Human Rights

November 1, 2019November 1, 2019

Responsible Tourism Centre Stage at WTM London next week

Human Rights, Overtourism, Responsible Tourism, Responsible Tourism, Responsible Tourism Spotlight

WTM London is the largest Responsible Tourism event in the world. We focus on the solutions with a programme designed to help businesses and destinations thrive in increasingly difficult circumstances ... Read more

August 23, 2019August 27, 2019

“We take our holidays in other peoples’ homes.”

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism, Responsible Tourism

As the UK’s Tourism Concern pointed out in a long-running campaign “We take our holidays in other peoples’ homes.” Way back in 1994 Colin Marshall, at the launch of the ... Read more

July 24, 2019July 30, 2019

Take responsibility “don’t turn a blind eye to child abuse.”

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism, Responsible Tourism

The Archers will be familiar to many UK readers of this post. It a radio soap with over 5 million listeners and a further million listening online. Launched in 1951 ... Read more

June 26, 2018

The Good and the Bad of employment in the tourism & hospitality industry

Blog, Disability, Human Rights

Tourism and the hospitality industry are often criticised for creating local quality service employment. There are three major reasons for this. People tend to waiters and room attendants as the ... Read more

May 15, 2018May 17, 2018

Orphanages: Campaigning for Responsibility in Tourism

Blog, Human Rights

Responsible Tourism is about taking responsibility to address the issues that matter whether in a particular place or one that occurs in many areas. This year in WTM’s World Responsible ... Read more

February 20, 2018

Orphanages: Slavery and Birthday Parties

Human Rights

There is mounting concern about orphanages and tourism around the world, but the response has been patchy. Our world is a diverse place and our understanding of orphanages varies between ... Read more

January 12, 2018February 5, 2018

Five predictions for responsible tourism in 2018… and one I hope won’t happen

Carbon & Water, Development, Human Rights, Overtourism

In my last blog of 2017, I looked back at some of my personal responsible tourism highlights of that year. I’ve been on holiday for most of the time since ... Read more

October 24, 2017

Tourism’s Dirty Secret report reveals working conditions of hotel housekeepers

Human Rights

A report released last week into the working conditions of hundreds of thousands of women cleaning bedrooms and other hotel areas across the world. Published by Oxfam Canada, Tourism’s Dirty ... Read more

October 17, 2017October 20, 2017

On the Responsible Tourism Agenda at WTM London

Carbon & Water, Certification, Disability, Human Rights

World Responsible Tourism Day is on Wednesday this year and our main focus is on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Tanya Beckett will be interviewing tourism leaders from UNWTO, TUI ... Read more

August 22, 2017October 4, 2017

Modern Slavery in the UK and in orphanages

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

Modern slavery is an underground issue in the UK, it is hidden from view. Trafficking is at the heart of much of it. I know of no evidence that children ... Read more

June 20, 2017September 18, 2017

How tourism is providing hospitality and support to refugees and asylum seekers

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

A couple of years ago I wrote a blog for this site reporting on inspirational tourism industry initiatives responding to the refugee crisis. My aim was to show “how tourism ... Read more

April 11, 2017September 18, 2017

If you’re looking after the environment, you’re looking after your guests. Tell them.

Carbon & Water, Development, Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

Written above a doorway at London’s Horniman Museum is an Einstein quote that reads: ‘The environment is everything except myself.’ When I saw it last week it reminded me of ... Read more

March 15, 2017September 18, 2017

Why it matters what stories tourism tells to promote destinations

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism, RT Marketing, Social Economy

Museums and Heritage Advisor doesn’t sound like a particularly radical or controversy-seeking website. Described as “The ultimate news, product and opinion resource for museum, gallery, cultural and heritage visitor attraction professionals”, ... Read more

January 31, 2017September 18, 2017

How should the travel industry respond to Trump’s travel ban?

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

The rules of engagement are being changed. According to established social media thinking, the lifespan of a tweet is 18 minutes. Yet one of the tweets currently getting the most ... Read more

December 13, 2016September 18, 2017

How to ensure your hotel isn’t used by traffickers… just got easier

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

It would be safe to assume that most people working in hotels do not want their businesses used for human trafficking. And it would be just as likely that most ... Read more

August 30, 2016September 18, 2017

People and Gorillas at Bwindi

Development, Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

Looking out of the lodge window at Rushaga in southwest Uganda close on the border with Congo and Rwanda the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest home to the fabled mountain gorillas presents ... Read more

April 12, 2016September 18, 2017

Managing Risk – Paedophilia and Canned Lions

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

The panel on business resilience at WTM Africa last week explored the range of issues from drought to reputational risk that can threaten a tourism business. Two films which I ... Read more

February 16, 2016September 18, 2017

The Law, Child Trafficking and Orphanages

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

The tourism industry facilitates travel creating wonderful opportunities for people to experience other peoples’ places and their cultures. Most of those who travel will be wealthier than those they encounter ... Read more

November 24, 2015September 18, 2017

Why the industry needs to withdraw from orphanage tourism

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

Child protection is an issue which is not going to go away – the industry cannot turn a blind eye to it. The challenge for the industry is much broader ... Read more

September 15, 2015September 18, 2017

Child protection is still an issue for tourism

Development, Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

In November 2014 ECPAT launched a new global Taskforce to tackle the rapid acceleration of sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism. Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, former UN Special ... Read more

June 9, 2015September 18, 2017

How to stop tourism industry from inadvertently fuelling child abuse

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

Child protection is an issue that is getting a lot of press coverage at the moment, and one the tourism industry ignores at its peril.

June 9, 2015September 18, 2017

How to stop tourism industry from inadvertently fuelling child abuse

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

Last week was Child Protection Week in South Africa, but for the tourism industry child protection should be seen as a year-round issue. In just the last few weeks there ... Read more

July 15, 2014September 18, 2017

Meeting the many challenges of child protection for tourism

Blog, Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

Issues around tourism & child protection are wider than paedophilia. This year WTM looks at the issues at their widest level yet.

March 13, 2014September 18, 2017

Is it time to ban the word ‘sustainability’?

Carbon & Water, Development, Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

Is it time to ban vague talk of sustainability and instead focus on the specific actions necessary for us to achieve the ‘s’ word’s aims?

November 19, 2013September 18, 2017

Child protection is key challenge for tourism

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

The issue of child protection in tourism was a key focus for this year’s World Responsible Tourism Day at WTM. There is still much to be done

October 16, 2013September 18, 2017

Hotel working conditions protests spread

Carbon & Water, Human Rights, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

Is the tourism industry at risk from protests over hotel working conditions? What would be the impacts of far reaching strikes and boycotts by hotel workers?

September 17, 2013September 18, 2017

Will Accessible Tourism soon be the largest travel market?

Carbon & Water, Disability, Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

Accessible tourism is rapidly becoming the largest sector of the travel market. Business providers need a new approach to this growing opportunity

August 19, 2013August 14, 2020

Do online travel agents give enough accessibility info?

Carbon & Water, Disability, Diversity & Inclusion, Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

A new campaign aims to ensure travel agency and booking websites are meeting legal obligations for delivering accessibility information for flights and airports.

July 23, 2013September 18, 2017

Travel Boycotts – what should responsible tourism do?

Carbon & Water, Human Rights, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

Travel Boycotts have grown fast thanks to internet. But has it made them more effective? And how should companies and individuals working in responsible tourism respond?

June 10, 2013September 18, 2017

Trouble in paradise – local support matters

Development, Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

In recent months there have been several conflicts between tourism developments and local people, from Nepal and India to the Philippines to Can responsible tourism address these issues and forge ... Read more

March 18, 2013September 18, 2017

How can the travel trade tackle child abuse?

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

How best can the travel industry tackle child abuse? Everyone has a responsibility to ensure the routes the industry creates are not being used for trafficking.

January 28, 2013September 18, 2017

Responsible tourism employment issues

Development, Human Rights, Responsible Tourism

Tourism employment issues are central to how the industry addresses its triple bottom line. Responsible businesses cannot offer sustainable experiences while treating staff badly