Responsible Tourism Blog

May 2, 2017September 12, 2017

WTM Responsible Tourism Awards 2017

Development, Responsible Tourism Blog, 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 ... Read more

April 25, 2017September 18, 2017

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

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism Blog, 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 ... Read more

April 21, 2017September 13, 2017

Responsible Tourism and the African Responsible Tourism Awards at WTM Africa

Development, Responsible Tourism Blog, 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 ... 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 Blog

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 ... Read more

April 4, 2017September 18, 2017

World Travel Market and the Sustainable Development Goals

Development, Responsible Tourism Blog, 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 ... Read more

March 31, 2017September 18, 2017

Tourism and Nature A Brazil of Opportunities

Development, Responsible Tourism Blog

by Luiz Del Vigna, ABETA For the first time in history, more than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas. Part of it is confined ... 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 Blog, 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 ... Read more

March 21, 2017September 18, 2017

Seasonality, Cruises and Overtourism: Coping with Success

Carbon & Water, Development, Overtourism, Responsible Tourism Blog

How does a small archipelago cope with becoming Britain’s most successful cruise destination? In 2011 there were 36,000 cruise passengers, last year there were close to 100,000, ... Read more

March 17, 2017September 18, 2017

International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development

Carbon & Water, Development, Responsible Tourism Blog, 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 ... Read more

March 15, 2017September 18, 2017

Why it matters what stories tourism tells to promote destinations

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism Blog, 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 ... Read more

March 8, 2017September 18, 2017

Does tourism really contribute to sustainable development?

Carbon & Water, Development, Responsible Tourism Blog, 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. ... Read more

March 1, 2017September 18, 2017

How should men mark International Women’s Day 2017?

Responsible Tourism Blog, Women in Travel

I should start by apologising to all women readers of this blog. You will learn nothing new from it. I doubt I have anything to say that ... Read more

February 21, 2017September 18, 2017

Should destinations focus on yield rather than arrivals?

Development, Overtourism, Responsible Tourism Blog, RT Marketing

From a consumer or traveller perspective there are many answers, but it is not difficult for a traveller or holidaymaker to say why they are travelling. It ... Read more

February 14, 2017September 18, 2017

Will Transformative Tourism be more than the latest travel trend?

Development, Responsible Tourism Blog, RT Marketing, Trends

Industry leaders are discussing why ‘Transformative Travel’ will be the travel trend of 2017 after Vogue released this article in January. While 2016 was all about experiential ... Read more

February 7, 2017September 18, 2017

Why take Responsibility for Tourism?

Carbon & Water, Development, Responsible Tourism Blog, Video

The simple answer of course is that we should, because tourism is what we make it. We can make tourism better, we can use tourism to make ... Read more

January 31, 2017September 18, 2017

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

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism Blog

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 ... Read more

January 31, 2017February 21, 2017

Disintermediation & Destination Management session review

Responsible Tourism Blog, Video

World Travel Market, Travel Tech Theatre, Monday 7th November 2016 Panel member and CEO of Barcelona Tourism Board, Jordi William Carnes discusses why he attended WTM London ... Read more

January 24, 2017September 18, 2017

Creating shared value for local communities – the Kerala Experience

Carbon & Water, Development, Responsible Tourism Blog, 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 ... Read more

January 19, 2017September 18, 2017

Will South Africa eradicate irresponsible captive animal practices in 2017?

Development, Responsible Tourism Blog

‘‘JHB airport to remove cub-petting images from its international arrivals corridor’ read the headline in South Africa’s Citizen newspaper on January 13th. I’ve started 2017 – the ... Read more

January 18, 2017September 18, 2017

Going beyond trickledown

Development, Responsible Tourism Blog, 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 ... Read more

January 4, 2017September 18, 2017

A New Year, anti-globalisation and tourism

Carbon & Water, Development, Responsible Tourism Blog, 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 ... Read more

December 22, 2016September 18, 2017

Reality has to be on tourism’s bucket list for 2017

Development, Overtourism, Responsible Tourism Blog

About six months ago my plans to write about a press trip to Jordan were disrupted by the Brexit vote, and I had to write about that ... Read more

December 20, 2016September 18, 2017

Tourism at the End of the Earth….

Development, Responsible Tourism Blog

Well almost. Thanks to the UK government’s Newton-Picarte science funding and the Economic and Social Research Council’s Impact Acceleration fund I was invited, through Bangor University, to ... Read more

December 13, 2016September 18, 2017

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

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism Blog

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 ... Read more

December 6, 2016September 18, 2017

The joy of travel – other peoples’ places

Development, Responsible Tourism Blog

We travel to enjoy other peoples’ places, the brochures and websites show us images of their natural and cultural environment the buildings and cafes the landscapes and ... Read more

November 29, 2016September 18, 2017

Why partnership has to be the buzzword for sustainable tourism in 2017

Development, Responsible Tourism Blog

2016 has not been a year that many people will look back on that fondly. But as we begin to look forward to 2017, I’d suggest there ... Read more

November 24, 2016September 18, 2017

Airbnb, disintermediation and communities

Development, Responsible Tourism Blog, 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 ... Read more

November 15, 2016September 18, 2017

8 Challenges for sustainable tourism posed at WTM London 2016

Development, Overtourism, Responsible Tourism Blog

I spent the whole of World Travel Market sat in the lecture halls, listening to the women and men most committed to developing sustainable tourism discuss the ... Read more

November 9, 2016September 18, 2017

WTM London 2016 10 years of Responsible Tourism

Development, Overtourism, Responsible Tourism Blog, RT Marketing

Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director World Travel Market, toasted the ten years of Responsible Tourism at WTM and thanked all those who have become part of the ... Read more

November 8, 2016September 18, 2017

Ten years of promoting responsible tourism at WTM

Carbon & Water, Development, Responsible Tourism Blog, 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 ... Read more

October 25, 2016September 18, 2017

Enhancing the Tourism Experience for Guests and Hosts

Development, Responsible Tourism Blog

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 ... Read more

October 18, 2016September 18, 2017

Last Chance Travel: What if the only truly sustainable form of tourism is less of it?

Carbon & Water, Development, Overtourism, Responsible Tourism Blog

Issues around Venice and the problems of what is fast becoming known as ‘overtourism‘ are being talked about a great deal these days. What I was unaware ... Read more

October 4, 2016September 18, 2017

Google Cardboard’s VR headset will change tourism forever. But will virtual reality make the industry more sustainable?

Carbon & Water, Disability, Responsible Tourism Blog

In the last few days the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset has launched in the UK, bringing virtual reality to the headlines once again; although at £549, ... Read more

October 3, 2016September 18, 2017

How Gulf destinations are opening their doors to the world

Blog, Disability

The Gulf has already established a formidable reputation as one of the world’s most accessible regions – in fact, it’s the very foundation of its tourism success ... Read more

September 27, 2016September 18, 2017

A new challenge “overtourism”

Carbon & Water, Overtourism, Responsible Tourism Blog

A new challenge and a new word: “overtourism.” First used on twitter as #overtourism back in August 2012 it’s likely to become commonplace over the next few ... Read more

September 20, 2016September 18, 2017

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

Disability, Responsible Tourism Blog

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 ... Read more

September 13, 2016September 18, 2017

It is a privilege to judge the Responsible Tourism Awards

Certification, Development, Responsible Tourism Blog

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 ... Read more

September 6, 2016September 18, 2017

Tourism has to stop worrying about how to spin sustainability

Responsible Tourism Blog, 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 ... Read more

August 30, 2016September 18, 2017

People and Gorillas at Bwindi

Development, Human Rights, Responsible Tourism Blog

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 ... Read more

August 23, 2016September 18, 2017

Will the “Brexit Bounce” mean a living wage for London Hotel Workers?

Development, Responsible Tourism Blog

“Post referendum weaker pound boosts UK inbound tourist spending” reads a headline on the homepage of Travel Weekly UK this week. “Massive Brexit boost to tourism in ... Read more

August 16, 2016September 18, 2017

2017 – International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development

Carbon & Water, Development, Responsible Tourism Blog, 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 ... Read more

August 16, 2016September 18, 2017

World’s Biggest Responsible Tourism Event

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism Blog

Every year at WTM London we have about 2,000 participants across the various Responsible Tourism events, it is a big success but we want to reach still ... Read more

August 15, 2016September 18, 2017

WRTD Spotlight on Rural Suite

Responsible Tourism Spotlight

1. What inspired you to create your business? Since the beginning, our aim was the same: to create a singular  type of accommodation focused on the “Inclusive ... Read more

August 15, 2016September 18, 2017

WRTD Spotlight on Footprint Vietnam Travel

Responsible Tourism Spotlight

1. What inspired you to create your business? In 1999, the dream began, when Mr. Thanh and me, Son Dang, from Hanoi Open University (Faculty of Tourism), ... Read more

August 12, 2016September 18, 2017

WRTD Spotlight on LooLa Adventure Resort

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism Spotlight

1. What inspired you to create your business? After finishing my Masters degree in mathematics in Holland in 1988, I went backpacking for a year in South ... Read more

August 9, 2016September 18, 2017

Why every tourism company should sign up to the World Community Grid

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism Blog

For many of us in the northern hemisphere, August is a month when our computers finally lie idle, emails get bounced back with out of office replies, ... Read more

August 9, 2016September 18, 2017

WRTD Spotlight on Naam Group

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism Spotlight

1. What inspired you to create your business? This business was contrived by its founder and Chairman Dr Ravi Ponniah who feels that Langkawi – although an ... Read more

August 2, 2016September 18, 2017

The Olympics and Tourism

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism Blog

The 2016 Olympics open in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday 6 August, they were in London in 2012 and they will be in Tokyo in 2020. For 2024 ... Read more

July 26, 2016September 18, 2017

In defence of the really wild and raucous holiday

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism Blog

“Campaigners seek to reintroduce Eurasian lynx into parts of Britain” ran a headline in the Guardian early this week. Amidst this season’s swelter of Brexit, terror and ... Read more

July 19, 2016September 18, 2017

Terrorism, Tourism, Migration and Globalisation

Development, Human Rights, Responsible Tourism Blog, 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 ... Read more

July 13, 2016October 4, 2016

How to reinvent your tourism sustainability strategy – At the beach

Responsible Tourism Blog

This month sees the return of The Big Holiday Beach Clean, the central focus of ABTA’s annual “Make Holidays Greener” campaign, which lasts for the whole of ... Read more

July 8, 2016September 18, 2017

WRTD Spotlight on Verde Hotel

Responsible Tourism Spotlight

1. What inspired you to create your business? Owner Mario Delicio spent a great deal of time travelling, staying in many hotels around the world. With an ... Read more

July 8, 2016February 8, 2017

WRTD Spotlights on Sociedad Geográfica de las Indias

Responsible Tourism Spotlight

1. What inspired you to create your business? In 2007 we missed a sustainable tourism business model, which procured benefit to all participants, a relationship win-win-win-win, etc. ... Read more

July 8, 2016September 18, 2017

WRTD Spotlight on Hopineo

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism Spotlight

1. What inspired you to create your business? We both are entrepreneurs. We both have been raised with an inspiration to do our part to build a ... Read more

July 5, 2016September 18, 2017

Communicating Responsible Tourism

Development, Responsible Tourism Blog, 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 ... Read more

July 4, 2016October 4, 2016

WRTD Spotlight on Sumak Travel

Responsible Tourism Spotlight

1. What inspired you to create your business? Sumak Sustainable Travel is based on one optimistic assumption: that tourism can be a force for good. There are hundreds ... Read more

June 28, 2016September 18, 2017

What is tourism’s role after Brexit?

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism Blog

I had planned to write about something else today. I had planned to write about Jordan, a country I have recently visited, a country with one of ... Read more

June 24, 2016September 18, 2017

Foreign exchange and the resilience of tourism

Disability, Trends

by Jeanine Pires The years 2015 and now 2016 have been particularly difficult for Brazil and this has been reflected in both the economy of the continent ... Read more

June 21, 2016September 18, 2017

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

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism Blog

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 ... 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 Blog, 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 ... Read more

June 8, 2016September 18, 2017

Zika, Strikes, Terrorism but Tourism Remains Remarkably Resilient

Development, Responsible Tourism Blog

In the last few days the dependence of tourism on the wider economy and the disruption caused by conflicts within them has been highlighted. As 500,000 British ... Read more

June 1, 2016September 18, 2017

The endless quest for authentic tourism is sowing the seeds of its own destruction

Overtourism, Responsible Tourism Blog

Every week it seems, there are more stories about communities around the world banning or limiting tourism in order to protect that which they hold dear. Most ... Read more

April 12, 2016September 18, 2017

Managing Risk – Paedophilia and Canned Lions

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism Blog

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 ... Read more

April 5, 2016September 18, 2017

Minu Pauline and the Public Fridge of Kochi

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism Blog

  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 ... Read more

March 29, 2016September 18, 2017

2016 World Responsible Tourism Awards Launched Today

Development, Responsible Tourism Blog

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 ... Read more

March 22, 2016September 18, 2017

Airbnb, Blockchain, and the tourism reputation economy

Development, Responsible Tourism Blog, 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 ... Read more

March 15, 2016September 18, 2017

Sustainability and Fairy Tales – this is more serious than greenwashing

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism Blog, 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 Blog, 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 Blog

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 23, 2016February 23, 2016

Would you welcome tourists to your home?

Responsible Tourism Blog

How would you feel if a group of young people appeared at your house and started taking photographs of you and your family? This is the challenge ... Read more

February 16, 2016September 18, 2017

The Law, Child Trafficking and Orphanages

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism Blog

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 Blog

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 Blog

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 Blog

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 Blog

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 Blog

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 Blog

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 Blog

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 Blog

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

December 1, 2015September 18, 2017

Can we save the climate for the price of a croissant?

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism Blog

This morning I asked my browser a simple question: “What costs $11?” I did this because a new study has just been released that claims that “the ... Read more

November 24, 2015September 18, 2017

Why the industry needs to withdraw from orphanage tourism

Human Rights, Responsible Tourism Blog

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 ... Read more

November 17, 2015September 18, 2017

The biggest problem with ecotaxes is… they are called taxes

Carbon & Water, Development, Responsible Tourism Blog

The Maldives began charging a so called ‘Green Tax’ at US$6 per tourist bed from the November 1. This followed on the heels of an announcement in ... 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 Blog

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 2, 2015September 18, 2017

Why are so few in the Travel Industry planning a response to climate change?

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism Blog

“Travellers and the tourism industry are at odds over what sustainability means, whose responsibility it is and how green they really are,” according to the World Travel ... Read more

October 26, 2015September 18, 2017

Can you have too many tourists?

Overtourism, Responsible Tourism Blog

Many in the industry would probably say no. We often describe ourselves as travellers and visitors, in the same way that people complain about traffic without recognising ... 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 Blog, 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 Blog, 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 Blog

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 Blog

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 Blog

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

September 22, 2015September 18, 2017

US snowsports sector shows tourism industry leadership on climate action

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism Blog

Earlier this month, representatives of all sectors of the US snowsports industry sent a letter to the White House – calling for strong climate action in Paris. ... Read more

September 15, 2015September 18, 2017

Child protection is still an issue for tourism

Development, Human Rights, Responsible Tourism Blog

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, ... Read more

September 8, 2015September 18, 2017

Inspiring ways tourism is helping refugees, and how it could do even more

Responsible Tourism Blog

If you only read some of the more reactionary publications around, you might be mistaken for thinking that tourism’s response to the growing refugee crisis was mostly ... Read more

September 3, 2015September 18, 2017

Innovator Spotlight: making airport hotels sustainable at Hotel Verde

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism Blog, Responsible Tourism Spotlight

Earlier this year, the South African Hotel Verde became the first hotel in the world to achieve double LEED platinum status. Far from being a remote ecolodge, ... Read more

September 1, 2015September 18, 2017

Climate Change – the issue is hotting up

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism Blog

2015 already looks set to be the hottest year on record. It means the three warmest years since records began in 1880 – 2015, 2014 and 2010 ... Read more

August 25, 2015September 18, 2017

Blue Planet Tourism – time for some fresh water thinking

Carbon & Water, Responsible Tourism Blog

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 Blog

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 Blog

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 Blog

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 Blog

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