New responsible tourism book examines ethical tourism

A new book on responsible tourism has been published examining ethical tourism: who benefits?

The idea of ‘responsible tourism’ has grown in popularity over the past decade. But who benefits from this notion? Should the behaviour of travellers come under scrutiny? What are the consequences of this new etiquette for the travelling experience? Can we make a positive difference if we change the way we travel?

Dr Harold Goodwin, Director of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism at the University of Greenwich comments: “We are a long way from recognising that we – travellers and tourists – are part of the problem. We are more likely to become part of the solution if we can consume holidays and travel in ways that minimise negative impacts and maximise positive ones.

Responsible Tourism is a movement – consumers, business people and locals seeking to harness the experience and the industry to make a better form or forms of tourism. The movement for responsible tourism is gathering pace – we can make tourism a better experience for hosts and guests.”

Dee Birkett, Guardian journalist and author of Amazonian comments: “The tourist is being attack by more subtle methods than all out war. The word tourist is being removed from anything that was once called a holiday. So whilst there are fewer and fewer tourists, there are more and more adventures and fieldwork assistants, exploraholics, volunteers and travellers.

“Whilst this re-branding is supposed to present a progressive, modernistic approach to travel, in fact it is firmly rooted in the Victorian experience. Ironically these untourists go to the very same places from which many would have tourists banned. Indeed, this un-tourism relies up exclusivity; it is all about preventing other people travelling in order that you might legitimise your own travels.”

Jim Butcher Senior Lecturer Dept of Geography and Tourism Canterbury Christ Church University College comments: “Ethical tourism is a barely concealed slight on the ‘unethical’ package holidaymaker. It is an attack on the average tourist. The plethora of ethical advice diminishes the very things that make holidays – fun is frowned upon and a sense of adventure reigned in by the ethical advocates. And if this were not bad enough, the advice assumes that tourists and hosts cannot get on. It ends up reinforcing differences and creating misunderstanding.”

Paul Goldstein, International Sales Manager, Exodus Travel comments: “Some of our favourite new destinations are also among the most impoverished on the globe. India, Nepal, Peru and Mexico are countries where millions survive on less than a pound a day, they rely heavily on tourism and it can bring many benefits. Sadly, too often it brings negative effects of the benefits simply bypass local people.”

Kirk Leech, teacher and Assistant Director of the youth charity Worldwrite: “Advocates of eco-tourism see it as the means to over come the conflicting demands and pressures of conservation and development. Whilst seemingly an advance on previous ideas which sought just to exclude local people from their land to safeguard bio-diversity, both concepts in reality tie local communities into a development vision limited by both a reliance on the natural environment and the limited development perspective of sustainability.”

ISBN 0 340 85734 X. Copies are available in all good bookshops or contact Institute of Ideas on: 020 7269 9220.

The Institute of Ideas began in June 2000 and is organised in partnership with major institutions in London, including the Royal Society of Arts, the Royal Institution, the British Library and the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Institute of Ideas is engaged with key debates around the themes of freedom, culture, science, thought and morality.