The origins of responsible tourism

A nice, concise piece about the origins of responsible tourism has just been posted by RT guru, Harold Goodwin. Well worth a quick squizz. Reference to the Cape Town Declaration in terms of a more formal definition, but kudos to Krippendorf's book, The Holiday Makers, which is widely seen as the touchstone for RT (and an inspiration for many).

Goodwin's blog post here.

Cape Town Declaration here [pdf format].

Krippendorf's The Holiday Makers here.

The origins of responsible tourism

ethical consumerism: 'farce' says Zizek

This short, incisive animation by the RSA of philosopher Slavoj Zizek's opinion of charity and the trend toward ethical consumerism is an important critique of the foundations of responsible tourism and ethical travel. A philosopher of the radical left attacking bleeding heart liberalism? You betcha. The knives are out.

Does ethical consumerism merely reinforce the system that keeps the needy needy and the powerful in power? Or does it introduce a counter-influence to the profit-seeking of market capitalism that changes the dynamics from a zero-sum game to something less red in tooth and claw?

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ethical consumerism: 'farce' says Zizek

Grootbos one of '50-best Hotels in the World'

FTTSA-accredited Grootbos, located between Hermanus and Gansbaai some two hours from Cape Town, was named to the UK Telegraph's "50 best hotels in the world" list. From the Telegraph article:

Found on one of the world’s finest whale-watching coastlines, this five‑star retreat offers unadulterated luxury without the guilt. Every effort has been made to assimilate these fabulous private lodges – complete with all mod cons, state-of-the-art bathrooms, four-poster beds and unsurpassable views – into the environment. And what an environment: a 1,750-hectare reserve that is home to more than 740 different species of plants and the impossibly white sands of Walker Bay. 

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Grootbos one of '50-best Hotels in the World'