Rethinking Tourism Certification: An Online Indigenous Conference

Organised by ITRI, this online conference entitled “Rethinking Tourism Certification,” sought to share information and engage in critical discussion regarding tourism certification and indigenous peoples.

In March 2002 ITRI organised an International Forum on Indigenous Tourism, in Oaxaca, Mexico as a way of responding to the lack of participation of indigenous peoples in the "International Year of Tourism" as declared by The United Nations in 2002. Discussions revolved around creating certification standards where there had been "very little formal indigenous involvement in certification programs for ecotourism or sustainable tourism."

The online-conference included 173 people from 36 countries and covered four main areas of discussion: A review and analysis of current tourism certification models (the pros and cons of these programs in Indigenous communities); Indigenous Tourism Marketing; Sample Criteria and Standards (who certifiers are, certification criteria, relationships to other stakeholders); and the possibility of developing an alternative "Indigenous" model of tourism certification; and actions needed to be taken.

The report notes that "there are few certification programs that prioritize indigenous concerns rather than environmental and economic concerns." One example refers to a programme entitled “Respecting Our Cultures” from Australia, which is described as "requiring that businesses produce written endorsement from traditional authorities and custodians of the land, and emphasizes cultural and artistic authenticity and property rights. " The programme also provides workshops and technical assistance for Aboriginal peoples and communities to help them understand product development and the tourism industry in general."

The relevance of certification was brought up by participants who describe some communities as coping with issues such as "clean water, electricity, education, land rights and cultural recognition." Other basic needs were described by one participant as "organizational strengthening, which will raise self-esteem, strengthening cultural identity and value the environment, all of which will bring benefits and sustainable community development.”

Participants expressed concern that certification has the potential to ignore and or possibly undermine Indigenous Peoples’ local priorities and customary standards and practices. One participant from Mexico pointed out that certification is primarily an ethical issue. He stated “...Tourism is a service based on social relations...social relations that are, or should be, products of historical and cultural questions, and not solely technical and specialized questions like certification."

Economic, social and cultural experiences differed greatly among participants and definitions and perspectives varied from one continent to another. The issue of certification raised "cautious" interest but the majority of people were opposed rather than supportive of tourism certification. Those in opposition believe that certification is "not a tool that corresponds to indigenous realities."

In conclusion, concerns were raised as to how indigenous tourism certification could be achieved on a wide-scale.

For people who wish to receive the full document in either English or Spanish please contact Deborah McLaren at Deborah@tourismrights.org