RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL HANDBOOK // 2006 “Whether you are traveling on your own or arranging travels for others—the Earth is your homeland. Give it the care and respect it deserves; learn about its environment and geography; spend time getting to know its people and their art, culture, history, and livelihoods. While you derive pleasure, knowledge, and understanding from your encounters, hold close the importance of preserving these treasures for those who may follow in your footsteps.” TABLE OF CONTENTS // Jim Kane, Culture Xplorers photos INTRODUCTION // 10 The Responsible Travel Movement // Deborah McLaren 11 Introduction Definitions // 14 Community Travel // Ron Mader 14 Artesania, Crafts and Tourism // Ron Mader 16 Defining Sustainable Tourism // Ron Mader 17 Defining EcoTourism // Ron Mader 18 Traveler's Philanthropy // Courtesy of Sustainable Travel International 19 VolunTourism // Courtesy of Sustainable Travel International 20 Ethical Dilemmas and Practical Risks in Tourist Philanthropy // David Abernethy 28 Sustainable Travel // Deborah McLaren RESPONSIBLE TRAVELER // PERSPECTIVES 31 The Future of Travel // Volker Poelzl 32 Traveling Responsibly // Rick Steves 33 Kidnapped in Rwanda // Robert Powell Sangster 34 Tourism and Poverty // Ron Mader 35 Nature Travel: The Basics // Bill Belleville 36 The Impact of Study Abroad // Shoshanna Sumka 38 Saving Machu Picchu // Tim Leffel 41 Making a Positive Impact // Jim Kane 42 Beyond Ecotourism // Sean Patrick Hatt and Tammy Leland 44 Peace through Tourism // Denise L. Hummel 45 Looking at the Big Picture // Clay Hubbs RESPONSIBLE TRAVELER // ECO PERSPECTIVES 47 Ecotourism Guidelines // Dianne Brause RESPONSIBLE TRAVELER // VOLUNTEER PERSPECTIVES 48 Making the Most of Volunteer Vacations // Doug Cutchins and Anne Geissinger 49 Volunteer Vacations to Fit // Doug Cutchins and Anne Geissinger Special thanks to Jim Kane, president and founder 50 Seniors Have a Different Agenda // Alison Gardner of Culture Xplorers (www.culturexplorers.com), for 51 A Perspective on Voluntourism // Cori Tahara Simms allowing the use of his photographs for the Responsible Travel Handbook CD, cover, and table of contents. 52 Warning // Reverend Dr. Henry Bucher, Jr. 53 Making Retirement Count // Amy Warren and Winsin Hsieh RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL HANDBOOK 2006 // 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS // Jim Kane, Culture Xplorers photos RESPONSIBLE TRAVELER & TRAVEL TRADE // CROSSOVER 54 Media, Environment, and Tourism // Herb Hiller TRAVEL TRADE // READINGS 56 Goodness Sells // Frances Figart 64 Voluntourism // David Clemmons 65 Wisdom & Insight // Los Niños 66 Generosity in Action // Lynn Kelson 68 Stones in the Road // Ron Mader MAKING RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL WORK // 71 10 Actions that Tour Operators can Take Now // courtesy of Tearfund 72 Establish your Own Travel Philanthropy Project // courtesy of Sustainable Travel International 73 Latin America Ecotourism // Ron Mader 75 Declaration of the International Forum on Indigenous Tourism // courtesy of Indigenous Tourism Rights International 77 Tourism Certification and Indigenous Peoples in Latin America // Luis A. Vivanco and Deborah McLaren THE BEST RESOURCES // RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL 79 Responsible Travel // Deborah McLaren 85 Ecotourism // Ron Mader 87 Volunteer Travel // William Nolting 88 Travel Trade RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL SURVEY 89 Planeta.com and Transitions Abroad Responsible Travel Survey 2005 Results 91 In the Words of Travelers APPENDIX // 93 Insider Guide: Make a Difference When You Travel Insider Guide: For Overseas Staff, Play Your Part // The Travel Foundation Global Code of Ethics for Tourism // World Tourism Organization and United Nations Pro-Poor Tourism // Harold Goodwin Responsible Tourism and the Market // Harold Goodwin Responsible Travel Survey // Aboriginal Tourism Australia RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL HANDBOOK 2006 // 2 INTRODUCTORY LETTER // FIRST STEPS making a positive difference “The golden rule is more and more recognized as the first rule of travel." —Clay Hubbs, Founder of Transitions Abroad Magazine “I take very seriously the sense of our living these days in a global neighborhood. And the first sensible thing to do in such circumstances, as well as one of the most rewarding things, is to go and meet the neighbors, find out who they are, and what they think and feel. So travel for me is an act of discovery and of responsibility as well as a grand adventure and a constant liberation.” —Pico Iyer, Renowned Travel Writer The Responsible Travel Handbook will help guide you along the long and tively contributing to the wellbeing of others as you discover the world winding trail that is responsible travel. This is no solitary journey, and if around you. Whether you are traveling on your own or arranging travels you wish to be a responsible traveler or a responsible travel provider, for others—the Earth is your homeland. Give it the care and respect it there are plenty of allies. deserves; learn about its environment and geography; spend time get- The instruction and guidance we present is intended to support your ting to know its people and their art, culture, history, and livelihoods. personal or organizational effort in researching, selecting, and ultimate- While you derive pleasure, knowledge, and understanding from your ly participating in or creating a travel experience that most resonates encounters, hold close the importance of preserving these treasures for with you and your understanding of traveling responsibly. those who may follow in your footsteps. Traveling more responsibly is as much about the small, and often very To what degree this volume will enhance responsible travel will only be simple, practical steps you can take—from choosing local guides and evident through how you determine to travel following your perusal of its staying in locally-owned accommodations to respecting local mores— contents. The more inspired you are to integrate the suggested wisdom as it is about one’s mindset to become a more conscious and consci- presented in these pages into your own travel experience, the more valu- entious traveler. As one responsible traveler wrote in response to our able will be the role of this handbook. The attitude with which you read it survey question on what it means to be a responsible traveler: “First, do and aim to apply its contents will ultimately be revealed when an inven- no harm” (Hippocratic Oath). tory of your journeys or those you provide for others is tallied. Let the Let the contents of this handbook spark your enthusiasm for posi- passion with which you read it become the purpose of your travel. ● RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL HANDBOOK 2006 The Responsible Travel Handbook was prepared for the first- Educational Travel Conference and Travel Learning Connections, Inc.) // annual Responsible Travel Forum in partnership with The Jim Kane (Culture Xplorers) // Ron Mader (Planeta.com) // Deborah Educational Travel Conference. The Responsible Travel Forum McLaren (Indigenous Tourism Rights International) // Christine was made possible by The Educational Travel Community, Travel Winebrenner (The Educational Travel Conference and Travel Learning Learning Connections, Inc., P.O. Box 159, Ronan, MT 59864-0159, Connections, Inc.) 406-745-4800, www.Travelearning.com. We extend special thanks to Mara DelliPriscoli of the Educational Travel Conference. PUBLICATION INFORMATION The Responsible Travel Handbook is a compilation of articles and resources reprinted with permission. EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION Opinions expressed in The Responsible Travel Handbook are those of Sherry Schwarz, Transitions Abroad Magazine. the contributors. While every reasonable care is taken by the publisher P.O. Box 745, Bennington, VT 05201, 802-442-4827 and editors, no responsibility can be accepted for individual opinions www.TransitionsAbroad.com expressed or inaccuracies in editorial content. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. DESIGN Nashima Gokani, Transitions Abroad Magazine SUBMISSIONS Articles and resources for future editions of CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Duncan Beardsley (Generosity in Action) // The Responsible Travel Handbook can be sent to Editor@Transitions David Clemmons (VolunTourism.org) // Mara DelliPriscoli (The AbroadMagazine.com. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS GENEROUS THANKS for making possible the compilation of this handbook THE EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL CONFERENCE is the only forum of its kind dedicated to the education, training, and networking priorities of professionals in the business of experiential learning through travel. Established in 1987, the Conference was initiated by the Conference Organizer, Mara DelliPriscoli and Travel Learning Connections, Inc., as a pioneering effort to provide highly customized educational programming, professional development and affinity-based networking forums for seasoned travel planners, as well as jumpstart training for newcomers to the field of nonprofit/educational travel. The Conference hosts over 450 delegates absorbed in 3 days of inspired sessions, first-rate social venues and educational rich “experiences” on site. The Conference is purposely kept intimate to ensure high quality networking and small group educa- tional experiences with like-minded individuals and/or like organizations. Designed and operated from its inception as an educational resource, the Educational Travel Conference remains committed to its core objectives: Delivering “content rich” conferences and cutting edge agendas; Promoting planner-supplier partnerships through high quality networking; Building community through affinity connections; Raising the