The Commerce pillar of our 4Cs emphasises the importance of financial resilience. For conservation-led tourism to be truly sustainable, it has to have long-term, secure financing, so it is not in danger of exploiting the ecosystem and communities it exists to protect.
In 2020, resilience took on a whole new meaning. As Willy Legrand, Professor of Hospitality Management at the IUBH School of Business and Management in Bad Honnef, confirmed in his presentation, “The crisis is a metaphor to entertain or take actions to mitigate global systemic risk”.
We hope that this will make us all more robust in the future. Whether diversifying income streams via sustainable farming, turning towards a domestic tourism market, ramping up fundraising efforts or doubling down on cost-cutting via environmental measures, we will continue to support members in building more resilient models to finance their 4C work.
Building Resilience
Closing the Loop
We’re all familiar with the term ‘closing the loop’ when it comes to products — creating a complete and efficient cycle for the products we use, to ensure there is no waste. However, throughout this year’s virtual annual meeting, the term took on a broader meaning.
Rather than only seek circular economy concepts in the products we design or purchase, we now need to consider it across our entire supply chain. One chink in the chain and we’re not living up to our sustainable and regenerative potential.
The Long Run will continue to support members in closing the loop on the whole traveller, employee and partner journey to maximise positive impact. This ties in closely to our work with Travel Partners, to ensure that they are selling the most sustainable experiences, and our work with new affiliate The Transformational Travel Council to ensure that guest experiences have a lasting impression.
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