I hope sustainability will evolve beyond being just a buzzword, unlike the word “tech,” which is frequently combined with other words (e.g., FinTech, HRtech, MarTech, etc.).
I believe that sustainability should encompass a deeper meaning and play a more significant role.
Additionally, it is crucial to steer clear of greenwashing practices, as seen with examples like Coca-Cola‘s “Coca-Cola Life” and Delta Airlines’ false carbon-neutrality claims.
I found a study that claims
“Tourism is responsible for roughly 8% of the world’s carbon emissions. The carbon footprint of tourism is comprised not only of transport but also of the energy and commodities purchased by travelers, including food, souvenirs, and accommodation.”
The golf industry is already embracing positive initiatives for sustainable golf tourism.
DP World Tour has launched an app to assist spectators to be more responsible this year. This tool is designed to help fans calculate and offset their greenhouse gas emissions when traveling to and from tournaments.
The other app is a player travel emissions tracker (to be launched in 2025; with support from the GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation), empowering golfers to track, calculate, and offset their travel-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across tournaments.
Before we delve into today’s important news, let’s take a moment to establish a clear understanding of sustainable tourism.
Sustainable tourism encompasses sustainable practices within the tourism industry. Its primary objective is to mitigate negative impacts (e.g. overcrowding) while optimizing positive ones (job creation, cultural heritage preservation and interpretation, wildlife preservation landscape restoration, and more).
IGTM & GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation partnership
This partnership aims to promote the advancement of sustainable tourism practices.
Both IGTM and the GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation will align their missions to drive positive environmental, social, and economic impacts by providing leadership and support to the global tourism sector.
Key objectives of the partnership:
- Promote Sustainable Tourism: IGTM and GEO will work together to raise awareness about the importance of sustainability in golf tourism, encouraging industry stakeholders to adopt responsible practices that benefit both the environment and local communities.
- Support Sustainable Golf Development: The partnership will emphasise developing and maintaining golf courses that meet the highest standards of environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and resource efficiency.
- Educational Initiatives: IGTM will integrate GEO’s expertise into its events, offering educational sessions, workshops, and resources highlighting the latest trends and best practices in sustainable golf tourism.
- Certification and Recognition: IGTM will help bring added promotion and visibility to resorts and venues that have earned the GEO Certified® label for leadership in sustainable golf.
In addition, work is underway to better quantify and reduce the environmental and climate impact of the event itself, including a comprehensive carbon emissions baseline for the 2024 event.