Responsible Tourism

February 24, 2020February 24, 2020

What if our trains had a bit more jazz? Disco? Or foot baths?

Responsible Tourism

Early this July, the Jazz Night Express will take a trainload of passengers from Rotterdam to Berlin. Along the way passengers will be able to enjoy live jazz acts, spoken ... Read more

February 4, 2020

Carbon Offsetting: Too good to be true?

Responsible Tourism

56 businesses and individuals working in tourism have joined Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency accepting that this “requires immediate and radical action by our governments, our industry and our business.” ... Read more

January 30, 2020

How the hospitality sector could get vegetarian food right (by a meat eater)

Responsible Tourism

My vegetarian wife says that when I met her 15 years ago I pretended to be a vegetarian to impress her. She says I was pretending, because within months of ... Read more

January 21, 2020

Walking & Talking in India

Responsible Tourism

I am writing this in Binsar, in the foothills of the Himalaya in Uttarakhand. I was Delhi for the presentation of the India Responsible Tourism Awards, I took the train ... Read more

January 17, 2020January 20, 2020

Time for something different…

Responsible Tourism

This New Years Eve, a group of friends and I were having dinner. At someone’s prompting, we all shared our five favourite moments of 2019. Two things stood out. First, ... Read more

January 7, 2020

The Cost of Greenhouse Gases

Responsible Tourism

There is little doubt that, assuming war does not break out, that climate change will be the dominant story of 2020. COP 25 was, to say the least, disappointing. The ... Read more

December 17, 2019December 17, 2019

What were the key headlines for tourism’s sustainability in 2019? Here’s 55 of them…

Responsible Tourism

I reckon the sustainability of tourism has been in the headlines more in 2019 than ever before. So for my final blog of the year, I have gathered 55 of ... Read more

November 15, 2019April 22, 2020

The Challenge of Building Sustainable Hotels

Responsible Tourism, Video

The major hotel brands no longer own many hotels, they operate them using a variety of agreements: managed, franchised, or licensed. Operation has been increasingly separated from ownership creating a ... Read more

November 6, 2019

WTM World Responsible Tourism Awards 2019

Press Releases, Responsible Tourism

Ever since these awards were first held back at WTM London in 2004 their purpose has been the same – to encourage change in the industry, to single out for ... Read more

November 6, 2019November 6, 2019

Tackling Climate Change on Day 3 at WTM London

Press Releases, Responsible Tourism, WTM London

The 40th edition of WTM London began with a session exploring Decarbonising Travel and Tourism: Is the Industry Doing Enough? Speaking by video before the main panel, climate scientist professor ... Read more

November 6, 2019

World Responsible Tourism Day at WTM – Wednesday 6th November

Responsible Tourism

Don’t miss the World Responsible Tourism Awards 11:00 – 13:00 today in the Europe Inspiration Zone 11:00 – 11:15 Opening of WRTD Europe Inspiration Zone  EU80  WTM World Travel Market Means ... Read more

November 4, 2019

WTM Responsible Tourism to “Change Perceptions”

Press Releases, Responsible Tourism, WTM London

The Responsible Tourism Programme at WTM London began with a session asking Is Tourism a Strategy for Development? Cillian Murphy, destination consultant from Cillian Murphy Consulting, said tourism needs to ... Read more

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

October 31, 2019October 30, 2019

Taking Responsibility for Safety and Security

Press Releases, Responsible Tourism

We all know that the safety and security of tourists is vital for successful, resilient tourism but different countries and regions face varying challenges.  For countries and destinations, reputational risks ... Read more

October 7, 2019November 18, 2020

Turn Flightshame to your advantage – Promote train travel

Responsible Tourism, Responsible Tourism, Social Media

A friend of mine called last week for holiday advice. It’s not the first time someone has done this, but it is the first time that a friend has done ... Read more

September 17, 2019November 18, 2020

Leaders in Responsible Tourism

Responsible Tourism, Responsible Tourism, Social Media

Each year at WTM London on World Responsible Tourism Day, the first Wednesday in November, we present Awards to those businesses, destinations and organisations which our panel of judges have ... 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

July 15, 2019July 15, 2019

Accessible tourism matters for everyone, not just the wealthy

Disability, Responsible Tourism, Responsible Tourism

For a long time, those making a case for accessible tourism for people with disabilities have argued that there is a large market composed of those with special needs and ... Read more

May 1, 2019April 23, 2020

Attracting the Sustainable Visitor

Responsible Tourism, Video

This panel discusses the impact of attracting the sustainability-focused visitor, both locally and globally, through various sustainability, eco-tourism and biodiversity initiatives in the UAE. It will also highlight the importance ... Read more

April 9, 2018April 25, 2018

Western Cape has safety plan for TMNP

Responsible Tourism

The Western Cape government is to spend “millions” on making Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) safe for tourists and locals, says Economic Opportunities MEC, Alan Winde. He told Tourism Update on Tuesday that his ... Read more

April 9, 2018April 25, 2018

How to travel responsibly

Responsible Tourism

It’s becoming more and more important to think about the marks we leave on places when we travel. After all, we all want future generations to be able to enjoy ... Read more

April 9, 2018July 24, 2018

Keep safe in the city

Responsible Tourism

This article covers all you need to know about travelling to Cape Town, including detailed safety tips and information on health and medical facilities. Safety Here are our top tips ... Read more

September 7, 2017September 7, 2017

2017 sees the biggest responsible tourism programme ever at WTM London

Press Releases, Responsible Tourism, WTM London

This year sees big developments in WTM’s Responsible Tourism programme, as it seeks to build on its ever-growing popularity and increase its profile amongst its mainstream audience. For the first ... Read more

November 8, 2016September 18, 2017

Ten years of promoting responsible tourism at WTM

Carbon & Water, Development, Responsible Tourism, RT Marketing

Today World Travel Market celebrates the 10th anniversary of World Responsible Tourism Day with a programme that assesses the past, present and future of efforts to make the industry more ... Read more

October 25, 2016September 18, 2017

Enhancing the Tourism Experience for Guests and Hosts

Development, Responsible Tourism

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

September 20, 2016September 18, 2017

#TOURISMFORALL – Is your travel website reaching as many guests as possible?

Disability, Responsible Tourism

The theme for this year’s World Tourism Day, which happens a week today on September 27, is Tourism for All. In the promotional materials for its annual event, the UNWTO ... Read more

September 13, 2016September 18, 2017

It is a privilege to judge the Responsible Tourism Awards

Certification, Development, Responsible Tourism

Since 2004 when responsibletravel.com launch Responsible Tourism Awards I have been privileged to chair the judges for the Awards presented at WTM in London on World Responsible Tourism Day each ... Read more

September 6, 2016September 18, 2017

Tourism has to stop worrying about how to spin sustainability

Responsible Tourism, RT Marketing

I am sitting inside a campervan, sheltering from the rain on day 12 of a road trip around England and Wales. I have stayed in 4 different camp sites, and ... 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

July 5, 2016September 18, 2017

Communicating Responsible Tourism

Development, Responsible Tourism, RT Marketing

At this year’s WTM in London we shall be looking back at 20 years of Responsible Tourism in South Africa and in the UK – critically assessing how much progress ... Read more

June 21, 2016September 18, 2017

Is Climate Change Currently a Benefit to Some Countries and Businesses?

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

There are winners and losers but more losers than winners. Back in 2014 Iceland’s Prime Minister said that climate change would be good for Iceland, melted ice caps would, he ... Read more

June 14, 2016September 18, 2017

How to engage over 100,000 people in your responsible tourism campaign in under a month

Responsible Tourism, RT Marketing, Technology

A few months ago I was contacted by Anna Mckeon, the co-ordinator of the Better Volunteering Better Care initiative. She was seeking my advice on how to raise the profile ... 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

April 5, 2016September 18, 2017

Minu Pauline and the Public Fridge of Kochi

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

  Recently Minu Pauline, who runs a popular local restaurant called Pappadavada in the Keralan city of Kochi, had a brilliantly simple idea. She wanted to do something to help ... Read more

March 29, 2016April 26, 2022

2016 World Responsible Tourism Awards Launched Today

Development, Responsible Tourism

20 years ago South Africa became the first country in the world to adopt Responsible Tourism as a central part of its national tourism development strategy. And 10 years ago ... Read more

March 22, 2016September 18, 2017

Airbnb, Blockchain, and the tourism reputation economy

Development, Responsible Tourism, RT Marketing

Three recent stories about Airbnb’s future growth hold considerable interest for anyone concerned about the impact of such technology upon tourism and how the industry might develop along more responsible ... Read more

March 15, 2016September 18, 2017

Sustainability and Fairy Tales – this is more serious than greenwashing

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism, RT Marketing

I have been reminded of the feel good 1969 tv musical Silver Skates – it popularised the story, first published in 1865 by American author Mary Mapes Dodge, about the ... Read more

March 8, 2016September 18, 2017

The woman who taught me the most about tourism – a story for International women’s day

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism, Women in Travel

Today, March 8th, is international Women’s Day. Almost eight years ago to the day I met the woman who did more to change the way I thought about tourism than ... Read more

March 1, 2016April 27, 2022

The future of elephants is in our hands

Development, Responsible Tourism

In 2013 the UN General Assembly decided to proclaim 3 March, the day of signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), ... 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

February 9, 2016September 18, 2017

How to cope with too many tourists. How to avoid having too few.

Overtourism, Responsible Tourism

Antalya. Ljubljana. Luang Prabang. Aside from a certain assonance and preponderance of the letter L, there’s little to obviously connect these three cities. However, a look at their recent experiences ... Read more

February 2, 2016September 18, 2017

“Business as Usual” is going to get a lot more difficult for tourism – our world is hotting up

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

Tourism is by its very nature a difficult business to be in. Accommodation and transport providers, tour operators and guides are all more dependent for their business and their livelihoods ... Read more

January 26, 2016September 18, 2017

Time to drop the Tiger Temple from the bucket list

Certification, Responsible Tourism

Thailand’s Tiger Temple is in the news again. A tourist filmed a keeper at the temple punching a tiger in the face. As is the way with these things, the ... Read more

January 19, 2016September 18, 2017

Responsibility and Disintermediation

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

Two big and difficult words – what are the implications of disintermediation for responsible tourism? ABTA, the British travel trade association, endorses responsibility in two areas. One of the key ... Read more

January 12, 2016September 18, 2017

Travel Trends for 2016: this year it’s all about ‘authentic’ and ‘experiential’

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

I have spent the last two hours reading every article on ‘Travel Trends for 2016’ in a fruitless search for signs that responsible tourism is about to hit the big ... Read more

January 4, 2016September 18, 2017

Business as Usual and the need for Resilience

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

The last couple of months have seen dramatic weather events in all parts of the globe. Bush fires in Australia, flooding in India, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, Honduras, Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, ... Read more

December 15, 2015September 18, 2017

Why whales and dolphins might hold the secret to successful responsible tourism

Responsible Tourism

Whales and dolphins have been in the news a great deal this year. There was the exposé of and backlash at SeaWorld. And the incomprehension at the Japanese resumption of ... Read more

December 8, 2015September 18, 2017

A great man died ten days ago

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

I do not subscribe to the “great men or women” theory of history, but some people see the world differently, understand it differently ahead of the crowd. Generally, they are ... Read more

November 11, 2015September 18, 2017

Clarity and imagination required to reduce the tourism sector’s dependency on fossil fuels

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

The Sackur panel interview last week at World Travel Market faced up to the challenge confronting us as a species. Derek Hanekon, the South African Minister of Tourism, argued that ... Read more

November 4, 2015February 2, 2017

World Responsible Tourism Day Press Release Climate Change and Tourism: is sacrifice inevitable?

Press Releases, WTM London

The keynote speech for World Responsible Tourism Day 2015 was undoubtedly the hardest hitting yet. Tyndall Centre climate scientist Professor Kevin Anderson pulled no punches when laying out the level ... Read more

October 22, 2015October 22, 2015

Innovator Spotlight: Interview with the 2014 World Responsible Tourism Awards Joint Overall Winner, South African Animal Sanctuary Alliance

Responsible Tourism, Responsible Tourism Spotlight

1 – What inspired you to create your business? The South African Animal Sanctuary Alliance (SAASA) became a seed of a thought during the late 60’s and early 70’s when ... Read more

October 20, 2015September 18, 2017

What responsible tourism marketing could learn from food communication

Food Tourism, Responsible Tourism, RT Marketing

For anyone seeking to communicate the benefits of a responsibly run holiday to potential guests, a good place to look for inspiration is the local supermarket. or restaurant, market, or ... Read more

October 13, 2015May 2, 2022

Announcing the WTM Responsible Tourism programme: expect some lively debate

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

Responsible Tourism is about businesses, destination managers and travellers taking responsibility for the impacts of tourism, minimising the negative ones and maximising the positive. This year’s Responsible Tourism programme at ... Read more

October 6, 2015September 18, 2017

Groundbreaking compassionate destination concept launched in Kerala

Development, Responsible Tourism

A new initiative has been launched in the city of Kozhikode in Kerala, which aims to ensure the city lives by the mantra of how responsible tourism should work in ... Read more

September 29, 2015September 18, 2017

How tourism can drive positive change for our planet and all people

Development, Responsible Tourism

The simplest definition of Responsible Tourism is that it is about using tourism to make better places to live in and better places to visit; in that order. At the ... Read more

August 25, 2015September 18, 2017

Blue Planet Tourism – time for some fresh water thinking

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

That tourism uses a lot of water is hardly news. Daily fresh towels. Infinity swimming pools. Golf courses surrounded by desert. The endless irrigation of hotel grounds to keep them ... Read more

August 18, 2015August 18, 2015

Three different destinations techniques to encourage tourists to show respect

Responsible Tourism

Tourism can give rise to conflicts between local people whose home it is and groups of tourists who, despite being in the same place, sometimes have wildly different ideas about ... Read more

August 12, 2015September 18, 2017

The billion tourist question. Overshoot or Opportunity?

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

This Thursday, August 13th, is Global Overshoot Day, which marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in ... Read more

August 4, 2015August 4, 2015

Finalists for 2015 World Responsible Tourism Awards Announced

Responsible Tourism

Today sees the publication of the finalists for the 2015 World Responsible Tourism Awards at WTM, the awards will be presented at World Travel Market London on World Responsible Tourism  ... Read more

July 28, 2015September 18, 2017

How can cities meet the needs of locals and tourists?

Carbon & Water, Development, Responsible Tourism

Over the last few weeks there have been several stories in the press (including two on this blog) about issues to do with overcrowding at destinations and the hostility brewing ... Read more

July 21, 2015September 18, 2017

Will popular destinations like Barcelona or Venice be damaged by tourism?

Development, Overtourism, Responsible Tourism

There have been protests in a number of honeypot European cities in the last couple of years. In Venice there is an anti-cruise ship campaign, in Berlin the local government ... Read more

July 6, 2015September 18, 2017

How to balance tourists and locals? Lessons from my home town

Overtourism, Responsible Tourism

I live in Faversham in Kent, a working town at the end of the motorway, traffic speeds by to Canterbury with its cathedral and World Heritage sites; to Margate with ... Read more

June 29, 2015September 18, 2017

Why tourism industry should lead efforts for gay rights

Responsible Tourism

As any one who uses Facebook will know, many of your friends (and perhaps your own) profile photos took on a rainbow-coloured hue this weekend. People across the world clicked ... Read more

June 22, 2015September 18, 2017

Volunteering: “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”

Development, Responsible Tourism

The origin of this often quoted maxim dates back at least to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153), who is credited with “Hell is full of good intentions or desires.” It ... Read more

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

June 1, 2015April 21, 2022

Five steps to a successful towel and linen reuse scheme

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

Following several recent news stories about hotel approaches to towel and linen sustainability, here is a simple guide to getting it right.   1:  USE THE MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MATERIALS ... Read more

May 26, 2015April 29, 2022

Biggest ever Longlist for World Responsible Tourism Awards announced

Responsible Tourism

Responsible Tourism and sustainable tourism are not the same thing. Sustainability is hard to define; it is an abstract idea of a better future for us, our children and our ... Read more

May 26, 2015February 2, 2017

World Responsible Tourism Awards at WTM reveal their widest reach yet with the announcement of the 2015 longlist

Press Releases, WTM London

The competition for the 2015 World Responsible Tourism Awards at WTM has started in earnest as the longlist of organisations vying for the top spot at WTM in London this ... Read more

May 11, 2015September 18, 2017

Responsible Tourism in Arabia

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

There is a great deal more going on in Arabia than most people assume. The United Arab Emirates is a hard environment for man to survive in, as is much ... Read more

May 5, 2015September 18, 2017

How tourism can help the people of Nepal today

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

Since the earthquake in Nepal on April 25th, travel companies from across the world have launched fund raising drives to help the country’s people. Intrepid’s non-profit arm the Intrepid Foundation ... 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

April 16, 2015February 2, 2017

Only 4 days left to enter the 2015 World Responsible Tourism Awards at WTM

Press Releases, Responsible Tourism, WTM London

It’s not too late! says Responsible Travel as entries close on Monday 20th April 2015 for the World Responsible Tourism Awards at WTM, and past winners speak out about the ... Read more

April 13, 2015September 18, 2017

New Awards to show how Responsible Tourism matters in Africa

Blog, Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

As Garry Wilson, Mainstream Product & Purchasing Director for the TUI Group, argues in the above video, in an interview specially recorded for Cape Town and Africa, Responsible Tourism is ... Read more

March 28, 2015April 29, 2022

Innovator Spotlight: Making ski-holidays more sustainable with Snowcarbon

Responsible Tourism, Responsible Tourism Spotlight

Jeremy Smith speaks to Daniel Elkan, who founded Snowcarbon to make it easier for skiers travelling to the Alps to get there as sustainably as possible. 1: What inspired you ... Read more

March 24, 2015September 18, 2017

Tourism and water use – time for some fresh thinking

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

I’ve been looking into hotel water sustainability innovations over the last few days, trying to find some stories for a blog to mark World Water Day, which happened last Sunday. ... Read more

March 16, 2015August 28, 2015

Awards show responsible tourism is thriving in Ireland

Responsible Tourism

When we first campaigned in the UK for Responsible Tourism back in late 1990s it was often argued that Responsible Tourism was only relevant in developing countries. We had to argue ... 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 10, 2015September 18, 2017

Which is more revolutionary – Airbnb or a caravan park?

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

The cover of Time magazine for February 9, 2015 is an article by Joel Stein called ‘Tales From The Sharing Economy’. It looks at how various companies are disrupting entire ... Read more

November 5, 2014February 2, 2017

World Responsible Tourism Awards

Press Releases, Responsible Tourism, WTM London

Animal Welfare and Accessible Tourism take the Gold at the World Responsible Tourism Awards 2014 A South African animal sanctuary and a Brazilian adventure resort specialising in accessible tourism were announced ... Read more

November 3, 2014June 15, 2020

WTM Responsible Tourism Monday End of Day Release

Press Releases, Responsible Tourism, WTM London

Standing room only at the opening event of the responsible tourism programme, “Partnerships for Better Tourism in Destinations”. “We have a duty to our clients to make sure the destination ... Read more

October 3, 2014February 2, 2017

Announcing the Shortlist of the World Responsible Tourism Awards 2014

Press Releases, Responsible Tourism, WTM London

A koala walking tour in Australia, a responsible luxury hotel in India, and a whole town in Ireland dedicated to disability awareness are among the organisations selected for the Shortlist ... Read more

October 1, 2014January 24, 2017

Pioneering the Next 50 Years, Today

Adventure

Tourism needs pioneers. And, tourism needs pioneers today. Why? Because the tourism industry and its current dominant path of development is stuck in a rut. The current model includes a ... Read more

August 11, 2014September 18, 2017

Heroes of responsible tourism take one step closer to Awards

Disability, Press Releases, Responsible Tourism, WTM London

Debate over who will win the World Responsible Tourism Awards 2014, sponsored by the Sultanate of Oman Ministry of Tourism, begins in earnest today as the official Longlist is released. ... Read more

August 11, 2014August 28, 2015

World Responsible Tourism Awards Long-list

Responsible Tourism

The presentation of the World Responsible Tourism Awards at World Travel Market on World Responsible Tourism Day at Excel each year is a red letter day; an opportunity to see ... Read more

July 22, 2014June 15, 2020

WTM’s Responsible Tourism Programme Includes The Biggest Companies In The Industry

Disability, Press Releases, Responsible Tourism, WTM London

World Travel Market 2014’s, the leading global event for the travel industry, Responsible Tourism Programme includes some of the biggest names in travel including Tui, Thomas Cook, Kuoni, Virgin Holidays ... Read more

November 1, 2013September 18, 2017

World Travel Market 2013 supports Just a Drop & brings clean water to over 400 children in Kenya

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism

This year, the monies raised at WTM will fund a specific project to bring clean water to two schools in Kenya. WTM is also covering the costs for four staff ... Read more