The easy route to short term success in business is to exploit a resource to your advantage. This has been practiced throughout the business world, where in industries like mining, finance or even tourism, businesses moved in and made a handsome short term profit taking advantage of the local resources until a shell of what was originally there remained. When this happened the business moved on and found new resources to exploit to remain viable.
As the world becomes more populous, and more cultures have become wealthy enough to enjoy tourism as a leisure time activity responsible tourism becomes more important. Visitors who come to have an authentic experience won’t return for a simulated experience. Those who are duped into making a trip that was different than promised will take their opinions to the on line communities, leaving a trail of negative reviews that can quickly dry up the stream of prospective customers.
Responsible tourism attempts to give the visitors and understanding of the cultures and needs of the people, and the social and environmental issues they face in those regions. Tourists seeking out an authentic experience want to make a connection with these people and learn from them, and perhaps experience the unique things in the region that the locals are truly proud of.
A responsible enterprise would find ways to hire the indigenous people and pay them a living wage: A wage that keeps them invested in maintaining the area as it is, and resisting selling out to others for a quick buck.
It also encourages the local people to truly embrace their local culture and share this with the tourists. The easier route is to give a homogeneous experience that may offend no-one, but delights few in return.
With our help, we can make planning a responsible tourism business and help you make your customers aware of your policies. Join us today and let us help show you how.