Useful Tourism NI Industry Guidance and Webinars
Tourism NI produced a guide on Going Green which is available to download here. It includes useful tips which you can explore for your business and also NI tourism case studies. See also Growing Greener Experiences Together for a Sustainability Toolkit.
Due to concerns regarding environmental issues and rising costs a number of 'Leaner and Greener' industry webinars are also available along with useful guidance information in relation to :
There is also a guide to energy management and information on how to conserve energy, reduce emissions and reduce costs in your tourism business.
Full details on saving energy and reducing waste along with useful case studies can be found here.
Tourism NI also have plans for An All Island Sustainability Accreditation scheme coming early 2024.
Additional Guidance
NI Business Info offers insights on Green Tourism certification and exploring sustainable tourism.
Tourism NI's Visitor Pledge
Have you signed up to Tourism NI's Visitor Pledge #MakeaGiantDifference? The visitor pledge has been created to encourage safe and responsible tourism across Northern Ireland while supporting local businesses.
Important Campaigns / Programmes
1. Guardians of Grub
Guardians of Grub is aimed at empowering professionals from across the hospitality and food service sector to reduce the amount of food thrown away in their businesses. It is about making simple, low-cost changes to the way food is bought, prepared and served that can help reduce the amount of food needlessly thrown away. A suite of free operational resources is available that businesses can use to tackle food waste, including information posters and how-to guides, and a free calculator to record the changes being made. #GuardiansOfGrub #FeedPeopleNotBins
2. Leave No Trace
With it's 7 guiding principles, practicing a Leave No trace ethic is very simple: Make it hard for others to see or hear you and LEAVE NO TRACE of your visit. Although Leave No Trace has its roots in the countryside, the principles have been adapted so that they can be applied anywhere and to almost every recreational activity.
Mid and East Antrim Climate and Sustainability Action Plan
Launched in July 2023, this action plan sets out a roadmap to address climate change in Mid and East Antrim over the next five years. Some of the aims outlined in the plan include:
- 30% reduction in Council operation emissions by 2030
- Decarbonise small vehicles in Council fleets by 2030
- Council operation emissions to net zero by 2040
- Supporting the Borough to net zero by 2050
- Climate resilience in Council buildings, public spaces and infrastructure
The Plan sets out six key themes through which 97 actions will be delivered over the next five years. The themes include - Good Governance and Community Leadership, Our Environment, Economy, Transport, Resource Management and Buildings and Energy. You can find full details and the plan online here.
