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Fall in love with responsible travel February 13-17, 2012 and participate in Responsible Tourism Week.Responsible Tourism Week is a free, five-day unconference exploring down-to-earth applications of noble concepts including responsible tourism, conscious travel, the local travel movement and ecotourism with effective and inexpensive social media. Responsible Tourism Week 2012 previews upcoming tourism and conservation events, including the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Korea, the eleventh Conference of Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in India and the the 20th anniversary of the Rio Earth Summit in Brazil. 2012 is also the 10th anniversary of the International Year of Ecotourism and we are conducting a survey asking what has been accomplished in the past decade.

An online unconference focusing on Indigenous Peoples and tourism. Themes include biodiversity conservation, crafts, cultural heritage, food and literacy (traditional reading and writing and digital literacy -- the emerging read write culture).
We are calling for recommendations of educational and engaging videos, podcasts, websites and online resources.
Indigenous People's Week begins Monday, August 8, World Literacy Day.
August 9 is the International Day of the World's Indigenous People.
Objective of the Indigenous People's week is to improve digital literacy, to create innovative grassroots events locally, and to bridge natural and virtual worlds with an engaging unconference.
Question to be discussed: To what degree are indigenous peoples have a written language?How do we encourage digital literacy?
More information: http://planeta.wikispaces.com/indigenousweek

The 5th International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations (RTD5) will be held in Edmonton, Canada on the 27 -29 June 2011.
On the agenda: Panels about Access for All in Tourism, Polar Tourism, Governance and Indigenous Tourism. On June 27, 2011 the Youth Conference on Responsible Tourism (RTD5-YC) will engage youth from Canada and abroad in the concept of responsible tourism – specifically the role of youth, youth engagement and the RTD5 conference themes. For more information and ways to follow the conference online visit
http://rtd5.icrtcanada.ca/

Responsible Tourism is not restricted to rural areas, nature- and cultural tourism but plays a vital role for sustainable urban development. A conference in South Africa focuses on Responsible Tourism in Cities.

For registration please and further details see http://www.responsiblecapetown.co.za/get-involved/rt-in-cities-2011-conference/ 
or http://planeta.wikispaces.com/rtcities

The third global Responsible Tourism Week will be celebrated from February 13-18, 2011.

Responsible Tourism Week encourages participants to articulate their core values and the way they put noble ideas into practice. We spotlight living, breathing examples of responsible tourism. RT Week provides an opportunity to introduce new events, tours and research projects as well as an opportunity to summarize recent events. One of the key objectives of Responsible Tourism Week is to hear updates on recent tourism conferences and events and previews of upcoming events and to strengthen relationships with existing contacts and make new friends who share the core values of responsible tourism!

Learn more about Responsible Tourism Week 2011

Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan is a visionary. Ther very popular regent of Abu Dhabi has made his emirate the stage of a new yearly conference on green tourism, which he considers a new economic reality.

read more

The World Travel Market has just opened in London. 5.121 exhibitors represent 187 regions and 24.402 visitors have registered. We look forward to the Fringe Responsible Tourism Networking Event on Monday 8th Nov., the World Tourism Awards Ceremony and the Responsible Tourism Award Winners,  the Tour Operator's Initiative for Sustainable Development (TOI) ten year review and all the events that address Responsible Tourism at WTM, including the debates about Green Certification, tourism's contribution to biodiversity conservation and to climate change.

The WTM hashtag is #wtm2010, for any responsible tourism news we have agreed to continue using #rtweek2010

For meeting up, call us at +44 7424 3132 17 send e-mail or tweet @respontour

From 26.-30. September 2010 the European Ecotourism Conference will take place in Pärnu, Estonia. The event is headlined "Balancing Sustainability and Profitability". Pleasant note: You don't have to travel to the Baltic to actively participate. The organizers give a strong focus on web 2.0 to allow online participation for an audience worldwide. 

Presentations online on slideshare.net

http://www.european-ecotourism.com/

Share videos   Join discussions  Get connected

Three of the leading members of the international Tourism Child-Protection Code of Conduct organization  - Carlson, Kuoni and Accor - have won sustainability awards for their social responsibility initiatives including child protection and the implementation of the Code.

Online discussion during the week of May 17-21 focusing on responsible tourism around the world on various Web 2.0 channels including Delicious, Facebook, Flickr, Slideshare, Twitter and YouTube.

Join in, share your story! Use the hashtag #rtweek2010

The 4th International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations organised by the International Center for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) will be held in Oman (Muscat) from 10 – 12 October. Four topics are on the agenda:

April 21, on Earth Day eve and just before  Reisepavillon kicks off in Berlin, a Responsible Tourism Networking Meeting will take place organised by respontour, Planeta.com, and The Blue Yonder.

We welcome all Reisepavillon participants and friends of responsible travel to join us.

For some years there has been a recognisable trend towards responsible tourism in Bulgaria. The basis is a Green Lodge certificate introduced two years ago and issued to guesthouses, small hotels and B & Bs that meet the criteria fort he ECEAT (European Centre for Ecological and Agricultural Tourism) label and Eurogites (European Federation of Farm and Village Tourism) criteria for sustainable tourism.

The Code of Conduct for the protection of children from sexual exploitation in travel and tourism:

At the Annual General Meeting held in Berlin on march 13, 2010, a new Board of Directors was formed for the Code international organization.

A conference held 28th and 29th of March 2010 in the West-Bengal town of Shantiniketan ("Abode of Peace") brings together South-Asian stakeholders to discuss Peace through Tourism in historically changed cross-borders. More info (www.helptourism.com/blog)

Thailand - most famous for its hospitality and friendly smiles - has recently launched a sustainable tourism campaign designed to safeguard its natural and cultural attractions. Middle of March the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) signed an agreement with the European Tour Operators Association to support environmental initiatives in the popular tourist destination. With this programme TAT hopes to meet the rising demand among European visitors for sustainable products. Amongst the range of green products are a number of themed routes focussing on different aspects of Thai life, such as arts and crafts, cooking or traditional roles. The plan is to establish a firm contact between European tour operators and Thai suppliers and communities offering sustainable tourism products.

"Good news for the customers: Thanks to sinking kerosene prices and cheap USD-rates many operators were able to reduce their prices for flights and hotels.", German TV-channel rbb reports from ITB 2010. Tobias Jüngert from Meier's Weltreisen presents figures: "4-5% less on an average, but there are outliers as well. Sri Lanka, for example, is in the double digit field, with particular offers 23% under last year's price level." Wouldn't it have been a good idea to at least forward some of the savings to offsetting initiatives? The travel industry does not know how to cope with the paradox situation of addressing climate change on the one hand and keeping an eye on their economics on the other. A new publication examines „The Role of Tour Operators in Climate Change Mitigation“ (pdf). The author Andreas Zotz concludes: "The industry is far from adopting 'real' mitigation strategies."

Web 2.0 has finally reached the industry. Overloaded with 150 people standing the security had to close down the convention hall. None of the audience dared to raise his finger when being asked "Who beliefs that tourism can work without social media in future?"

The French regions of Aquitaine, Auvergne, Limousin, Champagne-Ardenne and Burgundy have linked up with the French Agency for Tourism Development and members of the "Club nature" tour operators association to jointly promote ecotourism and in a wider sense sustainable tourism products. (ag/mb/10.03.2010)

Tourism Industry on Road to Recovery as Demand Increases Across Europe

Vacation demand has stabilized for the 2010 summer season in Germany and in the UK in particular, two of the largest tourism source markets in Europe. The greatest growth has been recorded for vacations in Turkey and Egypt. Additionally, cruises are currently proving popular across Europe. more info:

www.gfkrt.com

Press conference and presentation of the award winning projects from Gambia and Mozambique, and the overall winner: Across the African continent - from coast to coast

Friday, 12th March, 04.00 - 5.00 p.m.
Dachgartenfoyer, ICC

"Zwischenrufe" (interventions): "The (un)critical tourist - Travels between lust and frustration."

What role do ecological topics play for the future of tourism? How can sustainability and relaxed holidays be linked? A panel discussion organised by Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung (Institute for Tourism and Development) and WDR (West German Broadcasting Corporation) supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and ITB Berlin An event of the  series by the Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung (Institute for Tourism and Development) and WDR in cooperation with the Federal Ministry for Development and Economic Cooperation. Amongst the participants are Karl Born, Professor for tourism management, and MoP Jürgen Klimke.

Date: 12.03.2010, 11:55 Uhr
Venue: Dachgartenfoyer, ICC Berlin

Continuing the tradition of responsible tourism networking at ITB Berlin 2010. An opportunity to meet practitioners, inspire and be inspired. A unique place to share your initiatives and success stories...join us.

The event is organised in partnership with The Blue Yonder, Green Circuit and Buffalo Tours. As in earlier gatherings, Trip bod (formerly Your Safe Planet) and Respontour.net will be supporting this event.

Date:   
Friday, 12 March 2010
Time:    18:00 - 19:30
Location:    Messe-Berlin, Hall 5.2b 201&202 (The Green Circuit Stand)

11.127 exhibiting companies representing 187 countries are participating in ITB 2010. This year's partnercountry is Turkey. The Central- and Innerasian Countries are exhibiting in a dedicated hall. In more than 100 events over 200 high-profile speakers will discuss trends, innovative strategies and important key-topics at the ITB Convention. Also new: The Social Media Lounge - a meeting and learning space for those being interested in Web 2.0 - More info: www.itb-berlin.de

The New England States in the Northeast of the USA attracts thousands of tourists every year with its picturesque beaches, rocky coastal landscapes, romantic lakes majestic mountains and the colorful forests during fall foliage. To conserve this diversified nature paradise the New England states have developed different ecological and sustainable programs and offer tourists to take actively part in environmental protection. Many accommodation facilities take part in these programs as well and let tourists contribute making their vacation more sustainable. 

Sustainable tourism in cities was one of the topics at the European Cities Marketing (ECM) Spring Meeting taking place in Turku/Finland from February 24 - 27, 2010. Amongst the speakers was Professor Alf Rehn, who presented his vision of a tourism that focuses on environmentally-friendly quality rather than unsustainable quantity.

Coordinated by the UN Environment Program (UNEP) every year on June 5, World Environment Day aims to be the biggest global celebration for positive environmental action with up to 80 countries participating. This year's global host will be Rwanda, "an African nation that, despite big challenges, is seizing the multiple opportunities possible from Green Economic policies", to quote UNEP's Executive Director Achim Steiner. 

Continuing the tradition of responsible tourism networking at ITB Berlin 2010. An opportunity to meet practitioners, inspire and be inspired. A unique place to share your initiatives and success stories...join us.

The event is organised in partnership with The Blue Yonder, Green Circuit and Buffalo Tours. As in earlier gatherings, Trip bod (formerly Your Safe Planet) and Respontour.net will be supporting this event.

Date:   
Friday, 12 March 2010
Time:    18:00 - 19:30
Location:    Messe-Berlin, Hall 5.2b 201&202 (The Green Circuit Stand)

In a new study scientists of the Friedrich Schiller University and the Max Planck Institute of Economics, Jena, Germany were able to show empirical a positive influence of sustainable tourism on economic growth. Therefore, it may be a promising development strategy to invest in biodiversity and attract high budget tourists.

Australia's national carrier Qantas recognised Crystal Creek Meadows Luxury Cottages and Spa Retreat in New South Wales and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway in Queensland for their contribution to the Australian tourism industry in naming them joint winners of the Qantas Award for Excellence in Sustainable Tourism.  The winners each received a A$25,000 cash prize. Group Executive/Commercial for Qantas Rob Gurney said these tourism businesses should be commended for their commitment to the environment.

The International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) has signed up as an official supporter of World Green Tourism Abu Dhabi, the first dedicated eco-tourism event in the region. It will take place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre (ADNEC) from December 6 to 8, 2010 and has Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) as ist headline sponsor.

As one of the first european countries with access to the Mediterranean, Slovenia is focussing on sustainable tourism and the protection of the environment. Nature and its resources are being recognized as the backbone of the touristic product. New investments support this trend.

‚Southeast Asia: feel the warmth’ is the slogan of a new tourism campaign, launched by ten Southeast Asian countries recently. The campaign is acoompanied by the new, interactive website, SoutheastAsia.org, which simultaneously serves as the primary marketing tool.
The new inititative, officially supported by the ten ASEAN tourism ministers at the recent ASEAN Tourism Forum in Brunei, will immediately target tourists in medium and long haul markets such as the UK, Australia, India, North America and Hong Kong. The campaign is focussed to emphasize the warmth of Southeast Asia's hospitality and climate and the diversity of the region's cultural attractions and tourism activities. The ten participating countries are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.