Kevin Phun, founder of the Centre for Responsible Tourism Singapore, shares why sustainability certification risks becoming ineffective when treated as a checklist, and how understanding its purpose can strengthen operations and sales
Certification has been touted as something that enhances the reputation of a travel company and also boost the likelihood of getting more business. That is largely true. However, it can turn out to be a time consuming exercise and one that increases costs if you do not know why you are doing it.
We will benefit so much more when we can appreciate the reasons for the specific approaches to getting things done and not merely just doing them because the criteria says so. There are technical reasons why certain specific initiatives and practices are recommended. And if you do not understand why certain things ought to be done and done in a certain style, sustainability certification will always be seen as something separate from the business. Employees who are seemingly in charge of those initiatives will burn out and leave.
One of the reasons why you ought to be doing certain things is so that you establish a network of suppliers, potential clients and partners; these stakeholders can very well be your advertising channels if you know why the criteria states that your business should ensure economic benefits are experienced by local communities. And the relationship between them and your business gets stronger when the way you create economic opportunities are done in a manner that promotes equity.
Second reason for understanding why you are doing things is because a few things you do in the process of obtaining and then maintaining the certification is to build trust with potential customers. Now, the reason for doing things in certain ways is that trust can be better built through clarity. When you understand better the reason for the approach taken, your suppliers buy in to the project better as they can see that the approach makes sense to their business as well.
Lastly, when you understand why you do the many things needed, you are often able to identify ways of reducing costs to certain aspects of your operations. For example, when you understand the need to revise your itinerary to reduce unnecessary energy usage, you will likely be able to identify ways to cut down on other things in your tour operations that use energy.
When you understand the reasons why your tours should encourage travellers to get involved in activities that will help revive the mangrove population in an area, you are able to understand how to create new tours that combine doing good and making money.
Certification can improve sales and operations for travel agents and tour operators in three key ways:
Certification as a sales tool works when it is linked to buyer needs
Certification reduces risk for corporate clients, wholesalers, and destination partners, and it can build trust with consumers. However, it works best when travel agents and tour operators translate the standard into clear customer promises: low-carbon options, responsible supplier choices, and transparent policies. In your marketing, explain what the label means in plain language on product pages and proposals, so buyers can quickly see why it matters.
Turn certification requirements into operational upgrades
Connect the standard to real changes in delivery: smarter itineraries with fewer transfers and more shared transport, stronger supplier screening, waste and water controls, staff training, and basic crisis readiness. These upgrades improve reliability and guest experience, which lifts reviews and repeat bookings. In practice, customers respond more to smoother journeys and clearer proof than to a logo alone.
Measure business impact and keep it simple
Track a small set of before-and-after indicators: conversion rate, average booking value, repeat customers, corporate enquiries, and supplier acceptance. Support this with a light evidence routine (templates, checklists, and a quarterly review) so certification becomes a system for continuous improvement and credible marketing proof, rather than a one-time badge.
