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1. The Finalists in the 2017 WTM RT Awards have been announced
2. The WTM Responsible Tourism Programme is now available on-line
3. What do you consider the major Responsible Tourism Issues?
4. Animal Welfare - the harmful impact of wildlife selfies
5. RT Speed Networking - register now to get a table.
6. Cruise lines still not reducing harmful emissions
7. Survey studies sexual exploitation of children in Myanmar resort towns
8. Overtourism
9. Monarch Airlines Collapse
10. Unique Youth-Led Walking Tours of Camden & Kings Cross and they'll be at WTM
World Responsible Tourism Day this year is Wednesday 8th November, don’t forget to complete the online survey and tell us what you think the major Responsible Tourism issues are. Complete the very brief survey here.
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1. The Finalists in the 2017 WTM RT Awards have been announced
The 12 finalists now need to wait until the Awards ceremony at World Travel Market London on November 8th to discover who this year’s chosen leaders are. We shall, as usual, be publishing the judges’ reasons at the same time as the Awards are presented. The list of 2017 Finalists can be found here and on the WTM blog site
2. The WTM Responsible Tourism Programme is now available on-line
There are 27 events over three days with the World Responsible Tourism Day. Wednesday 8th November, opening and Awards on the Global Stage. Sessions on the SDGs in the South Gallery on Wednesday afternoon and an agenda-setting session on the priorities for RT over the next five years in Platinum Suite 3 on Tuesday afternoon. Over all three days, there is a full programme in the new 100 seat Responsible Tourism Theatre on the show floor. Take a look at the programme here - you'll be spoilt for choice. The RT Theatre is next to the Buyer's Lounge in the Africa Section
3. What do you consider the major Responsible Tourism Issues?
The results of this online survey will be shared with the industry leaders when they are asked about their RT priorities at 13:00 on Tuesday in Platinum 3. We wanted your voice to be heard too. Take part in the poll here - it will take less than 3 minutes of your time.
4. Animal Welfare - the harmful impact of wildlife selfies
World Animal Protection’s new report, ‘A Close up on Cruelty: the harmful impact of wildlife selfies in the Amazon’ documents the world’s first complete review of wildlife tourist attractions offering close encounters with wild animals across Latin America.The report reveals the impact of animals being taken from the wild, driven by the growing trend of selfies on Instagram and other social media. The research shows a 292% increase in the number of wildlife selfies posted on Instagram since 2014.
World Animal Protection is calling on the governments to enforce the law and is working to ensure that travel companies and individuals abide by existing laws. Instagram is also being called on to implement and enforce a new animal cruelty policy in their Community Guidelines with specific focus on wild animal selfies. A Wildlife Selfie Code for tourists has also been launched. Web
5. RT Speed Networking - register now to get a table.
Tuesday 7 November 09:00 – 10:00 For the third year WTM London is again running the successful Responsible Tourism Speed Networking. Speed Networking reverses the tables for an hour so the buyers take the tables and the sellers get the chance to approach the buyers. Responsible Tourism Speed Networking is a not to be missed initiative helping to drive business and add value to both responsible tourism buyers and Exhibitors. The Speed Networking format enables Responsible Tourism buyers and exhibitors to meet for 5-minute mini-meetings to discover whether they have similar business interests that they would like to pursue during WTM London. On the show floor, the sellers take the booths and the buyers visit. In the speed networking, the buyers have the tables and the sellers visit them. More details and to register for one of the ten tables
6. Cruise lines still not reducing harmful emissions
The annual survey of 63 ships, conducted by the German environment group Nabu, refused to recommend a single one for adequately reducing its environmental impact in 2017. It accused the industry of having “contempt” for the health of its customers, saying companies had reneged on promises to clean up their fleets. “Last year the sector claimed 23 ships would be operating with soot filters,” said Nabu’s Dietmar Oeliger. “The truth is not a single filter is working at present.” more
7. Survey studies sexual exploitation of children in Myanmar resort towns
The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, the Myanmar Responsible Tourism Institute and UNICEF are working together to ensure that tourism does not pose threats to local children. Authorities have instructed hotels and guesthouses to have notices warning that young Myanmar children cannot be brought into bedrooms.more At WTM we have two sessions airing these issues. On Tuesday we are looking at The Problem of Orphanages which often contain trafficked children (RT Theatre 11:45) and late in the day Human Rights: Trafficking and Modern Slavery (RT Theatre 15:15).
8. Overtourism
In October there are two conferences on overtourism and the problems of coping with success, the first in Iceland, the second in Dublin. At WTM London there are two panels in the RT Theatre. On Monday at 12:15 there is a session addressing the challenges faced by Arran, Orkney and Skye. And later the same day Martin Brackenbury will be interviewing industry leaders from destinations and source markets, challenging them about what can be done to tackle the issues which success can lead to.
9. Monarch Airlines Collapse
The collapse of Monarch Airlines leaves 750,000 future bookings cancelled and the UK's biggest peacetime repatriation flying home 110.000. British holidaymakers have been deterred from travelling abroad by the decline in the value of the £ since the Brexit vote. "The decline in sterling left Monarch paying £50m a year more for its fuel and aircraft – airlines’ biggest costs, paid for in the international market in dollars. Sterling has fallen 10% against dollar since the referendum and more than 12% against the euro." Terrorism played a part too, Monarch lost business to Sharm el-Sheikh and Tunisia in 2015. There has been speculation that uncertainties about the rights of UK carriers to fly into Europe post Brexit may have deterred buyers but there is also over-capacity in the market, in the short run good for passengers. more
10. Unique Youth-Led Walking Tours of Camden & Kings Cross and they'll be at WTM
Guided tours by a young people's social enterprise: see street art in Camden Town or explore the new King's Cross. Discover a different side to London while supporting its youth. Our routes give you an insight into Camden’s recent history, a view of its street art landscape and musical history, whilst showing you iconic points of interest as well as the underground and alternative parts of Camden Town. Let them show you London through their eyes.
They will be at WTM on Tuesday at 10:30 in the RT Theatre in a Session on Slum Tourism where they will be alongside Reality Tours from India. There is a long tradition of what some describe as slumming it and others see as an attempt to see the world through the eyes of others. Should slum tourism be permitted? Is it a viable way to enable some of the poorest to benefit from this significant economic opportunity? If slum tourism is acceptable, how should it be organised and delivered? What does responsible slum tourism look like?
Better Tourism Africa
Responsible Traveller, South Africa
Encounter Africa
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Responsible Tourism News is a newsletter of record carrying the 10 most important Responsible Tourism stories of the month. 8,000 people subscribe to receive it every month. Please forward to those you think may be interested – you can subscribe using the box on the right. If you wish to contribute a story email harold@haroldgoodwin.info or post it on our RTNews Facebook page.
Harold Goodwin’s Responsible Tourism Blog
Harold Goodwin blogs regularly on the WTM Responsible Tourism Blog
Twitter: @goodwinhj & @WTM_WRTD #responsibletourism
