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Part 5:
Saving Money &
Sustainability
Part 5:
Saving Money &
Sustainability
Rural Tourism Business Toolkit
Image courtesy of Gary Pearson & Norfolk County Council
Rural Tourism Business Toolkit
2
Part 5 ~ Saving Money & Sustainability
About this toolkit
This .pdf is the fifth part of a fully featured resource packed full with useful information and advice
for new and existing rural tourism businesses. It is designed to help with business evaluation,
market identification, development of effective communication and marketing strategies, and
is intended to encourage initiatives that offer great visitor experiences whilst nurturing the
environments that create them.
This toolkit has been created as part of the COOL Tourism Project by the COOL Partnership and
tourism development charity Hidden Britain.
The COOL Tourism Project
The COOL Tourism Project is a European partnership of 11 local authorities and organisations,
based in the east and south of England and in the north of France, who are working together to
help each other compete effectively in the global tourism market.
COOL Tourism aims to address the need for market research, product development and business
support in the partners’ areas, and to encourage rural tourism businesses to make use of the rural
areas’ environmental assets and local distinctiveness to attract visitors.
The project is being delivered with the support of the European cross-border co-operation
Programme INTERREG IV A, France (Channel) – England, co-funded by the European Regional
Development Fund.
The project partners include; Norfolk County Council, Essex County Council (Visit Essex), Kent County
Council (Explore Kent), Visit Kent, Somerset County Council, West Somerset Council, Sedgemoor
District Council, Exmoor National Park Authority, Pas-de-Calais Tourisme, Somme Tourisme, and
Pas-de-Calais Gîtes de France.
This toolkit has been designed to allow you to
dip in and select the tools you need.
You’ll find navigation buttons on every page to
help move back and forward between the tools
and you can easily return here to the contents
page by clicking the “home” button at any time.
Rural Tourism Business Toolkit
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3
Contents
How to use this Toolkit
Page 4
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Page 5
Page 6
Page 8
Page 10
Introduction
Addressing seasonality
Making savings on energy
Making savings on waste
Calculating carbon emissions
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Page 11
Page 15
Page 16
Page 19
Green accreditation
Adapting to climate change
Quality and welcome
Sourcing and buying
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Training Page 21
Go
Return to
contents page
Go to start of
previous tool
Go to start of
next tool
FAQs Page 23
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Making savings on water Page 9
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Rural Tourism Business Toolkit
Future-proofing your business
We are in an ever changing world, therefore being prepared and having the flexibility to adapt is
vital for the long-term sustainability of any business. Maximising your profitability year-round and
keeping your costs down are the two best routes to future-proofing your business.
Sustainability
Sustainability isn’t just about the environment, it is about doing business better. The benefits are
clear: saving money, reducing business risk, increasing profitability and accessing an increasing
market of customers who have an interest in authentic experiences. It’s also not something you
should be shy about communicating. Your achievements add another string to your bow and can
set you apart from your competitors.
Thinking about climate change
Our climate has changed and continues to change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) made the following key findings for the tourism sector:
1. The sector is exposed to numerous direct and indirect impacts from climate change.
2. Adaptation options exist, but many are likely to add costs and offer only short-term relief.
3. The contribution of tourism to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is rising.
4. There is uncertainty about how tourists will respond to the effects of climate change.
How we address these challenges is a key part of being sustainable, as is taking advantage of the
opportunities that arise.
Where you should be before you begin
Before you use any of the information and tools in this section, we would suggest you have an
understanding of the following:
→ Clear objectives for your business
What you need and are looking to achieve
→ A clear understanding of your target audiences
Who they are, where they are and what they want
If you‘re unsure on any of the above, check out Part one of the Toolkit – Getting Started.
4
Contents Introduction
This toolkit is an in-depth resource but it cannot address every specific need. Therefore feel free to
tailor the guidance or use it as a starting point to research further for your own business.
Also remember - things change, websites disappear and new trends arrive, use this toolkit
alongside your own research to ensure you are right up to date...
Disclaimer
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Addressing seasonality
Building a year-round offer
Although many tourism businesses can operate all year round, there are always opportunities for
extending the seasons, targeting additional market sectors and addressing the quieter periods.
Ideas to consider
→ Provide some wet-weather ideas – create
a list of things to do on a rainy day.
Cornwall has done this: www.bodminlive.
com/xsdbimgs/Rainy_day_activities_in_
cornwall.pdf
→ Create some seasonal specials – e.g. an
autumn package that includes suggestions
of where to go to see the autumn colours
at their best, or an early spring package
that includes places to see the snowdrops,
→ With the ever-increasing proliferation
of artificial lighting it’s becoming more
difficult to experience ‘dark skies’ and see
the stars. Provide guidance to your visitors
on what to look for or set up dedicated
star watching evenings
→ Weather-watching - wearing the right
gear, storm-watching can be thoroughly
invigorating!
→ Wildlife and birdwatching is a year-round
activity and in many cases may even be
more interesting in autumn, winter and
spring. Try creating a wildlife calendar and
spotters’ guide for your visitors.
→ Look at different market sectors – e.g.
business travel. Are there businesses
in your area you can promote your
accommodation or restaurant to? Local
conference venues can be another source
of overnight visitors as can educational
establishments.
→ Getting together with other businesses that
attract customers off season in the area
can provide lots of opportunities for joint
marketing efforts (e.g. join up with sports
clubs for supporters)
→ Seasonal events can provide the stimulus
for a visit. Look for opportunities to do
something out of the ordinary. Xmas
cooking courses or pumpkin carving
workshops can all be attractive.
→ Don’t neglect outdoor activity. Given
advance notice you can even get people
cold and muddy (check out mud running) or
soaking wet (doesn’t matter in a wetsuit!)
→ Use off-season periods to trial new services
e.g. brewing classes, and offer them as
special packages with a discount.
→ Consider offering volunteering opportunities
to help maintain or preserve sites in the off
season. You’ll be surprised by the numbers
who will come in all weathers to maintain
hedgerows...
The Star Inn
The Star Inn
A CAMRA award-winning village pub in
Talybont-on-Usk in the Brecon Beacons.
The Star works with others locally to
put on star-gazing nights with night
photography workshops, expert talks and
star-gazing from the pub garden.
Find out more
Case Study
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Addressing seasonality
Sustainable savings on your utilities
Energy use – heating, lighting, running electrical appliances and running your vehicle/s – is probably
one of your greatest areas of expenditure and it will continue to account for a growing proportion of
your overhead. But with energy prices rising and our increasing impact on the environment, it really
is the responsibility of us all to reduce usage.
As well as cutting your running costs there is the additional benefit of conserving resources and
reducing carbon emissions.
Ideas to consider
Making savings on energy
→ Don’t leave appliances on standby – they’ll
still be using up to 85% of running energy
→ Switch to low-energy light bulbs
→ Switch off appliances and lights when not
in use
→ Use sensors or timers to control lighting
→ Limit the use of tumble dryers – one of the
biggest users of energy. Line dry instead
→ Use A-rated energy-efficient appliances
and boilers
→ Install individual room heating (and
cooling) controls
→ Consider positioning and maintenance of
fridges and freezers – e.g. ensure seals are
tight
→ Provide small kettles in bedrooms – where
visitors can make drinks for one/two people
→ Invest in an energy monitor enabling you to
identify sources of highest energy use.
→ Compare your bills year on year to see
savings achieved throughout the seasons.
Further help & advice
There’s obviously much more you can do, from
draught proofing to installing cavity-wall and
loft insulation. We recommend that you to get
advice on this – especially if you’re in an old
building – and fortunately there’s plenty of
advice available.
→ Local authorities:
Many local authorities provide advice on
energy saving and also provide information
on any grant schemes and possible
collective switching schemes.
→ Energy Savings Trust: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
Provides useful guidance on how you can change your energy using habits room by room & also
busts a number of energy-saving myths
→ Green Tourism Business Scheme: www.green-tourism.com
An extensive source of energy saving ideas is part of the criteria for the scheme and provides a
really useful framework within which you can put in motion your energy-saving plan.
Saving energy...
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Renewable energy
Simply put, renewable energy comes from sources that are not going to run out, such as the sun
and wind. It is clean energy which does not produce harmful greenhouse gases which contribute
to adverse climate change. Generating your own renewable energy is a great way to reduce your
emissions and energy costs. It also makes your energy supply more secure and gives you some
protection from price changes.
Renewable energy technologies can be split into two categories, although some technologies can
provide both:
Type Electrical Energy Generation Heat Generation
Examples
Solar photovoltaic
Wind turbines
Hydro power
Solar thermal
Air-and-ground source heat pumps
Biomass
Combined Heat & Power (CHP) systems
Anaerobic digestion
Renewable energy systems can be installed to serve individual homes and businesses as well as
community sites and districts (or ‘clusters’). The Renewable Heat Incentive is a government financial
incentive that has two streams of funding – one for households and one for commercial premises,
including small and large businesses and organisations with district heating schemes.
You really should give a lot of thought as to which renewable energy system is most relevant to
your site; think about:
→ Your budget and resources (although grants may be available)
→ Your aspect and positioning
→ Your landscape and surroundings
Making savings on energy
Bear in mind that if you are located within a National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural
Beauty, this may influence your choice of technology. For example, some protected landscapes
have policies on wind turbines.
Further help & advice
→ Your local authority
Many councils provide extensive advice and grants to support installation.
→ The Energy Savings Trust – www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generating-energy
offers a ‘Renewable Selector’ to find out which technologies best suit your circumstances.
They also explain the Feed-In Tariffs, which help you make money from generating your own
electricity.
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Making savings on energy Making savings on waste
Prevent, Reduce, Re-use and Recycle
Waste is a major concern both in terms of cost and environmental impact. We need to take the life-
cycle approach to managing waste which starts with how we source and buy a product (how is it
made and how is it distributed?), how we use it, through to how we dispose of it.
Preventing waste will ultimately reduce the need for materials and limit the amount of greenhouse
gases released throughout its life cycle. Minimising the amount of waste that ends up in landfill
sites will help reduce negative environmental impacts.
Sources of waste
Within the tourism industry the biggest areas of waste to consider are:
→ Food waste – from preparation and spoilage through to plate waste
→ Packaging – from food and drink, cleaning materials and other products
→ Water – from cleaning and grey-water waste
→ Expended resources - batteries, textiles and electrical/IT equipment
Managing Waste
We can only manage waste effectively if we know what we are producing and why, so putting an
effective waste management system in place should involve:
Measuring and monitoring the waste produced as a result of your business operations
Understanding and evaluating the costs involved with your current regime
1
2
Developing and implementing an action plan to deal with your waste and sharing it with
your employees and suppliers
Undertaking ongoing measurement and monitoring (e.g. each quarter or year on year)
3
4
Further help & advice
→ Local Authorities will give you details of collections, recycling centres and schemes, and how to
deal with garden and business waste.
→ WRAP www.wrap.org.uk
has produced a series of useful information sheets for the hospitality industry which give a
step-by-step guide on taking action on waste.
→ Recylenow www.recyclenow.com/
Provides information on every type of waste you might produce and ideas on what to do with it.
→ Environment Agency www.gov.uk/environmental-management/waste
Provides details of the regulations concerning waste
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Conserving the stuff of life
There is a tremendous amount of pressure on our water supplies and even after a wet winter, we
can still be in ‘water deficit’ – i.e. where the available water is less than the region’s demand.
Implementing water conservation measures can encourage you to better manage how and when
water is being used, ultimately leading to cost savings.
Ideas to consider
Making savings on water
→ Remind employees and visitors to save
water (posters/pictures/signs above taps
etc).
→ Regularly check for leaks and dripping taps
– and fix immediately!
→ Fit water-saving devices. These devices
can include flow restrictors, aerators,
percussion (push) taps or limiters on water
pipes.
→ Install energy-saving taps (e.g. mixer taps)
which deliver water at the temperature
required.
→ Use water-efficient washing machines and
dish washers – e.g. A-rated or better.
→ Install water-saving devices in your toilets
or install low-flush versions or waterless
urinals.
→ Consider a rainwater harvesting system
which collects rainwater for use in washing
machines, to flush toilets etc.
→ For the garden, install water butts to
collect rainwater from the roofs and
guttering. You can also install an irrigation
system which could have any of the
following features:
- Use treated waste water
- Timing devices fitted to minimise
operating times
- Moisture sensors fitted to ensure they
water on demand
- A system that delivers water to plants
below soil level
→ Consider grey-water recycling, a system
which treats bath, shower or laundry
water which can then be used to flush
toilets, water the garden etc. (www.
energysavingcommunity.co.uk/grey-water-
recycling-systems.html)
→ If you dispose of waste water into septic
tanks use eco-friendly household cleaning
materials and detergents to improve their
efficiency.
→ Use untreated bath and shower water
for the garden, but consider the type of
detergents used by you and your guests,
and never use it on edible plants.
Further help & advice
→ Your water supplier - will provide specific guidance for your area
www.water-guide.org.uk
→ The Energy Savings Trust – provides some great advice on how to make savings:
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Heating-and-hot-water/Saving-money-on-water/
→ Waterwise – focuses on water efficiency and also provides a water calculator.
www.waterwise.org.uk/pages/water-saving-advice-and-tips.html
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Calculating carbon emissions
Understanding your impact
Calculating carbon emissions is only mandatory for companies listed on the London Stock Exchange,
although this will be extended to another 20,000 large companies in 2016. For the rest of us –
small, medium and micro businesses – calculating our carbon emissions is voluntary. There are
many reasons why you may want to do this:
→ Being able to measure what you’re producing
→ Reducing costs associated with energy and resource use
→ Differentiating your service from competitors,
→ Engaging your staff
→ Winning customers by meeting the demand for low-carbon products and services.
There are many tools available which can help you calculate your emissions; however we
recommend selecting a tool that uses industry-accepted calculations such as; DEFRA emissions
calculations and methodologies verified by international standards, such as the PAS 2050.
Carbon calculators
A carbon calculator works out your carbon footprint (emissions), typically based on emissions from
energy used in heating and lighting buildings and transport. Some will also include water usage
and waste. You can find many carbon calculators available to use online that can help you with
your reporting, analysing your data and identifying areas where you can make reductions.
→ DEFRA (Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs)
offers a web-based tool containing emission conversion factors for greenhouse gas reporting.
www.ukconversionfactorscarbonsmart.co.uk
→ National Energy Foundation
Provide a free online Simple Carbon Calculator for energy and transport emissions,
www.carbon-calculator.org.uk
Carbon calculators with offsets
Once you have an idea of your carbon emissions, you can choose to ‘offset’ your unavoidable
emissions. This is done by giving the emissions a financial value and making a donation of that
value to a project or charity that invests in a carbon reduction programme such as woodland
planting or clean energy schemes.
→ Carbon Neutral Company - www.carbonneutral.com
Their free online calculator can work out your footprint and for a fee offer in-depth support.
→ Clear - www.clear-offset.com
Provides free carbon audit tools, including one specifically for businesses
→ Pure Leapfrog - www.pureleapfrog.org
Provides free carbon audit tools, and was ranked the UK’s top ‘offsetter’ in a survey by Which?
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11
Accolades for your actions
It’s increasingly reported that consumers are placing more and more emphasis on how
environmentally conscious and socially minded a company is when making their decision to buy.
One way of demonstrating your commitment to the market place is to apply for and implement
sustainable or ‘green’ tourism accreditation or certification which independently verifies your
sustainability credentials.
For businesses starting out on the road to
making their business more sustainable,
certification schemes can help:
→ Identify actions to undertake
→ With specific advice on implementing actions
→ Give you a market advantage which can set
you apart from your competitors
Which scheme is right for me?
There are now many such schemes operating within the global travel industry and you need to
choose which one will work best for you. Some schemes are environmentally focused and do not
cover wider social and economic issues, whilst others apply to specific industry sectors.
Another important consideration is whether the schemes are internally or externally certified or
audited. It’s safe to say that external or independent certification carries more weight.
Below we have summarised the main schemes you should know about:
Scheme Who is it for? Details
Green Tourism
Business
Scheme
(GTBS)
Any tourism
business including;
accommodation,
attractions, activity
providers, food &
beverage, retail etc
→ 2000 members in UK, Ireland and Canada
→ One-off joining fee and an annual fee
→ Independently assessed by GTBS auditors
→ Assessment covers a wide range of criteria such as;
management, marketing, environmental practices,
purchasing and conservation
→ Gold, Silver and Bronze awards available depending on
criteria reached
Website: www.green-tourism.com
Green Accreditation
Accreditation
Having your sustainability activities and achievements certified is entirely voluntary. There are
often costs involved, such as a joining fee, an annual membership and/or audit fee.
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Green Accreditation
Part 5 ~ Saving Money & Sustainability
Scheme Who is it for? Details
David Bellamy
Conservation
Award
Camping,
caravanning and
holiday park
industry
→ Awarded in recognition of work to protect and enhance
Britain’s natural environment.
→ Over 600 sites and parks have the award
→ One-off joining fee and an annual fee
→ Gold, Silver and Bronze awards available.
→ Members are assessed by a team of local wildlife
experts
→ Assessment covers managing land as a haven for
wildlife, reducing use of energy, water and resources,
reducing waste and supporting local communities.
Website: www.bellamyparks.co.uk
Scheme Who is it for? Details
Trip Advisor
GreenLeaders
programme
Accommodation
providers - hotels
and B&B’s
→ Operates in 20 countries worldwide
→ Assessment of a business’s ‘green practices’
→ GreenLeaders badge awarded and prominently displayed
on TA website
→ Online application with a survey
→ Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum awarded.
→ Annual audits applied and can also be triggered by
traveller feedback
→ Membership is free
→ Need to re-apply every two years
Website: www.tripadvisor.co.uk/GreenLeaders
Scheme Who is it for? Details
EU Ecolabel
Devised for many
different products
and services,
including holiday
accommodation
→ The EU Ecolabel logo on a product or service is designed
to show that it is less damaging to the environment .
→ Assessed on environmental criteria agreed by every EU
Member State.
→ Assessed and managed in the UK by DEFRA
→ Initial set-up costs vary depending on the size of the
company.
→ Annual fee to continue using the label.
Website: www.ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel
Which scheme is right for me? (cont.)
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Which scheme is right for me? (cont.)
Scheme Who is it for? Details
ISOs Any business
→ Internationally recognised management system
standards
→ Some specifically applicable to the tourism industry:
- ISO 14000 - Environmental Management
- ISO 20121 - Sustainable Events
- ISO 26000 - Social Responsibility
→ Standard can be purchased online but requires a robust
internal audit and supporting evidence
→ External assessment can be bought
→ Need to be annually assessed for compliance
→ Costs vary
Website: www.iso.org
Further help & advice
→ VisitEngland provides information on sustainability certification and accreditation schemes
www.visitengland.org/busdev/accreditation
Using Accreditation
Earning a quality assessment or accreditation mark that’s relevant to your business is a reward for
your efforts to do things right and to do them well and it’s a valuable tool to leverage across your
communications activity.
Consider the following:
Bring it to the forefront of your website and marketing (e.g. in your email footers and flyers)
1
Green Accreditation
Walletts Court
Walletts Court Hotel & Spa
The team at Walletts spend every
Saturday morning litter-picking the beach
at St.Margaret’s Bay of washed-up and
dropped rubbish. They also offer guests
the chance to join in and make a positive
impact on the environment during their
stay.
Find out more
Case Study
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Using accreditation (cont.)
Exmoor House
Exmoor House
In 2008 Exmoor House was the first
accommodation provider to gain GTBS
Gold on Exmoor. Through their grading
they have minimised waste, saved
costs,and use the award to boost
their sustainable reputation in their
communications.
Find out more
Case Study
Mention the accreditation directly as part of the description of your service IF it matters to
your customers (not just as another logo added to your marketing)
2
On receipt and at renewal, create a press release that shows why the award is important for
the experience you offer to visitors
Research specific audiences that care most about your award and target them (e.g. Green
Tourism Business Scheme followers on Twitter)
3
4
Leverage your membership in these schemes, you may get discounts on business services like
insurance so check your eligibility
Get support from the awarding organisation on how best to make the most of your status;
they have as big an interest as you in promoting the award.
5
6
Use official logos and imagery provided by the awarding organisation wherever relevant
in your own material
Make sure your staff and volunteers know why the award is important and what value it
adds to the service you provide
For more information on creating powerful marketing and communications, see Part 2 of the toolkit
- Communicating.
Communicating Accreditation
Whenever you use your accreditation in communications ensure you follow the basic steps in the
checklist below:
Include the award in social media and in particular review site profiles (e.g. accreditation
logos on your TripAdvisor account can support better reviews)
Include the award information within your standard boilerplate information across all media
releases
7
8
Green Accreditation
Part 5 ~ Saving Money & Sustainability
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Adapting to climate change
15
Dealing with extreme events
Much of the guidance in part 5 is focused on planning to mitigate future trends. However
increasingly we are seeing events, most particularly casued by extreme weather, happening with
growing frequency. But what can and should you do in the face of such an event?
Assess the situation
Ascertain how much the event has affected your business, whether you can stay open, but
also whether your customers can reach you and also if the wider area is visitable and open.
Deal with current or imminent customers
See to the needs of any current customers, offering them refunds or alternatives if necessary.
You also need to contact any imminent customers, alerting them to the situation.
1
2
Deal with future impact on your business
Take a clear look at your outgoings and income over any period you are likely to be affected
and assess the best way forward (e.g. slowing payments or stopping booked advertising).
3
Getting the right message out
Place a clear and honest appraisal of the situation facing your business on your website
so customers know exactly what is going on. Update this regularly as things change.
Work with others locally to put out a joint statement about the impacts and effects of
the event. Use this as a core for your own communications keeping the message clear.
Share customer experiences of those who do come; this can be very powerful to
counteract overblown media or wider perceptions of the actual impact
Focus on what’s coming soon, use upcoming events, seasonal highlights and other hooks
that will happen after the immediate crisis to provide positive points to talk about
Prepare to return to normal
Once you can see a definitive date for things returning to normal. Consider the following:
→ Contact your customers directly (e-newsletters are good), thank them for their patience and
invite them back
→ Invite journalists down for a familiarisation trip to see the destination back on its feet
→ Consider developing a Friends and Relatives campaign, harnessing support from local residents
→ Plan something special to get attention and showcase what’s great about where you are: a
taster event, expert talks or hands-on experience days or even a special offer
Further help & advice
→ www.visitengland.org/flood-response/guide/index.aspx
→ www.climatesouthwest.org/tools/tourism
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Adapting to climate change
16
Quality and welcome
Being the best you can be
If you’re providing an exceptional standard of service and high-quality facilities, you want to be
recognised for that and to use that recognition to market yourself more effectively!
Independent verification can provide:
→ Useful information to consumers about what you are providing
→ Potential market advantage
→ Ability to measure progress year-on-year
→ Solid basis to plan the improvements
→ Opportunities for learning and training and ways of further engaging your staff
Quality schemes and awards
Visit England provides an overview of the various schemes in operation within the UK
www.visitengland.org/busdev/accreditation/index.aspx
Do bear in mind that fees apply to most of these schemes.
Quality in Tourism (QiT) Entry Level Schemes AA Rosettes
QiT acts as a regulatory
body for the tourism industry
and run the schemes for
accommodations and visitor
attractions as well as the
National Accessibility Scheme.
VisitEngland oversees the
implementation of the ‘entry-
level’ scheme for destinations
to operate their own local
assessment scheme. This is not
a star-rated scheme but rather
ensures businesses remain
legal, safe and clean.
In the restaurant sector, the
AA runs the long-established
Rosette scheme. Rosettes
recognise successful cooking at
different levels across the UK.
Find out more Find out more Find out more
SDAF
SDAF
Sevenoaks District Accommodation Forum
is a non-profit membership organisation.
They represent and promote local
accommodation and ensure all members
sign up to an entry-level scheme as part
of their member charter.
Find out more
Case Study
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Quality and Welcome
17
Accessibility
Almost one in five people have some form of disability. It is a market worth over £40 billion a year
offering huge opportunity for tourism businesses which take accessibility seriously. Bear in mind
that disabled people are usually accompanied
by friends and relatives so the business
opportunity is immense.
There has been a legal requirement in place
since 1995 to make reasonable provision to
welcome disabled guests. This requirement
applies to all tourism businesses regardless of
size or whether the guest is charged. So first it
is worth familiarising yourself with the Equalities
Act 2010 (which supersedes the Disability
Discrimination Act):
→ Equalities Act 2010 – www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents
→ An overview with guidance at www.gov.uk/equality-act-2010-guidance
Guidance & Advice
There is a wealth of guidance and tools available to help you make your business and destination
more accessible:
Accessibility
→ Tourism for All UK – a national charity
dedicated to making tourism welcoming to
all.
www.tourismforall.org.uk
→ Open Britain by Tourism for All, is where
visitors can find comprehensive information
about places to stay, visit, eat and drink,
activities and events, throughout the UK
www.openbritain.net
→ VisitEngland – provide guidance specifically
on accessibility for tourism businesses:
www.visitengland.org/busdev/bussupport/
access/index.aspx
→ The European Commission offer s further
guidance on accessibility, including tips on
your website:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/
tourism/tourism-business-portal/business/
eaccesibility/index_en.htm
→ Quality in Tourism - where you can
download the National Accessible Scheme
(NAS) criteria
www.qualityintourism.com/quality-
schemes/access/
→ As part of their Welcome to Excellence
training programme, Tourism SE runs a
Welcome All course in customer service
and disability awareness training.
www.welcometoexcellence.co.uk/
trainingprogrammes/welcomeall.asp
→ Europeforall is a wider Europe compatriot of
Open Britain. You can register your business
as disabled friendly.
http://europeforall.com/
→ ENAT - The European Network for Accessible
Tourism includes plenty of resources
including a code of good conduct.
www.accessibletourism.org
Image courtesy of Visit Kent
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18
Part 5 ~ Saving Money & Sustainability
Welcome Schemes
The Welcome Schemes, which are operated by Quality in Tourism, recognise tourism businesses
that provide certain facilities or services to welcome specific groups. Please note Welcome Scheme
assessments must be booked in conjunction with an annual Quality in Tourism assessment visit and
an additional annual fee applies.
Full details of the Welcome Schemes, with downloads listing the criteria, are available on the
Quality in Tourism site: www.qualityintourism.com/quality-schemes/welcome-schemes/
Welcoming Pets
Many tourism businesses welcome dogs and other pets and, if you feel your premises are suitable,
you’ll find it makes good business sense. Do remember that welcoming an assistance dog onto your
premises is in line with your legal obligations.
In making dogs (or indeed pets) welcome, there are a number of things you can consider providing:
Food & water bowls in public areas
Blankets & bedding suitable for a variety of sizes of dog
A dog-sitting or walking service.
Information on local dog walks or dog-friendly beaches
Details of local veterinary services (including out-of-hours emergencies)
There are now lots of sites providing details of dog-friendly holidays and places to visit which may
give you further ideas on what you can provide. Take a look at:
→ www.dogsinvited.co.uk
→ www.dogfriendlybritain.co.uk
The Old Cider House
The Old Cider House
Dog-friendly accommodation at its finest,
from designated facilities to a welcome
pack for each and every canine guest.
They work hard to spread the word
including a dedicated blog from in-house
expert Ozy the Labrador!
Find out more
Case Study
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Sourcing and buying
19
Being a responsible purchaser
Responsible or ethical purchasing is more than buying locally. It involves considering the
environmental, social and economic impacts of how you buy and means considering the whole
supply chain in the process of acquiring goods
and services.
Getting Started
This is a potentially huge subject so this tool
confines itself to encouraging you to think
through the purchasing cycle and offers links
and guidance to find out more.
Ultimately you need to put a purchasing policy
in place for your business. This does not need to be complicated: rather it should be based on a few
key principles:
How do you select your products and choose who you buy from?
Is it price? Quality? Or the best value to meet your customers needs?
What are the key issues for your business when choosing your suppliers?
You should assess each supply of goods or services separately but you might want to use
the following criteria to help you:
1
2
Assess where the financial gain of the sale of the goods is going to
Assess the inherent sustainability in the production of goods
Assess the ethical issues involved in the production or supply of goods
Assess the mode of transportation required to bring goods to you
Assess the distances involved in the supply of goods
Assess the amount of packaging required (and how to dispose of it)
How do you communicate these issues to suppliers?
It pays dividends to make it clear to your suppliers what you value and why you have chosen
to purchase through them. It is also very useful to inform your customers what suppliers
you are using, particularly if you have chosen them for ethical or sustainable reasons.
3
Buying Local...
Image courtesy of Ian Brodie & Somerset County Council
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Part 5 ~ Saving Money & Sustainability
Supporting Local
By championing our local producers, services, arts, crafts and trades, we are supporting businesses
that are at the very heart of our communities and who in turn provide valuable employment
opportunities and contribute to the local distinctiveness of your business.
There are many different organisations supporting the drive to ‘buy local’ such as the regional
producer associations:
→ Exmoor Producers Association – www.exmoor-producers.co.uk
→ Produced in Kent – www.producedinkent.co.uk
→ Produced in Norfolk – www.producedinnorfolk.com
→ SomersetFood.org – www.somersetfood.org
Other sources of information are local food directories and farmers market listings, such as:
→ Local Farmers Markets – national website - www.local-farmers-markets.co.uk
→ Localfoods.org.uk – national website - www.localfoods.org.uk
Thinking beyond food
Supporting the local economy does not only mean buying local food and drink. There is a wide
range of goods and services to consider, as well as supporting the arts and local culture. Think also
how you can celebrate your local culture; by displaying local art and having local musicians playing
at events. Another important aspect to consider is the conservation of our built heritage through
sourcing tradesmen using traditional skills and materials.
The above principles can also be applied to how you recruit your staff and look after them whilst in
your employ. Consider:
→ How do you set about finding new employees?
→ How do you support them (e.g. help with transport to and from work, free meals, etc)?
→ Do you provide training opportunities?
Birling House
Birling House
Birling House serve the Kent Breakfast,
with bacon and sausages from a family
farm, eggs from their neighbours, apple
juice and honey from the local orchards,
preserves from the W.I, and lots more as
the seasons allow.
Find out more
Case Study
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Rural Tourism Business Toolkit
21
Training
Increasing skills & knowledge
Providing training for yourself and any employees can potentially benefit your business in many
ways, by:
→ Improving skills, expertise and knowledge
→ Increasing productivity
→ Keeping up to date with new technology
→ Complying with legislation & regulation
→ Increasing job satisfaction and morale
→ Enhancing your business image
→ Helping maintain the certifications and awards you’ve achieved
Skills Audit
You can help identify your business’s training needs by using a skills audit to develop a training
needs analysis. This is a simple process to:
→ Determine the skill requirements you need within the business
→ Audit the actual skills you have
→ Draw up a list of training needs to fill the skills gap in your team
List the roles within your organisation
Importantly these are role types e.g. marketing manager, receptionist, maintenance
technician, not every position on your organisational chart.
List the skills needed for each role
In an ideal world what skills would a holder of that role need? Be honest and fair and focus
on the core skills required to fill the role, not ‘desirable’ ones.
1
2
Create a skills audit survey
Based on the skills you have identified, amalgamate them and send the survey out to all
your staff members. The following format is a useful way of structuring a skills audit:
3
Skill Name
Personal Rating (tick)
Supporting Evidence
None Basic Competent Proficient
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Training
Part 5 ~ Saving Money & Sustainability
Skills Audit (cont.)
Key points in creating and administering a skills audit at your business:
→ It’s vital to communicate beforehand to your team why you are undertaking this audit and
making it clear what the information will be used for
→ It’s important for your team to justify their self-evaluation by providing supporting evidence
(although this could be qualification-based or experience-based)
→ Allow team members to assess themselves in all skills needed within the organisation. You
never know what expertise you might uncover
→ Leave blank areas at the bottom and encourage users to add other skills they possess
Compile the results in two ways:
→ For each person, you need to know what skills they have
→ For each skill, you need to know which people have it
4
Based on this you should be able to identify:
→ The skill gaps in specific roles
→ The people who have critical skills for the business
→ Potential successors for certain roles
→ An outline of training you may need to provide
5
Sources of training
Training courses can be provided by numerous organisations both within your local area or
nationally for more specialised courses.
→ People 1st is the sector skills council for the leisure and hospitality industry
www.people1st.co.uk/
→ VisitEngland signposts specific training for the tourism sector.
www.visitengland.org/busdev/bussupport/training/
→ DMOs: Many of the Destination organisations across the country run or facilitate access to
courses (many of which are subsidised).
→ National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty can provide you with a wide range
of guidance on landscape-related issues and may provide free advisory visits. Many also run
training courses and familiarisation days.
→ Don’t forget to check out your local colleges and universities who may provide hospitality and
tourism related courses (sometimes subsidised) throughout the year, including out of term time.
→ RDPE Skills & Training, administered by DEFRA and dedicated to adults working in farming,
forestry, horticulture and small rural businesses.
www.gov.uk/government/publications/skills-and-training-guide-for-applicants
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FAQs
1. What is sustainability and why should I
bother with it?
Sustainability isn’t just about the environment; it is about doing business better and is an ethos that
should underpin all business activities. It focuses on mitigating impacts, maximizing benefits and
running a more efficient business in harmony with the world around us. By doing so it can save you
money, provide an appealing hook to your customers, ensure the business is more resilient for the
future and ultimately reducing risk in the enterprise.
2. Am I in a protected landscape?
18% of the UK Countryside is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and a
further 6% is designated as a National Park. You can find comprehensive maps at:
www.landscapesforlife.org.uk/
www.nationalparks.gov.uk/
3. What is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)?
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is a landscape which is considered so precious
that it is protected for the nation. Designation seeks to protect and enhance natural beauty
whilst recognising the needs of the local community and economy. This includes the protection of
flora, fauna and geological as well as landscape features. The conservation of archaeological,
architectural and vernacular features in the landscape is also important. They have the same legal
protection for their landscapes as National Parks, but don’t have their own authorities for planning
control and other services.
4. What is a National Park?
National Parks are protected areas of countryside that include villages and towns. They are
protected because of their beautiful countryside, wildlife and cultural heritage. People live and work
in the National Parks and the farms, villages and towns are protected along with the landscape and
wildlife. National Parks welcome visitors and provide opportunities for everyone to experience enjoy
and learn about their special qualities. They have an authority to help look after them, including
planning controls.
5. Is renewable energy a long-term investment?
Up-front costs of installing renewable energy like solar panels have dropped in recent years
however although you’ll see savings in the short-term don’t expect that panel to pay for itself for
at least 8 years. Other forms of renewable energy may take less time but given the initial outlay
cost it will still take a number of years to recoup the cost. Bear in mind that you can sell surplus
electricity (through Feed-in-Tariffs) and heat (through the Renewable Heat Incentive).
FAQs
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Part 5 ~ Saving Money & Sustainability
6. Are there grants available for green
energy initiatives?
Yes there is government or local authority support available for installing green energy, however
given the recent economic austerity they are fewer than they once were. Contact your local
authority for more information on grants and assistance available in your local area. However
be aware, receiving funding towards installation may exclude you from Feed-in-Tariffs and the
Renewable Heat Incentive.
7. Does my accommodation need to be quality assessed?
There is no legal requirement for your business to be quality assessed, it is simply another tool you
can use to help promote and assess the performance of your business. A star rating of quality can
give confidence to customers and provide a recognised benchmark to manage their expectations,
however if this is not valuable to your customers you may choose not to sign-up.
8. Is green accreditation worth it?
If sustainability as an ethos is part of your brand then accreditation is a visible commitment to your
customers that you live up to the ideals. Even if you don’t trade on being sustainable it’s very useful
to help you identify actions to undertake to save money and reduce impacts. However again there
is no legal requirement to hold it and you can undertake sustainable and green actions without
entering a formal scheme.
9. Where do I find a simple explanation of all the different
types of light bulbs we can use?
Old-fashioned light bulbs were withdrawn from sale in September 2012, meaning if you are
replacing bulbs you are looking at different options for energy saving light bulbs. RICA have
produced a comprehensive guide on types, fittings and buying the right light bulbs:
www.rica.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/pdfs/home-tech/energy-saving-lightbulbs.pdf
10. My local authority doesn’t collect plastic for recycling.
How can I do this?
Recycle Now has a postcode locator so you can see which plastics your council collects and check
nearby recycling centres. Waste Online has a detailed list of the common types of plastic and the
identifying symbols you will find on the packaging. If you can’t recycle plastic through any means,
consider re-using items like plastic bottles, tubs and pots to avoid even needing to recycle.
Rural Tourism
Business
Toolkit
Rural Tourism
Business
Toolkit
About this toolkit
This .pdf is the fifth part of a fully featured resource packed full with useful information
and advice for new and existing rural tourism businesses.
This toolkit has been created as part of the COOL Tourism Project by the COOL
Partnership and tourism development charity Hidden Britain.
The project is being delivered with the support of the European cross-border co-
operation Programme INTERREG IV A, France (Channel) – England, co-funded by the
European Regional Development Fund.
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