Consumer Demand for Responsible Tourism:
Strong and growing, but largely passive
! A majority of tourists are interested in the social, cultural and environmental issues
relevant to the destinations they visit. They want to learn about the issues both before
they travel, and while they are at their destination.
! Many travelers seek out pristine environments to visit, and it is important to the vast
majority of them that their trip not damage local ecosystems. They are interested in
patronizing hotels that are committed to protecting the local environment, and
increasingly view local environmental and social stewardship as a responsibility of the
businesses they support.
! However, only a small percentage of tourists describe themselves as “ethical” or actually
ask about hotel policies; even fewer report changing their plans due to responsible
tourism issues.
Operator Support for Responsible Tourism:
Widespread, especially among specialist operators
! Three-quarters of the tour operators surveyed say they have or are planning to produce
a responsible tourism policy. These policies are designed to educate tourists and/or set
operating principles.
! Specialist tour operators targeting “green” consumers are more likely to set and
publicize responsible practices, because superior environmental performance may bring
t
!
at their customers proactively ask about social, environmental, and
economic issues.
hem branding and price advantages.
However, few companies feel external pressure to create responsible tourism policies. It
is still fairly rare th
2
Con
tion show strong willingness, few have measured actual
c
!
! a variety of countries advocate the ...