Ranked 3rd favourite sustainable destination by TripAdvisor users and the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index[1]) in 2024, behind Stockholm and Copenhagen, Bordeaux is gaining a place on the podium of the cities most recognised for their responsible tourism.
Olivier Occelli, Director of the OTCBM, a long-standing partner of BEAM, shares the details of a collective victory and a whole-hearted commitment.
How did you react to this ranking?
We're obviously very proud. Although it's a great achievement, I think it's above all the culmination of a five-year investment, during which we worked to establish sustainable and responsible tourism at all levels. This has been a truly collegial effort, involving all our stakeholders: local residents, local associations, tourism professionals, etc. While up until 2019, the territorial marketing strategy on which we were based contributed to the destination's growth, we felt it was essential to quickly incorporate sustainable development into the broader CSR framework. The strategy has therefore been reoriented in this direction.
How did you develop this sustainable strategy?
Firstly, by drawing on existing barometers, such as the GDS Index, which is an authority in the sustainable urban tourism sector. Its 80 criteria evolve every year and take into account a wide range of areas: environmental commitments of professionals, social policies, waste management at local authority level, etc. And then? Everyone rolled up their sleeves to identify the actions to be taken to make Bordeaux a recognised destination for sustainable tourism. The end result, in 2021, was the joint drafting of a 2022-2026 roadmap of 32 actions, incorporating very concrete steps in the 3 tourism segments in which we are active: business tourism, leisure tourism and local tourism.
How does this roadmap apply to business tourism?
Labelling seemed to us to be a particularly relevant and pragmatic way of starting to take action in this direction. Today, more than 210 members of the OTCBM are committed to this type of approach. Typically, BEAM is ISO 20121 certified, and many hoteliers are also ‘Clef Verte’ certified, with labels varying depending on the sector. We have set ourselves an ambitious target of 80% of the 500 members committed by 2026.
Are business tourism customers receptive to this eco-responsible approach?
Bordeaux's sustainable strategy can clearly tip the balance for some organisers, as we have seen when we are competing against other cities. It's a new string to our bow! Our Convention Bureau has observed a real enthusiasm on the part of organisers, companies and associations, most of whom are themselves already involved in CSR initiatives. It's worth remembering that this sustainable strategy was initially driven by business tourism some fifteen years ago, and as it evolved it spread to all segments of the sector.
This long-term commitment also involves training your teams... That's right. Our Convention Bureau, which works hand in hand with BEAM, has developed a new form of support over the last few years. Until now, this has tended to take the form of logistical support and contacts with our members. But we've taken things a step further, by training our teams in the organisation of sustainable events so that they can provide support to organisers. Among other things, organisers benefit from an online training course that we have developed in partnership with ADEME (the French Environment and Energy Management Agency). This is a tangible added value, which gives us the opportunity to spend even more time with our customers and get to grips with their practices. Event organisers, for example, have the opportunity to work with local associations, all of which are listed in a directory published for this purpose, to leave a definitively positive impact on the local area. We want to encourage them to step up their game on this issue. They need to be aware of the legacy they are leaving behind: their commitment is not a one-shot deal! What we are proposing today is clearly innovative and will set us apart for the future.
[1] This new ‘Tripadvisor's Best of the Best Sustainable Destinations 2024’ ranking is the result of a collaboration between Tripadvisor and the Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDS-Movement). It aims to highlight the environmentally responsible destinations chosen by travellers from all over the world.
