Page 150 - Sustaining Accommodation SMES

8 Implications for Policy and Practice

Table 8.1 Continued from the previous page
Stakeh. group Policy recommendation Aim of the recommendation
Certification Adapt audit processes to To increase accessibility of iso 
bodies sme realities without compromising credibility, by
lowering procedural and administra-
tive burden
Promote use of mast tools To improve efficiency of certification
as preparatory instruments processes, support gap analysis, and re-
duce uncertainty for applicants
Ensure transparency and To strengthen trust, comparability, and
consistency across audits legitimacy of certification outcomes
across regions
Leverage digital tools for To enhance efficiency, enable longitu-
monitoring and impact as- dinal tracking, and support evidence-
sessment based sustainability governance
Educational Educational institutions and Educational institutions and knowl-
institutions and knowledge transfer bodies edge transfer bodies
knowledge Support applied research, Support applied research, experimenta-
transfer bodies experimentation, and tion, and knowledge exchange
knowledge exchange

of sustainable transition of the tourism accommodation sector, explicitly
grounded in the three interdependent goals of sustainability: environ-
mental integrity, social acceptance, and economic viability. Positioning
these goals at the core underscores a key premise of the book: sustainabil-
ity of accommodation sector is not a single outcome, but a balanced and
ongoing transition that requires alignment across environmental, social,
and economic objectives. Surrounding layers represent different types of
policy and governance instruments. The innermost layer highlights ca-
pacity building and training alongside financial and market-based incen-
tives, emphasising their role as enabling mechanisms. These instruments
primarily address preparedness, skills, motivation, and resources at the
level of tourism businesses and destination actors, creating the conditions
necessary for change to occur. The next layer captures the importance of
tourism ecosystems, regulation, and self-regulation. This layer reflects
the need for coordination and alignment between individual actions and
collective objectives. Ecosystem-oriented approaches recognise the in-
terdependence of actors within destinations, while regulation and self-
regulation provide complementary means of steering behaviour, balanc-
ing public oversight with voluntary commitment and sector-led responsi-

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