Responsible Golf Tourism

Benjamin Warren, Golf Environment Europe

With the publication of its 2008/09 edition, the Peugeot Golf Guide enters its ninth year as the connoisseurs guide to the golf courses of Europe.

As part of a long-term plan to integrate environmental issues into the guide, Golf Environment Europe, with the support of Rolex, contributed a thought provoking piece that constituted a rallying call for golfers to consider the impacts of their travel.

Through the production of this feature, one interesting question arose: how can golf tourists hope to discern one facility from another in terms of environmental performance?

Whilst this may not be a consideration for many modern day golf tourists, there is an argument that it should, and increasingly will be. Just as the mainstream tourist industry has responded to consumer demand for ethical holiday options, so the golf travel industry should promote destinations that are operating, or developing, in a sustainable manner.

Responsible and socially just eco-tourism is now broadly accepted as travel that minimizes the negative aspects of conventional tourism on the environment, and enhances the cultural integrity of local people. In addition to these core environmental and cultural factors, the promotion of recycling, energy efficiency, water conservation, and creation of economic opportunities for local communities are implicit requirements.

Whilst some of the inevitable drive towards ethical tourism will come from golfers themselves, a widely recognised environmental standard will allow golf tourists to make informed choices about where and how they spend their money. For our part, Golf Environment Europe is in the process of developing a certification programme and kitemarking scheme that will enable just that.

From late 2008, facilities will be able enroll in GEE’s – as yet un-named – certification programme. Once full certification is achieved, these facilities will be entitled to distinguish themselves through commercial use of the programme kitemark. In turn, publications such as the Peugeot Golf Guide will be able to flag up facilities that are maintained to a high environmental standard.

Although truly ethical tourism encompasses far more than a simple educated choice of destination, enabling golfers to clearly distinguish between environmentally sound facilities and those that are being mismanaged, will allow them to support those destinations that truly deserve to be sustained.