Responsible Tourism

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 ... 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 ... Read more

March 1, 2016September 18, 2017

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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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, ... 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 ... 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. ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... Read more

October 13, 2015September 18, 2017

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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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; ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... Read more

June 1, 2015September 18, 2017

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 ... Read more

May 26, 2015July 20, 2015

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 ... 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 ... 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, ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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, ... Read more

March 28, 2015September 7, 2015

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: ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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, ... 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 ... Read more