WEBINAR: Introduction to Sustainable Tourism
Organised on Tuesday 16th March 2021
Wicklow County Council and Wicklow County Tourism organised a free webinar aimed at helping Tourism Businesses to start their journey to sustainability. Sustainable Tourism practices can help your business be more cost and operations’ efficient. It can help you engage your team. It’s an opportunity to future proof and grow your business with less impact on the environment.
See below speakers, presentations and videos:
MEET THE SPEAKERS:
Marcus Treacy, GM Killarney Park Hotel
Our Sustainability Journey At The Killarney Park & The Ross Hotels And Why We Formed The Kerry Sustainability Group.
Marcus is a third-generation hotelier who runs The Killarney Park Hotel in Kerry. Sustainability underpins both his home and professional life. At work, Marcus is continuously looking for ways to soften the hotel’s impact on the planet and to allow guests to enjoy the beautiful Killarney location in an environmentally friendly way. This passion has manifested itself in initiatives ranging from eliminating single use plastics to using a prefabricated thermal energy centre to deliver hot water with massive energy and CO2 savings. So he knows first-hand the benefits that come from sustainability initiatives and the positive response they elicit from customers. Marcus also wants to inspire change across all tourism businesses and is a founding member of The Killarney Hotels Sustainability Group. Totaling more than 3,000 bedrooms, these hotels are working towards protecting the landscape and the environment.
Roisin Finlay, Sustainable Travel Ireland
Introducing Sustainable Tourism. What does it mean for the sector? Measuring to manage progress. Is certification the right goal for my business?
Roisin joined the Sustainable Travel Ireland team in early 2020 fresh from running Outsider magazine for the last 15 years. As editor of Ireland’s leading outdoor and adventure publication. Roisin’s work involved many jaunts around Ireland and further afield. Her adventures included lung-busting hut-to-hut hiking trips in the Dolomites, swanky ski holidays in the French Alps and cold-water immersion therapy while attempting to surf Ireland’s wild waves. Roisin has in-depth experience of tourism products and a passion for the sustainable ones that both protect the planet and give back to the communities that host them. In an era defined by climate change and biodiversity emergencies, Roisin now devotes her energy and experience running an SME to helping the travel industry transition to a sustainable future. Afterall, it’s only fair that future generations can and should enjoy the amazing wonders, communities and experiences that she has. Roisin has been trained in Sustainable tourism by the UN-mandated Global Sustainable Tourism Council but sees her journey in this field as a life-long journey where she learns something new every day.
Simon Whelan, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland
Sustainable Energy Community (SEC) Mentor for Wicklow. The SEC programme and the Tourism sector in Wicklow.
Simon is a Chartered Energy Manager with an MSc in Climate Change and Sustainable Development. He is a registered BER assessor and SEAI renewable energy installer with practical experience of a wide range of renewable and energy efficiency technologies used in the Irish context. He has worked in the renewable energy and sustainability sector for 15 years and is currently a Director of Glenergy Ltd. Simon applies his practical experience to community work within the Sustainable Energy Community programme where he provides mentoring services to communities throughout Wicklow. His focus in on enabling local communities to make the transition to low and zero carbon energy systems. He currently works with 10 active communities within Wicklow. He has extensive experience successfully communicating technical information and training on sustainable energy to various audiences including the general public, engineers, architects and at boardroom level.
Over the next 10 years, Ireland has committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 50% with a broader aim of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. All of us will have to take actions if we are to reach those targets. Some businesses have already started their journey, and through this webinar, we want to present examples and benefits of sustainable tourism.
Attractions, activities, accommodation, restaurants, pubs or shops, we can all benefit from identifying the various opportunities available to help improving business efficiency while minimising the impact on the environment and resources. Wicklow, as the Garden of Ireland, has for ambition to become a strong eco-friendly destination and this webinar is very much a first step to help us reach that goal.
For further info, contact us at info@visitwicklow.ie
