We believe responsible tourism is a better way to see the world. Not only do you get a more authentic experience, but your holiday benefits local people and the environment.
Responsible tourism can apply to any type of holiday, from a luxury beach villa to a volunteering project. Responsible tourism simply means holidays that care about local communities & culture as well as wildlife conservation & the environment.
Responsible Tourism is tourism ‘that creates better places for people to live in, and better places to visit.
Responsible Tourism is tourism which:
• minimises negative economic, environmental and social impacts
• generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well being of host communities
• improves working conditions and access to the industry
• involves local people in decisions that affect their lives and life chances
• makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage embracing diversity
• provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues
• provides access for physically challenged people
• is culturally sensitive, encourages respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence.
Objectives of tourism development:
Tourism Development – Can be defined as the process of providing facilities and services for visitors to a destination in order to gain economic and other benefits
Economic objects
The economic objectives of tourism development include:
Employment creation increasing foreign currency earnings tourist contributions to the multiplier effect – the additional revenue created in an area as a result of tourism expenditure.
Direct employment – occurs in hotels, airports, airlines, tour operators, travel agents, and tourist offices.
Indirect employment – occurs in industries that serve the travel and tourism industry.
Environmental Objectives
Environmental education – this is usually through visitor centres. this information helps the tourist understand the reasons for conservation and encourages them to respect the environment. Conservation Environments improvements Preservation of wildlife habitats regeneration – is used to preserve heritage sites
Socio-cultural objectives
Promoting cultural understanding enhancing the image of an area creating a national identity partnership.
Getting more out of your holiday:
Responsible tourism is about bringing you closer to local cultures and environments by involving local people in tourism. It’s about doing this in a fair way that helps ensure that they will give you an even warmer welcome. For example, a local guide from the destination will open your eyes to their cultures and ways of life far better than an expat guide could ever do – they will also earn a much needed income from you.
The responsible traveller prefers smaller groups, and to meet some local people .They don’t like being herded about in a large crowd like nameless faces and understand that travelling in smaller groups makes local people and cultures more accessible.
The responsible travellers want to get a little bit more out of their travels, and to give a little bit back to the special places and people that they encounter. They want deeper and more real travel experiences. It values authenticity – experiences integral to local people’s traditions, cultures and rituals – rather than those created for tourism, or those whose existing meanings and uses have become lost as they have been packaged up for tourism.
At the same time the responsible traveller understands that some cultural experiences are best kept private, and that their visit would be an intrusion. They believe that travelling with respect earns them respect.
Responsible tourism is about re-discovering how to experience nature and to be in it, feeling it, smelling it and learning about it rather than just looking at it. Through this they replenish their souls. They would rather get out on foot than sit in a big bus, and are determined to leave no physical evidence of their visit but their footprints.
The responsible tourism understands local people’s relationship with environments, and that income from tourism can be a powerful incentive for conservation and values diversity of people, cultures and environments.
They believe that they can grow as individuals through these experiences, and that their trip can make a positive contribution towards conserving global diversity.
Above all else the responsible traveller wants to cut loose and experience their world. The experienced responsible traveller knows how difficult it can be to do the right thing – and is humble and learns from their mistakes. Whether they travel independently, or through a leading responsible travel operator, the responsible traveller makes and experiences a difference.
Policy
Explore Nepal aims to help re-invent the tourism industry for the long-term benefit of local people, the environment, tourists and the tourism industry.
The entire premise of our business is to market and distribute more responsible holidays, thereby creating more jobs for local people, greater income for local people and increased benefits for conservation, whilst at the same time minimising negative impacts on local environments and cultures.
We ensure direct economic benefits from our tourism operation to the host community, thereby providing an economic input to environmental conservation.
We hire local people whenever possible, throughout all levels of the organisation, providing them with appropriate training, to ensure an understanding and compliance with our RT policy.
We actively work with the host community in all tourism projects that we instigate.
We support local businesses and use local services whenever possible.
We protect the integrity of local cultures and heritage by accepting their right to determine their own development and through minimizing visitor contribution to acculturation and the decline of local values.
We ensure that our operations are sustainable and that our negative impact on the natural environment is minimized. Wherever and whenever possible, we make sure that our environmental effect is positive.
We ensure that the type and scale of our operation is appropriate to local conditions.
We use established, locally owned and run campsites wherever possible and endeavour to leave the site in better condition than we found it.
We adhere to minimum impact guidelines pertaining to toilets, rubbish, and the use of soaps, firewood, water, fuel and other items that can negatively impact the environment.
Whenever possible, we use site-sensitive accommodations that are not wasteful of local resources or destructive to the environment.
Our group sizes are regulated to minimize cultural and environmental impact.
We regularly monitor our impact on sites, cultures and ecosystems
We abide by site-specific guidelines pertaining to flora and fauna, and to cultural and historical sites.
