1) NEST (Northumberland Encouraging Sustainable Tourism)
Full ScreenNEST includes local tourism business owners, AONB partnership members and individuals. It is a group of people who want to help more sustainable tourism development in the Northumberland Coast AONB.
NEST was formed in 2012. Iain Robson, from the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership has given an example of what the group wants to achieve, "If guest houses and hotels agree to buy their meat locally, that money stays in the local economy and supports local shops, farmers and all the businesses associated with the industry". (Source: North East Life May 7, 2012).
NEST is inspired by the model of CoaST – a group set up in 2004 to encourage sustainable tourism (ST) along Cornwall's (C) coast. Cornwall is the English county furthest away from Northumberland, but there are important similarities; both:
- coastlines have beautiful scenery that appeal to tourists
- economies depend largely on tourism now, though have a mining heritage
- are 450-500 km from London, offering the feeling of remote, culturally different destinations.
2) Sustainable Tourism Ambassadors
A feature of CoaST's work that inspires NEST is the Ambassador programme. Ambassadors are tourism businesses who are developing sustainable tourism practices themselves and actively want to help others do the same.
Ambassador sustainable tourism businesses include accommodation providers including bed and breakfast guesthouse and caravan/camp-sites, hotels and pubs, cafes, visitor attractions and tour and transport operators.
Sustainable tourism practices that ambassador businesses promote include:
- reducing the use of water
- using less energy such as electricity and fuel for vehicles
- insulating materials to prevent energy loss
- recycling to reduce the volume of waste generated
- sourcing building materials locally
- buying supplies (such as food for restaurants) from other local businesses
EVIDENCE LOG 3 – Sustainable Tourism Ambassadors
Ambassador tourism businesses promote sustainable tourism practices. From the list of activities above, identify 2 which contribute to environmental sustainability and 2 which contribute to economic sustainability and record your answers on the Evidence Log.
3) The Northumberland Coast AONB Awards
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The Northumberland Coast AONB Partnership gives Awards for Excellence to those local businesses that have done most to help it achieve its aims. The Partnership is the body that guides the management of the AONB. It is made up of farmers and landowners, voluntary organisations, interest groups, parish councils, government agencies and Northumberland County Council. Members include representatives from English Heritage, the National Trust and Northumberland Tourism. The Awards celebrate and promote excellence in the care, management and development of the Northumberland Coast environment.