Richer Experiences, Less Resources

a) Drive change in tourism by encouraging the uptake of sustainable practices by trialling the system with partner tourist accommodation sites to save energy and water, encourage guests to take sustainable activities and direct fiscal savings to local biodiversity conservation - making consumption more sustainable b) Build the capacity of tourism staff through persuasive communication training that empowers their guest engagement – training by International Centre for Responsible Tourism, so accommodation business can be scaled up - educating people on how to consume more sustainably c) Introduce building owners and tourism practitioners to sustainable reporting (measuring, monitoring and setting saving benchmarks) that increases technical knowledge - providing technical assistance to monitor production especially renewable energy and water d) Conduct mixed method research data collection during trial to assist savings guest engagement, impact on guest satisfaction and identify capacity building opportunities from existing staff - to establish benchmarking to enable progress steps to be made toward sustainable production e) Attract grant funding support progress from research to action by sharing findings with STG 10YFP, an example of the International Year 2017 of Sustainable Tourism for Development and contribute to the SDG’s - to share information to help global challenges Resource use in buildings is complex (section 2). So our system is flexible to each building’s unique characteristics to optimise maximum persuasive power. It buildings the capacity of staff, provides technical insights, interlinks infrastructure to guide occupants to use less resources whilst adding to their stay experience (Warren, Becken & Coghlan, 2016). This ‘Richer Experiences Less Resources’ project focuses on experience design and incorporates: o Tailored comfort recommendations and activities o Links pro-environmental infrastructure o Resource use monitoring, renewable production, eco-feedback and benchmarking o Local weather conditions It is this combination (patent: 2016202033) of elements and the training of staff that drives behaviour change and sustainable consumption and production. o We are continuing behaviour change intervention at original test site (Crystal Creek Meadows) to build longitudinal data. o Partnership agreement with Griffith Institute for Tourism to undertake site research o Partnership agreement with Ecotourism Australia to identify additional sites o Commenced approaching potential STP 10YFP partners o Attended the STP 10 YFP Marrakech Conference to share results and commence networking to find partners The results of a 17 month trial on four sites achieved significant savings. The system was run at the same time as the control sample so that similar weather affected guests. The control group resource use rose significantly above the intervention group using the system. The control groups used 34% electricity, 20% more gas and 22% more water than the intervention groups. The intervention helped guests use less resources but did enrich their experience as 76% felt the daily eco-feedback and advisory information added to their stay experience. We were able to use the fiscal savings to support 14 orphaned baby wombats in their rehabilitation and contribute to protecting the Bush-Tailed Rock-Wallaby. Both local wildlife causes which also added to the guest stay experience. Potential partners who are interested in the project and would like to learn more should arrange for a free webinar with Christopher Warren (info@icrtoruismcom.au) ( 61244651408) to assess suitability. Partners could come from the following sectors of tourist accommodation however other sectors are welcome to make an approach: Accreditation/Certification Programmes Dovetail with their resource efficiency and benchmarking programmes, identify properties to conduct trial. Use findings to refine schemes and integrate behaviour change programme into their environmental management system to take accreditation to the next stage. Destination Management Organisations Use behaviour change programme as part of a capacity building strategy to build technical expertise with member businesses. Conduct trial with leading operators as a reward for their endeavours. Use data to measure destination consumption and impacts. Link sustainable activities and supply chain with behaviour change programme to have broader destination benefits. Fiscal savings can be grouped to maximise benefit to local biodiversity conservation or cultural heritage project. Large scale hotel/resort/apartment companies Select test property(s) and use project to trial guest engagement and staff involvement. Use research provided to measure outputs and overall satisfaction levels and staff involvement. Data from smart meters will enable property engineers to learn more about guest and housekeeping resource use and assist with retrofitting. Fiscal savings directed to local CSR programme. SME accommodation providers Use the project as a capacity building exercise to learn more about consumption on site, guest use and how to improve their comfort and satisfaction. Data will enable owners to make retrofitting decisions to reduce resource use and adjust linkage to supply chain and local sustainable tourism activities. Owners should select local biodiversity or cultural heritage cause to contribute to.