8 1 Cruise the Saint Lawrence hopes to promote more carbon-free activities in the region, with a greater focus on nature and local communities footprint calculator,” says Houley. “Tourists can calculate the carbon emissions of an entire visit, including transportation, hotels and meal choices.” Should they wish to offset their carbon footprint, they can donate to ‘Carbone boréal’, an offset scheme by Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, which researches tree-planting infrastructure and carbon sequestration. “This provides better ways to offset carbon usage that not only benefit our destinations, but are also valuable for cruise lines and their passengers,” adds Houley. In addition, the organisation has created a number of sustainable tourist attractions and shore excursions that visitors can enjoy while in port. These include stand-up paddleboarding, indigenous experiences that highlight local culture, and the Space for Life museum of nature and science. “We believe that our sustainability is the crux of our value as a destination,” says Houley. “It’s a win-win; the success of cruises relies on maintaining the wellbeing of all the host communities and creating collective and sustainable value for all. “The passenger is at the core of the experience. We empower them to not only select their destination, but also to realise the benefits of their choices.” Cruise the Saint Lawrence hopes that its activities might drive continued change within the cruise industry. “Sustainability has been influencing and reshaping the activities of cruise lines for the past few years, but it is now a fundamental consideration for the entire cruise ecosystem,” says Houley. “This includes everything from shipbuilders prioritising greener fuel alternatives, to tourism boards and shore excursion providers delivering more conscious day-to-day activities.” The organisation’s vision in sustainable development also plans to meet the industry’s evolving requirements. “We must re-evaluate the complete programme offering, for example in how we approach tour guides, what tourism capacity each destination has, and how local residents feel about our activities,” says Houley. “A more inclusive approach to all forms of tourism will be capital to all destinations. Cruise lines and their guests can take action at each of the host destinations by buying local and supporting the communities they visit.” CFIP Photo: Etienne Boisvert “ A more inclusive approach to all forms of tourism will be capital to all destinations”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=