Let's Go Los Angeles, California

Destination with the Best Practice of Sustainability

      
   When considering travel destinations to visit, I tend to pursue destinations that are sustainable and provide me with inner peace and joy. I look for destinations that provide optimal fun such as beaches, vibrant art scenes, museums or shows, and incredible food. While traveling, I desire to experience and interact with these fascinations as well as to get in a position to immerse myself and interact with nature in a way that I isolate myself from the daily routine life. It is for that reason that Los Angeles, California is one of my best and preferred travel destinations. L.A. Tourism, the DMO for the city, guarantees the sustainability of the beaches in the city, museums, nature parks, and vibrant art scenes that support drive tourism in the city. The DMO has also placed measures in place to diversify the city’s offerings beyond Hollywood.  

  

The Best Practice of Sustainability

        In 2017, Los Angeles received approximately 50 million tourist visitors from around the globe, with this being a record for the city. The visitors spent almost $23 billion in local restaurants and hotels, retail outlets, and attraction sites (LA Tourism, 2019). The revenue generated roughly $35 billion in overall economic impact which assisted create and support over 523,000 jobs in Los Angeles County. The total visitation rose by about 2.6 percent while international visitation went up by 3.2 percent from 2016 to 2017. In the same year, the hotel industry set new records for both nights’ rooms sold and average daily rate (ADR) with approximately $29 and $176 correspondingly (Wooden, 2018). With numerous already founded hotels and restaurants, coupled with the possibility of a future rise in visitations and hotels, L.A. Tourism saw this as a significant prospect to highlight sustainability in the interior city and the adjoining regions.  

As highlighted in an article “Los Angeles Hotels Go Green with Eco-Friendly Features,” certain sustainability efforts have been put in place to ensure that Los Angeles is equitable in opportunity for all and environmentally friendly as well as economically prosperous. Many restaurants and cultural attractions have embraced green design, earning Green Seal and LEED Certification in the process. The JW Marriot Hotel is the eighth hotel to get awarded the Green Seal Silver Certification for meeting the strict environmental necessities to lessen its action’s effect on the environment and human health. The hotel has not only adopted concrete measures in waste reduction and minimization but also enhanced its recycling and energy efficiency (Discover Los Angeles, 2019). The hotel has also improved its water conservation and only purchases environmentally sound products which have enabled them to stand out as one of the leaders in sustainability. 

The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites is another restaurant that has implemented unique sustainability efforts. In 2009, the hotel became the first hotel in Los Angeles to get awarded the Green Silver Certification for its efforts in reducing carbon footprint and energy conservation. It achieved this endeavor through its energy conservation and management, water conservation, and recycling programs. The hotel spent almost twenty thousand USD in its environmentally-friendly practices such as using Trex decking which has been made from recycled sawdust and in the process, it saved approximately $225,000 yearly (Discover Los Angeles, 2019). Its unique efforts in achieving sustainability eventually resulted in the hotel getting awarded the Gold Certification. Large cities such as Los Angeles are increasingly embracing green sustainable practices thereby leading the way with incentives and regulations that recognize the numerous benefits from sustainable culture and green designs. 

Why This is the Best Practice

          Various scholars assert that sustainability is based on three major pillars namely social, ecological, and economic aspects. In the present world, economic growth has mostly come at the cost of environmental degradation (Hansmann, Mieg, & Frischknecht, 2012). In finding the solution to this challenge, environmentalists and experts are pursuing methods to avert or decrease contamination and preserve natural resources as well as safeguard enduring environs. Such methods include but are not limited to reduce, reuse, and to recycle waste. However, it is essential that destinations get political and governmental backing to assist and maintain sustainability efforts. Other scholars maintain that political sustainability is conceivably vital to the acceptability of tourism within any destination although it is seldom acknowledged (Wang & Pizam, 2011). 

             Nonetheless, L.A. Tourism has continued to work closely with the city of Los Angeles to create a partnership that supports sustainability within the tourism sector. While introducing the Sustainable City pLAn of Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti asserts that it is time for the government and the tourism industry to unite and transform Los Angeles. He argued that “…it is important to emphasize that the pLAn is not just an environmental vision - by addressing the environment, economy, and equity together, we will move toward a truly sustainable future” (Discover Los Angeles, 2019).  The pLAn details comprehensive ways to protect the environment by harnessing natural resources efficiently to provide a clean, healthy, and safe city and it is available to the public. However, it is essential that the city’s municipality is fully supporting the sustainability efforts of L.A. Tourism. With the city of Los Angeles providing backing for this program and others like it, the tourism industry is capable of having sustainability practices such as these and using their green finances for additional initiatives like buying and installing energy efficient appliances.
         

Benefits and Consequences for Consumers 

         Within the recent past years, sustainability has impacted the various destinations that people travel to. A lot of leisure travelers visit Los Angeles to enjoy the exotic beaches, view vibrant art scenes, and nature parks in the city as well as museums. Visitors traveling for ecotourism, nature-based tourism, and cultural and heritage tourism mostly pursue environmentally friendly attractions, hotels, and lodgings which have embraced green or sustainable initiatives. Providing the public with the city’s sustainability plan and records of sustainability efforts assure environmental-conscious travelers and visitors that they have made the finest selections for their accommodations (Bramwell & Lane, 2011). L.A. Tourism also highlights these sustainability efforts via their online media platforms and inspires travelers to share their determinations with others through word of mouth as well as social media platforms. 

         However, despite the great efforts and benefits, there are sometimes disadvantages as well. One of the primary disadvantages is that tourists are not permanently conscious or educated about ways to sustain and abide by the sustainability standards that the natives have put in place. Regrettably, this could trigger hostility among the visitors, natives, and the tourism industry. When this occurs, the travelers are viewed as annoying visitors, accordingly triggering a gap between the guests and the natives. As information about the apprehensions in a specific tourist attraction spread, the visitors’ patronage dwindles, a huge drawback to the local tourism industry and the natives who are trying to build up the area (Archer, Cooper, & Ruhanen, 2005). Over the years, Los Angeles has worked hard to help in building up the repute of the natives. By crafting sustainability determinations that are not only valuable to the city but also the natives, Los Angeles has seen an upsurge in collaborations among the natives and visitors. This is why the enlightening guest is a significant aspect in assisting them to comprehend the significance of sustainability within Los Angeles. 

Benefits and Consequences for the Destination, Tourism Industry, and the Local Residents

          L.A. Tourism uses its sustainability procedures in its marketing of Los Angeles as the premier destination for leisure travel and conventions to set the city apart from the rest. The sustainability determinations that Los Angeles is putting in place towards making a greener city is providing L.A. a competitive edge in its product variety over other attractions. According to Sharpley (2002) diversifying products and services can provide an effective track to fast development. This is because product diversification inspires new products that can be ecologically and socially sustainable for destinations since they motivate the gratitude of a place’s character and include locally-owned businesses. Therefore, the improvements and continued use of sustainable practices will only serve to enhance the diversification of products and the generation of more jobs as well as improving the quality of work in L.A. Consequently; this will assist inspire and motivate the partnership between the government, natives, and the tourism industry.

The Burbank Farmers Market is a good example of how sustainability profits the natives and the tourism industry. It is one of the oldest markets with almost 35years of contribution from local farmers. All produce sold in the market is locally grown on family-owned farms, and all the proceeds realized from the sales are donated to the Providence St. Joseph Hospital Foundation. The foundation helps more than 12,000 residents yearly in medical care. The traders who sell in the market are handpicked depending on the variety and quality of their produce (Eidt, 2011). The market not only offers a variety of products and attracts thousands of guests, but also provides a location for natives to sell their products and interact with buyers. Additionally, by contributing to the Providence St. Joseph Hospital Foundation, the market gives back to the community thus enhancing sustainability. 

Nonetheless, despite the many benefits that can be accrued from sustainability, there are some shortcomings as well. The primary concern is that sustainability can get construed and implemented in numerous various ways. This can cause strain amongst the different groups that have partnered. Therefore, this calls for the availability of adequate information concerning sustainability efforts being planned for a destination to all the parties involved. When there is no communication of plans and determinations among all stakeholders, then the sustainability efforts are doomed to fail. 

How Can This Best Practice Be Encouraged for Other DMOs?

          Los Angeles is making great efforts in creating a green and sustainable city and more so in the tourism industry. These efforts are emphasized in the hard work the hotel industry is making; as well as the government’s support for the Sustainable City pLAn which focuses on equity, healthy environment, and prosperous economy. The L.A. Tourist has played a critical role in pushing for reforms that encourage sustainability and has thus helped set an example to other DMOs to follow suit. However, partnerships are critical in inspiring other DMOs to take part in sustainability efforts. This is because partnerships will allow DMOS to encourage and learn from each other as well as unite to form a collective objective that all involved DMOs will endeavor to achieve (Bornhorst, Ritchie, & Sheehan, 2010). Other DMOs can also benefit greatly by publishing Sustainable City Plans like the city of Los Angeles and making it accessible to the public via their websites. By doing this, the DMOs can build associations with the present and future shareholders. 

The Organization that Should Be in Charge of Encouraging More Sustainable Practices by DMOs

            DMOs play an essential role for various destinations, and thus they need to get prompted about sustaining attention on sustainability determinations. L.A. Tourism works diligently with both the government and the public sector to ensure sustainability. The government should be in the forefront to ensure that the efforts DMOs are pursuing are in line with the determinations that are described in any city’s sustainability plan. This is because governments provide finances to implement the plans and are also experienced in handling intricate organizations. Moreover, the public should also get included by being availed with information on the ongoing plans and their implementation. The private sector should also contribute to sustainability efforts by implementing sustainable plans in the city. The private industry is also proficient in marketing and should partner and assist the DMOs and the government by creating awareness of prospective marketing opportunities. Their marketing knowledge would assist DMOs in their marketing and assist generate viable marketing that promotes sustainability in the city. 

If I Were in Charge of this Organization, Strategies, Tactics, and Actions that I Would Use to Encourage More Sustainability

If I were in charge of the L.A. Tourism, I would make use of partnerships. I would partner with various local organizations who are focused on sustainable efforts. Partnerships provide numerous benefits such as promotional advantages, sharing of research, and community relations benefits. As Morrison (2013) opined, partnerships are a synergistic association among DMOs and other entities. Therefore, these partnerships would be beneficial as they would increase tourist visitations due to enhanced promotion. 

Additionally, I would encourage the use of social media in reaching potential clients and the general public. A universal website of the organization that is user-friendly would get created. The site would serve to inform and educate visitors about the importance of sustainability and the efforts that have been put in place to ensure sustainable tourism. The website would also contain the city’s sustainable plan as well as external links to online platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram where followers can like and share information with others. As Shankman (2015) asserts, most people rely on information from social media influencers, and thus this makes social media a great channel to highlight sustainability programs.  

My Role in Supporting and Improving Sustainability of Tourism Destinations as a Consumer and Industry Practitioner 

            My role as a consumer and as an industry practitioner is to support and champion for sustainable efforts in the tourism industry. I would do this by making informed decisions in my purchasing and consumptions habits by selecting sustainable products only. I would, therefore, choose goods that are made sustainably and are also eco-friendly. Moreover, I would promote recycling by buying goods made from recycled materials. This would help reduce pressure on raw materials and hence promote sustainability (Environmental Professionals Network, 2014). Lastly, I would help educate the community on the importance of sustainable practices and ways in which to contribute to the creation of a sustainable, green, and safe environment. 

References

Archer, B., Cooper, C., & Ruhanen, L. (2005). The positive and negative impacts of tourism. Global tourism, 3, 79-102. 

Bornhorst, T., Ritchie, J. B., & Sheehan, L. (2010). Determinants of tourism success for DMOs & destinations: An empirical examination of stakeholders' perspectives. Tourism management, 31(5), 572-589. 

Bramwell, B., & Lane, B. (2011). Critical research on the governance of tourism and sustainability. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 19(4-5), 411-421. 

Discover Los Angeles. (2019, April 18). Los Angeles Hotels Go Green with Eco-Friendly Features. Discover Los Angeles. Retrieved from https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/hotels/los-angeles-hotels-go-green-with-eco-friendly-features 

Discover Los Angeles. (2019, March 14). The Sustainable City pLAn of Los Angeles. Discover Los Angeles. Retrieved from https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/travel/the-sustainable-city-plan-of-los-angeles 

Eidt, J. (2011, May 08). Sustainability in Los Angeles: Who, What, Where? Wilder Utopia. Retrieved from https://www.wilderutopia.com/sustainability/sustainability-in-los-angeles-who-what-where/ 

Environmental Professionals Network. (2014, May 21). 10 Things You Should Do To Promote Sustainability. Environmental Professionals Network. Retrieved from http://environmentalprofessionalsnetwork.com/10-things-you-should-do-to-promote-sustainability/ 

Hansmann, R., Mieg, H. A., & Frischknecht, P. (2012). Principal sustainability components: empirical analysis of synergies between the three pillars of sustainability. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 19(5), 451-459. 

LA Tourism. (2019, March 14). Los Angeles Celebrates Record Milestone of 50 Million Visitors in 2018. Discover Los Angeles. Retrieved from https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/los-angeles-celebrates-record-milestone-of-50-million-visitors-in-2018 

Morrison, A. (2013). Marketing and managing tourism destinations. New York: Routledge. 

Shankman, S. (2015, August 24). Destination Marketing CEOs on the Power of Social Media. Skift. Retrieved from https://skift.com/2015/05/28/destination-marketing-ceos-on-the-power-of-social-media/ 

Sharpley, R. (2002). Rural tourism and the challenge of tourism diversification: the case of Cyprus. Tourism management, 23(3), 233-244. 

Wang, Y., & Pizam, A. (Eds.). (2011). Destination marketing and management: Theories and applications. Cabi. 

Wooden, E. (2018, November 06). The Intersection of Mobility and Sustainable Tourism. LACoMotion. Retrieved from https://www.lacomotion.com/perspectives-the-intersection-of-mobility-and-sustainable-tourism