business news
Business news and articles from the tourism industry, including tourist board news, regulations in the travel industry, and local businesses in tourism.
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Western Australia Travel Guide
On 9th November 2009 responsibletravel.com launched their Western Australia travel guide. This online guide contains tips from people living in Western Australia, things to se & do and podcast interviews and videos. Read more about theWestern Australia Travel Guide |
Free ticket offering for the Destinations: Holiday and travel show
 Come and meet the responsibletravel.com team at Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show 2010 at London Earls Court. Wherever in the world you want to travel, start your next journey at The Times presents Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show and discover more at this essential event for travel inspiration. Read more about the Free ticket offering for the Destinations: Holiday and travel show |
Masterclass in responsible tourism in the Gambia
 It is just over 10 years since Adama Bah invited me to The Gambia for the workshop he had organised at the Bungalow Beach Hotel to find a way forward for the informal sector in a period when the conflict between the taxi drivers and guides, the craft sellers and the juice pressers was boiling over. Read more about the Masterclass in responsible tourism in the Gambia |
Responsible tourism in Kerala
 It was a great pleasure to be in Kerala again for the AITO conference and to have the opportunity to catch-up with Dr Venu. Responsble Tourism is making progress in Kerala. In and around Kovalam there have been initiatives which have generated additional earnings of £35,000 for the eocnomically poor through the tourism supply chain. Read more about the Responsible tourism in Kerala |
Death of Venice?
 Back in 2006 the BBC reported concerns about the depopulation of Venice.
Private houses have been converted to tourism accommodation - the BBC reported then that accommodation prices were high, that empty apartments and buildings were being snapped up by "wealthy hoteliers" and that young people could no longer afford the cost of living in Venice. Read more about the Death of Venice? |
Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2009
 Whale Watch Kaikoura, New Zealand has won this year's Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards.
At a ceremony hosted at World Travel Market (WTM), Docklands, London, the Awards were handed out by Justin Francis, managing director of responsibletravel.com Read more about Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2009 |
Responsible Tourism in Destinations by Harold Goodwin
This afternoon saw the closing by Manuel Heredia, the Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture, of the 3rd International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations held in Belmopan, Belize. Manuel Heredia was present while the Belize Declaration was discussed and passed and was enthusiastic to have the declaration as part of the process of Belize adopting a strong Responsible Tourism policy to guide the further development of tourism in Belize.
Read more about Responsible Tourism in Destinations by Harold Goodwin |
The 2009 Global Vision Award goes to Ecoventura!
 T and L identify the organisations that make a difference in the places that we visit. This year T and L Global Vision has recognised Ecoventura for its substantial contribution and subsequently awarded it the Global Vision award for 2009.
Read more about The 2009 Global Vision Award goes to Ecoventura! |
The British beach hut returns in a dramatic new form
The Dukes Walk Beach Hut Resort has given the classic British Beach Hut a complete overhaul to accommodate families at an affordable price. The design is genius, connecting two huts side by side with a glass break to allow the spacious interior to sell itself and maintaining the exterior as a quintessential British picture.
Read more about The British beach hut returns in a dramatic new form |
A Statement for World Tourism Day
By the Ecumenical Coalition On Tourism, Equations, Acció per un Turisme Responsable – ATR, Echoway, CVESMP, Kabani, Peace for Life, Mouvement Chrétien pour la Paix (Christian Movement for Peace).‘Tourism - celebrating diversity’ is the theme chosen by the UN World Tourism Organisation for the 2009 World Tourism Day.
Read more about A Statement for World Tourism Day |
The International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) course in The Gambia
The Gambia, the smallest country in mainland Africa, sits unassumingly on its West Coast. Small it may be, but unnoticed, it isn’t. The Gambia is outwardly becoming the most dynamic in driving forward the concept of pro-poor tourism of all its West African counterparts. Having an environment where responsible tourism is thoroughly embraced is difficult.
Read more about The International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) course in The Gambia |
Planet, People, Peace International Conference
The first Planet, People, Peace (P3) international conference is to be held in San Jose, Costa Rica on 26-29 October 2009. It will bring together the world’s foremost experts in sustainable tourism to share the most successful sustainable development practices and provide a new information network among leaders in tourism..
Read more about Planet, People, Peace International Conference |
Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards
Today was the judging for the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards which will be announced at World Travel Market on World Responsible Tourism Day on November 11th and in the Saturday Telegraph. Chairing the judging is a privilege, coming to a consensus amongst a knowledgeable and responsible group of individuals determined to make the best possible decisions.
Read more about Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards. |
Brittany Groundhouse featured on grand designs
Daren Howarth is the architect & builder of Brittany Groundhouse which recently featured with Kevin McCloud on Grand Designs TV programme. Daren Howarth and Adi Nortje were keen to build an earth-sheltered home from recycled materials in Brittany. The programme is available to watch online.
Read more about Brittany Groundhouse featured on grand designs |
Our first Responsible Tourism Report
Our business is committed to the twin aims of being financially successful and playing our part in reinventing the tourism industry to make it fairer, more responsible and more
sustainable.We’ve been working hard at responsible tourism since 2001. We've learnt a lot, but we've got a lot more to learn and are far from perfect. Read more about Our first Responsible Tourism Report |
Third International Conference on Responsible Tourism - Rescheduled
In May 2009, Belize was slated to host the Third International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations. However, due to the unfortunate presentation of the H1N1 Influenza Virus Pandemic, a postponement was inevitable. Nonetheless, after consultations with partners, ICRT-Belize is tirelessly making re-adjustments to hold the conference on 19-22 October 2009.
Read more about the rescheduledThird International Conference on Responsible Tourism |
Launch of Responsible Hotels of the World
Leading global travel website for responsible holidays, responsibletravel.com, will today launch a new collection of stunning hotels that respect local people and environments under the brand name Responsible Hotels of the World. The company is at the same time launching a dedicated travel agency division to book these hotels on behalf of their customers.
Read more about the Launch of Responsible Hotels of the World |
Reasons not to have a global sustainable tourism accreditation scheme
At first thought a global sustainable tourism accreditation scheme might seem like a good idea - all organisations marketing sustainable tourism would need to comply with it, and tourists would know at a glance from a logo that the holiday met certain criteria. Eco-labels have worked elsewhere so why not in tourism?
Read more on Reasons not to have a global sustainable tourism accreditation scheme |
Terroir & Responsible Tourism
"Terroir" has no direct translation in English; most take it to mean something like a 'sense of place'. For French winemakers, the concept is central to understanding what gives each wine its individual character – the rain and sun on the vine, the specific conditions in which it is grown, the chemistry and geology of the soil, the yeasts indigenous to the area. It is the unique experience of each wine that makes it what it is.
Read more about Terroir & Responsible Tourism |
Bringing the Responsible Tourism debate to the Web 2.0 table
Having had to cancel, then reschedule, the World Conference on Responsible Tourism to be held later this year in Belize, Ron Mader of planeta.com has announced an online discussion of Responsible Tourism to celebrate responsible tourism week. The responsible tourism web debate will take place from May 18-22 and will focus on responsible tourism efforts being made across the globe.
Read more about Bringing the Responsible Tourism debate to the Web 2.0 table |
Oregon, USA: Soon-to-be "Green State" of America
Oregon has long been at the forefront of environmental awareness and responsible travel and tourism in America,so much so that a campaign has been launched to change the state’s name from the Beaver State to the GreenState. Oregon has been pushing for environmental initiatives since the sixties, when Senator McCall passed the historic Beach Bill preventing private development along Oregon’s coastline.
Read more about Oregon, USA: Soon-to-be “Green State” of America. |
Responsible tourism conference in Belize: Postponed
I have just read on Planeta that the Responsible Tourism Conference in Belize is going to be postponed due to the travel restrictions resulting from Swine Flu. Writing in the Planeta Forum, Kenrick Theus, Director of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism - Belize: "Today it is clear that with many countries having banned all but essential travel to Mexico and the government of Belize having banned public meetings we have no choice but to postpone the conference to a date later in the year.
Read more on Responsible tourism conference in Belize: Postponed |
Thomas Cook makes travel greener
Thomas Cook is the latest in a line of major travel companies to sign up to the Travel Foundation’s Make Travel Greener training programme. Bringing the Travel Foundation close to achieving its target of having 10,000 travel industry staff completing the programme only two weeks after being launched, ABTA has also recently signed on.
Read more about Thomas Cook making travel greener |
Belize: Pushing responsible tourism forwards
As Belize passes me by through the window of an old yellow school bus, it is apparent that this is the tropical paradise I have been searching for; Palm trees line the side of the dusty road and the heat of the sun sends me into a peaceful sleep as we head to the clear waters of the Caribbean.
Read more about Pushing responsible tourism forwards in Belize |
Carbon friendly flight search launches
 Leading independent carbon management specialists, The Carbon Consultancy and global meta search specialists Global Travel Market, in association with FlySmart.org have launched Carbon Friendly Flight Search, the first flight search tool to enable flyers to factor carbon efficiency into their flight purchasing/choice, whilst finding the best fares for their flight. .
Read more on the carbon friendly flight search |
And the Winners are... Responsible Tourism Awards 2008
For the past five years, I have been watching the awards grow. At
first they were hidden away in a corner of the vast world travel market,
when "green" was considered a dirty word, and "responsible"
was for "right-on greenies". In 2004, there were over 700
nominations for businesses trying to fight the mass tourism system
and make a difference. This year there were almost 2,000 nominations,
and they are no longer fighting the system. Ministers, celebrities
and CEOs packed into the main seminar room to hear who had won the
coveted awards..
Read more about the Responsible tourism awards winners 2008 |
Tourism and the credit crunch
 Conflicting Messages are being heard about the impact of the credit crunch on travel and tourism. Some industry pundits insist that everything is ‘business as usual but others are predicting a bout of belt-tightening.But leading figures on the responsible side of tourism are more upbeat, predicting that an economic downturn may prove an opportunity to develop and promote sustainable travel.
Read more about Tourism and the credit crunch |
Green Hotels
Conflicting Messages are being heard about the impact of the credit crunch on travel and tourism. Some industry pundits insist that everything is ‘business as usual but others are predicting a bout of belt-tightening. But leading figures on the responsible side of tourism are more upbeat, predicting that an economic downturn may prove an opportunity to develop and promote sustainable travel.
Read more about Green Hotels |
Alaskan tourism goes green
Alaska has introduced a voluntary certification system that assesses the economical, social and environmental sustainability of the country’s tourist businesses. AGA is the first certificate of its kind in Alaska and was developed by The Alaska Wilderness Recreation and Tourism Association (AWRTA), together with business owners, industry consultants, and conservation groups.
Read more on Alaskan tourism goes green
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New Zealand wins top responsible tourism award
New Zealand has won the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2008. The country also scooped the Best Destination Award. The judges said: "New Zealand has implemented many of the principles of the Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism in Destinations and demonstrated what national government can achieve - working with the private sector, local communities and local government - by harnessing tourism to benefit their people and their environment."
Read more on New Zealand wins responsible tourism award
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Ethiopia ecotourism program launched by USAID
USAID launched an ecotourism program which will contribute to the development of Ethiopia’s unique and potentially lucrative ecotourism sector. The five-year program will help to protect natural resources and cultural heritage sites and improve the livelihoods and quality of life of local communities, as part of an alliance using tourism development to reduce poverty, stimulate economic growth, promote natural resource stewardship, and conserve biodiversity.
Read more on Ethiopia's ecotourism program
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Oman's tourism balancing act
Oman is developing itself as an upmarket tourist destination with a focus on culture and adventure. Salim al-Mamari, director general of tourism promotion, says Oman has taken a “different approach” to tourism development. “We are paying attention to maintaining our identity. We are not into mass tourism. We are looking for responsible tourism, meaning those who can help me maintain Oman as it is.”
Read more on Oman's tourism balancing act
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responsibletravel.com launches affiliate programme
A new affiliate scheme has been launched this week by leading ethical travel directory www.responsibletravel.com. The scheme offers partners the chance to use responsibletravel.com ads, articles and other content on their site and be paid for enquiries and bookings generated as a result of traffic from their site.
Read more on responsibletravel.com's affiliate programme
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Guilt-free relaxation
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. There's a growing desire amongst modern Britons for adventure, for learning and for authentic experiences.
Read more on guilt-free relaxation
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Ecotourism - an oxymoron?
Tourism, as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, is "organized touring; operation of touring as a business; provision of things and services that attract tourists." As such, it has been a source of income for centuries, whether it was pilgrims making their way to religious sites or more recently, individuals in search of natural environments... at the moment, there is nothing 'eco' about tourism. It is truly an oxymoron.
Read more on ecotourism - an oxymoron?
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Green or greenwash?
We had a call from The Observer newspaper - not looking for last minute responsibletravel.com holidays or for our comment on the latest carbon offset scheme, but to defend ourselves against accusations of greenwashing for their article, 'Are you being greenwashed?'. Whether you read the article or not, we wanted to share our responses with you, our travellers, as they may answer questions you have had but never thought to ask!
Read more on green or greenwash?
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Responsible tourism in the UK
The truth is, going on holiday is rarely environmentally sound. Just by flying out of the country your personal contribution to global warming goes way up. Stay in the UK and you are already picking up the greenie points. But travelling responsibly is not simply a case of reducing pollution. Minimising environmental damage, supporting local economies and being sensitive to cultural differences is as relevant to a trip through the English countryside as a visit to a Costa Rican rainforest.
Read more on responsible tourism in the UK
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Supporting local businesses
We at responsibletravel.com feel that responsible tourism really does make a difference – travellers booking responsible holidays are supporting local businesses as well as helping local communities and minimising impact on the environment. We've asked some of our operators what responsibletravel.com membership has meant to their business.
Read more on supporting local businesses
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