The good tourist guide.

In this extract from the forthcoming The Rough Guide to a Better World, travel writer Richard Hammond provides a practical exploration of what it means to travel responsibly.

Top tips for responsible travel.

Tourism has become a major world industry. We are traveling further and in far greater numbers than ever before. We journey into the heart of rainforests and up the highest mountains, soak up the sun on tropical beaches and dive in coral reefs. We gaze in wonder at the mighty ruins of ancient civilizations and get up close and personal with the most amazing wildlife on earth.

The cost of flying has reduced dramatically in a decade, which means we can choose long-haul trips that were previously unaffordable. Mexico, Malaysia and Thailand are no longer just the domain of intrepid backpackers or the leisurely wealthy, while charter flights are now common to developing countries like Brazil, Sri Lanka, and The Gambia.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, tourism – and associated activities – generates over 10 per cent of Global Domestic Product and employs 200 million people. There are nearly 700 million international travellers a year, a figure set to double by 2020.

But while this staggering growth of tourism has expanded our holiday options and boosted revenue, investment and jobs, it has also become a focus for concern – particularly in relation to developing countries. The economic prosperity that tourism brings to these destinations can be cancelled out by its impact on the environment and local communities. Fragile coastal ecosystems are creaking under the strain of mass hotel complexes, local water supplies are drying up through over-demand, and ancestral homes are vanishing to make way for tourism development.

All of this means that the type of holiday we choose and what we do while on holiday is becoming important, not just for safeguarding our own enjoyment but for the future prosperity of the destinations themselves – the very places we so love to visit.

Developing countries in particular are capturing an increasing share of the global tourism market. Fourteen of the top 20 long-haul destinations are now in developing countries.

For many destinations visitor numbers have doubled, or even tripled, in a decade. This trend provides an engine of economic development for poorer countries. Tourism has become the main money earner for a third of developing nations, and the primary source of foreign exchange earnings for most of the 49 least developed countries. And as tourism is based around natural and cultural resources – something even many of the poorest countries have in abundance – it can provide opportunities where few other industries are available.

What’s more, the infrastructure associated with tourism development (roads, electricity, communications, piped water) can provide essential services for rural communities. The money tourism brings can also help local wildlife and environmental conservation – many of the world’s protected natural areas are subsidized by tourism income and would struggle to survive without it. But alongside the economic benefits, tourism can add to the difficulties faced by people in the developing world.

The very asset that tourism depends on – the cultural and natural heritage – is also the daily resource of millions of local people, and can be threatened by exploitation and abuse. The drive for tourism development can lead to displacement of local and indigenous peoples, cultural degradation, and the distortion of local economies and social structures. Local people can also be socially and economically marginalized by tourism, especially in the all-inclusive package holiday market. When tourism multinationals own every element of the chain – from travel agent to tour operator, airline, hotel, and even local ground transportation companies – local people are deprived of a fair share in the profits of tourism; indeed, many earn nothing at all.

The mantra of the 1990s eco-traveller, “Take only photographs, leave only footprints,” was born from the realization that tourism could provide positive benefits to conservation and the environment. The International Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as: “Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and promotes the wellbeing of local people”. This has now developed into a deeper understanding that the places we visit are other people’s homes. The beaches we lie on are their back yards; the bars we drink in are their locals; the vegetable markets are their sources of food; and the national parks are there to protect their land.

“Responsible travel” is becoming a more common feature in popular holiday brochures – with the focus on encouraging the beneficial side of tourism while providing for environmental protection and remembering responsibilities to local people and cultures. It’s about having a fantastic holiday that minimizes the harm to the environment and doesn’t contribute to the exploitation of local people. “Community tourism” is another term used by the travel industry, referring to responsible holidays that aren’t necessarily nature-based (as in ecotourism), but where the emphasis is on the fact that local people run or organize the holidays.

Given that may of us are increasingly aware of social, cultural and environmental issues in travel, when it comes to actually booking our holidays, how can we put our money where our mouths are? Choosing a responsible holiday tour operator is a good place to start. Some travel companies now include a responsible travel policy that offers a better exchange of culture with local people as well as ensuring some of the money you’re paying goes towards the local communities. The Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO), which represents about 150 independently owned UK tour operators, provides its own Responsible Tourism Guidelines that are now part of its membership criteria. Its website lists operators that have been given two or three stars for their performance in responsible tourism. Increasingly, operators are incorporating a written responsible travel policy. This should describe how their trips benefit conservation and local people. Some operators give a donation to a local charity or help fund local conservation and community projects in the destination.

Another place to research ethical holidays is The Good Alternative Travel Guide produced by Tourism Concern, a charity that campaigns for fair trade in tourism. This Guide lists holidays in some of the world’s most beautiful regions, from walking the songlines of central Australia with Aboriginal guides to visiting the Inuit above the Arctic Circle. Unsurprisingly, the net is a great resource to find out about tours organized by local people. For example, ResponsibleTravel.com is an online agent offering holidays to 140 countries – from B&Bs in Snowdonia to swimming with humpback whales in Tonga.

TourismConcern.org.uk also offers a wealth of resources.

Air travel has become a major contributor to global warming – even if we book a holiday through a responsible operator, if it involves flying great distances it can hardly be said to be doing the environment much good. A single passenger on a return London to New York flight produces more carbon dioxide than the average UK motorist does in a year.

When we do have to travel by air, organizations such as Future Forests or Climate Care accept donations to support the development of renewable and clean energy projects that reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Both organizations provide travellers with tools on their websites (www.futureforests.com; www.co2.org) to work out what should be paid to offset the share of the pollution generated from a flight. It’s also worth considering booking flights through North South Travel whose profits are all donated to grassroots development organizations, mostly in Africa. Many organizations point responsible travelers in the right direction –The Foreign and Commonwealth Office runs a “Know Before You Go” campaign, which encourages holidaymakers to familiarize themselves with the customs and culture of holiday destinations. It also backs The Travel Foundation, a charity set up to help manage the travel industry more sustainably. A number of mainstream and niche tour operators offer the opportunity to make a donation to this charity when you book a holiday.

It is also possible to find travel and tourism companies that have been “eco-certified”. There is no one global accreditation scheme for green or fair trade tourism, but several individual schemes recognize travel companies and projects that act more responsibly.

Green Globe Asia Pacific is a benchmarking, certification and improvement system for sustainable travel and tourism. The Ecotourism Certificate programme in Australia provides accreditation for ecological sustainability and natural area management.

The Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa trademark recognizes certain special tourism ventures for their efforts in sustainable tourism. The Tourism for Tomorrow Awards are one of a range of awards for ethical or sustainable tourism that recognize projects which have made a positive contribution towards local natural and cultural environments, and improved the impact of tourism on the environment. AITO also has an annual award which is given to one of its members that has shown commitment to responsible tourism.

There are many things we can do on holiday which not only support local communities but also add to the enjoyment of a trip. For example, by using local guides rather than expatriates, we can gain a better insight into the environment and culture – and boost local employment opportunities. We can further benefit local economies by buying food and souvenirs from local markets or craft cooperatives, not simply from hotel lobby shops, which are unlikely to pass much value back to the producers. Markets are also fantastic places to meet local people. It’s often the people we meet that are the most memorable experience of a great holiday.

And once back in the UK, it’s possible to buy crafts from developing countries through the Traidcraft mail-order catalogue or one of the British Association of Fair Trade shops, which ensure producers are paid reasonable wages and work in good conditions.

It’s a mistake to assume that our holidays are insignificant compared to the enormity of the global travel and tourism industry. But a single trip can make a difference to someone’s life... the mountain guide, the village market trader, the local community group that receives a donation from a tour operator. Responsible travel and positive actions by travellers can reverse the impact of destructive tourism, can genuinely contribute towards good global development and can help preserve the beauty of the world for future generations.

This is an edited extract of The Rough Guide to a Better World, a Rough Guide publication supported by DFID. It is available free from all UK Post Offices from 29 November 2004. You can order a free copy online at www.roughguide-betterworld.com

More information
www.roughguide-betterworld.com
www.aito.co.uk
www.co2.org
www.fairtourismsa.org.za
www.fco.gov.uk/travel
www.futureforests.com
www.greenglobe21.com
www.icrtourism.org
www.northsouthtravel.co.uk
www.propoortourism.org.uk
www.responsibletravel.com
www.tourismconcern.org.uk
www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk
www.the-tribes-foundation.org
www.tribes.co.uk
www.wttc.org
www.tourismfortomorrow.com