Social Economy

October 21, 2022October 25, 2022

There is growing demand for sustainable travel – don’t miss out

Blog, Responsible Tourism, Responsible Tourism Spotlight, Social Economy

Consumer surveys by Booking.com, Expedia, Euromonitor, IBM, and the Boston Consulting Group reveal a rapidly changing market. Consumers from nearly all source markets, in ever greater numbers, are seeking more ... Read more

August 6, 2019August 6, 2019

Taxing Tourists Makes Sense

Social Economy

There are still places where locals are surprised to see tourists, although there are fewer each year. And of course, many businesses are pleased to see them arrive, but there ... Read more

August 5, 2019October 8, 2019

Tourism needs new stories

Carbon & Water, Social Economy

Across Europe, the beginning of August signifies the beginning of the long summer holiday. Children are all off school for several weeks. Parliaments shut for a while. Stuck for anything ... Read more

July 2, 2019July 2, 2019

Tourism is not working. And that’s a good thing.

Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

Most of our time is defined by work. It is how we afford the things we need and want. But more than that – it’s assumed as a measure of ... Read more

October 23, 2018October 23, 2018

The destination with solutions to overtourism, climate change and wellbeing

Development, Overtourism, Social Economy

Last week Bhutan held only its third general election. And for the third time in a row, the Bhutanese people voted in a different party. And though this election got ... Read more

September 11, 2018

South African Tourism Survey asks essential questions we all need to answer

Social Economy

As I checked into my most recent rest camp in South Africa’s Kruger Park a few days ago, I was handed a questionnaire created by South African National Parks. The ... Read more

July 10, 2018July 10, 2018

TUI leads the way in reporting progress on sustainability

Carbon & Water, Certification, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

The TUI Group operates in 180 destinations, employs 67,000 people in more than 100 countries and provides holiday services to around 20m people. In size, they are world leaders. With ... Read more

March 13, 2018March 13, 2018

How to engage tourists in sustainable tourism (Part 2): redesign the loyalty scheme

Carbon & Water, Development, Hospitality, RT Marketing, Social Economy

Last week, I spent a night in a hotel in Brussels that has taken a circular economy approach to redesigning the way its loyalty scheme works. Following on from my ... Read more

March 6, 2018

Travelling to encounter the other

Blog, Development, Social Economy

Fifty years ago my father took me for a day trip to Boulogne, just across the channel from Ramsgate. He headed us straight for the back streets to see how ... Read more

September 5, 2017October 4, 2017

WTM Responsible Tourism Awards

Development, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

Word Responsible Tourism Awards have been presented at World Travel Market in London since 2004. Each year we have seen the bar rise, competition has been tough and the successive ... Read more

August 1, 2017October 4, 2017

How can we truly measure tourism’s impact?

Carbon & Water, Development, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

When people are looking to assert how important tourism is as an industry, they are likely to cite the proportion of global Gross Domestic Product that it is responsible for. ... Read more

July 25, 2017October 4, 2017

Tourism is not a zero sum game

Development, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

When you are working in the field trying to improve the livelihoods of local people this is the kind of email you want to receive: ““Hi – Peter , sorry ... Read more

July 14, 2017September 18, 2017

Tourism’s Natural Advantage: Creating Shared Value

Development, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

The concept of shared value emerges from the writing of Harvard Professor Michael Porter– well-known for his previous work on competition strategy, value chains and cluster theory. In 2011, in ... Read more

June 27, 2017September 18, 2017

Tourism, decent work and the SDGs

Development, Disability, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

Tourism and hospitality are labour intensive, with 8% of the global workforce employed in the sector.  As the ILO has pointed out there are many highly skilled well trained professionals ... 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

May 9, 2017September 18, 2017

Embracing timeshare to tackle tourism issues

Development, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

Timeshare is almost a dirty word in tourism today. But its structure offers much for those trying to make the industry more sustainable. It can deepen connections between guests and ... Read more

May 2, 2017September 12, 2017

WTM Responsible Tourism Awards 2017

Development, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy, Video

For many years the industry has asserted its economic and social importance. The WTTC suggests that travel & tourism is 10.2% of world GDP and that the sector employs 292 million ... Read more

April 25, 2017September 18, 2017

New European student travel scheme offers a vision of tourism’s future

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

If I was asked to sum up the challenge facing tourism in one sentence, I would say something like the following: Can the travel industry of the future be environmentally ... Read more

April 21, 2017September 13, 2017

Responsible Tourism and the African Responsible Tourism Awards at WTM Africa

Development, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

The first Responsible Tourism panel on market access for SMEs and emerging entrepreneurs drew an audience of 90 to hear Enver Mally – originally an SME and now part of ... Read more

April 4, 2017September 18, 2017

World Travel Market and the Sustainable Development Goals

Development, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy, Video

WTM, supported by the UNWTO, has sought to present examples of good practice to educate, inspire and challenge business and destinations to deliver on sustainability through WTM Responsible Tourism and ... Read more

March 28, 2017September 18, 2017

Tourism will be the future’s most important industry. We aren’t ready.

Carbon & Water, Overtourism, Responsible Tourism, RT Marketing, Social Economy

Last weekend I paid for my shopping at a self-service till. I swiped my credit card across the automatic turnstile on the Underground. I streamed a movie from my Netflix ... Read more

March 17, 2017September 18, 2017

International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development

Carbon & Water, Development, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

by FEDETUR Due to its multiplier effect, tourism generates economic and social benefits that help boost a destination’s economy, with the result that it is an important source of income ... 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

March 8, 2017September 18, 2017

Does tourism really contribute to sustainable development?

Carbon & Water, Development, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy, Video

The Resolution of the 70th United Nations General Assembly to designate 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development has shone the spotlight on tourism. Tourism will either ... Read more

January 24, 2017September 18, 2017

Creating shared value for local communities – the Kerala Experience

Carbon & Water, Development, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

In 2008 when the Second International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations was held in Kerala there was overt and mounting hostility to the tourism industry in some of the ... Read more

January 18, 2017September 18, 2017

Going beyond trickledown

Development, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

Responsible Tourism is about using tourism to make better places for people to live in and better places for people to visit. 2017 is the UN’s International Year of Sustainable ... Read more

January 4, 2017September 18, 2017

A New Year, anti-globalisation and tourism

Carbon & Water, Development, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

2016 brought the Brexit vote and the election of Donald Trump to be the next President of the USA, the full impact of these momentous changes in the government agendas ... Read more

November 24, 2016September 18, 2017

Airbnb, disintermediation and communities

Development, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

Airbnb is only one of many new distribution channels which are creating new opportunities for suppliers and consumers. Like previous disruptors it will probably face competition from other web based ... Read more

August 16, 2016September 18, 2017

2017 – International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development

Carbon & Water, Development, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

by Mariana Aldrigui, Turism teacher and researcher at USP The United Nations has declared that 2017 will be the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. This means that all ... Read more

July 19, 2016September 18, 2017

Terrorism, Tourism, Migration and Globalisation

Development, Human Rights, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

The terrorist attack in Nice on Bastille Day celebrations last Thursday was shocking, the third mass casualty terrorist incident in 18 months in France. First the Charlie Hebdo, 12 dead; ... Read more

April 27, 2015September 18, 2017

The business case for responsible tourism is loud and clear

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

More and more mainstream tourism companies are embedding sustainability as a core part of their business. The arguments for doing so get stronger by the year

Read more

April 27, 2015September 18, 2017

The business case for responsible tourism is loud and clear

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

The case for responsible business has been long established and the advent of social media and user-generated content has amplified that case. For example, in the UK outbound operators have, ... Read more

February 23, 2015September 18, 2017

Will Airbnb and the sharing economy hurt or help responsible tourism?

Development, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

A few years ago I visited around 200 ecolodges, homestays, community run guests houses etc around the world as part of my research for a book on the best in ... Read more

February 23, 2015September 18, 2017

Will Airbnb and the sharing economy hurt or help responsible tourism?

Development, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

I now look for airbnb in a destination ahead of other forms of accommodation. If others act like me, what impact is this having on independent hotels and lodges?

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October 6, 2014September 18, 2017

Sustainable Destinations: How can we partner for better tourism?

Blog, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

How can outbound operators best work with destinations to make better places for people to live in and better places for people to visit?

Read more

April 16, 2014September 18, 2017

Why the growth of Wellness Tourism is good for the responsible tourism market

Responsible Tourism, Social Economy, Trends

A new report showing the scale and potential for growth in Wellness Tourism makes good reading for anyone trying to market tourism responsibly.

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November 1, 2013September 18, 2017

The growth of responsible tourism must include as many as possible

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism, Social Economy

The growth of responsible tourism draws in people with an ever wider mix of experiences and skills. The events, speakers and participants at this year’s World Responsible Tourism Day at ... Read more

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?

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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?

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