Responsible travel

Responsible Tourism is the concept that tourism should be ecology-friendly.

Cape Town Conference

In 2002, 280 representatives from all sectors of tourism from 20 countries attended the Cape Town Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations preceding the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.

They agreed in a declaration that responsible tourism:

  • minimises negative economic, environmental and social impacts
  • generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well being of host communities; improves working conditions and access to the industry
  • involves local people in decisions that affect their lives and life chances
  • makes positive contributions to the conservation of NATURAL and cultural heritage embracing diversity
  • provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues
  • provides access for physically challenged people
  • is culturally sensitive, encourages respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence

Travelling Responsibly

There are several codes that advise travellers on how best to travel responsibly. An example is suggested here:

As a traveller, you have a role to play in Responsible Tourism. We can provide a framework to achieve our goals but as a traveller your actions whilst on holiday and your choice of tour operator have considerable part to play. We always provide guidelines in our pre-departure information for the places that we visit and you are welcome to talk to our leaders AbOUT any specific queries you may have.

The following advice we hope covers some of the more important issues to be aware of during your travels.

Environmental issues

1. Never buy products that exploit wildlife or aid the destruction of species or habitats. Do not buy souvenirs made from endangered species, like ivory; doing so will only encourage the trade. 2. Consider what you really need to take with you. Waste disposal systems in many countries are ill equipped to deal with the increased pressures that tourism brings, and a few simple measures can make an enormous difference to the effect you have on your destination. Where possible remove the wrapping of packaged goods before you leave: unwrap soaps and take bottles out of boxes. 3. Pick up your litter as you would at home: bottles, cans, plastic, cigarette butts, apart from being unsightly, can be deadly to wild animals. 4. Take environmentally friendly detergents and shampoos for hand and hair washing, and use as little as possible. This will help to keep valuable fresh water supplies, rivers, streams and the sea free from pollution. Always take a bucket or similar and wash well away from the water source to PReVENT the ingredients of soap polluting someone else's drinking water. 5. Remember that in many places fresh water is a very precious commodity and should not be wasted, so use a minimum for showering and washing. 6. Where any toilet facilities exist, however unsavoury, they should be used. Where they do not, always bury your waste and make sure it is never near, (at least 30m) from a water source. 7. Although we insist that our guides maintain suitable distances from wildlife, allowing the animal a suitable escape distance, there is always a temptation to get closer. For this reason we recommend that you don't encourage your guide or driver to get closer to the animals than is acceptable and to take the most powerful lens for your camera you can get. Never feed animals and never attempt to touch them.

Social issues

We hope that those who choose to travel with socialtours.com do so with a genuine desire to enhance their holiday by learning more about the people of the host community.

1. It's quite easy in a small, simple community to Appear an arrogant rich foreigner, so be aware of the feelings of other people, and try to avoid giving offence. Learning a little of the local language can help reduce these barriers and take note of the dress codes and appropriate photography, all of which your leader can advise you on. 2. Always ask permission before taking pictures of people, ritual events or special places like shrines. If people seem reluctant or look away then do not take a picture. Be careful not to cause offence through your thoughtlessness. 3. Ask your guide for advice on how to respond to begging and about appropriate gifts. It is usually better, for example, to give school materials or local food treats as a group, through the leader, to the school head or village head; just handing out sweets encourages children to be a nuisance by begging, and may well RUiN their teeth in a place where there is no dental service. 4. Extravagant displays of wealth such as ostentatious jewelry and technological gadgetry can be an incitement to robbery, as well as accentuating the gap between rich and poor.

Economic issues

1. Try to buy locally made crafts and support local skills and do not simply buy on price but on value to you: bargaining for a lower price for both souvenirs and services, is often the accepted and expected custom, but don't drive a hard bargain just for the sake of it. 2. Try the local food and specialities. Many rural areas around the world are under threat from a reduction in their agricultural base and by eating locally produced goods you will help the local farmers as well as the local economy.

Responsible Tourism Policy

There is no real best responsible tourism policy, but different companies adopt different policies and more than the policy itself, is how they utilise it. An example of a policy is added here:

o We will use locally owned and run services by preference. We have decided consciously not to vertically integrate. As far as possible, we will subcontract services to qualified local companies. This way, the money will be more evenly spread in the economy.

o We use locally owned and run accommodation as far as possible instead of chains owned by foreign companies.

o As far as possible we will use local equipment. We will hire the equipment from qualified hiring agencies so that the money gets more evenly spread in the economy.

o In most destinations we will aim to where possible to purchase our food from locally produced source.

o We support local income generation and small business enterprises by supporting locally owned shops and restaurants.

o We encourage clients through our leaders, the literature and slide shows to act in a responsible way and with an insight and understanding of the host destination.

o We will work together with our stakeholders in this business (hotels, hiring agencies, guides, other companies etc.) to implement the highest of standards and work out an agenda on how these standards can be met.

o We will develop Long term partnerships with our stakeholders, hence establishing long lasting economically stable relationships.

o We will take into consideration environmental cultural and economic issues when looking at tours that we develop.

o We will ensure that our operations do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people so we ensure that our type and scale of tourism is appropriate to local conditions and operate within the limits set by local appropriate infrastructure and carrying capacity.

o We aim to take responsibility for maintaining and improving the environment.

o We look for appropriate systems for minimizing water and atmospheric pollution from tourism developments.

o We aim to achieve zero litter policies.

o We aim to integrate environmental considerations into all economic considerations.

o We will provide regular and ongoing training, in the principles and practices of responsible tourism, both to our staff in the office and those employed out of the office.

o We will provide financial support for local economic, developmental and environmental projects giving back to the community which is supporting our business.

o We aim to reduce the levels of energy use in our offices and by our staff by recycling where possible and reduce paper use by increased training and use of computer technology.