Responsible Travel.com

Review by Adrian Mann, owner of Adrian Mann Design, providing independent reviews and analysis of travel web sites in the UK.

Just in time for the upcoming Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development, we bring you Brighton-based ResponsibleTravel.com. Formed in 1999 by Justin Francis and Harold Goodwin, they count the likes of ‘Body Shop’ founder Anita Roddick amongst their reporters.

Overall
The purpose of the site is to allow the concerned traveller to research and purchase travel that minimises the negative impacts of travel and tourism on the traveller, host and environment. Their aim is to ‘be to travel what organic is to food – a consumer favourite that is better for you, better for local communities, and better for the planet’.
The home page is well laid out – all the important areas of the site are well featured, as well as a number of interesting travel offers. The main facilities are the Trip Search, Activity Search, Accommodation and Travel Services, as well as links to their eMagazine, Travellers Tips and information on the industry.

Content
Starting with the Trip Search, this is divided into geographical areas. Click onto the area you’re interested in, and you’ll find a page of offers and links to related articles, and links to pages on the countries in the region.

The articles are generally very good and cover a wide range of topics relevant to the area, from bison and wolves in the forests of Poland, to marine tourism in Patagonia. Some of the features are contained with the site, while others link to external sites. It’s not made clear which is which, and occasionally an article may be missing or have moved, giving the dread ‘404 – page not found’ error.

Each page also has links to sites with articles on safety issues, the human rights record and weather for that area. There are also links to local tourism and travel associations.

The offers are a varied selection too. You’ll find all the usual trips you’d expect – from honeymoons and scuba diving in the Maldives, to white-water rafting in Canada, but you’ll also find more out-of-the-ordinary travel opportunities, such as working as a volunteer with the street children of Ecuador. Each of the offers gives travellers the opportunity to send in their own reviews, some of which are very comprehensive and well written.
The Activity Search works in much the same manner as Travel Search, but the travel is definitely for the more active. Ascending Mount Kilimanjaro, trekking in southern Brazil and experiencing rural life in Zambia are all on offer for the more adventurous travellers.

Accommodation covers everything from wilderness and backpacking, to large hotels. Selected destinations get a comprehensive review, which includes the environmental management and local economy aspects.

The site produces it’s own eMagazine, which is sent by email once you’ve registered your interest. There’s a sample to have a look at, which includes a range of features, offers and links back to the site.

Travellers Tips offers advice on how to get the best out of your trip, and how to behave in a respectful and responsible manner – such as respecting local customs and practices, use of water and public transport, and how best to help the local economy. The Industry section describes the benefits of joining Responsible Travel to those in the industry, and advice on how to develop a responsible travel policy.

Summary
A refreshing change to the more usual travel site. It gives a different perspective on travel that usually goes unmentioned – it’s effects and consequences on the local inhabitants and environment of the destinations. The information and advice given is always practical and relevant, and the site never becomes ‘preachy’ or moralistic.

Technically its an uncomplicated site, navigation is simple and the pages load quickly. There is the occasional missing image, and some links to external sites have become the victims of ‘Link Rot’, but overall it’s a solid, well-produced site.

After reading through the articles and features on the site, you may find your attitudes to travel changing, and may consider doing something different on your next trip. Highly recommended, and definitely worth a visit.