to achieve Net Positive Water Impact (NPWI) in water-stressed basins worldwide.
Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are particularly effective in addressing water challenges at scale. These collaborations can facilitate the sharing of resources and expertise, driving innovations in water management and infrastructure development. Involving local communities in these efforts ensures that initiatives are aligned with local needs and conditions, fostering greater acceptance and long-term success.
Numerous Travel & Tourism businesses have already made significant strides in building water resilience. For instance, hotels participating in programmes like Clean the World’s Hospitality Recycling Program can track and share their water-saving results, promoting transparency and encouraging further efforts across the sector.
As water-related challenges intensify, SMEs must prioritise water resilience. Understanding water-related risks, implementing water-saving technologies, integrating water management into corporate strategies, and fostering partnerships are critical steps in this direction. By adopting these strategies, businesses can not only protect their operations but also contribute to the sustainability of the destinations, ensuring a resilient future for the sector and the communities.
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