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The Ecotourism Industry and theSustainable Tourism Eco-Certification
Program (STEP)

Amy Hansen
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND PACIFIC STUDIESUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
Prepared for Professor Peter Gourevitch
Edited by Jennifer Cheng, MPIA 2008
Corporate Social Responsibility
Winter 2007
Abstract:
During the past fifteen years, the ecotourism industry has increasingly turned to ecotourism
certification as a tool to increase its legitimacy and visibility. But the rapid proliferation of a
myriad of certification schemes has instead increased consumer confusion about the meaning of
ecotourism and reduced consumer confidence in the sector. As a result, efforts to harmonize
certification programs and create an international accreditation body have been undertaken inrecent years, including the Rainforest Alliance’s recent proposal for a Sustainable Tourism
Stewardship Council. This paper takes a closer look at one certification program in particular—
the Sustainable Tourism Eco-Certification Program (STEP)—and evaluates its potential to serve
as a model certification program for the industry. It also looks more broadly at the entire
ecotourism industry and seeks to determine whether certification is good for the sector. My
findings indicate that overall, certification strengthens the ecotourism industry, but the lack of aninternational accreditation body and the existence of weak certification programs poses a
significant threat to ecotourism certification. Additionally, I conclude that the STEP program is athoughtfully-designed, largely credible certification program which, despite offering acertification option based on self-reporting, is working within the limitations of the ecotourism
market and represents step in the right direction for the future of ecotourism certification.

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Table of Contents
I. Introduction...........................................................................................................................3
II. The Ecotourism Industry.....................................................................................................4
A. Definitions ..........................................................................................................................4
B. Industry Evolution ..............................................................................................................5
C. Types of Certification Programs .........................................................................................7
D. Harmonization Attempts.....................................................................................................8
E. Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council ........................................................................10
F. Sustainable Tourism Certification Network of the Americas..............................................11
III. Certification Program Case Study: STEP.......................................................................12
A. Standards..........................................................................................................................14
B. STEP Certification Process 15
C. Monitoring Process ..........................................................................................................17
D. Sanctions ........................................................................................................................19
E. Logo Usage and Expiration ..............................................................................................20
F. Fee Structure ....................................................................................................................20
G. Program Assessment ........................................................................................................22
H. Organizational Credibility................................................................................................23
IV. Additional considerations for the Ecotourism Industry..................................................25
V. Conclusions and Reflections ..............................................................................................27
VI. Discussion Questions.........................................................................................................29
VII. References........................................................................................................................30
IX. Appendix...........................................................................................................................32

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I. Introduction
Tourism is simply defined as “the practice of traveling for recreation”.1 As the largest businesssector in the world economy, tourism employs 200 million people, generates $3.6 trillion ineconomic activity, and accounts for one in every 12 jobs worldwide.2 The tourism industry is
especially important to developing countries since it is the principal foreign exchange earner for
83% of developing countries.3 But in contrast to the enjoyment of tourism and the beauty of thedestinations it serves, it can be as destructive as traditional extractive industries such as logging
and mining. Tourism requires a great deal of infrastructure—including hotels, roads, parking lots,
and restaurants—which typically brings with it a number of negative consequences, such asincreased pollution levels, the destruction of natural habitats, the displacement of natural wildlife
and undesirable influences to once remote cultures. Ecotourism provides a sustainable alternative
to conventional tourism and has continued to gain momentum over the last two decades. In
particular, certification is increasingly used by the ecotourism industry in an effort to enhance thecredibility of the sector and raise consumer awareness. The Sustainable Tourism Eco-tourism
Program (STEP) is new certification program which was developed because “the industry wasn’t
moving in the right direction as quickly as it needed to be.”4 This paper seeks to evaluate thestrength and credibility of the STEP program and answer the broader question – is certification
good for the ecotourism industry?

1

Merriam-Webster Dictionary http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/tourism
TIES fact sheet:
http://www.ecotourism.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/eco_template.aspx?articleid=15&zoneid=2
3
Ibid
4
Telephone Interview with Peter Krahenbuhl, Vice President of STI: 2/17/07
2

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II. The Ecotourism Industry
A. Definitions
In an effort to reduce the negative impacts of conventional tourism, more environmentally andsocially conscientious approaches to tourism have been promoted, typically referred to as
ecotourism and sustainable tourism, though other terms such as responsible tourism, naturebased tourism, green tourism, and alternative tourism are also used. The International
Ecotourism Society (TIES) defines ecotourism as “responsible travel to natural areas thatconserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people”, and defines sustainable
travel as “tourism that meets the needs of present tourist and host regions while protecting andenhancing opportunities for the future”.5 Unlike TIES, Rainforest Alliance makes a point ofclassifying ecotourism within the larger concept of sustainable tourism, and defines ecotourism
as “a type of sustainable tourism that emphasizes conserving nature and improving the lives of
local people in rural and wilderness areas.”6 Despite the fact that sustainable tourism is thebroader of the two terms, ecotourism is the term used most widely throughout the industry andthe literature and therefore will be the term most commonly used throughout this paper.
According to TIES, ecotourism is based on the following principles:7

5•

minimizing impact•

building environmental and cultural awareness and respect•

providing positive experiences for both visitors and hosts•

providing direct financial benefits for conservation

TIES website:
http://www.ecotourism.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/eco_template.aspx?articleid=95&zoneid=2
6
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/tourism.cfm?id=terms
7
TIES website

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•

providing financial benefits and empowerment for local people•raising sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, and social climate

B. Industry Evolution
The ecotourism movement has continued to gain momentum since the beginning of the global
environmental movement in the 1970s and the subsequent focus on sustainable development in
the 1980s. But it wasn’t until the early 1990s that the sustainable tourism movement began totake off, in part due to the establishment of the International Ecotourism Society (TIES) in 1990,
and the 1992 United Nations Rio Earth Summit in which 178 governments signed onto a numberof environmental initiatives, including Agenda 21, “a comprehensive plan of action to be taken
globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the United Nations System, Governments,and Major Groups in every area in which human impacts on the environment.”8 More recently,
the United Nations declared 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism, and held a World
Ecotourism Summit in Quebec, Canada which brought together some 1,200 participants fromaround the world.9

Growing interest in ecotourism led to corresponding growth in the number of organizations
seeking to take part in its development, with their roles typically including research, education,technical assistance, promotion and networking. While these organizations have madesignificant contributions to the ecotourism movement, inconsistencies in their ecotourism
standards and practices have not only led to confusion about the meaning of ecotourism, but also
a number of cases of “green washing” by tourism venues who claim to be following the
89

http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/documents/agenda21/index.htm
World Tourism Organization: http://www.world-tourism.org/sustainable/IYE-Main-Menu.htm

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principles of ecotourism, but in the most lenient (and often questionable) of interpretations.
Currently there is no regulation which limits claims such as “green”, “eco-friendly” and so on,
and with the many definitions for sustainability and ecotourism it is a difficult industry to
regulate. Even when governments do take an active role in regulating claims, their reach islimited to national boundaries, which is inefficient due to the international nature of the tourism
industry.10

In an effort to bring more legitimacy to the ecotourism movement, the use of certification as aneffective implementation and verification tool gained widespread support, and a number ofcertification programs were quickly developed. In the decade between the 1992 Earth Summit
and the 2002 International Year of Ecotourism, more than 60 “green” certification programs
were developed, mostly in Europe. Today, the Center on Ecotourism and Sustainable
Development (CESD) estimates that there close to 80 “green” tourism certification programs,with new programs being developed in countries in Latin America, Asia, and to a lesser extent
Africa. 11 Most are nationally-based and only certify accommodations, but programs haveincreasingly been developed for other aspects of the tourism industry, including parks, beaches,
guides, tour operators and transportation. Instead of bringing more credibility to the ecotourism
movement, however, this rapid increase in ecotourism certifiers, each with its own standards andpractices, instead led to growing confusion among travelers and suspicion regarding thecredibility of the different certification programs.

10
11

Font, Xavier (2001)
CESD: http://www.ecotourismcesd.org/webarticles/anmviewer.asp?a=3&z=2

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C. Types of Certification Programs
Certification programs within the tourism industry are all voluntary, market-driven initiatives,
meaning that companies choose to be certified and consumers pick labeled products. The term
certification, as it is used within the ecotourism industry, is defined as follows: “A procedure that
audits and gives written assurance that a facility, product, process or service meets specificstandards. It awards a logo or seal to those that meet or exceed baseline criteria or standards thatare prescribed by the program.”12 Certification programs in the ecotourism industry can bedivided into two types: process-based and performance-based. The process-based approach isbased on setting up environmental management systems (EMS) within businesses and using
these internal systems for monitoring and improving procedures and practices. Process-based
certifiers do not set performance standards, but rather award eco-labels for progress toward
internal goals, such as reducing electricity and water consumption. While on the one hand
proponents of the process-based approach contend that it is more collaborative and responsive tothe needs of companies of all sizes, critics counter that process-based approaches are more costly
to monitor and are difficult to measure and compare to general standards.13

The majority of sustainable and ecotourism certifiers follow a performance-based approach,however, which utilizes externally determined criteria and benchmarks that are applied
uniformly to all tourism venues seeking certification. Performance-based certification measuresachievement, not intent, and requires companies to meet certain thresholds within clearly definedenvironmental and social standards. The main benefits of this type of certification are its simpler

1213

Honey, Martha (2002) pp.5-6
Honey, Martha (2002) p.56

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means of monitoring performance, its lower cost, and its ability to easily make comparisonsamong certification programs. Its main drawback is its difficulty measuring the qualitative,
subjective, and often imprecise nature of many standards and criteria.14

Increasingly, certification programs have been adopting elements from both the process andperformance-based approaches to create their own hybrid approaches. For example, a company
may be required to meet performance measures such as ensuring that its toilets use no more thansix liters of water per flush, collecting and reusing rainwater, and converting all valves toeconomy flow. The company would also be required to adhere to environmental management
criteria, such as drawing up a plan of action for water-saving measures, holding yearly trainings
for staff members on the importance of water conservation, and measuring water consumption
twelve times per year. Leading experts in the field suggest that hybrid systems such as this willbe the preferred methodology in the future.15
D. Harmonization Attempts
Confusion and concerns about the legitimacy of the myriad ecotourism certification programs
has spurred efforts to establish a uniform set of principles, guidelines, and certification for
ecotourism based on sustainability standards. This has proven to be a difficult task, however, notonly due to the challenges of harmonizing programs developed in isolation from one another, butalso due to the fact that the tourism industry is a sum of many parts, including transportation,accommodation, interpretation, amenity provision and local community involvement andparticipation. Despite these challenges, it has become apparent that a lack of common standards
14
15

Honey p.53
Honey, Martha (2002) pp.57-58

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has undermined the credibility of the ecotourism movement and that steps have to be taken tofind common ground.

The first major effort taken by the ecotourism community was the organization of aninternational conference by the Institute for Policy Studies at Mohonk Mountain House in New
Paltz, New York in November, 2000. Participants from 20 countries, representing the majority of
the leading global, regional and national sustainable tourism and ecotourism certification
programs were in attendance, and together they agreed upon a framework of fundamental
components that all “green” certification programs must include. This agreement, known simply
as the Mohonk Agreement, was a significant achievement for the industry and put the wheels inmotion for further attempts at harmonization.16 Almost two years later, the 2002 United Nations
World Ecotourism Summit in Quebec led to another significant move toward harmonization—
the creation of the Quebec Declaration on Ecotourism which contained 49 specific guidelines forsustainable ecotourism development and management.17

Meanwhile, the Rainforest Alliance had begun exploring ways to effectively address the growing
problem of fragmentation among the various certification schemes. During the summer of 1999,
with financial support from the Community Relations and Philanthropic Services Program at JP
Morgan, the Rainforest Alliance conducted an initial analysis of the ecotourism industry andexisting certifiers. The study concluded that while the use of certification mechanisms is valid

16
17

CESD: http://www.ecotourismcesd.org/webarticles/anmviewer.asp?a=39&z=2
World Tourism Organization: http://www.world-tourism.org/sustainable/IYE-Main-Menu.htm

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and important, “the lack of a global accreditation body has become one of the main obstacles inturning certification into an effective tool for change.”18
E. Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council
The results of this initial study created momentum for an in-depth, eighteen-month feasibility
study which aimed to investigate the possibility of establishing an international accreditationbody for sustainable development (a need that was publicly endorsed at the World Ecotourism
Summit) and provide a fully developed implementation plan. This proposed international
accreditation19 body, the Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council (STSC), would include both
ecotourism and sustainable tourism certifiers and would “promote globally recognized, highquality certification programs for sustainable tourism and ecotourism through a process of
information sharing, marketing and assessment of standards.”20

To accomplish its objectives, the study relied heavily on participation from stakeholders,
including representatives from NGOs, certifiers, multilateral funding agencies, governmental
entities, and members of the tourism industry, who collectively made up the study’s executive
committee. The outcome of the report, which was completed in January, 2003, was a three-stage
implementation plan for the STSC which enables the Council to transition from a network, to an
association, and ultimately an accreditation body. It is important to note that despite its central

18

Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council Feasibility Study Summary: http://www.rainforestalliance.org/tourism/documents/stsc_summary.pdf
19
Accreditation is defined as “the process of qualifying and endorsing entities according that perform certificationof companies, products or services.” Honey p. 325
20
Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council Final Report, p.7: http://rainforestalliance.org/tourism/documents/final_report.pdf

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role in spearheading the feasibility study of the STSC, the Rainforest Alliance has stated fromthe beginning that it does not wish to house the potential accreditation agency in the future.21

The STSC is expected to launch in late 2007 and its responsibilities will include the following:22•

Increase credibility of sustainable tourism certification programs by ensuring thatcertification is objective and transparent•

Provide information to consumers, tour operators, and other industry players about sound,accredited certification programs•

Reduce "greenwashing" and false sustainability claims by accrediting only credible,
independent certification programs•

Help improve environmental and social standards and their implementation throughsound certification programs•

Guarantee multi-stakeholder participation in certification program development•

Guide the establishment and development of new certification programs in countries
where these are non-existent (in coordination with other programs around the world)•

Showcase certified companies as globally-recognized sound operations•

Lobby for political and financial support of accredited certification programs

F. Sustainable Tourism Certification Network of the Americas
Another outcome of the study was the recommended establishment of regional networks toencourage dialogue among stakeholders and act as a resource for certification information. The

21

22

Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council Feasibility Study Summary
Rainforest Alliance Certification FAQ: http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/tourism.cfm?id=questions_certification

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first regional network, the Sustainable Tourism Certification Network of the Americas, waslaunched in late 2003 and includes all certification programs, NGOs, academic institutions andother interested parties in the Americas. The network’s stated objectives are: “establishingcommon work tools by and for member programs, creating and executing a joint marketingstrategy, and defining strategies to promote the application of best practices and certification
processes to tourism operations, especially those which are small and medium-sized.”23 Network
members agree on a set of baseline criteria for sustainable tourism which were developed byincorporating elements from existing regionally and nationally accepted standards.24
III. Certification Program Case Study: Sustainable Tourism Eco-Certification Program(STEP)
Currently, six certification programs have joined the Sustainable Tourism Certification Networkof the Americas, one of which is the Sustainable Tourism Eco-Certification Program (STEP), a
newly-developed eco-tourism certification program which utilizes elements of both the process
and performance-based approaches to certification. The STEP program was conceptualized in
2002 as part of the launch of Sustainable Travel International (STI), a nonprofit organization
located in Boulder, Colorado whose mission is to “promote sustainable development and ecofriendly travel by providing programs that help travelers and travel-related companies protect theenvironmental, socio-cultural and economic needs of the places they visit, and the planet atlarge.”25

23

Rainforest Alliance: http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/tourism.cfm?id=network
See complete list of criteria: http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/tourism/documents/baseline_criteria.pdf
25
STI website: http://www.sustainabletravelinternational.org/documents/au_mission.html
24

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Peter Krahenbuhl, Vice President of STI and one of the organization’s two full-time staff
members, explained that STI decided to develop the STEP program in response to the highprevalence of green-washing within the industry and because “the industry wasn’t moving in theright direction as quickly as it needed to be.”26 Additionally, they were eager to develop a U.S.based program since no other certification program existed in the region at the time, a situation
which has changed in recent years. In an effort to create a credible and transparent certification
program, STI decided to partner with NSF International, an independent, nonprofit organization
which has certified products and developed standards for food, water, air and consumer goods
for over 60 years.27 Over the past four years, the STEP program underwent a “pilot test” inwhich STI gathered feedback from key stakeholders in the industry regarding the design andimplementation of the program. Last year, STI and NSF completed a six month pilot launch of
the program which lasted from April through October, 2006. The STEP program was officiallylaunched in February, 2007.28
STEP is an educational-based, voluntary certification program designed for hoteliers, tour
operators, attractions and transportation service providers within the global travel and tourism
industry. It encompasses environmental, economic, and socio-cultural aspects of the travel andtourism industry and is designed to assist tourism providers in continuously improving theiroperating standards. It aims to benefit consumers, resource managers, host communities, andtravel and tourism providers by enhancing the triple bottom line of economic profitability,
respect for the environment and social responsibility. STI asserts that companies benefit from
eco-certification in three main areas—improved profitability though cost savings resulting from26

Telephone Interview with Peter Krahenbuhl, Vice President of STI
NSF website: http://www.nsf.org/business/about_NSF/28
STI Press release: http://www.sustainabletravelinternational.org/press/novemberpr06.html
27

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waste reduction and improved resource productivity; broader market appeal given that STEP
logos enable a company to advertise its commitment to sustainability; and minimized impacts
and enhanced quality through improved impact management.29
A. Standards

The STEP program adheres to the baseline criteria for sustainable tourism promoted by the
Sustainable Tourism Certification Network of the Americas, and utilizes its own “Guide to
Sustainable Tourism”, which was inspired by concepts from leading sustainable tourism
certification programs and governmental and non-governmental organizations, including (but notlimited to) the following:30•

Agenda 21 Principles for Sustainable Development•

Certification for Sustainable Tourism – Costa Rica•

The Eco Tourism Association of Australia’s Nature and Ecotourism Accreditation
Program

29
30•

The European Voluntary Initiative for Sustainability in Tourism Initiative•

Global Reporting Initiative•

Green Globe 21 Path to Sustainable Travel and Tourism•

Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics•

ISO 9000 and ISO 14000•

Mohonk Agreement Principles for the Certification of Sustainable and Eco-tourism•

SmartVoyager Program – Ecuador

STI 2006 Brochure: http://www.sustainabletravelinternational.org/documents/STIbrochure06-Industry.pdf
STI website: http://www.sustainabletravelinternational.org/documents/op_steplearn.html

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•

The Sustainable Tourism Certification Network of the Americas•

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

B. STEP Certification Process31
The STEP program offers two levels of eco-certification: “Self-Assessment Completed” and“Professionally Audited”. STEP’s Eco-certification is a four to five-step process, depending on
the level of eco-certification the tourism provider seeks. The five steps are as follows:32
1. Establishing Eligibility: This first step involves determining eco-certification eligibility
and establishing a system for measuring and managing environmental, socio-cultural andeconomic impacts. In order to be eligible for eco-certification, applicants must:•

identify and obtain all required environmental, health and safety, licenses, operational
permits and approvals for each of the regions where they operate•

maintain an up-to date register of documentation for all required environmental,
health and safety, licenses, operational permits and approvals•

have a written sustainability policy

Eligible applicants must next put an impact assessment system into place. Actions suggested
by STI include:•

Measuring impacts over a period of time and establishing a baseline level of
performance utilizing quantifiable variables.

31
32

See diagram in Appendix A.
STI website: http://www.sustainabletravelinternational.org/documents/op_step4steps.html

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•

Setting goals and objectives and developing action plans for minimizing negative
impacts and enhancing positive impacts. Performance should be tracked by using
current impact levels as a benchmark.

•Appointing an employee to monitor and execute scheduled activities as well as
record and review the results. Future levels should be compared to set targets or tosimilar businesses.

•

Educating staff and clients about how they can help the tourism provider meet its
goals.

2. Self Assessment: This step involves the use of an educational-based tool which encompasses a
set of required standards and related questions with weighted point values designated todetermine the extent to which a tourism provider meets the principles of sustainable development.
Applicants have 30 days from the time they submit their original application to complete theSelf-Assessment questionnaire and submit the results and required information.
3. On-site Audit: Tourism providers who wish to receive a higher level of eco-certification andhave completed steps one and two can opt for an on-site audit. Third party STEP-certified
assessors who are selected from NSF’s pool of independent auditors conduct on-site audits toverify applicants’ performance and compare their findings with the information provided by theapplicant in their self-assessment application.
4. Evaluation: A separate, voluntary evaluation committee then reviews the audit and determines
whether to eco-certify an applicant and at what level. According to Peter Krahenbuhl of STI, this“voluntary evaluation committee” consists of representatives from both NSF and STI’s

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management teams.33 The Self Assessment questionnaire and the independent audit are evaluatedthrough the use of a point scale, with one to ten points given to each criterion in thequestionnaire. A lower point value is given to criteria and questions involving a more reactive
approach, such as doing no harm or mitigating negative impacts. Higher point values are given
to criteria that are considered best practices, such as activities that encourage preventative andproactive actions toward supporting environmental conservation, protecting cultural heritage,
and promoting cross-cultural understanding and economic development. These points are thentranslated into a one to five star rating system.
5. Eco-certification: Eco-certification is awarded by STI based on the outcome of the evaluation
process. Tourism providers whose self-assessments are approved receive an "Eco-Certified
Certificate" and a "Self-Assessment Completed" logo containing either one or two stars,
depending on their performance. Tourism providers who also undergo the audit process receivean "Eco-certified Certificate" and "Professionally Audited" logo containing three, four or fivestars. See Appendix B for a description of each level of certification.

C. Monitoring Process
Monitoring within the eco-tourism industry ranges from the most basic, first-party verification to
the most extensive, third-party verification. Although there are discrepancies among the various
definitions of first, second, and third-parties, Xavier Font, a leading contributor to ecotourism
literature, provides the following set of definitions upon which this paper’s analyses are based.
First-party verification is basically self-evaluation which serves as a first step to encourage
33

Email from Peter Krahenbuhl: 3/1/2007

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ownership of process. Second-party verification is undertaken by the organization in charge ofrecruiting members and awarding a logo. In contrast, third-party verification is undertaken
independently of either the applicant or the awarding body, making it the most credible ofverifications.34 The monitoring process for the STEP program consists of a combination of thesethree types of verification, but the “Professionally Audited” certification is the only certificationthat is third-party certified. This distinction is not made clear in the monitoring section of STI’s
website, however, as it lumps monitoring for the two together. It states:“STEP is initially based on a voluntary self-assessment process as described under STEP: A 4Step Process. Throughout the two-year Eco-Certification period, both internal and externalmonitoring are undertaken by STI to help ensure continued compliance with STEP principles.
The utilization of professional references and direct feedback from clients, resource area
managers, local communities, and service providers comprise the monitoring component.”35
Upon clarification from STI, this external monitoring refers to feedback collected during theaudit process, which is only applicable to the “Professionally Audited” certification, leaving the“Self-Assessment Completed” certification limited to first and second-party verification.36 This
raises concerns of the possibility of biased verification due to the fact that a certification
organization typically has a vested interest in increasing its membership and logo use. In STI’s
case, however, its non-profit status lends it increased credibility as an impartial certifier since itis required to adhere to its mission and report its spending breakdown to the IRS. Additionally,34

Font, Xavier (2001)
STI website: http://www.sustainabletravelinternational.org/documents/op_stepadmin.html
36
Telephone conversation with Peter Krahenbuhl
35

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the “Self-Assessment Completed” logo is very explicit and does not make any false claims of
being independently certified.
STI’s website also states the following: “To help facilitate this process, applicants are required toincorporate the STEP Client/Employee Feedback Questionnaire into their existing evaluation
systems and use this questionnaire to self-monitor their sustainable travel practices and policies,
the results of which must be reported to STI annually.” 37 According to STI, this additional
component of first-hand monitoring has not been launched yet. In its current design, thequestionnaire appears to serve two functions—a self-evaluation tool for the tourism provider anda third-party monitoring tool for STI. If and when it is launched, however, it would be a more
effective third-party monitoring tool if it were sent directly to STI, instead of first going to thetourism provider who has an incentive to conceal negative feedback. I would also recommendthat STI utilize an online feedback system to capture third-party feedback, as it would be a lowcost way to monitor performance.
D. Sanctions
If a tourism provider appears to be in non-compliance with STEP principles as a result ofmonitoring, assessment, and audit processes, or if it fails to assist STI in such processes, STI will
issue a written warning. Within seven days of receiving the written warning, the tourism provider
must provide proof of compliance or provide STI with the necessary assistance to determine its
compliance. If the tourism provider fails to do so, its eco-certified status will be immediately
withdrawn and the tourism provider must remove all STEP logos from all marketing materials,
including those promoted by third-parties, and must notify relevant government agencies and

37

STEP Questionnaire: http://www.sustainabletravelinternational.org/documents/client_employee_fb.pdf

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other key stakeholders.38 STI has yet to decertify a tourism provider due to the fact that theofficial STEP program is just now being launched. It did, however, only give eco-certified status
to three of the dozen or so tourism providers who participated in the program’s test launch lastyear,39 indicating that the program is capable of withholding eco-certification from tourism
providers who do not meet the program’s standards.
E. Logo Usage and Expiration
Certified tourism providers are required to display the appropriate STEP logo in their printed andonline marketing materials. Logos which are displayed online must be linked to the STEP rating
description so that consumers are provided with an easy reference to the meaning of the different
stars. Both the “Self-Assessment Completed” and the “Professionally Audited” eco-certification
labels are valid for two years from the date of issuance, and the expiration date must be displayedon the logo. Tourism providers interested in renewing their eco-certified status must repeat the
four-step process and submit their application 30 days before the expiration of the two-year
period.40
F. Fee Structure
STI receives funding from certification fees (audit and self-assessment), membership fees,
carbon offsets purchases and the development of carbon calculators, consulting revenue, andsales of readers to university students.41 STEP’s Self-Assessment fees are determined according
to the annual gross revenues of a tourism provider’s overall annual operations. These nonrefundable fees cover application submission, review, evaluation, processing and logo licensing.
38

Ibid
STI Press release: http://www.sustainabletravelinternational.org/press/novemberpr06.html
40
STI website: http://www.sustainabletravelinternational.org/documents/client_employee_fb.pdf
41
Email from Peter Krahenbuhl: 3/1/2007
39

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Self-Assessment fees are as follows:42
Gross Revenues

Fees

US$0 - 125,000

US$200

US$125,001 - 250,000

US$300

US$250,001 - 500,000

US$500

US$500,001 - 2,000,000

US$900

US$2,000,001 - 5,000,000

US$1500

US$5,000,001 – plus

US$2500

Tourism providers seeking “Professionally Audited” eco-certification must also pay on-site audit
fees and related travel expenses. The on-site audit fee for businesses with gross annual revenues
less than $500,000 per year is $800 per day, and US$1200 per day for businesses with revenues
over US$500,000 per year. It is important to note that even despite the low fees STI charges forthe self-assessment, smaller companies may still be unable to pursue certification due to theadditional costs and time commitment required for certification, such as installing andimplementing new systems, monitoring and recording progress, and managing related paperwork.
Brian Mullis, Co-founder and President of STI, commented on the STEP program’s fee
structure: "Our challenge has been to create a user-friendly program that's applicable to tourism
businesses of all sizes, limit the barriers to entry while at the same trying to ensure that the
program will be financially sustainable, and find a balance between meeting all of the various
stakeholders' needs.”43 For these reasons, there remains a fair amount of disagreement within

42
43

STI website: http://www.sustainabletravelinternational.org/documents/op_stepfeestructure.html
STI Press release: http://www.sustainabletravelinternational.org/press/novemberpr06.html

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the industry regarding the value of certification if it favors larger companies over smaller ones,
since locally-owned companies are typically smaller than foreign-owned companies, andpromoting local development is one of the core principles of ecotourism.

G. Program Assessment
STI’s STEP certification program appears to be a well-thought out, clearly articulated model,
which has positioned itself to be accessible to a wide range of tourism providers. By combining
elements from both process-based and performance-based certification programs, the STEP
program takes into account differences among companies and measures their performanceaccordingly, while at the same time maintaining a set of general principles with which allcertified companies must comply. Furthermore, the program puts a strong emphasis on
educating the companies who pursue certification, not only about the environmental impacts of
their operations but also about the cost-savings they can achieve by improving theirenvironmental performance. Like most ecotourism programs, however, the STEP program does
not provide very much information about the social implications of eco-certification, which canbe harder to measure.
Additionally, by offering two types of eco-certification, the STEP program works within theconfines of the current limitations of the ecotourism market and recognizes that the only way foreco-certification to be successful is if its costs are not prohibitive. This means relying, for themost part, on self-reporting. On the one hand, self-reporting can be a valuable educational tooland currently is the only means enabling most eco-certification programs to exist, but on theother hand, it is the biggest threat to their very credibility. The STEP program is limited by the

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fact that it cannot provide travelers with any assurances regarding the companies it certifies
under the “Self-Assessment Completed” logo, but it appears as though the program aims toaddress this paradox by being straight forward about the meaning of its different types of ecocertification through the use of explicit labels.
Despite this transparency, the concept of awarding eco-certification to a company based solely
on self-reporting can be somewhat misleading to travelers when there is no way of verifying thecompany’s compliance. While on the one hand I realize that by offering “Self-Assessment
completed” certification, STI is able to reach out to smaller companies, increase its membership,raise its status and hopefully educate more companies in the process, the credibility threat that
this certification option poses may in fact outweigh those gains in the long run. For now,
however, I would encourage STI to be as transparent as possible about this level of certification,encourage travelers to assist in the monitoring process, and urge STI to take seriously its
responsibility to decertify companies who have lapsed in their responsibilities. As the plethora of
weak certification schemes indicates, certification without strong monitoring enforcement is aslippery slope. It is only with its “Professionally Audited” eco-certification that STI can provide
travelers with accurate information about the performance of the companies it certifies.
H. Organizational Credibility
As was previously indicated, STI’s nonprofit status lends it more credibility than other for-profit
certifiers due to the fact that the organization is required to adhere to its mission and publicly
disclose its financial activity. Additionally, STI is accountable to fourteen Executive Board
members who collectively serve as an additional check on the actions of the organization. The
executive board is primarily made up of representatives from nonprofit organizations, such as the

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Center for Sustainable Tourism and the Center for Resource Solutions, but one board member
represents one of the companies that received eco-certification during the pilot launch of the step
program. When I inquired about this, I was told by STI’s Vice President that she was asked tojoin the board after the company became certified and that it was irrelevant because, “STI’s
approach is to work with like-minded organizations who will help expand our programs, andsince it won't change any answers, it doesn’t really matter.”44 While I see his point, I would
suggest that STI consider implementing a policy that limits the number of STEP-certified
companies who serve on STI’s Executive Board.
Furthermore, STI’s decision to partner with NSF International, a well-established organization
with over sixty years of experience, brings additional credibility to the intentions of STI’s STEP
certification program. Additionally, STI’s motivations also appear to be sound, especiallyconsidering the organization’s willingness to provide information about its activities, in addition
to the active leadership roles it has played within the industry since its inception. Given that the
STEP certification program is just now being launched and therefore has yet to decertify acompany, it is difficult to evaluate the organization’s track record in the area of certification
denial and revocation, but to its credit, STI only awarded eco-certification to three of the twelve
companies that participated in the pilot launch of the STEP program last year.
Conversely, it is important to recognize that STI is still a young organization with limited
capacity and funds. And since it has an interest in certifying more companies due to the financial
and publicity advantages it acquires as a result, it is impossible for STI not to have some amountof bias in its decision-making processes. In other words, although STI utilizes an independent

44

Email from Peter Krahenbuhl, 3/14/07

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third-party as a component of its monitoring process for “Professionally Audited” ecocertification, STI, a second-party with limited independence, remains the ultimate decisionmaker. Furthermore, STI is not yet accredited by an independent third party, but this may change
within a few years once the STSC comes to fruition. Lastly, the description of the STEP
program’s monitoring process implies that the organization relies on a great deal on first-hand
feedback from travelers and other local parties, but this resource appears to be under-utilized,
despite the fact that it could be an inexpensive way to monitor the performance of “SelfAssessment Completed” eco-certified companies and provide travelers with additional assurance.

IV. Additional considerations for the Ecotourism Industry
In addition to other challenges facing the ecotourism industry, such as how to harmonize efforts
and how to ensure equal opportunities for tourism providers of all sizes, the biggest challenge
continues to center around increasing consumer awareness and demand. Ecotourism certification
will only succeed if tourists want and support environmentally and socially responsible
enterprises, but eco-certification within the tourism industry has not yet reached a majority of
consumers. The actual extent of consumer demand for sustainable tourism (especially if it costs
more) remains an area of considerable uncertainty and debate among experts. On the one hand, a2004 report produced by the Center on Ecotourism and Sustainable Development and The
International Ecotourism Society paints a favorable picture of the sustainable tourism market. It
concludes:“…both tourists and travel companies show strong support for responsible tourism,
including a willingness to pay more for ethical practices, to contribute to community
projects, and to support certification. While consumers continue to view cost, weather,

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and quality of facilities as paramount in their holiday planning, demand for ethicalproducts, social investment, and eco-labels is growing.”45

Despite these findings, other recent studies indicate that although tourists may say that theywould select an environmentally sensitive alternative, in practice they are influenced by a wide
range of factors, including: personal knowledge of a destination; cost and reputation; safety andsecurity issues; flight and transportation logistics and availability; and political and social
conditions in the destination country.46

As was previously indicated, at least three consumer-linked factors continue to hinder the
success of eco-certification: little awareness among tourists, consumer confusion due to multiple
eco-labels, and questionable credibility due to the absence of an internationally acceptedframework against which to measure certification programs. In addition to these factors,
ecotourism certification programs face an additional challenge. Unlike responsible certification
programs in other industries, such as timber and coffee which have used consumer protests andadvocacy to promote change within the industries, support for ecotourism has been relatively
passive. Possible future efforts might include campaigns organized by environmental NGOs
which are backed by receptive travel media who encourage travelers to patronize certified
companies. Once alternatives have gained wider popular attention, it would then be possible toorganize campaigns against providers of mass tourism, such as cruise lines and theme parks. 47

45

Market Study
http://www.ecotourism.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/eco_template.aspx?articleid=15&zoneid=2
46
Honey, Martha (2002) p.363
47
Honey, Martha (2002) p.365

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V. Conclusions and Reflections
As this paper has shown, the ecotourism industry has increasingly turned to certification as a tool
to bring credibility to the sector, but with mixed results. It has become apparent that aninternational accreditation body will be a key component to ensuring the credibility ofcertification programs and restoring consumer confidence in the system, and it is also
increasingly understood that weak certification programs based on self-reporting are a step in thewrong direction for the industry. STI’s STEP program, despite its offering of a label based on
self-reporting, is among the most comprehensive eco-certification programs offered today. In
developing the model, STI clearly did not try to reinvent the wheel, but rather took many of thestrong aspects of existing programs and incorporated them into a credible certification scheme.

Due to time and space constraints, I was unable to lay out a comparison between the STEP
program and other leading certification programs, but I did factor in my knowledge about theseother programs into my analysis of STEP. One other certification program in particular, Green
Globe 21, is a certification program that would be interesting to include in a comparative
analysis since it is among the largest and the most commonly analyzed certification programs in
the world. But at the same time, it would pose some challenges due to the many transformations
it has undergone over the past decade, such as changing from a program that initially allowed
companies to use its eco-certified logo just by applying for certification, to a rigorous program
today which shares a number of common components with the STEP program.

In addition to its impact on the credibility of the ecotourism industry, certification can effectively
complement formal regulation by national authorities. Currently, however, regulation within the

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industry is minimal due to insufficient governmental capacity to monitor compliance with such
regulations, making certification both an attractive tool for those wishing for more regulation andthose wishing to forestall future regulation. Martha Honey, one of the leading figures in theecotourism movement, concludes, “Certification, as a voluntary, multi-stakeholder process
predicated on consumer demand, is uniquely suited to the current age of economic globalizationin which the authority of governments has been diminished…”48 This trend, when combinedwith increasing consumer and governmental interest in the environment in recent years, shouldpose some additional opportunities and challenges for the ecotourism industry, and certification
will surely play a leading role in the sector in the years to come.

48

Honey, Martha (2002) p.365

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VI. Discussion Questions
1. What exactly is eco-tourism? Who are the stakeholders in this industry? Why do you think
eco-tourism has gained popularity?
2. Discuss some of the challenges in establishing an eco-tourism certification scheme andaccreditation program. How likely that a strong universal standard will develop in the near
future?
3. Why would hoteliers, tour operators, attractions and transportation services voluntarily seek
ecotourism certification? Do you believe they will subscribe to a label with relatively lax
standards or relatively strict standards?
3. The author states that many sustainable and ecotourism certifiers follow a performance-based
approach that measures achievement and not intent. What are the pros and cons of each? Is one
method more credible than the other? What are the benefits of the hybrid approach? Whichmethod, in your opinion, should be the industry standard?
4. How credible of an organization do you find The Sustainable Tourism Eco-Certification
Program (STEP) to be? Is there considerable room for its members to “cheat”? Do you believe it
should or can be become the industry standard? What measures should STEP take to strengthen
its program?
5. Discuss the benefits of self-assessment programs vs. audit programs. Which is more flexible?
Which method is reflective of what can be realistically done? Which method is more credible?
Does one favor larger companies over smaller companies? How can STEP improve its program
so that it businesses of all sizes can join?
6. Given the low consumer awareness of ecotourism certification programs, how necessary is it
to establish a universal standard and accreditation scheme? Where does the demand for
certification come from? What can and should be done to increase consumer awareness?
7. Research another eco-tourism certification organization and compare it to STEP. How muchdo their standards overlap? How far do the standards diverge? Which organization seems morecredible?
8. Find some eco tourism packages currently offered in the travel industry market. Compare andcontrast. How are these vacations promoted? Do these vacation packages fulfill the eco
principles as stated on page 4? Do these packages seem to genuinely help local communities andecological habitats or so you believe them to be mere exercises in “green-washing”?

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II. References
1.

Center on Ecotourism and Sustainable Development: http://www.ecotourismcesd.org/

2.

Chafe, Zoë and Honey, Martha (ed.), “Consumer Demand and Operator Support for Sociallyand Environmentally Responsible Tourism”, CESD/TIES Working Paper No. 104a, February
2004. http://206.161.82.194/WebModules/WebArticlesNet/articlefiles/15Consumer%20Demand%20Report.pdf

3.

CTS Costa Rica: http://www.turismo-sostenible.co.cr/EN/home.shtml

4.

Font, Xavier and Harris, Catherine, “Rethinking Standards from green to sustainable”,
Annals of Tourism Research Volume 32, no. 4, Oct. 2004, pp. 986-1007.

5.

Font, Xavier, “Environmental certification in tourism and hospitality: progress, process andprospects”, Center for the Study of Small Tourism and Hospitality Firms, Leeds
Metropolitan University, July 2001.

6.

Gourevitch, Peter, “Criteria for Evaluating Monitoring Organizations”, class handout.

7.

Green Globe 21: http://www.greenglobe21.com/

8.

Honey, Martha (ed.). Ecotourism & Certification: Setting Standards in Practice. Island Press,
Washington, 2002.

9.

Honey, Martha. “Strong certification programs separate genuine ecotourism fromgreenwashing fast-buck artists – Who owns Paradise?” E: The Environmental Magazine,
July-August, 2002.

10.

Krahenbuhl, Peter, Vice President of Sustainable Travel International: Telephone interview
2/25/07 & Email correspondence 3/1/07, 3/8/07, 3/14/07.

11.

Maclaren, Fergus Tyler. “A Strategic Overview of Ecotourism Accreditation andCertification: The Road Forward” http://www.worldtourism.org/sustainable/IYE/Regional_Activites/Brazil/cases/TIES.htm

12.

National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainable/

13.

Rainforest Alliance: http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/tourism.cfm?id=main

14.

Sanabria, Ronald, Skinner, Elizabeth, Font, Xavier, et al. “Sustainable Tourism StewardshipCouncil: Raising the Standards and Benefits of Sustainable Tourism and Ecotourism

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Certification” Final Report, March 2003: http://rainforestalliance.org/tourism/documents/final_report.pdf

15.

Sustainable Travel International Form 990 (2005): www.guidestar.org

16.

Sustainable Travel International Press Release, November 2006 “Sustainable Travel
International and NSF Complete Successful Pilot Test”
http://www.sustainabletravelinternational.org/press/novemberpr06.html

17.

Sustainable Travel International website: http://www.sustainabletravelinternational.org/

18.

The International Ecotourism Society: http://www.ecotourism.org/

19.

World Tourism Organization: http://www.world-tourism.org/

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IX. Appendix
Appendix A: STEP Certification Process49

STEP Certification Process
Self-Assessment 1 Party
Tourism Providerst

3r d Party

On-site Audit

Independent Auditors
Evaluation

2nd Party
NSF & STI Management

Eco-Certification 2nd Party
STI

49

Author’s interpretation. Not verified by STI.

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Appendix B: STEP Rating System

Eco-certified - 5 Stars: These Eco-certified tourism providers areindustry leaders. They make sustainable development and environmental
and socio-cultural issues their priority. They are striving to beenvironmentally innovative and socially responsible. They have a positive
impact on the environment, local communities, and their clients. They will
invest both time and money to maintain sustainable travel practices.
These Eco-certified tourism providers have had an on-site audit, which
verified that they've received 90-100% of the available points.

Eco-certified - 4 Stars: These Eco-certified tourism providers are highly
environmentally and socio-culturally responsible. They are continuously
working to better their operations and enhance their sustainable travel
practices. The management is knowledgeable about environmental/social
issues related to their business, and they are working to become industry
leaders.
These Eco-certified tourism providers have had an on-site audit, which
verified that they've received 75-89% of the available points.

Eco-certified - 3 Stars: These Eco-certified tourism providers are
somewhat low-impact, and may consider environmental and social issues
in their operational decisions and programming. They also may makechoices based on environmental and social responsibility, but due tomonetary, time, or efficiency issues, may forego their commitment to bestpractice ecological sustainability.
These Eco-certified tourism providers have had an on-site audit, which
verified that they've received 40-74% of the available points.

Eco-certified - 1 to 2 Stars: These Eco-certified tourism providers havecompleted a self-assessment and met a minimum set of core criteria,
thereby demonstrating their commitment to sustainable tourism
outcomes. However, since they have not received an on-site audit from a
STEP-certified Assessor, the extent to which they have integrated
sustainable business practices into their operations may be unknown.
Eco-certified tourism providers who provide the required impact data forless than 12 months receive 1 Star. Those who provide data for 12 months
or more receive 2 Stars.