Sustainable travel lobby claims ‘significant’ victory

Tuesday, 21 May, 2004 0

A move by major UK travel groups to adopt sustainable policies has been hailed as a major success by the leader of a responsible tourism campaign.

Responsibletravel.com chief executive Justin Francis welcomed the commitment by the Federation of Tour Operators, which represents the UK’s largest tour operators, to publish polices for responsible travel within 12 months.

Mr Francis launched a campaign in March to persuade the major operators like Thomson, Thomas Cook and MyTravel to adopt policies to protect destinations and local people from the impact of mass tourism.

FTO members have agreed “to work towards developing, operating and marketing tourism which makes a positive contribution to the natural and cultural environment, and which makes and positive contribution for the host communities”.

Mr Francis, who claims up to 800 pople a day have been signing a petition supporting his ‘Had Enough?’ environmental campaign, said: “This is one of the most significant developments in sustainable tourism that we have seen in recent years.

“The big mainstream companies have realised that tourists increasingly care about tourism’s impact in destinations, and that it is not in their interests for destinations such as the Costas to become so degraded by tourism that tourists no longer want to go there.

“Although 10 years behind other industries such as mining and oil – that alos depend on natural resources and local people and who have been publishing social and environmental audits – the big operators have finally agreed to manage and monitor the environmental, cultural and social impacts of their activities.”

Mr Francis said he remained cautious about seeing any real change in destinations until the polices are complete and actions being taken.

Report by Phil Davies

Phil Davies

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