Fourth International Conference on Tourism and Leisure Studies

Abstract

Bioregional’s One Planet Living Framework and the Blue Community Community Strategies joined forces to develop a new model for sustainable tourism. The One Planet Living framework is used around the world including the London Olympics and at Villages Nature, which is recognized as the most sustainable tourism resort in the world, The Blue Community strategies were co-developed with the Walt Disney Co. Animal, Science, and Environment Team and have proved cost effective and scalable from a small bed and breakfast to a large Walt Disney World. A pilot program is currently underway in Anna Maria Island, FL and New Smyrna Beach to demonstrate this new model through collaboration of hotel resorts, restaurants, and attractions. Tourism is challenged today to respond to a planet under pressure from several issues including but not limited to climate change, ocean acidificaiton, fresh water use, phosphate nitrogen overload, aerosol pollution, land use change, and biodiversity loss. The need is to develop and implement a Sustainability Management Plant with a lower ecological footprint. It has been noted that if everyone lived like the average European, we would need three planets to sustain that lifestyle. If they lived like the average North American we would need 5 to 6 planets. The challenge of this pilot will be to decrease our ecological footprint close to one planet, to better protect our coastal habitat and marine environment, to reduce our operating costs, and increase our market share and profitability.