In the 1970's a foreign holiday meant a beach, probably in Spain, returning after a week or maybe two with sunburn, sangria and a toy donkey. For years, the sun, sand and faux fried breakfasts of the Mediterranean was virtually the only option for the annual pack tour pilgrimage. But for an increasing number of travellers, it is the last way they want to spend their down time. There's a growing desire amongst modern Britons for adventure, for learning and for experiences denied them for most of the year yet achievable during their holidays.
Some sectors of the travel industry have recognised this hunger and responded with vigour; there are now almost as many holidays to choose from as books to read on the plane getting there. Sushi lessons in Japan, painting in Provence, mountain biking in the Andes, canoe trips up the Amazon, tours of the world's opera houses, bird watching trips to the Okavango Delta, journeys by steam train, health spas, golfing holidays, working stays on cattle ranches and, well pretty much anything that you want to do with your time off from the everyday. This desire for new experiences is having a more widespread impact on the industry itself. In the past, the travel trade has not had a good reputation for corporate responsibility, fair trade policies haven't featured highly, if at all, but more people having more diverse experiences of the world is forcing it to clean up its act.
Taking the first step
Last year, Rachel Harris from Halifax went to Africa with her husband Chris and the two children Matthew and Katie. They booked their holiday with “Tribes”, one of the many small operators specialising in adventure travel.
“I’m not the sort of person who normally leaves her hairdryer and cosmetics behind but when we went on our trip to Africa there was no electricity and it’s bucket showers, but it was one of the best times we’ve had in our lives. It was truly amazing.”
For the Harris family, one of the highlights was the close contact they had with local people.
“One of the beauties of Tribes is the fair trade ethos – you don’t go to a tourist Masai village you go to a true Massi village. It’s very humbling – it makes you realise their complete and utter poverty verses the wealth that we have but what you notice most is their enjoyment of life. Some of the massi trackers are incredible – you’re not out with some ex pat – they taught the kids tracking skills like lighting a fire with sticks, which they loved. It was a great experience for them but also a great education. We’ve all caught the bug for adventure holidays.”
Authentic experiences
Companies working in the adventure and active sectors have found that travellers want real experiences, but they don’t want that to come at the cost of damage to the places or people they visit. Having good environmental policies, respecting local cultures and supporting local economies has been termed “Responsible Tourism”. Adapting such policies is not simply an ethical approach to business - it is good business. According to Justin Francis, Managing Director of the specialist travel agency, responsibletravel.com, modern holidaymakers don’t just want experiences they want authentic experiences and a holiday run on ethical lines gives them just that.
“Responsible travel is a new way of travelling. Yes, it’s very much about benefiting local people and protecting the environment, but it’s about far, far more than that. It’s also about a deeper way of travelling that brings you closer to local people's lives, traditions, and cultures; and about re-learning how to truly experience nature. It suits life's enthusiasts and adventurers who want real travel rather than more fake Greek plate smashing and faceless resorts.”
Amanda Marks runs “Tribes”. Like many other small specialist companies, Tribes has managed to survive and thrive in the highly competitive travel industry because by adapting responsible travel policies they can give people exactly the type of experience unavailable at a traditional resort. They have a very high rate of return custom and for Amanda, it is the opportunity to be immersed in a country and interact with its people that her customers love.
“Meeting local people goes down so well, it’s one of the highlights. We use local guides to tell the travellers about the wildlife, the country, their own lifestyle and culture. We see it as a two-way exchange; we work with the locals to ensure the people we are sending get well received and that the people who are landed on are not exploited. Many travellers come with us to places like Tanzania because they want to see the countryside and the wildlife but we find that the thing that really love is having the chance to see the country through the eyes of the people who live there. That’s why we call it Tribes really, it’s all about people.”
It’s not only meeting people can that define a successful adventure and activity holiday. Pristine nature is what people want to see; it’s why many choose a specialist operator in the first place, because with a specialist they are more likely to be taken off the beaten track.
What many small specialist operators have learnt is that having responsible tourism elevates their profits too. Implicit responsible travel policies aren’t the main selling point for these companies; in fact the majority of their customers aren’t aware of the issues before they book. But as Rachel Harris says, Even if they don’t appreciate the benefits of a responsible travel before they set off once they have experienced a holiday run along responsible lines, travellers really appreciate its value.
“Responsible tourism will guide my choice from now on. You gain an insight to a culture that you previously knew nothing about. And you’ll have given a lot back in turn. It’s right, works.”
Sustainability
It’s not just exotic long-haul destinations, they can also be found in countries already established as favourites for UK travellers. Ecologically sound villages in Gambia built in traditional styles by local artisans where you have real contact with the local people rather than have them wait on you at a large resort hotel. Self-catering holidays in the heart of a small Cypriot village where the people genuinely welcome you as part of their community. A holiday on a small Polish organic farm; learn how the food is grown and then eat traditional meals cooked with the produce. Trips to Egypt visiting Bedouin villages - not mass invasions but small groups where the contact is friendly, relaxed and mutually beneficial. Responsible travel can happen anywhere, the essential thing is not just to take from the experience but put something back too.
Putting something back is too often the missing element – for too long the travel industry has only taken not given. Too often the industry has had a major negative effect on the environment, local economies and cultures of many countries. Virgin beaches have been deflowered, barricaded along the shoreline with concrete apartment tower blocks, their transparent lapping waters turned murky with unfiltered sewage and the local fishermen converted to baggage humping bellboys.
The travel industry has enabled holidaymakers to visit many of the world’s most beautiful places, but the way in which the industry has operated has changed those places for the worst. Most of the profit has gone into the coffers of large corporations rather than local businesses, the environment has been damaged and the tastes and demands of the visitors have subsumed host cultures. The realities of the tourism industry are that for years the relaxation that they offered to millions of holidaymakers has been bought at a price. To say beach holidays are bad would be wrong. Responsible travel can just as easily apply, but until very recently the vast majority of package beach holidays have been far from ethically sound.
The sustainability of the traditional beach holidays is also questionable from a business perspective. Millions of British tourists opt for one every year, but compared to other types of holiday, the sector is not exactly in the rudest of health. Beach holiday sales figures for the big four operators, First Choice, Thomson, Thomas Cook and MyTravel are relatively flat. It is a mature market but when you consider the dramatic increase in the number of holidays we now take, the traditional beach break has definitely lost its dominance. Britons took 6 million holidays in 1976; last year we took 40 million, and it's experience orientated trips that are pulling in much of the new trade.
Neilson is an active holiday company owned by Thomas Cook. It specialises in sailing, winter sports, diving and mountain biking trips and has been working on improving its responsible travel policies for a while, something that was, until recently, a rarity amongst members of the big four operating companies. Despite a general dip in the travel market caused by conflict in Iraq, terrorist attacks and SARS, Neilson’s sales have been up more than ten percent over the past two years, giving it some of the strongest growth in the Thomas Cook group. Managing Director Pete Tyler feels people wanting more experiences from their annual break is more than a passing trend.
"In our experience, the old flop and drop holiday of people lying on a beach for a week is definitely dying away because people have been there, seen it and done it. The big resorts will always be there but people want to do more with their lives. That's where the activity sector comes in and why it is expanding."
Responsible tourism policies
Expansion of experience holidays can only have a positive impact on responsible travel, as it is ethical holidays that seem best suited to giving people the authentic experiences they crave. The demand for more ethical policies has already been established; responsible travel by UK holiday makers is currently worth £107 million and the rewards for companies that engage in ethical approaches may be even greater. A study by the charity, The Tear Fund, found up to 50% of people asked said they were willing to pay more to companies that benefited local communities and conservation. Even if not all of them live up to their pledge to dip into their pockets and pay more for ethical holidays there is still reason to believe there is a significant growing interest in responsible travel. Traffic to responsibletravel.com's site has grown over 500% year on year and the World Tourism Organisation has said that responsible travel is growing at three times the rate of the tourism industry. Even one of the major ope rators, Thomspon, this year said that responsible travel could soon be 5% of the market.
As well as the positive factor of increasing demand, the travel industry also needs to be aware of the danger of incurring consumer wrath. Ethical consumption in the UK is worth around twenty billion pounds annually and consumers not only support fair trade they are keen to hit out against businesses with poor ethics. According to the Co-operative Bank's Ethical Purchasing Index, boycotts by ethically minded consumers across all markets cost major brands £2.6bn last year. A recent survey by the specialist travel agency, responsibletravel.com found a strong commitment to ethical travel with almost 90% of people saying tour operators had a responsibility for preserving the local environment and culture. The travel industry is not in a position to ignore these sentiments. The profits of the big four operators have not been particularly healthy in recent years. World events, the success of small operators, the advent of internet booking and low cost airlines has hit their margins hard. For an industry facing new challenges, it would be short sighted to ignore the potential of responsible tourism.
It's not just punters that are whispering in the ear of travel industry Chief Executives. Keith Richards has been investigating the whole issue of responsible travel for the industry body, ABTA. He says the city is also starting to call for more responsible corporate policies. "Pressure is growing from investors for major moves towards a more ethical approach. Business run for business can't be sustainable This is especially true for the travel industry as it's product is good experiences and sustainability you need to ensure the quality of that product. The industry has to some extent been guilty of not taking that necessary long-term view."
If it was oblivious to exploitation in the past, Peter Long, Chief Executive of First Choice, believes the industry as a whole needs to live up to its responsibilities now.
"We're not into making a fast buck and saying well we've ruined that place lets move on and find somewhere else, some more virgin territory we can take advantage of. Customers expect it, investors expect it, and tourist boards expect it, so there's a whole sea change rather than a cynical motivation. I think we are all saying that we don't want to do it in a non-responsible way"
The big four, First Choice, Thomas Cook, Thomson Holidays and MyTravel are working with the Travel Foundation, a charity that finds practical ways for the industry to develop and implement responsible travel. All four are now committed to adopting and publishing responsible travel policies.
Manny Fontenla-Novoa, Chief Executive for Thomas Cook UK and Ireland, denied that the decision was motivated by money. It has nothing to do with the strength of small specialist companies, growing ethical consumerism, recent poor financial reports and a virtually stagnant beach holiday market.
"I promise you it has nothing to do with cynical profit. The benefits are that if we can develop local economies we can give our customers a better product and experience and the destination will grow in a sustainable way. Yes, through naivety and ignorance the industry was not acting in a way that was sometimes harmful but that was not through malice. There is a responsibility for the industry to clear up some of the problems it caused in the past."
For Justin Francis of responsibletravel.com the new move to more ethical travel is not just a moral necessity, it's a chance for the industry to catch up with its customer's changing desires and survive long term.
"With tourism numbers set to soar the future of the industry lies in protecting and enhancing destinations, and about establishing better relationships with local people. It's about an industry growing up and taking its responsibilities seriously; and about catching up with tourists who have outgrown the 1970's package holiday."
If responsible travel does grow it could have an impact on a more fundamental level than merely changing the attitudes within the travel industry. More travellers becoming more aware of environmental and social issues world-wide will only serve to increase the importance of these issues. Holidays have a major impact on people's attitudes, and an increasing awareness of responsible travel issues could boost the significance of fair trade and corporate responsibility across all consumer markets.
Responsible travel: what can you do?
There are four basic rules for responsible travel. They apply to both holiday makers and travel companies...
Protecting the environment of the place visited
Supporting the local economy
Respecting local cultures
Conserving local resources
In simple terms, don't waste water. Don't litter. Don't bring home natural souvenirs like seashells. Use public transport if you can, it not only reduces pollution, it's a great way of meeting the locals. Buy from local shops, eat in local restaurants and learn about a culture before you go, that way you'll have a better understanding of the people you meet and the interactions you have will be more positive and memorable.
More information...
Responsibletravel.com is a travel agency for responsible travel companies. As well as selling ethical holidays its web site is an excellent first point of call for anyone wanting to know more about the issues. Visit www.responsibletravel.com
The Travel Foundation is a charity that is working with the UK travel industry to develop practical steps companies can take to make their holidays more responsible travel. The foundation's web site is a useful introduction to issues of responsible tourism and what the foundation is doing to help. It also has detailed insider guides to popular destinations that help you understand local cultures and how to get more out of your holiday in a responsible way. Visit www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk
The Adventure Company runs group trips to developing countries across the world including gorilla and chimpanzee safaris in Uganda and cycling and walking tours in Sri Lanka. They have a comprehensive responsible travel policy that includes plenty of information on how you can become a more ethical traveller. Visit www.adventurecompany.co.uk
Tribes runs responsible travel holidays to Africa, South America, India, Nepal and Jordan. It describes its holidays as trips for "travellers who want to see the world in a different light, experiencing it through the eyes of its native people." Visit www.tribes.co.uk
By Huw J. Williams
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