Back in February 2007, I reviewed the leading online travel discussion forums. The online world continues to develop, and now there are a plethora of other ways to engage with communities of like-minded travellers beyond good old threaded discussion forums. That Facebook provides one of them should come as no surprise.Here are the Facebook groups that I belong to that share my passion for Responsible Travel:
- The Blue Yonder: A well-regarded Responsible Travel company working in India. Because they're at the coal-face of the big Responsible Travel conference in Kerala coming up in March, this group is hopping at the moment, and quite relevant. Nice newsletter. theblueyonder.com
- Make Travel Fair: Sort of a travel media cum advocacy stroke advice website-ish portal trying to parse the 'greenwashing' marketing spin and help travellers make sound decisions about where to go, and how, and still uphold their responsible travel ethics. maketravelfair.
com - Sustainable Travel International: A NGO travel agency of sorts. The group isn't too active, but they're right on target for responsible travellers. sustainabletravelinter
national.org - Planeta.com: "The Global Journal of Practical Ecotourism" that has become an icon of responsible travel education, information and intellectual leadership is also doing the Facebook thing. planeta.com
- Open Africa: The founding intellectuals behind the concept of Afrikatourism and a great NGO doing many good things for Responsible Travel in Africa. openafrica.org
- Responsible Tourism - Is there such a thing?: A pure Facebook group (i.e., not part of a company or organisation) that you have to ask permission to join. Some good people belong, including a number of the founders of the companies/NGOs that back the other RT groups, as well as Ron Mader of Planeta and the guru of RT Harold Goodwin of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism at Leeds University.
