Early BEST Case Studies

Business Enterprises for Sustainable Travel, an initiative of The Conference Board in association with the World Travel and Tourism Council, developed a series of case study publications. These highlight successful business practices utilized by travel and tourism companies that advance their business objectives while enhancing the social and economic well-being of destination communities. Examples featured in this series were drawn from BEST’s extensive and ever-growing database of the latest sustainable travel and tourism practices.

General

Executive Travel: Traveling Green
Keywords: business travel, CO2, carbon offsetting

Accommodation Facilities

Las Terrazas Complejo Turistico: Thriving with Nature (and Tourists)
Location: Cuba
Keywords: resource conservation, guest involvement, green building, community engagement

Punta Cana Resort and Club: A Sustainability Model in the Caribbean
Location: Dominican Republic
Keywords: tourism development, resource conservation, educational and research affiliations, biodiversity

Vilamoura Resort: From Mass Tourism to Sustainable Destination
Location: Portugal
Keywords: environmental accountability, CSR, partnerships, community relations, resource conservation, heritage protection, environmental awareness

The Ka’anapali Beach Hotel: Instilling Cultural Awareness Among Employees and Guests
Location: Hawaii, USA
Keywords: cultural identity, cultural awareness, employee satisfaction, guest experience, human resources, common values, goodwill

Turtle Island Resort: To Be A Vital Resource to its Community
Location: Fiji
Keywords: community relations, resource conservation, cultural audit, guest involvement

Tour Operators

Conservation Corporation Africa: Making Tourism Work for Africa's Developing Economies 
Area of Operation: Africa
Project Location: Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe
Keywords: marketing, customer satisfaction, customer retention, human resources, community relations, government relations

Lindblad Expeditions: Tour Operator Taps into Travelers' Philantrophic Impulses 
Area of Operation: Worldwide
Project Location: Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Keywords: marketing, customer satisfaction, customer retention, human resources, community relations, government relations

Shaw Heritage Tours: A Vibrant Community Shares a Rich Historical Legacy 
Location: Washington D.C., USA
Keywords: cultural heritage, community, economic development, neighborhood participation, cultural equity

Transportation

BAA plc: A Business Case for Corporate Citizenship 
Type: airport company
Location: UK
Keywords: corporate citizenship, stakeholders, shareholders, community relations, partnerships, social accountability

Great Canadian Railtour Company: Caretakers of Canada's Passenger Rail Heritage 
Type: railroad
Location: Canada
Keywords: customer satisfaction, staff motivation, heritage protection, environmental awareness, community support, partnerships

Other Providers

Aspen Skiing Company: A Multifaceted Approach to Sustainability 
Type: ski resort
Location: Colorado, USA
Keywords: corporate citizenship, environmental accountability, social accountability, community relations, green building, resource conservation, employee involvement