Appendix 3: Glossary
Definitions
Biodiversity Conservation - Efforts aimed at protecting and restoring biodiversity within tourism destinations.
Capacity Building - Efforts to enhance the skills, knowledge, and abilities of individuals and organisations involved in tourism.
Circular Economy - An economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources.
Climate Action - Efforts aimed at reducing carbon emissions to net zero to mitigate climate change and invest in resilience and climate adaptation.
Community Involvement - The active participation of local communities in the development and management of tourism initiatives.
Community-Based Tourism - Tourism initiatives that are planned, managed, and benefited by local communities.
DDP (Destination Development Partnerships) - Will set regional priorities for the visitor economy and receive government funding to focus on key objectives. Each DDP will be a partnership of LVEPs across a geography, with one taking the lead.
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Destination Organisations - Are likely to be operating below county or city region level. They will contribute to the management and marketing of destinations, maintaining close contacts with tourism businesses. They will need to collaborate with LVEPs to ensure that local needs and priorities are represented in the destination management plan.
Destination Sustainability Self-Assessment - A tool provided by VisitEngland to help destinations evaluate their sustainability practices.
Economic Development - Efforts to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for a community by creating and/or retaining jobs and supporting or growing incomes.
Economic Impact - The effect that tourism activities have on the local economy.
Environmental Certifications (e.g., B-Corp, Green Key, Travelife) - Certifications that validate an organisation’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
Environmental Conservation - Efforts to preserve, protect, or restore natural environments and ecosystems.
Environmental Impact - The effect that tourism activities have on the natural environment.
EU Green Claims Directive - EU regulations aimed at ensuring the accuracy and transparency of environmental claims.
GDS-Academy (Global Destination Sustainability Academy) - An educational platform for destination professionals provided by the GDS-Movement.
GDS-Index (Global Destination Sustainability Index) - A benchmarking tool used to measure and improve the sustainability performance of destinations.
GDS-Movement (Global Destination Sustainability Movement) - A pioneering, data-driven international change agency that acts to catalyse socio-economic and environmental transformation in cities and regions across the world.
Green Team - A group of employees within an organisation dedicated to promoting and implementing sustainability practices.
Greenwashing - Misleading claims about the environmental benefits of a product, service, or organisation.
GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) - An organisation that establishes and manages global standards for sustainable tourism.
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Impact Metrics - Measurements used to evaluate the positive and negative impacts of tourism activities.
Inclusive Tourism - Tourism that is accessible and beneficial to all, including marginalised and underserved communities.
KPI (Key Performance Indicator) - A measurable value that demonstrates how effectively an organisation is achieving key business objectives.
LVEP (Local Visitor Economy Partnerships) - They will lead, market and manage the destinations in their geography, collaborating with other destination organisations, local government and businesses.
Maturity Pathway - The stages of development that destinations follow to achieve sustainability and regeneration.
Net-Zero Tourism - Tourism practices that result in net zero carbon emissions.
Public-Private Partnerships - Collaborations between government entities and private sector companies to achieve mutual goals.
Public Reporting - The practice of sharing progress and outcomes of sustainability initiatives with the public.
Regenerative Tourism - A tourism approach that aims to leave places better than before, enhancing ecosystems, communities, and cultural heritage.
Resident Sentiment Analysis - The process of gathering and analysing data on residents’ opinions and attitudes towards tourism in their community.
Social Equity - Fairness and justice in social policy, particularly in terms of access to resources and opportunities within tourism.
Social Impact - The effect that tourism activities have on local communities and their well-being.
Stakeholder Engagement - The process of involving those who are affected by or can affect tourism activities in decision-making processes.
Sustainability - Meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
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Sustainability Certifications (e.g., Green Tourism, EarthCheck, Biosphere) - Certifications that validate a business or destination’s commitment to sustainable practices.
Sustainability Policy - A publicly available document outlining an organisation’s commitment and goals related to sustainability.
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - A collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.
