Global Tourism, Tourism Concern and Travel Foundation

Tourism is a broad sector and global tourism is part of this industry. Tourism Concern is an organization that wants to help local people.

Tourism Concern is an independent, non-industry based organization in Europe. They actively campaign on tourism and human rights issues. Today, they have a membership of almost 900 and they work with partners in over 20 destination countries to ensure that tourism always benefits local people.

Himalayan Trekking Code. In the early 1990s, Tourism Concern, British tour operators and porters representatives discussed how they could improve the alarmingly bad working conditions and wages of porters on popular trekking routes. It is not always what is seems. Brochures for example, give you white beaches, coconut palms, cocktails and many more. But Alison Stancliffe found these pictures of paradise disconcerting. She travelled extensively as a tourist in the Far East, but found the experience increasingly disturbing. When she was in the Philippines, there was an excursion where young men rowed her to the Pagsanjan Falls. She paid in advance for this trip and had no cash for tips. The men were a bit angry. Afterwards, Allison learnt that tourist’s tips were their only income. Most of the time, tour operators encourage tourism in the poorest regions.

That’s why Allison helped to set up a network of Britons concerned about issues of tourism and justice, poverty and culture. In November 1989, it became a membership organization campaigning for fair tourism, called Tourism Concern. There fist campaign was to stop water supplies in Goa. The water supply of the local people was diverted to new hotels. Tourism Concern fought hard to talk to the UK industry about the hardship this was causing, but with little success.

In the 90’s, Tourism Concern asked to organizers of World Travel Market for a business session to outline the issues. But the request was refused. Now, World Travel Market designated a full day as World Responsible Tourism Day.

Tourism Concern says that backpackers need to become more culturally and financially sensitive about the way they travel. The organization produced guidelines for backpackers that have been widely promoted and circulated. Also water is an issue. Sunny holiday destinations are often dry and water can be scarce. Tourists expect unlimited supplies for swimming washing and drinking. Now their latest campaign is Water, Equity & Tourism. With this campaign, they want to protect the water rights of communities against the tourism industry.

Tourism Concern has now the respect of a large number of thinking people around the world. It’s a success and has changed the lives of some of the poorest people on earth.

Another organization is Travel Foundation. They want to help UK travel companies to take effective action on sustainable tourism. The Travel Association Abta had a conference with registered tour operators and agencies. Abta announced a Sustainability System toolkit for tour operators and their suppliers to improve their environmental and social performance.

Travelling can have a huge impact on the local population. I think people should be made aware of these impacts.