Written by Nadine Kilala

We have spoken a lot about sustainable tourism, but there is a new sheriff in town: responsible tourism! We bet you have heard this buzzword here, there, perhaps everywhere, but have you ever thought about what responsible tourism means to you as a traveller?  

Whether you are familiar with the term or not, we thought that we would impart some insight into the essence of responsible tourism and explain why it is creating waves in the tourism industry. Let’s unpack!

Cutting Through the Jargon

To understand responsible tourism, we first need to address a common cause of confusion – what is the difference between responsible and sustainable tourism?

Sustainable Tourism 

Responsible Tourism

From South Africa to the World

The global adoption of responsible tourism is inspired by South Africa’s innovative responsible tourism policies. In fact, South Africa was the first country to implement responsible tourism as a tourism management guide. The Cape Town Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations (2002) marked a global shift in tourism that encouraged the universal responsibility of individual actors to build better forms of tourism. Responsible tourism is necessary for addressing the accountability and responsibility loopholes that are ill-defined within sustainable tourism. Centred on galvanising increased engagement, responsible tourism aims to make sustainability an intrinsic rather than an extrinsic — or nonessential —responsibility. 

The Cape Town Declaration recognises that Responsible Tourism takes a variety of forms, it is characterised by travel and tourism which:

• minimises 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 changes;

• 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;

• provide access for people with disabilities and the disadvantaged;

• is culturally sensitive, engenders respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence.

On the Ground Developments of Responsible Tourism

Responsible Tourism in South Africa

Bicycle Empowerment Network

Winner of the "Best for Innovation and Technology" in the 2006 First Choice Responsible Tourism Awards, the Bicycle Empowerment Network (BEN) is proof that bicycles do indeed change lives. BEN aims to address systemic poverty in South Africa through facilitating skill development, access, and employment in township communities. Through its workshop initiatives, BEN has helped establish and provide continuous training to locally-owned bicycle workshops on how they can leverage and benefit from township tourism. 

The network's Community-based Bicycle Tours programme aims to shift township tourism towards creating more authentic experiences between tourists and township communities rather than voyeuristic and rigid tours. Their goal is to change the narrative of township communities by displaying their sheer beauty and resilience by putting township communities at the forefront of tourism development.

Support and book your very own Cape Town bicycle tour on their website.

The Coffee Shack

“We benefit more than we intended from this investment into our community partners and environment. It works better for everyone” – The Coffee Shack.

Nestled in the rolling hills of the Wild Coast is where one can experience responsible tourism gold. Responsible tourism is the beating heart of the Coffee Shack. The tourism establishment provides an immersive and eye-opening experience where travellers can experience travel rooted in responsible practices. The Coffee Shack aspires to be a socially conscious business that works to conserve nature, uplift the local community, and preserve traditional Xhosa culture. 

The Coffee Shack has actively sought to establish an eco-friendly, community-based, and responsible tourism culture. Collaboration has been central in generating a positive impact at Coffee Shack. For instance, the Tshezi Community Trust owns 40% of the shareholdings of Coffee Shack. This means that the local communities are not just beneficiaries of responsible tourism but leaders in the true sense as they can represent their community and share their stories and local culture with travellers.

Nothing is undoubtedly stopping Coffee Shack from achieving greater heights of responsible tourism. The Coffee Shack is constantly raising the bar through its various projects that aim to create elevated experiences for the traveller, local economy, environment, and the social fabric of Coffee Bay. The icing on the cake is that the Coffee Shack is Fair Trade approved and certified to prove it all!

Learn more about the various responsible tourism projects that the Coffee Shack has in store.

Responsible Tourism in Namibia

Wilderness Safaris

One of many examples of responsible tourism in Namibia is the joint partnership between Wilderness Safaris and the community-led Torra Conservancy. Built around thinking local, Wilderness Safaris consciously chooses to work alongside the Torra Conservancy to provide local experiences, local products, and local employment within tourism development in Damaraland. This partnership illustrates that tourism can benefit both the local community and the tour operator. This partnership has enabled and empowered the community in the Torra Conservancy to diversify their business and employment opportunities beyond their relationship with Wilderness Safaris. This demonstrates the substantial positive spillover effects that are amassed from just one partnership.

Visit the Wilderness Safaris website to learn more about how it is a responsible tourism shaper. You can also stay at one of their pioneering camps through us!

Why Does Responsible Tourism Matter?

Tourism is one of the fastest-growing industries globally – and there are no signs of it slowing down. The negative effects of tourism are undeniable – from increased pollution levels to the erosion of local cultures, the results of tourism can be colossal if the industry is not managed responsibly. Skift reports that the tourism sector contributed to about 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO):

• CO2 emissions derived from tourism are predicted to rise by 25% from 2016 to 2030

• Total international and domestic arrivals are expected to increase by 17 billion between 2016 to 2030

The realities of over-tourism, climate change, and overconsumption have immensely strained tourism resources. The natural, social, and cultural tourism resources need to be preserved for future generations; therefore, we must play our part in the responsible movement. Responsible tourism is not a marketing strategy but a valuable tool that needs to be put into urgent action. The current context of the Covid-19 pandemic has opened up avenues to rewire and re-organise tourism towards a more responsible means – so let’s use this window of opportunity to our advantage so we can transform the system.

How can you assist in achieving responsible tourism?

There are many ways in which you can contribute to responsible tourism. Here are a few pointers for kickstarting your responsible tourism journey:

• Always stick to simple values such as having integrity and respect for people, culture, and the environment. Check out the Good Life Goals to learn how you can contribute to being a more responsible citizen.

• Have an eager-to-learn attitude to stay informed and involved in understanding socio-cultural shifts in the tourism industry. Whether you are watching the news or catching up with regular blog posts and podcast releases from the WTM Responsible Tourism platform – you will be on the right track!

• Do your research. As a traveller, you decide where you want to spend your money. Ensure that the companies you are supporting are championing responsible tourism. 

• Hold other stakeholders accountable for responsible behaviours. Don’t be scared to report on unethical or illegal practices – it is your responsibility to call out irresponsible tourism conduct.

The golden thread here is that it all starts with you. Having the right mindset and values is essential in stimulating responsible tourism practices that will morph into habitual behaviours that promote positive influence and systematic change in tourism. 

Responsible tourism is making waves in the tourism industry as it holds a hefty weight in building our tourism impact conscience.  It’s all about making things better for all players in the industry. Be a part of the responsible tourism movement and book your next sustainable trip with Viatu!