The Origin of Responsible Tourism

The concept of responsible tourism was brought up on the world stage from the Cape Town Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations in Destinations in South Africa. They agreed that the idea of tourism that benefits society, politics, and the economy by cooperating to build awareness around the impacts of tourism and being more responsible was the rationale created in ““The Cape Town Declaration”” which defines responsible tourism as ““tourism that minimizes social, economic, cultural and environmental impacts”.” The key points can be summarized in 7 items :

• Reduce negative impacts on the environment, society, and economy
• Generate greater economic benefits for local communities and promote regional well-being; improve working conditions and access to the industry; improve working conditions and access to the industry.
• Involve local people in decisions that affect their lives and opportunities
• Make positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage to maintain the world's diversity
• Provide more enjoyable tourism experiences for tourists through meaningful connections with local communities, and increased understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues
• Be accessible for those with physical disabilities
• Respect cultures sensitively between tourists and hosts, and build local pride and confidence

Responsible Tourism differs slightly from Sustainable Tourism in ideology, as sustainable tourism aims towards managing environmental resources for maximum utilization across various dimensions :

• Natural and environmental – e.g. preserving ecosystems and biodiversity
• Sociocultural – e.g. respecting cultures and values, promoting intercultural
• Economic – e.g. equitable income distribution,, social services to uplift stakeholders’ quality of life

In summary, responsible tourism means both visitors and hosts ((locals)) take responsibility and consider sustainability, working together to minimize impacts on nature and the environment in order to conserve resources for the future.