Conference explores principles of responsible tourism

WE need to establish who really benefits from tourism? Are the benefits filtering through to communities involved or are they just providing tourists a form of 'short term lets' at a high cost to the environment? This according to Harold Goodman, International Centre for Responsible Tourism. He was addressing delegates at the three-day Responsible Tourism in Destinations Conference currently held in Cape Town. "Even though a lot has happened since the Rio summit in 1992, it doesn't seem to be at destination levels. We are going to need to teach our tourists new behaviour, " said Goodman. "For sustainable development to be effective, it is going to need to flow from local government all the way down to the local communities before any significant change will come about." Goodman says responsible tourism is not a niche product, it needs to be broadly spread and developed. A study in the UK into why and how tourists choose destinations indicated that after cost, weather and hotel quality, social issues were next on the list. The research highlighted that tourists are seeking significant opportunities for interaction and they want information on the social, ecological and local aspects of the destination to be made available to them. Goodman. added that responsible tourism is not a blue print, its about relishing world cultures, habits and species, it celebrates diversities and choice. (Tina Meier-Carter)