Green Business Tourism - Essay Example

?Sustainability within National Parks Table of Contents Part 3 Part II 9 Introduction 9 Recommendations for Venue/s, Catering, Services/Suppliers 9Recommendations for Keynote and Supporting Speakers, Conference Format and Timetable, Including Ideas of Themes for Each Session 11 A Well-Considered Luncheon Menu 13 Case Histories/Best Practice Which May Include Site Visits/Demonstrations 14 A Social Event for the Evening for those who wish to Remain after the Formal Close 15 Recommendations for Local Accommodation 15 Suggestions for Marketing the Conference to the Intended Audience 16 Outline Budget for the Day with Recommendation on Cost of Attendance 18 Suggestions for Use of IT throughout the Entire Process 19 Examples of How Else You Could Make the Conference ‘Green’ 19 Conclusion 19 References 21 Appendix 26 Part 1 Overview of Green Issues in relation to Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition (MICE) Zamzuri & et. al. (2011) signified that special events, such as Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition (MICE) needs to be undertaken at a much broader extent, which can act as a tool to suffice the aim of developing a more sustainable tourism industry around the world. MICE is commonly organised through meetings, exhibitions, conferences, corporate travels and incentive travels among others as a mechanism to generate awareness among the global communities regarding a particular issue. The special events are organised to attract visitors from global contexts, assisting in generating revenue as well, with the intention to support any developmental need towards sustainable development. It is in this context that these special events are identified to be attached with various environmental issues such as polluting air, water and land immensely. Nevertheless, organising MICE has also been criticised on the ground that holding these special events causes excessive use of non-renewable energy, increased transportation and abundant use of other natural resources such as water among others. According to Zamzuri & et. al. (2011), special events have adversely affected the environment due to increased wastes, inappropriate way of waste management, increased transportation and unnecessary materials purchasing among others (Pizam, 2012; Zamzuri & et. al., 2011). However, with a much positive perspective, according to Pao (2004), special events, which include conference and corporate meeting among others are organised in various locations with the intention of generating revenue for economic development. These events are identified to develop the tourism sectors; but on the other hand, they are identified as important sources affecting the ecological environment of a country at large causing pollution, traffic congestion and waste among others, within a short span of time as compared to other sources of similar environmental degradation (Anand, 2013; Wood & Brotherton, 2008). These environmental issues, identified from events organised under MICE, are also classified as those factors accountable for increasing social costs and thereby, affecting the environmental equilibrium (Pao, 2004). Green Business Tourism The tourism industry has aimed at developing an effective and eco-friendly environment with the aim of attracting visitors and making a country an attractive location for organising special events (Lau, 2009). According to Lau (2009), there are three main players that are associated with MICE, which include clients, suppliers and other players like government and sponsors among others. The organisers of MICE thus need to held meetings and exhibitions and other intended functions in an appropriate manner with the aim of ensuring that events are executed with better considerations towards the environmental sustainability responsibilities and societal stability. The organiser should also develop and initiate policies as well as measures on the basis of which, meetings and exhibitions should be conducted. Moreover, the organisers should seek that the site where the MICE events are to be organised, is appropriate in minimising the environmental risks associated with the same. The meeting site should have adequate infrastructure facilities too, so as to aid hospitality services and preserve suitable climatic conditions. In this respect, special events are to be organised with appropriate environmental considerations in order to minimise environmental impacts (Cohen, 2011). According to Sritama (2009), green meetings are required to be organised with major considerations toward protecting the environment. In this regard, the green issues are required to be considered in a more attentive way in special events organised under MICE, so that effective policies along with practices are devised and implemented. Subsequently, the MICE organisers of a respective country needs to be equipped to be able to protect the environment, save costs and other natural resources, use more renewable resources and mitigate the use of non-renewable resources towards assuring better environmental sustainability. Thus, the MICE industry, in its recent day functioning uses natural resources with the aim of minimising environmental issues and reducing costs of organising these special events for better environmental and social development of the host country (Sritama, 2009). According to the report published by Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (2009), green meetings are adopted as effective measures towards MICE in order to ascertain that the special events are organised with different environmental considerations, so that the social along with natural environments protected to the highest possible extent from the negative effects of such events. In this context, the organisers of MICE should ensure that environmental considerations are adopted in every stage of special events with the objective of developing the society and protecting the environment (Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau, 2009). The report of Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (2009) also signified that green meetings should be executed in accordance with certain procedures and strategies, which include saving non-renewable resources, conducting operations in a socially responsible manner and developing positive business opportunities. Additionally, green meetings should be organised in accordance with certain preset guidelines that shall prove to be strategically assisting in developing plans as well as policies on the basis of which, waste generation can be minimised and recycled successfully (Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau, 2009). In the present scenario, immense initiatives have been undertaken with the intention of preserving the natural environment in order to minimise the adverse affects of global warming and climatic changes (Tourism-review, 2013). According to the report published by Tourism-review (2013), the tourism industry should develop better travel incentives along with options in order to attract travellers from the global context who are observed as highly environment conscious. In this regard, the organisers of MICE are identified to adopt different initiatives in order to increase consumption of renewable resources, selecting local people as volunteers for the meetings and providing eco-friendly transportation system benefits to the attendees. Contextually, the event organisers adopting the aforementioned environmental considerations are quite likely to be facilitated with the opportunity of ensuring that the special events are organised in an eco-friendly manner (Tourism-review, 2013). Appropriate Location for MICE According to the article published by E-Luxembourg (2012), special events in relation to MICE are to be organised in locations and/or sites of a host country that are facilitated with better infrastructures, climatic conditions and social environment. In this regard, the MICE industry is often identified to organise special events in countries that uses renewable energy sources along with energy-efficient elements in order to protect natural resources, motivating others to do the same. Additionally, the sites where the special events are organised should have better transportation facilities and connectivity. The sites and/or locations of the special events should also have better gastronomy, shopping facilities, culture, leisure facilities and secure environment among others (Raj & et. al., 2013). In a similar perspective, the article published by Menlo Consulting Group, Inc (2009) signified that green meetings have been adopted as a major initiative amid most of the corporate sectors organising special events in relation to MICE, as an incentive towards environment protection and considerations. In this regard, green meetings are facilitated with recycled elements, renewable energy resources. Additionally, special events are organised in suitable locations of a country that are abided with practices as well as policies in relation to the usage of energy-efficient along with environment friendly resources. Accordingly, the article published by Menlo Consulting Group, Inc (2009) has also implied that green meetings are organised as a process of demonstrating ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ (CSR) competencies of host organisations in the modern day context. Correspondingly, green meetings are required to be organised in a socially responsible way, for the development of the society along with environmental protection initiatives (Menlo Consulting Group, Inc., 2009). Benefits of MICE Different locations of a country develop policies and practices for attracting MICE industry in organising their meetings and other events in specific locations with due significance towards social along with environmental considerations (Etiosa, 2012). According to Etiosa (2012), the meeting and other events under MICE are organised with the intention of developing a region with better economic values, taking support from the income generated through these events. Additionally, the meeting and others events organised under MICE is also comprehended to provide better employment opportunities to local people. Contextually, the events are also perceived to improve the tourism industry in a suitable manner due to increased number of travellers. Moreover, Etiosa (2012) has stated that increased number of travellers also facilitate in developing the market segments of a country facilitating environmentally responsible trading and business operations. The revenue of the hotel industry also enhances due to enhanced number of travellers attracted with the organisation of MICE (Etiosa, 2012). Emphasising the similar concern, Xiang & Formica (2007) stated that the MICE industry has developed in an accelerated rate. In this context, the MICE industry is determined to provide adequate benefits for an economy in different aspects. It facilitates in generating income as well as employment opportunities in the regions where meetings along with other events are organised in a country. Moreover, the corporate sectors and other organisations are facilitated with the opportunity of developing better relationships among the global business partners to gain operational efficiency thereon. The people of host countries, organising meetings and other events are also offered with educational opportunities through MICE. Xiang & Formica (2007) asserted in this regard that these meetings and events facilitate in better exchange of information, ideas as well as technologies assisting in developing the regions. Additionally, the MICE industry, by way of organising different events and meeting in different regions, also intends to facilitate the development of the host region as a preferable tourist destination encouraging its developed infrastructure, social development and environmental considerations. Respectively, the development in the aforementioned factors aid in mitigating environmental issues appropriately as these meeting and events under MICE are organised in environment friendly environment (Xiang & Formica, 2007; Nice, 2004). Part II Introduction Through this report, a planning for a conference intended to be organised in ‘Brecon Beacons National Park’ located in Wales, UK has been proposed on the topic ‘Sustainability within National Parks’. The conference will encourage the notion of ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ (CSR). Correspondingly, the conference will be organised with different environmental considerations in order to ensure that the conference is conducted with minimised environmental impacts. Additionally, the conference will be conducted in an economically beneficial manner in order to ensure minimised costs and increased income. A budget has also been formulated in this report, in order to ensure that costs associated with the conference are met in a systematic manner. Recommendations for Venue/s, Catering, Services/Suppliers The conference will be held in The Brecon Beacons National Park in spring 2014. The Brecon Beacons National Park has been selected as the appropriate location for the conference, owing to the fact that the park is preferred by many visitors as it is said to be located in the most ecologically diverse regions of the UK. The park has a scenic beauty comprising green landscapes, canals along with waterfalls. Additionally, the park is surrounded with mountains as well as moorlands. There are also caves along with forests adding to the scenic beauty of the park. These features of natural biodiversity shall be beneficial in creating a suitable atmosphere to discuss upon the decided topic of ‘Sustainability within National Parks’. The park also facilitates global travellers and tourists with different activities that include horse riding, trekking and mountain biking, which shall be beneficial to attract the expected number of visitors (around 250). The regional location of the park is also facilitated with developed towns, farmer markets, pubs and restaurants (Welsh Government, 2013; Pybus, 2008). The park is also identified to be approved with ‘Green Tourism Standard’ developed by the ‘Green Tourism Business Scheme’ with the intention of accrediting environmentally responsible and rich tourism organisations, which have taken efficient initiatives towards minimising wastages along with managing water resources. These standards have also assisted in developing a positive culture as well as ecology for the sustainable development of the society, community and environment (The Green Tourism Business Scheme, 2013). Apparently, this accreditation adds to the competitiveness of the national park in attracting a large number of visitors as well as creating an atmosphere suitable for the determined topic. Correspondingly, the people attending the meeting will be provided with self-catering accommodation, hotels and pubs, restaurants as well as inns having room services in the park. The people visiting the conference will also be served with their preferred accommodated in cottages and grand houses having glorious views of the hillsides within the national park. The people visiting the park will be offered with homemade cuisine and catering services and will be provided with self-catering food products, which might include meat and organic vegetables as per their preferences. Additionally, the visitors might be offered with processed food as well on their request (Nagle, 1999; Brecon Beacons Tourism, 2013). The park has a better connectivity in relation to railways, roads and air transport services, which can be beneficial in organising the conference in this venue. The park is situated near the Cardiff International Airport that shall also be an aid in this context. Additionally, the park is efficiently connected with railway routes and roadways, linking all the communities of the park appropriately (National Geographic Society, 2013). In the Park, the visitors are to be facilitated with eco-friendly transport services (Eco Travel Network Ltd., 2013). The technical specialists will accordingly seek that the Information Technology (IT) operations are conducted in an appropriate manner throughout the conference with due significance to efficient use of energy resources. Respectively, other operational process to be organised in the conference will also focus on ‘green’ considerations so as to accomplish the values of MICE. Recommendations for Keynote and Supporting Speakers, Conference Format and Timetable, Including Ideas of Themes for Each Session In the conference, the keynote speaker will be briefing the activities of the events that are organised for the one-day conference. The keynote speaker will be Mr. Allan Trow, who is a founder of ‘Dark Sky Wales’ in the Brecon Beacon National Park. Mr. Allan Trow is also an astronomer as well as lecturer in the University of Glamorgan. Based on his long experience in the field and also his enviable knowledge base, he is expected to provide adequate information about the most recommendable procedure in accordance with which, national parks are required to conduct better CSR policies and considerations in order to ascertain that activities are conducted in a social as well as environmental responsible manner. The supporting speakers will be Andrea Nicholas and David Penker who are Managing Director and Director of ‘Green Tourism’ in the national park. The supporting speakers will provide information and knowledge in relation to different initiatives that can be undertaken with the intention of developing a sustainable eco-friendly environment and has been applied in the national park over years to gain efficiency in this prospect. Additionally, other speakers will be invited to provide information and ideas that are essential in developing sustainability within national parks. It is expected that the speakers providing important information about the environmental concerns will facilitate national parks to perform sustainably and successfully in future. Based on the aforementioned considerations, the conference agenda will be as follows: Conference Agenda A Well-Considered Luncheon Menu The luncheon menu on the conference day will comprise continental food of Wales. In this regard, the lunch menu will include seasonal vegetables and potatoes. The visitors will also be provided with quay salads and cured meats. Additionally, the food items will consist of cured and fresh local seafood, rustic bread and deserts maintaining variety so as to suffice the preferences of the visitors attending the conference from various global national parks. Case Histories/Best Practice Which May Include Site Visits/Demonstrations The Welsh government is identified to offer Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) with the intention of encouraging the communities to develop a sustainable procedure on the basis of which, the living standards of the people can be improved. Additionally, these funds also assist in conserving and developing the wildlife, local culture as well as landscape of national parks, making it more attractive as a tourism product within the global marketplace (NationalParksEngland, 2012). In this respect, the park, with the aid of its prestigious status, has implemented innovative strategies and plans to reduce carbon emission and to protect the vegetation and wildlife in order to retain its global status as an environmentally diverse tourist destination (Brecon Beacons National Park, 2012). In the conference, the people attending the meeting will be provided with information and knowledge in relation to environment along with social considerations with illustration of the policy measures practiced by Brecon Beacon, so that the visitors can be encouraged to manage their national parks in a socially responsible manner. The visitors will be provided with the opportunity of visiting the website of ‘Green Tourism’ to obtain more information on the green strategies applied by the park. Accordingly, the visitors will have adequate knowledge in relation to standards that are to be essentially adopted with the aim of developing an eco-friendly environment and socially developed region. Subsequently, it is expected that the visitors attending the conference will be able to demonstrate the scenic beauty and environmental considerations that are adopted by the Brecon Beacons National Park for better sustainability in the long run. A Social Event for the Evening for those who wish to Remain after the Formal Close The visitors willing to stay after the formal close of the conference will be hosted with all the available facilities in the national park, including its world renowned sky gazing experience, under the supervision of Allan Trow. Thus, the visitors are likely to view the Milky Way, nebulas, meteor showers and other major constellations (Brecon Beacons National Park, 2012). Additionally, in the Spring Festival, the visitors can observe the breed livestock that are rare to this national park along with experiencing an exhibition of sustainable living, display of vintage machinery, dog show and folk dance. The visitors will also be able to observe the horticulture, agriculture and crafts of the region (Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, 2013). As this will facilitate more informal exchange of information within the speakers and the visitors, the program will be adding to the revenue generation possibilities of the program with equal significance to its objective of developing greater awareness and understanding of environmental care measures needed to be taken by a national park management Recommendations for Local Accommodation The visitors attending the conference will be offered with self-accommodation facilities as available and provided in the region. In the region, there are also several hotels and inns where visitors could seek for their accommodation. The visitors can have cosy cottages and grand houses in the regions offering self-catering accommodation facilities. Additionally, there are pubs as well as restaurants where visitors can have their desired cuisines. However, the accommodation facilities that are offered to the visitors are to be met with their individual expenses after the formal wind-up of the event so as to gain cost effectiveness but simultaneously attract visitors to the MICE. Suggestions for Marketing the Conference to the Intended Audience The intended audiences for the conference will be around 250 people comprising mainly personnel, important stakeholders and staff members associated with National Parks around the world. In this regard, the organiser of the conference, in order to attract the aforementioned intended audiences, is required to devise appropriate marketing policies along with strategies (Congrex, 2009). The plans and strategies for marketing the conference to the intended audiences are provided hereunder. Get to Know your Audiences The foremost step for developing an effective marketing plan will be to determine the target audiences who will be attending the conference in the ‘Brecon Beacons National Park’. Moreover, the intended audiences will be identified on the basis of their location i.e. whether residing in local or international context (Congrex, 2009). Determine Clear Objectives The intended audiences are to be offered with clear ideas and concepts on the basis of which, the conference will be organised (Congrex, 2009). Determine your Communication Message The message in relation to the conference should be communicated in the most appropriate way in order to ensure that the intended audiences are motivated and attracted efficiently. The intended audiences should have a brief knowledge and understanding of the learning outcomes that can be derived from the conference. Moreover, the message should communicate the opportunities that would be available to the visitors for sustainable development of National Parks (Congrex, 2009). Determining the Marketing Mix The organiser of the conference should develop a suitable marketing strategy in accordance with the desired marketing mix. The intended audiences will therefore be informed about the conference through email and social media technologies. Moreover, the details of the conference will be provided in the website of the organisation. The conference details should also be advertised through different IT technologies, which may include television, radio, newspaper and hoardings along with other print display medium (Congrex, 2009). Executing the Marketing Activities The marketing activities should also be conducted in an appropriate and coordinated procedure, so that the messages in relation to the conference are provided in a logical as well as understandable manner (Congrex, 2009). Outline Budget for the Day with Recommendation on Cost of Attendance Suggestions for Use of IT throughout the Entire Process In the conference, IT will be used in the entire operational process of conducting and executing the above mentioned strategies. IT will facilitate in communicating the information and facts in relation to the conference in an economically effective and convenient manner. IT will also facilitate in presenting the intended information in the meeting in a more lucrative manner. It is worth mentioning in this context that the use of IT will also aid in minimising the use of non-renewable sources and energy in the conference, contributing to a greener approach. Examples of How Else You Could Make the Conference ‘Green’ The conference will be conducted in a ‘Green’ manner, with due attention to the associated environmental responsibilities by minimising the use of non-renewable resources, which include coal, petroleum and natural gases. On the other hand, renewable resources such as solar heat and wind will be used in order to suffice the energy requirements of this event. Moreover, the visitors attending the conference will be provided with conveyance facilities from the airport or any other destination of their arrival, to reach the desired conference site location. Conclusion From the above discussion, it can be comprehended that the adoption of different procedures and plans will facilitate the organiser to conduct the conference in an appropriate way. Additionally, the organiser planning to conduct the conference in accordance with the standards and principles that are mentioned in accordance with the notion of ‘Green Tourism’ will facilitate in minimising potential negative impacts of the MICE on the environment. Moreover, different recommendations have been planned to be offered on the basis of which, the visitors will be provided with satisfactory accommodation and catering services. References Anand, S. V., 2013. Global Environmental Issues. Open Access Scientific Reports, Vol. 2, Iss. 2, pp. 1-9. Brecon Beacons, 2013. Star Gazing Events. Enjoying the Park. [Online] Available at: http://www.beacons-npa.gov.uk/visit-us/outdoors-activities/star-gazing-and-dark-skies/star-gazing-events [Accessed November 26, 2013]. Brecon Beacons Tourism, 2013. Food & Drink. Home. [Online] Available at: http://www.breconbeaconstourism.co.uk/eating/index.html [Accessed November 26, 2013]. Brecon Beacons National Park, 2012. 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