Workshop on Eco-labeling in Latin America, Brazil, 19 & 20 august 2010
Case-study: Case-study: sustainable sustainable
tourism in Francetourism in France
Sabine Nascinguerra
France
Workshop on Eco-labeling in Latin America, Brazil, 19 & 20 august 20102
Rendez-vous en FranceRendez-vous en France
Tourism in Europe and especially in France is a very important activity :
for the French who choose to spend their holidays « at home »,for foreigners who come to visit and stay
Thus, since the 1990s, France became the first tourist destination in the world and it still was in 2009 :
Range Country International Tourist Arrival
1 France 81,7 million
2 Spain 60,3 million
3 USA 55,0 million
4 China 54,7 million
42 Brazil 5,0 million
Source : UNWTO World Tourism Barometer
Workshop on Eco-labeling in Latin America, Brazil, 19 & 20 august 20103
Tourism in FranceTourism in France
With 17 300 hotels, offering 612 500 rooms, 7 500 campsites, representing 707 300 places
France has a very good accomodation capacity
But also a huge impact on the environment :
These impacts are aggravated by theirseasonal occurrence (summer and school holidays) spatial concentration (coast, mountain, some cities, a few large sites).
Workshop on Eco-labeling in Latin America, Brazil, 19 & 20 august 20104
Luckily, attitudes are changing !Luckily, attitudes are changing !
Tourists start looking for more sustainable vacations, especially North-Europeans
Hotel and camping owners start feeling concerned about environmental issues
Special tourist-guides dedicated to sustainable tourism in France have been published since 2008 :
Workshop on Eco-labeling in Latin America, Brazil, 19 & 20 august 20105
French and international Eco-labels
The interest in sustainable tourism is steadily growing.
That’s the reason why more and more « Eco-labels » have been appearing in France :
Workshop on Eco-labeling in Latin America, Brazil, 19 & 20 august 20106
But too many labels bring confusion …But too many labels bring confusion …
Most of the tourists don’t know the meanings of local labels
According to each label, the environmental criteria are more or less strict, and not always verified by an independent organization
That’s why a single European Ecolabel helps to make environmental certification :
more crediblemore comprehensible
“The flower”-label concerns several products and 2 services : it is more and more present in the European consumers life
easy to remember !
Workshop on Eco-labeling in Latin America, Brazil, 19 & 20 august 20107
EU-ecolabel for tourist-accomodation : a slow EU-ecolabel for tourist-accomodation : a slow beginning, but growing fast!beginning, but growing fast!
2003 : European Ecolabel for tourist accommodation service
2005 : European Ecolabel for campsite service
From 2003 to 2005 : 0 certification in France
2006 : 1st certification of a little hotel “Les Orangeries”
2008 : first french certification for a big campsite : “Le Col Vert” at the Atlantic-coast
In 2010 : 392 European tourist accommodations and 68 campsites are certified with “the Flower”, including 80 sites in France (2nd place after Italy with 200 certified sites)and 30 sites in Switzerland : non-EU country using “The Flower”
Workshop on Eco-labeling in Latin America, Brazil, 19 & 20 august 2010
Specific economic, social and
environmental benefits :
some examples
Workshop on Eco-labeling in Latin America, Brazil, 19 & 20 august 20109
Consumptions and waste production in hotels with and without ecolabel :
Average 3 star hotel ***
/overnight stay
3 star hotel with ecolabel***
/overnight stay
Energy 83.5 kWh 34.2 kWh
(- 60 %)
Water 424 l 210 l
(- 50 %)
Waste 2 kg 0,8 kg
(- 60 %)
Workshop on Eco-labeling in Latin America, Brazil, 19 & 20 august 201010
Hotel Bastide de CalalouHotel Bastide de CalalouProvence : descriptionProvence : description
42-room hotel, owned by a belgian couple
Special environment : located on the territory of the Natural Regional Park of the Verdon, in a protected area
Certified “Hôtel au naturel” since 2006
Certified « The flower » since July 2009
Workshop on Eco-labeling in Latin America, Brazil, 19 & 20 august 201011
Economic benefits :Reduced their water-consumption by 50 % by installing low-flow shower heads and aerators on taps Costs : 100 €Benefits : 1500 € during the first 6 month
Environmental benefits :Improved his energy-efficiency by
replacing all standard light-bulbs by compact fluorescent lamps or LEDsincreasing the poor insulation under the roof of the old building
Reduces waste by removing all disposal toiletries (not refillable soap…) and all single dose packages for food services
Social advantage :Strengthen team spirit of the whole staff
Hotel Bastide de Calalou : Hotel Bastide de Calalou : economic, social and environmental benefitseconomic, social and environmental benefits
Workshop on Eco-labeling in Latin America, Brazil, 19 & 20 august 201012
Camping « La Rivière »Camping « La Rivière »La Vézère-Valley, south-ouest FranceLa Vézère-Valley, south-ouest France
120 place camp site with a little hotel, managed by the Dalbavie family (parents and 2 daughters)
Special environment : located in the prehistoric site of the Vézère valley : UNESCO World Heritage since 1979
Newly certified EU-ecolabel in june 2010
Workshop on Eco-labeling in Latin America, Brazil, 19 & 20 august 201013
Camping « La Rivière »Camping « La Rivière »economic, social and environmental benefitseconomic, social and environmental benefits
Environmental benefits :Rainwater-recycling and solar water heating system were already in place, as well as an electric carReduction of disinfectants as much as possibleSugar single dose at the café and for breakfast were banned and replaced by a distributor
Economic benefits :The owners did not specially look for economic benefits, but they hope that “being the first Ecolabel camp site of the department” will increase their notoriety
Social advantage :Strengthen the role of the daugthers (they implemented most of the ecolabel criteria) in the family business« La Rivière » is now at the origine of a new collectif operation : 10 other local camp sites decided to go together for « the Flower » in 2010/2011 !
Workshop on Eco-labeling in Latin America, Brazil, 19 & 20 august 201014
The « welcom kit » for mobil home rentals :before and after eco-labelling
Toilet paper + garbage bag
Sponge
Recyclable Waste
separation bag
Coffee filter
Matches
Little soap
Shampoo
Disinfectant
Workshop on Eco-labeling in Latin America, Brazil, 19 & 20 august 201015
Hôtel « Ville d’hiver »Atlantic coast, bay of Arcachon
Newly constructed 12-room hotel with upscale restaurant, massage, beauty salon, piscine, owned by the chef and his wife
Special environment : old quarter of the town of Arcachon with villas of the 19th century ,
Certified in january 2010
Workshop on Eco-labeling in Latin America, Brazil, 19 & 20 august 201016
Hôtel Ville d’Hiver: Hôtel Ville d’Hiver: environmental and other benefitsenvironmental and other benefits
Environmental benefits :All ecolabel criteria were taken into account during construction in 2008/09 :
Rainwater is collected in a 10 m3 reserve and recycled for watering the plantsCarpets and indoor paintings are eco-friendly and come from ISO14001 certified suppliers Bicycles are offered to guests for non-motorized visitsAn automatic system turns off the air conditioning and heating of rooms when windows are open About 10 organic grown wines are on the wine list
Economic benefits :Eco-conditionality : the local government awarded a grant after verifying that environmental criteria were met during the construction of the building From the beginning, water and energy costs will be about 50 % lower than in “common” hotels
Social advantage :Team improvement : the young staff gets more involved and is enthousiastic about working in a company that cares about environmental issuesThe waiter told me that she was more serious about separating recyclable waste… at home !
Workshop on Eco-labeling in Latin America, Brazil, 19 & 20 august 201017
Ecolabel can also bring some unexpected marketing opportunities with new partners
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