Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Be able to plan holidays incorporating
principles of responsible tourism
SECTION 4
Principles of responsible tourism
offset the amount of c
a
rb
o
n their fl ight has generated.
Holidays that incorp
o
r
at
e public transport services are
seen as being very sustainable.
You have learned in the previous sections of this unit
that responsible tourism is all about creating holidays
and other tourism products that minimise the negative
and maximise the positive aspects of tourism. This
includes a number of activities, such as:
Hotel
s
, a
n
d other accommodation providers, have an
imp
o
rtant role to play in helping to achieve responsible
tourism development. They are in direct contact with
tourists and so can advise on matters such as where
to eat local produce, details of public transport routes
locally, opportunities for buying local crafts and gifts,
etc. There are also accreditation and award schemes
that hotels can join to indicate that they take their
environmental responsibilities seriously, e.g. the Green
Audit Kit, Green Dragon Environmental Management
Scheme in Wales, the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards
and the Responsible Tourism Awards.
1.
Employing local people for jobs in tourism
;
2.
Developing holidays that don't
d
amage the local
environment;
3.
Involving local communit
ie
s in decisions about
tourism development;
4.
Supporting loc
al
b
u
sinesses that supply products
and services;
Weblink
Check out these websites for more
information on the Tourism for Tomorrow
Awards and Responsible Tourism Awards.
www.tourismfortomorrow.com;
www.responsibletourismawards.com
5.
Using local food and drink;
6.
Dev
e
loping holidays that support local cultures
a
n
d languages;
7
.
Reducing waste and energy use through recycling;
There are increasing numbers of attractions and
activities in tourist destinations that have responsible
or sustainable tourism as their theme, for example
the Centre for Alternative Technology in mid Wales
and Eden Project in Cornwall. Many other attractions
are improving their environmental practices by, for
example, recycling waste, using water-saving devices,
introducing energy effi ciency measures and training
their staff in responsible tourism.
8.
Contributing to conservation projects in tourist
destinations.
An increasing number of holiday companies are
following these responsible tourism principles when
developing their products.
Holidays
Many mainstream UK tour operators are recognising
the importance of responsible tourism by supporting
initiatives such as the Travel Foundation (see case study
on page 376) and the Tourism Operators' Initiative for
Sustainable Development. Like many tour operators,
Thomson Travel has extensive information on its
website advising travellers of what to do before they
travel and while on holiday to minimise their impact
and support local people in destinations. The company
www.responsibletravel.com is the leading travel agent
The key components of a holiday are transport,
accommodation and attractions/activities in the
destination. Transport options include travel by air,
rail, coach or self-drive car. From the perspective of
responsible tourism, travel by rail, coach and car are
considered to be more environmentally-friendly than air
travel, if unpractical for reaching long-haul destinations.
Many airlines now run carbon offsetting schemes where
passengers pay a small levy to fund tree planting to
