Sustainable, Responsible and Participatory Tourism

The three terms above define the type of tourism practiced and promoted by 360° Responsible Tourism.

The term Sustainable, as it pertains to tourism refers to the use of natural resources in such a manner as not to disturb the resources themselves and without affecting the standard of living of future generations. While the above concept may not sound revolutionary, the majority of tourist activities do not conform to this idea.

The term Responsible pertains to both the tourist and the provider and is a type of tourism that seeks to avoid negatively impacting the local environment or society. Not only does this approach attempt not to harm, but it also strives to contribute to the general well being of the local people, the tourist, and the places visited.

Participation should be understood as an active and integral part of a tourism project in which the host and the visitor are both stakeholder.

These three terms, therefore, define principles that guide our actions and denote the main differences between the traditional approach to tourism and our newer approach that seeks to provide a real exchange between people and cultural and environmental conservation.

Through the practice of Sustainable, Responsible and Participatory Tourism, the host and the tourist contribute to creation of new attitudes and situations. Through participating in tourism development, the host is able to safeguard his/her environment and utilize ancestral knowledge and take charge of the process. On the other hand, the tourist, by showing an interest in the places, culture, and traditions, helps increase the local people’s self esteem, thereby aiding in the safeguarding their resources.

Tourism also provides an alternative source of income and a glimpse to the outside world, especially where the flow of tourism is from developed countries to less developed countries and reflects the general economic inequality in the world.

Sustainable, Responsible and Participatory Tourism is a constructive manner of learning, understanding, and personally contributing to improve the situation in these less developed regions.

The international debate on Sustainable Tourism (also called Ecotourism, Social Tourism, Responsible Tourism, Community Tourism, Nature Tourism, or Rural Tourism, etc.) is led, on one hand, by people who expect that their principles will affect the entire tourist industry, and on the other by those who simply see it as a market niche. While there is a wide ideological gap between the two views, they both recognize that Sustainable Tourism has been the fastest growing area in the tourist industry over the past few years.

There are several Sustainable Tourism initiatives at the international level. United Nations Agencies and non-governmental organizations from around the world act to spread the concept of Sustainable Tourism worldwide. These organizations design and implement Sustainable Tourism projects and promote awareness among the industry service providers and tourists alike. Who is they? are also working to create a certification process.

At national and local levels we are witnessing an increase in independent and spontaneous tourist services inspired by the same principles. Micro-businesses or associations are being formed with a clear aim of offering a new way of travel. Local communities are placing more value in their natural and cultural resources and now have an opportunity to decide for themselves how they would like to work with tourism.

We sum up the main principles of Sustainable Tourism as follows:

1. Tourists experience a different natural or cultural environment in a responsible way.

2. The activities are sustainable in that they have a minimal impact on the environment and cultures and encourage an awareness of resource conservation.

3. Local participation, consciousness and values are promoted.

4. Tourists are encouraged to learn more about the local people and places that they visit and actively participate in this process.

5. Economic returns derived from tourism benefit the local communities.