Here we present some of our publications and media reports.
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone has been talking about resilient tourism, but what does that actually mean? mascontour has developed a model on how destinations and tourism companies can position themselves more resiliently. In the future, it will no longer be a matter of solving problems, but of avoiding them. The desire for stability paradoxically requires the willingness to embrace new things. Excellence through resilience requires holistic thinking and action. Therefore, our motto is: being sustainable is good, being resilient is better! Enjoy reading, we look forward to your comments.
Nowadays, the topic of resilience is not only important for destinations, but also for tourism service providers. The accommodation sector in particular must ask itself what resilient business management can look like in order to position itself professionally for the future. Our article shows what a successful resilience model for accommodation businesses entails and how it can be put into practice.
Matthias Beyer was a guest on “Amtsplausch”, the podcast of the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district office in Berlin. Here he talks about why the topic of sustainability is important, especially in times of COVID-19, and what companies in the tourism industry can do to become more sustainable. He also addresses the question of why resilience has become an indispensable part of everyday business life. Have a listen!
Like all destinations worldwide, the Palestinian Territories are working on strategies to revitalise tourism after COVID-19 and are preparing for the return of tourists. To support this process, mascontour has developed COVID-19 standards for the tourism supply chain (e.g. transport, tour operators, tour guides, souvenir shops, street vendors, tourist attractions) in the Palestinian Territories on behalf of GIZ. They aim to ensure both safety at work and health protection for workers and travellers and are recognised by the local government as an official standard.
Matthias Beyer joined the onTaP podcast of Time & Place Consulting and shared his thoughts on shaping post-crisis sustainable and resilient tourism business. He pointed out that we have to think beyond sustainability in the future! But listen for yourself in our podcast.
This guideline has been written to support students and graduates interested in setting up their own tourism business and employed individuals wishing to become entrepreneurs in the tourism/ hospitality sector. Part two of the booklet may also be relevant to individuals new to the industry who are managing or overseeing existing tourism businesses or potential small scale, international/ national investors and entrepreneurs interested in becoming stakeholders in Malawi’s tourism industry. The publication contains useful information on adequate market research and the development of a business plan, on the legal environment and prerequisites as well as on funding options and networking.
Matthias Beyer gave an interview to the trade journal touristik aktuell regarding the question “How to successfully sell sustainable travel?”. He outlined that the demand as well as the supply of sustainable travel is constantly increasing, but that there is still a lack of awareness, competence and technical solutions to use this trend to the advantage of stationary travel sales.
Kirsten Kohlhaw of Slow Food spoke with Diana Körner about how sustainable tourism can be put into practice.
Since the 1990s, consumers have become increasingly environmentally conscious, critical and responsible. As a result, the demands made on tourism products have also risen: Dirty beaches, garbage in the sea or noisy hotel rooms are no longer accepted. Environmentally-friendly and healthy products, peace and safety are sought after. The article shows ways in which travel agencies can proactively communicate the topic of sustainability and successfully sell sustainable travel.
The development of tourist destinations worldwide is increasingly oriented towards the guiding principle of sustainable development. The topic of sustainable tourism has also been discussed in Germany for around 30 years. Politicians, destinations and companies have taken a number of measures in the past to make tourism development in Germany more sustainable. The article contains the results of an exclusive online survey conducted by mascontour in cooperation with ITB Berlin, in which German tourism destinations nationwide were examined regarding sustainable tourism for the first time. The results of the study provide a current and comprehensive picture of the status quo and future need for action on sustainability in German tourism.
The article deals with current trends as well as the positive and negative aspects of tourism in developing countries and shows how (German) development cooperation uses tourism as an instrument for sustainable development. In this context, it also discusses existing challenges and recommends on how development cooperation can become even more effectively involved in tourism in the future.
In an exclusive online survey conducted by mascontour in cooperation with the ITB Berlin, German tourism destinations were examined regarding sustainable tourism for the first time. The results of the study provide a current and comprehensive picture of the status quo and future need for action on sustainability in German tourism.
The article is based on the thesis that the tourism value chain offers a multitude of opportunities to achieve long-term employment effects in developing countries and actively contribute to poverty reduction. However, one prerequisite is that tourism development is not purely profit- and growth-oriented, but rather that it takes social, cultural and ecological concerns, possible problem areas and influencing factors into account from the very beginning.
The handbook presents the diverse experiences of the past two decades in the field of sustainable tourism development in a practical way. In addition, it offers strategic, technical and methodological recommendations on how to deal with key challenges and questions that repeatedly arise in the context of tourism planning and the implementation of tourism projects in developing and emerging countries.
This best practice guide was prepared for The Travel Foundation, with support from the TreadRight Foundation and in close collaboration with Uniworld Boutique River Cruises. It is designed to support the river cruise industry around the world as it works towards a sustainable future. The best practices examples come from investigations on environmental performance and management carried out together with river cruise companies in Europe and Egypt. However, it is relevant to all river cruise operators, large and small, to help them start playing their part.
In the conflicting areas between nature conservation and tourism, the real challenge is to protect nature from damage while making it possible for the general public to experience the value of nature through direct contact and facilitate access to natural resources. The article addresses the question of how to do justice to both sides.
The study analyses existing capacities and potentials of environmentally-friendly technologies (solar energy, waste, sewage, energetic building refurbishment, etc.) in the tourism sector based on numerous destinations and companies in the upper Danube region in terms of status quo and transferability to countries of the middle and lower Danube.
The article contains the results of a study comparing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategies and measures of ten international hotel groups with particular relevance for the European market.
In hardly any other country tourism is growing as fast as in Myanmar. However, the rapid and largely uncontrolled development prompts fears that it will sooner or later lead to negative effects on people and the environment. The “Myanmar Responsible Tourism Policy” attempts to counteract this by providing policy-makers with an orientation framework for sustainable tourism development in Myanmar.
The article describes different sustainability approaches in tourism and shows where there are overlaps and differences
Using the hotel chain Jetwing in Sri Lanka as an example, the article shows how successfully tourism companies can cooperate with the local population and what advantages result from this for both sides.
The guidelines illustrate to (canoe) tourism professionals, environmental associations as well as children’s and youth institutions how canoe tourism nature experience and environmental education offers can be professionally developed based on regional networks, especially for children and young people from underprivileged educational backgrounds.
The construction of second homes in attractive coastal locations has increased enormously globally over the past ten years. Nevertheless, this phenomenon hardly plays a role in the debate on sustainable tourism. Therefore, the article examines the socio-economic and ecological impacts of this development boom using the South Pacific coast of Nicaragua as an example.
The publication shows the thematic links between tourism and other fields of work and objectives of German development cooperation. It also contains proposals for a strategic framework for the future handling of tourism in German development cooperation.
The brochure presents outstanding examples of German non-governmental organisations for sustainable development in the fields of the environment, nature conservation and transport. What all organisations have in common is that their activities promote the goals of sustainable tourism, develop their own offers and thus provide the tourism industry with important suggestions for the implementation of environmentally-compatible and socially-responsible tourism. They also contribute to consumer information and awareness.
The article outlines the main milestones in the debate on sustainable tourism and discusses the importance of sustainability in tourism promotion in developing countries as well as the role of development cooperation. In addition, the article deals with the question of the importance of “participation” in the implementation of tourism projects through development cooperation.
For about two decades, participation has been a key word in the development policy debate, and in practice it has become indispensable in any project proposal or report. In this respect, the publication shows ways and means of operationalising participation in the sense of sustainable development as an integral part of tourism development projects.
The article deals with the importance of tourism in development cooperation and concludes that a comprehensive development policy strategy concept for the tourism sector is necessary to be able to provide effective support in developing countries.
mascontour GmbH
Office for Asia and the Pacific
Office for East Africa
