A Green Welcome to Tom Gavazzi (BSE Agency) - our newest GS Ambassador

Nowadays, sustainability has been recognized by many disciplines, from business and technology to the environmental and the social sciences. Sustainability skills and environmental awareness are becoming a priority in many businesses and corporate jobs, since they offer more and more favourable opportunities. Sustainable business, which has a minimal negative impact on the global/local environment, society, economy or health, is a business striving for success.

This is well known to our newest Green Sail Ambassador - Tom Gavazzi, from Business Sailing Experience Agency, who is experienced in leading a sustainable tourism business. We met with Tom to discuss his professional career, success and services which very much rely on environmentally friendly practices.

Q: Hi there, tell us something about yourself and how you are connected to sustainable tourism practices?
A: My name is Tom Gavazzi, I’m the owner and founder of Business Sailing Experience Agency. Most of my professional career has been in the events industry. Two years ago I decided to take a different approach and that’s how I started my current enterprise. We are a company that specializes in organizing corporate sailing events. We have three types of services. Industry regattas, educational programs on sailboats and team buildings. All of these are carried out in and around sailboats. Since our services are so reliant on the environment, we have always realized that it is of great importance to protect it and preserve it for future generations. Helping me with the ecological aspect of the company is my life partner, Minja Birimiša. She is an active volunteer in the company that is specialized in developing our business in a sustainable way.

Q: How important is it for business to take into consideration sustainability and in what way can it improve business efficiency?
A: Can we ever stress enough how important it is for businesses to be sustainable? At BSEA we are firm believers that companies need to adapt their operations in a way that it is not harmful to the environment. We understand that in the short term some may find sustainability to costly or not needed, but in the long run every business finds that its products are best when they have a full circle during their lifetime.

Q: How is your business, in particular, promoting sustainable practices and sustainability through its tasks and procedures?
A: This year we are organizing the Circular Change Cup, an industry regatta that will have a Congress & Expo about subjects on the circular economy and sustainability. It is important for experts to join up and have a place to network. That way they can maximize their work. We believe this is our ultimate mission, to gather professionals in a relaxing atmosphere that will serve as the perfect place for them to share their experiences and discover new opportunities.

Q: Why and how did you start cooperating with Green Sail?
A: Cooperation with Green Sail was as natural as anything really. We are a company that is based around sailboats, and our goal is very similar to the mission of Green Sail. To build sustainable tourism is of course a challenge, but your movement is a very positive one and we wanted to help as much as we can. After all, the only way we can make a difference is if we all pull our weight.

Q: As a GS Ambassador, what do you think are your advantages for influencing the wider community to follow Green Sail’s messages?
A: Our events and educational programs will serve as the perfect platform to broadcast the message of Green Sail. I am a big believer that people really want to protect the environment and they want to act responsibly but must just need a little nudge.
The way I see it, strength comes from numbers sometimes and if we can tell people about Green Sail in the hundreds, that will make an immediate difference!

Q: What do you think business communities in Croatia could improve in order to protect its environmental heritage?
A: Croatia has a lot to improve in its waste management, but also in the minds of people in the society. We understand that our nature is one of a kind, but there our some obstacles still.
For instance in our sector of nautical tourism, people need to have better waste management, and marinas have to provide people with better infrastructure. But on the whole it seems to me that people are becoming more and more educated on the importance of environmental education. It is up to us to now press even harder, not to think that the job is done.

Q: We heard you have a special recycling idea for the upcoming regattas you will be organizing in October, can you tell us more about the regattas and the idea itself?
A: Of course! In October we have two big regattas taking place in the Trogir and Hvar aquatorium. The first is Ariane’s Cup, the traditional meeting of the European Space Industry. This year is their 39th edition and they are coming to Croatia for the first time! Following them is the Business Sailing Experience Cup, where we merge three events into one sailing Cup.
Now combining all of these people together, we will have approximately 1300-1400 participants. This means that all of these people will create a lot of waste, right? And if you have ever been on a sailboat, you know that there isn’t a lot of room for waste management.
That is why we will equip all of the crews with 4 different bags for each type of trash, allowing them to recycle it all very easily once they get to port. And in addition to that, we will also be giving out one more bag - so called “Blue bag” - that serves for collecting trash from the sea and beaches. We hope people will embrace this spirit of ecology and help us out.

Q: What would be your message to individuals within the tourism and nautical sector from a Green Sail Ambassador's perspective?
A: Ecological efforts usually start off small and seem insignificant. We always think that one man can’t change a thing, and we might get discouraged to change our habits. But I think it’s all about those small decisions. Change your ways, educate people on why they should care and soon enough you will have turned that little ripple into an unstoppable tide.