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Which tourist boards are the most visibly responsible?
Tourist boards are not doing enough to promote awareness of sustainable tourism, according to Responsible Travel.
It has published its first league table of 50 national tourist offices, based on what they say on their own websites.
Bhutan, South Africa, Sweden and England were ranked as the most responsible, achieving six out of six possible criteria.
Finland, Ethiopia, Vietnam, France, Japan and the US were bottom of the table, scoring zero.
Tourist boards were judged according to their vision, policies and activity in responsible and sustainable tourism.
"We think that serious questions should be asked of the tourist boards at the bottom of our league table," said Responsible Travel CEO Justin Francis.
He said he was surprised that so many tourist boards’ vision statements include no or little reference to sustainability, and many have no published responsible tourism policies or activities.
"Their tax-payers’ money is potentially being spent developing and promoting tourism with no regard to whether it’s contributing to creating local jobs or expat jobs; whether they source locally to support local suppliers/producers or source from global markets; or whether they contribute to sustaining natural and cultural heritage or to destroying it," he said.
"In many cases around the world we think responsibility in tourism is being achieved despite the tourist board not because of it. South Africa is a real exception. They have national and local strategies for responsible tourism enshrined in law and policy and with real programs of work to deliver it, although delivery is still patchy.
"Without any clearly visible published policies for responsible tourism we cannot be sure tourist boards have any way to manage tourism for the benefit of local communities."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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