Responsible Travelers

Individual travelers have a critical role in supporting sustainable tourism development. Research suggests that many travelers want to be more sustainable, protecting the environment and respecting host communities. Nevertheless, there are many things that get in the way of those good intentions.

Click through here to the Travel Care Code Initiative to learn more about the work on helping folks travel more responsibly.

Click through to learn more about the STARTlab work on Responsible Travel

Riffs and Rants on Responsible Travelers

Island Tourism and the Climate Crisis
Traveling to islands can take us to new worlds and allow us to experience completely different ways of life. Escaping to an island can be rejuvenating and inspiring. Yet small island states face great challenges as we enter the middle decades of the 21st century. In a recent annotated review [1], I highlighted a number of challenges, including habitat preservation, pollution issues, and, of course, climate change. Islands are facing some of the greatest climate crisis challenges – from more powerful hurricanes and cyclones to rising sea levels.......
09 October, 2023 Climate Change Sustainability Sustainable Destinations Sustainable Tourism Sustainable Tourism Management No comment
Trends in Tourism Sustainability
Sustainability has been an important topic in tourism for decades. It is exciting to see the ways groups from around the globe are tackling the wicked problem of ensuring tourism is a force for good. In a chapter I contributed to the Routledge Handbook of Trends and Issues in Tourism Sustainability, Planning and Development, Management, and Technology (catchy title, isn’t it??), I tackled the question – What are the trends in Tourism Sustainability? Here’s what I see as some of the important trends (Chapter spoilers ahead). If you......
17 September, 2023 Future of Tourism Managing Sustainability Sustainable Tourism Management No comment
Disasters, Tourism, and Resilience
The summer of 2023 will be remembered for the devastating fires impacting communities around the world. The images of destruction from Maui, Canada, and the Greek Islands are each seared in our minds. Many of these fires took place in communities that welcome visitors, highlighting the intersection of natural disasters and tourism. As we think about how these places will rebuild, I recall lessons from Australia’s Bushfire Season of 2019. The fires that Summer (Southern Hemisphere) ravaged much of the country, including Lamington National Park in Queensland.......
04 September, 2023 Managing Sustainability Sustainable Destinations Sustainable Tourism Sustainable Tourism Management No comment
Sustainable Tourism and Responsible Travel
Ensuring that tourism is truly sustainable – improving the lives of travellers and people in the destination communities – is a team effort. All the tourism system members must contribute in their own way to achieve the best possible outcomes. Travellers must be part of the solution. As Jane Goodall says, “ You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make”. Each......
25 June, 2023 Responsible Travelers Sustainable Tourism Sustainable Tourism Management 1 Comment
Field Notes: Glasgow Convention Bureau – Creating Value through Tourism
Conventions come, conventions go, and except for the money the conference attendees spend, too often, these meetings have little impact on the community. But what if it was about more the money the conference and its attendees contribute to the economy? What if conventions were a catalyst for learning and skill development beyond the walls of the conference center? What if conventions positively changed the destination community and improved the quality of life? The Glasgow Convention Bureau (GCB) has a program designed to do just that. GCB encourages......
03 June, 2023 Sustainable Destinations Sustainable Tourism Sustainable Tourism Development Sustainable Tourism Management No comment
Citizen science 4 sustainable tourism
Citizen scientists play an important role in gathering scientific data for research projects around the world, from counting birdlife to monitoring winter storms. But could they help in the work of making destinations more sustainable? Working with Dr. Cristina Cavaliere, Julia Branstrator, and Dr. Kelly Bricker, we set out to examine the Global Sustainable Tourism Council Destination Criteria to see if there were indicators that citizen scientists might be able to observe and report on. Our question was: “could citizen scientists help monitor sustainable tourism?” The Answer: Yes.......
28 January, 2023 Future of Tourism Managing Sustainability Responsible Travelers Sustainable Tourism Management No comment
Sustainability and Tourism
If you start with two terms that aren’t well understood its not surprising that combining them into a single term can lead to confusion. “Sustainability” is term that is frequently used but seldom understood. “Tourism” is a complex activity and – while many have traveled – few have thought about the many moving parts of the tourism system that contribute to make a successful trip. Which brings us to sustainable tourism. It doesn’t help that we often use the term “sustainable tourism” in two very distinct ways: Sustainable......
07 January, 2023 Managing Sustainability Sustainability Sustainable Tourism Sustainable Tourism Management No comment
What’s the difference between sustainable tourism and regenerative tourism?
Looking at the definitions of the terms “sustainable tourism” and “regenerative tourism”, you may be hard-pressed to see a difference. And the outcomes, if implemented as originally envisioned, would be similar. In some ways, the excitement for regenerative approaches is a reaction to what sustainability has become to a large group of people. For many, sustainability has become a set of things to do not to make things worse. It is perceived to bounded by specific sets of criteria. For many, the term “sustainability” lacks inspiration – to......
12 November, 2022 Regenerative Tourism Sustainability Sustainable Destinations Sustainable Tourism Sustainable Tourism Management 4 Comments
Planning for (Sustainable Tourism) Success
Planning for (Sustainable Tourism) Success Sustainable tourism is about maximizing the benefits of tourism while minimizing negative impacts. It’s easier said than done. Sustainable tourism requires planning. But what needs to be planned for in a good sustainable tourism plan? The Global Sustainable Tourism Council Destination Criteria talks a lot about planning for sustainability success. Plans included in the GSTC criteria: Visitor Management Safety and Security Plans Workforce Development Cultural heritage protection Environment Encourage Tourism Businesses to Adopt Sustainable Tourism Practices Risk and Crisis Management Climate Change Adaptation......
24 October, 2022 Managing Sustainability Sustainable Destinations Sustainable Tourism Sustainable Tourism Development Sustainable Tourism Management 1 Comment
Destination Stewards
Stewardship is not a frequently used word. Stewardship means “taking care of something.” Wikipedia says, “Stewardship is an ethical value that embodies the responsible planning and management of resources.” In recent years, the term has become more common as the notion that we are the stewards of our planet and everything on it gains traction. Recognizing that we are stewards and responsible for our outcomes is important as we mature in our thinking about our actions. For tourism, discussions about destination stewardship are coming to the fore. So......
11 October, 2022 Sustainability Sustainable Destinations Sustainable Tourism Management 1 Comment

Riffs and Rants on Responsible Travelers

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