Best Practice

Millions of people travel to holiday resorts each year and these visitors can make a real difference to destinations – both good and bad. By following responsible tourism practices we can help protect the natural environment, traditions and culture – the things that make holidays special!!

We can improve the well being of local communities by spreading the benefit of each visit to those who really need it. Managing tourism in a responsible way can help ensure that there are great places for us all to visit – for generations to come.

Responsible tourism is about making a positive difference when we travel:

• Enjoying ourselves and taking responsibility for our actions - respecting local cultures and the natural environment
  
• Giving fair economic returns to local people – helping to spread the benefit of our visit to those who need it most
  
• Recognising that water and energy are precious resources that we need to use carefully.
  
• Protecting endangered wildlife and preserving the natural and cultural heritage of the places we visit for the future enjoyment of visitors and the people who live there.

Members of the Federation of Tour Operators are becoming increasingly aware of the socio-cultural, economic and environmental impacts of their products and services. In 2003, they formed a Responsible Tourism Committee and are developing a series of initiatives to assist tour operators to integrate responsible tourism practices into their core business.

All members are working closely with the Travel Foundation. This was set up in 2003 as a charity which aims to help the industry through a range of destination based projects and initiatives.