rtweek2009

Responsible Tourism Week 2009
related: rt, rtweek

Join us for Responsible Tourism Week (May 17-21). Every day this week we will compile an index of key resources that come to our attention.

Participating in RT Week is simple. Just post a message on Twitter and include the hashtag #rtweek2010

Share examples of responsible tourism that you have personally experienced. Be generous. Talk about other people's work that you respect. Ideally it would be great to see you post at least one message a day.

Tick all the boxes http://www.flickr.com/photos/planeta/4615389650

ITBW Award @ Portland, Oregon http://www.flickr.com/photos/planeta/4605446024

Responsible Tourism http://www.flickr.com/photos/planeta/sets/72157608177472637

Essen http://www.flickr.com/photos/respontour/sets/72157623869221415

Responsible Travel on Transitions Abroad http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/travel/responsible/resources.shtml

Maps of Belgium http://www.use-it.be

Hashtags http://slidesha.re/daZbnI

The International Centre for Responsible Tourism http://www.icrtourism.org

Globale Woche des Tourismus mit Verantwortung http://www.tip-online.at/news/16624/globale-woche-des-tourismus-mit-verantwortung

WHL Group Supports Wild Asia’s 2010 Responsible Tourism Awards http://www.whl.travel/blog/2010/05/17/whl-group-supports-wild-asias-2010-resposnible-tourism-awards/

Twitter search http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23rtweek2010

**[|socialtours]** @[|maketravelfair] I think the webinars are finally moving - "converting the converted" to actually enhancing the topic - THAT was pertinent http://twitter.com/socialtours/status/2242101419

It is the ability to stay focused that gives RT a fighting chance.

Key quotes

There is very little overlap with the slow food movement, only at the fringes. - Len Cordiner

Development organizations are nowhere near the commercial operations. They're very good at pushing learning down the bottom of the tree. - Len Cordiner

We need to have the political background to this sustainability. - Valere Tjolle

Following up on the Global Leaders of Responsible Tourism Webinar
http://www.whl.travel/blog/?page_id=606

//Editors are encouraged to update this page.// //If you're not an editor, send your suggestions via this [|contact form]. For those unfamiliar with wiki-style editing, please learn about what's a wiki.//

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RT week
Registration http://rtweek09-planeta.eventbrite.com slideshare: [|responsible tourism week 2009]

Responsible Tourism Week 2009 has lead to a lot of useful and relevant conversation taking place all over the web about a better way of tourism.

On Thursday 4 June leading global advocates of responsible tourism will speak and listen at a [|public webinar (Web-based seminar)] about the present and future of their fast-expanding industry. This inauguration of a regular series of online gatherings will also serve as a call for future discussion topics and guest speakers.

The hosting septet will begin discussing and illustrating some of the thoughts and ideas propounded during Responsible Tourism Week 2009 – an online discussion held the week of May 18-22 that focussed on responsible tourism around the world. Using examples pulled from their extensive store of experiences or promoted through their organisations, the speakers’ primary objective is to demonstrate the universal appeal of responsible tourism to a broad range of constituencies in all sectors. The themes for these presentations will be bringing together some of the thoughts and ideas from rtweek2009, creating broader constituencies, formulating online webinar topics/themes for 2009, a call on a wide cross section to share their thoughts and experiences, and creating a real call to action.

Responsible Tourism Week
tags: [|delicious], [|twubs], [|visible tweets] (more info about tags and tagging) An online discussion took place the week of May 18-22 focusing on responsible tourism around the world. The motto for the discussion is "Five Days, Fifty Ways to Make Tourism More Responsible."

Since the Responsible Tourism Conference in Belize has been postponed until later this year, we chose to conduct some discussion online across various platforms, including Planeta.com and Web 2.0 channels including Delicious, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and YouTube.

The announcement has been published online the [|aRTyForum], [|Fringe Ning], Green-travel, [|Irresponsible Tourism Forum], [|Responsible Tourism Networking], [|Tips from the T-List], [|Travelmole] and the [|Transitions Abroad Ning].

In terms of planning, not much was done to organize the conference ahead of time. Borrowing the wisdom of Spike Milligan, "We don't have anything planned, so nothing can go wrong!" This is not the typical conference or e-conference! Instead, the discussion will be dependent on participants organizing themselves in productive and inspiring ways we cannot begin to imagine. The hope is that Responsible Tourism Week contributes broadly and deeply to the global dialogue on responsible tourism and that it helps set up the networking for the Responsible Tourism Conference in Belize later this year.

The [|Planeta Update] highlighted key resources each day (May 18-22) and this particular page will be edited to feature relevant links elsewhere on the Web.

Highlights
ICRT Belize on Facebook ICRT Canada on Facebook Afrika T blog Flickr Group: [|responsible tourism in action] Articulation of questions, development of resources that provide insights Local events, such as the Fair Trade expo in Oaxaca

Ideas to pursue
Inviting speakers from other niches - aligned but not engaged, perhaps recording video conversations Webinars focusing on place Webinars focusing on skill sets

Conversations continue
Though Responsible Tourism Week has concluded, every week is Responsible Tourism Week! Discussion continues on various platforms, now is a good time to become acquainted with Delicious, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and YouTube.

Tag relevant pages and tweets with the hashtag #rtweek2009

Those interested are asking to reflect on what responsible tourism means philosophically and via concrete actions. Shine a light on a particular place. On the ground you might want to document how responsible tourism looks where you live.

You might want to share the lessons learned online with your neighbors!

And if you'd like to write an article or suggest a link, consult Planeta.com's [|Writers' Guidelines]. media type="custom" key="3838549"

Five Days, Fifty Ways to Make Tourism More Responsible

 * **DAY** || **Delicious** || **Facebook** || **Flickr** || **Twitter** || **YouTube** ||



Wiki
2009 Responsible Tourism Conference, Belize

Editing
[|What is responsible tourism?] [|Tips for Authors and Publishers]

Elsewhere on the Web
http://www.responsibletourismpartnership.org http://www.responsibletourismpartnership.org/flysmart.html

Survey Says ...
Planeta.com is conducting a survey on responsible tourism
 * http://tinyurl.com/responsibletourismsurvey**

Initial responses:

What do you understand responsible tourism to be?

 * an approach to tourism development and delivery that balances the needs of the guest, host suplier, host community and natural environment. ||
 * it is a form of tourism where tourists get involved and contribute positively towards the destination that they visit. it may be in any form, as long as it sustains the original destination as a whole. ||
 * First and foremost: respectful Also a great opportunity to learn from each other ||
 * It should be something between Cooperation and Tourism. Very sustainable which means that it has to have a social and environamental approach. It is very important that is not based on MKT issues. Respect for planet and cultures is the most important. Adapting economical needs for inhabitants of countries and ethnics, not for governements. ||
 * respect for environment and socially fair behaviour of tourists and industry with local people, local culture and local economy ||
 * Responsible tourism is treating others the way they wish to be treated. While tourism campaigns have long touted 'destinations' -- in fact we are simply entering a place that is someone else's home. Said Transitions Abroad founder Clay Hubbs in a 2004 interview: "The golden rule is more and more recognized as the first rule of travel and adventure travel and I'm told that group organizers are rewarded by their customers for observing it." Perhaps responsible tourism goes a step further, to what is called the Platinum Rule - treating others the way they wish to be treated. The work ahead lies in connecting top-down and grassroots efforts. Responsible travel means extending solidarity over time. Efforts that lack continuity, even if developed with good intentions, can make situations worse. http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/tour/responsible.html ||
 * - a way for developing tourim indusry sustainably. Not only for the current benefits, also for the future. - considering local people as the priority and tourists second ||
 * something that teaches to the tourists to respect the environment and the place where they go to spend the holiday ||
 * See the Cape Town Declaration: minimizes 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, to the maintenance of the world's 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; and is culturally sensitive, engenders respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence. ||
 * minimizing negative impact on environment, cultures, and host communities while maximizing positive economic impact and education of visitor and host communities alike. ||
 * Tourism that involves the participation of local communities and their interests and does not negatively affect the environmental or the local interest and economically benefits the ones that are experiencing the impacts. ||
 * Responsible tourism challenges travelers to think about the effects of their travels, then choose to travel with good effects: making friends with people at the destination, sustaining the environment, showing respect for religions and cultures, being eager to learn--and to share. ||
 * It is tourism concerned with a balance between economic, social and environmental issues in a coutry. ||
 * it is tourism that is responsible to social, enviromental and economical issues for the host country ||
 * Responsible tourism is tourism that does not impact the environment, benefits local communities and promotes conservation. Also implies to consume local products from local people ||
 * Tourism that actively demonstrates environmental concerns and social responsibility in their community ||
 * From the point of view of the traveler, responsible tourism is caring about the impact of your presence and actions. ||
 * Low impact, respecting the culture of the local ethnic groups,exchanging proposals for managing resourses, water,energy,garbage to improve their efficiency,health and cope with the world around them. ||

How do you think responsible tourism can be introduced in specific locals and countries?

 * By example - to attract the attention of the business community that drives 80%+ of tourism, we must present a strong economic argument. ||  ||
 * making tourists and the local communities aware of the phenomenon and its positive impacts on the sustainability of the destinations. ||
 * Locals should value what they are and what they have, should respect themselves and their territory, should be connected and transmit this to the visitors. ||
 * By NGO ||
 * Governments have the main responsibility, but also through educating entrepeneurs, professionals and also tourists ||
 * Destinations do the best job in developing responsible tourism when they understand they are places and implement and communicate a place-based philosophy that respects locals and visitors. Tourism destinations that divert water from locals to satisfy the hotels cannot be said to be working in a responsible manner. Countries that do not document the development process and promotion in a public manner are not working in a fashion that is accountable to any stakeholder. ||
 * by government, organisations and media ||
 * specific projects ||
 * Government policy framework that is conducive; private sector initiatives (by associations and individual companies); tourism demand for responsible products; NGO interventions ||
 * Through education, incentives, pr campaigns. ||
 * By presenting the benefits of responsible tourism to the locals and countries and getting them involved as guides, home stays, hostels, restaurants etc ||
 * Responsible tourism begins at home. Travelers need to be educated about the issues so they can make the best travel choices. Hosts need to learn more as well. Most of the people in the world are good and they'll do "the right thing" once they learn. ||
 * Bring more awareness on the subject and to minimize poverty in some countries which is directly linked with the deveolpment tourism only concerned with profit. ||
 * like an important programme that has positive effects ||
 * Through education and eventually regulations, but my proposal is encouraging volunteer best practices. ||
 * There needs to be government promotion and encouragement for most areas. Assistance from web sites like Planeta, supply support to individuals who introduce these concepts on their own ||
 * Responsible tourism can be promoted by making local cultural norms known to visitors, without being preachy. ||
 * With the example of an other project that has been functioning for at least 3 years successfully. ||

What do you think should be the main priority for responsible tourism?

 * Developing simple check lists for destinations and tourism operators in each sectors that they can address in order to demonstrate that they are acting in a responsible manner. templates and KPI's are essential. ||
 * environment ||
 * Keep the biological and cultural balance by engaging tourists in related activities, fostering connection. ||
 * People and biodiversity. ||
 * environment: that is nature, ecology and society ||
 * Communication - improving skills on the ground and on the Web. I would like to see more use of Flickr, YouTube and Slideshare for documenting events such as the Responsible Tourism Conference. Please motivate the participants to begin posting photos, video, powerpoints today! ||
 * let people know what exactly is responsible tourism and why is important ||
 * stop the exploitation of the local traditions and habits and encourage a new kind of tourism ||
 * poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation ||
 * respect! ||
 * to make sure that the ones profiting from responsible tourism are the local communities that live among the environment that is begin impacted. That responsible tourism allows the tourism industry to find a balance between economic profit and environmental protection/conservation. ||
 * Create a vision of responsible travel. What does it look like? Sound like? Taste like? Feel like? How exactly do responsible travelers act? Then communicate that vision. ||
 * Reduction of poverty in the less developed countries and awareness in the other countries where sometimes is ignorance and not poverty that prevents responsible tourism. ||
 * it should benefit host country and local communities ||
 * No impact on environment and benefit local community ||
 * Protection of the environment ||
 * Responsible tourism should promote minimum social and cultural impact. ||
 * Education regarding the protection and improvement of their environment. ||
 * Education regarding the protection and improvement of their environment. ||