21 June 2009

Make Travel Greener Says Travel Foundation

Chris James of TF Caribbean, David Bright of Oxfam, Toby Middleton of the Marine Stewardship Council, Chris Shearlock of Co-op Travel and Roger Heape TF Chairman

The UK-based Travel Foundation unveiled a long list of tourism initiatives at their Annual General Meeting last week, including their new sustainable learning programme. The web-based guide aims to train the travel trade in responsible, sustainable, ethical tourism and is sponsored by ABTA - the Association of British Travel Agents. www.maketravelgreener.com/

Wildlife, and in particular, bees, have had a part to play in a number of Travel Foundation projects featuring local honey initiatives in top tourism destinations such as the Mayan Riviera and the Caribbean.

At the trade show which preceded the Travel Foundation AGM, Yuritzin Flores Guadarrama talked about the benefits to the environment and local people of her bee project: SEE VIDEO CLIP: www.travelmole.tv/watch_vdo.php

Other Travel Foundation initiatives included:

•    Local food initiatives to benefit destination-based farmers
•    New approaches to craft-creation and craft marketing to benefit destination crafts
•    New ranges of excursions to give tourists more authentic resort experiences
•    Training for destinations
•    Reducing destination climate change impact including saving water and energy
•    Help for the outbound industry to become more responsible
•    Helping the inbound industry to address the new responsible marketplaces
•    Educating consumers

In an exclusive video interview, Sue Hurdle, Chief Executive of the Travel Foundation expressed her delight at having been awarded the UNWTO Ulysses prize for the Travel Foundation’s destination initiatives:
SEE VIDEO CLIP: travelmole.tv/watch_vdo.php

Tricia Barnet of Tourism Concern expressed her deep dismay at the APD:
SEE VIDEO CLIP: travelmole.tv/watch_vdo.php

Jon Mitchell of the award-winning think-tank the Overseas Development Institute and a trustee of the Travel Foundation, talked about the ODI ProPoor Tourism programme ‘Pathways to Prosperity’ and the soon-to-be-launched book.
SEE VIDEO CLIP: www.travelmole.tv/watch_vdo.php

Xavier Font of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism talked about the ICRT’s global network of alumni.
SEE VIDEO CLIP:www.travelmole.tv/watch_vdo.php

Valere Tjolle