This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
Business model oriented towards the social and circular economy, sound management of energy, water and waste, recovery of materials, conservation of biodiversity, reduction of the footprint carbon, social acceptability for host communities: it’s blowing a virtuous wind for the Quebec tourism sector. But the challenges are not lacking to bring this sector towards a global transitionTHE.
In 2020, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) loudly proclaimed that sustainability must now be the norm. She supported the idea that the industry must provide its (consequential) share of efforts in the fight against climate change, in particular by aiming for carbon neutrality. Certainly, tourism consumers support these exemplary principles quite well. But if we are to believe the survey carried out in 2021 by the Transat Chair of Tourism, “several perceptions hinder adherence to sustainable and responsible travel practices. » Some 66% of those questioned mentioned, in fact, the “higher costs” that they associate, rightly or wrongly, with the offering of this new market. And only a quarter of respondents would agree to “pay additional fees to compensate for their GHG emissions”. The fact remains that the transition of this economic sector has indeed started in Quebec and that certain companies are already establishing themselves as inspiring agents of change.
Sustainable and united
This is the case of Chalets Lanaudière, a social economy enterprise in Rawdon, recipient, among other things, of Biosphere certification, a support program towards sustainability. The NPO offers rental of chalets, yurts and cabins, built to energy efficiency and sound water management standards.
The protection of nature is at the heart of the NPO’s concerns. From the start of its activities, the company had a Sustainable Development Plan drawn up to preserve the biodiversity of its land. “A healthy forest is part of our service offering,” explains Linda Corbeil, director of operations at Chalets Lanaudière. In addition, this company has taken over the social mission of Camp Mariste, the former owner of the estate, by welcoming, on its territory, young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to its summer holiday camp. It is the rental of accommodation that allows financial support for this vocation. A mandate of inclusiveness which is also reflected in their site 100% adapted to people with functional limitations with access to equipment and installations which facilitate their movement everywhere, particularly in wheelchairs.
The NPO was able to benefit, this year, from the Ecoleader Fund and the support of a specialized firm, as well as that of the federal program to accelerate sustainable development in the regions of Quebec Virage Vert, explains the director of operations. Its plans: take stock of GHG emissions and implement concrete actions for the management of its residual materials. “It’s a long-term process,” explains M.me Basket. This endless work requires real effort from entrepreneurs. » Adherence to this long-term approach cannot be achieved without raising awareness among visitors and employees.
Education at the heart of commitment
This is, among other things, what Contact Nature is working on in La Baie, which manages public lands and unorganized territories for recreational and ecotourism purposes: hiking, fishing, cross-country skiing, accommodation, etc. The company, a member of the 1% For the Planet program, is also the recipient of the Excellence certificate, awarded by Les pages vertes, a directory of eco-responsible companies. For its general director, Marc-André Galbrand, the products offered by Contact Nature are not “an end in themselves, but a means of highlighting the natural environment and raising public awareness of the need to protect it. » The notion of education about nature and heritage is an integral part of its mission: “We have the power to influence visitors, but also our employees,” says Marc-André Galbrand.
Tourists involved
A position echoed by Danielle Landry, pollinator for Sustainable Tourism Quebec (Nature and Adventure Tourism sector), for whom the protection of biodiversity remains the number one concern from the perspective of sustainability. “On this issue, there is still a lot of work to be done,” she said. The main challenge is to maintain the beauty and health of our natural environments. » Committed for a long time to the defense and implementation of the Leave No Trace program in Quebec, Danielle Landry insists on the importance of regenerative tourism to support good knowledge of our territory. This new approach consists, for visitors, of bringing added value to the environment in which they travel. One of the avenues: participatory science — or citizen science — which invites the public to provide precise information on the state of the territories they frequent. “It’s a big trend internationally,” she says, “a way of taking, but also of giving back to nature. »
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This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.