Links

News I Publications I Case Studies I NGO's I Govt. Deptt . I Treaties I Issues I Policy Matters I Agenda 21 I Database

Useful web resources
http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.theinternationalcentreforresponsibletourism.org
The International Centre for Responsible Tourism is sponsored by responsibletravel.com and has been established to enable those moving forward a wide variety of initiatives to create Responsible Tourism to share information and publicize their work. It is a forum for those working in the destination countries and the originating markets.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.bigvolcano.com.au/ercentre
The Ecotourism Resource Centre provides hundreds of links to relevant sites.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.ecotourism.org
The International Ecotourism Society brings issues of sustainable tourism to businesses and has an online library.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.ecotravel.com/ecotravel2/index.cfm
A searchable directory of tour operators, lodges, private guides, non-profit organizations and ancillary travel services.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.greenglobe21.com
Green Globe is a worldwide certification programme dedicated to helping the Travel & Tourism industry around the world develop in sustainable ways - ways that improve the environment, well being and the way of life for local people and for visitors.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.greenstop.net
This website promotes companies and individuals who are working towards a sustainable future, especially those in travel and tourism.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.green-travel.com
Green travel has an extensive ecotourism directory and links to regional and worldwide ecotourism organizations and a very active mailing list which you can join here.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.planeta.com
Planeta.com is a clearinghouse for practical ecotourism in South America. As a travel resource centre, we provide more than 10,000 pages of practical features and in-depth scholarly reports and host a variety of online forums and conferences.

http://www.travelwatch.org.uk/
Travel watch is an environmental management company created specifically to service the Travel and Tourism sector.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.uneptie.org/tourism/home.html
The sustainable tourism area of the United Nations Environment Programme, including information on the UN tour operator's initiative.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.world-tourism.org
The World Tourism Organization site includes information on the International Year of Ecotourism in 2002, and many links to internal sites reviewing tourism, statistics and the industry. A useful address for current global tourism facts.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.wttc.org
The World Travel and Tourism Council site has papers from meetings, resources and many good links including international agreements.

Protect the environment - its flora fauna and landscapes.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.c-e-r-t.org
C.E.R.T.'s aim is to show how travelers can play a part in protecting the worlds natural resources and develop a sustainable future for destinations and the travel industry

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.cities.org
Website for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna. Information and listings of the flora and fauna on the world's endangered species list

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.coral.org
The website of the Coral Reef Alliance, a US based NGO. The site gives details of reef conservation measures including advice to tourists on how to behave on reefs and protect coral.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.foc-uk.com
Friends of Conservation support conservation projects throughout the world and work with many tour operators on project support and educating travelers.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://hum.amu.edu.pl/~zbzw/ph/pnp/swiat.htm
National Parks Worldwide - an extensive directory of Parks throughout the world and international institutions with an interest in Protected Areas.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.iucn.org
A short cut to the World Conservation Union, who concentrate on research in protected areas of the world and work closely with WWF and UNEP.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.wcmc.org.uk
The World Conservation Monitoring Centre provides information services on conservation and sustainable use of the world's living resources, and helps others to develop information systems of their own.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.wildlifetracker.com
This site offers links and searches to organizations for conservation and endangered species preservation. It includes live wildlife cams around the world.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.wri.org
The World Resources Institute site is not tourism specific but is a good source of environmental information and research material.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.wwf-uk.org
WWF-UK has useful information on endangered species and what you can do to help.

Respect local cultures - traditions, religions and built heritage.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.mtnforum.org
The Mountain Forum is a global network of individuals and organizations concerned with mountain cultures, environment and development.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/resources/rtp/rtp.html
The Rethinking Tourism Project (RTP) is an Indigenous Peoples non-profit organization dedicated to preservation and protection of lands and cultures. The re-thinking tourism newsletter can be found at: groups.yahoo.com/group/rethinking-tourism/

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.tourismconcern.org.uk
Tourism Concern campaign on issues of ethical and sustainable tourism, the site includes information on issues, campaigns and initiatives around the world. It includes links to a network of organizations working for ethical tourism around the world

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.unesco.org/whc/
The UNESCO World Heritage Sites page lists sites around the world and gives information on conservation and sustainable tourism. It includes ways in which companies and travelers can help to preserve the world's cultural heritage.

Benefit local communities economically and socially

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.campfire-zimbabwe.org
Campfire in Zimbabwe ensures the local communities benefit financially from tourism based products, in particular hunting safaris.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.dfid.gov.uk
The website of the UK Government's Department for International Development, including information on the Tourism Challenge Fund and their work towards poverty elimination.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.greentourism.org.uk
The Tourism and Environment Forum website, helping the Scottish tourism industry work better with the environment.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.iied.org
IIED aims to provide expertise and leadership in researching and achieving sustainable development at local, national, regional and global levels. In alliance with others we seek to help shape a future that ends global poverty and delivers and sustains efficient and equitable management of the world's natural resources.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.odi.org.uk
The Overseas Development Institute is an independent think-tank on international development and humanitarian issues including pro-poor tourism.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.propoortourism.org.uk
Material on pro poor tourism from ODI and IIED - including work by Harold Goodwin (responsibletravel.com co-founder).

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.tearfund.org
Tearfund is an overseas development organisation working with partners in many countries. Recent research into tour operators and ethical tourism, which was carried out in partnership with the Centre for Responsible Tourism, is available on their website.

Conserve natural resources and avoid wastage - from office to destination

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.doingyourbit.org.uk
The site for the doing your bit campaign which details ways in which everyone can reduce their environmental impact. Tips on transport and saving energy and water are given as well as information on events and campaigns.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.energy-efficency.gov.uk
The UK government's energy efficiency best practice programme website, providing advice and services on how to save energy and reduce bills. It includes a Good Practice guide, downloadable energy management software and a useful links page.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.est.org.uk
The energy saving trust give advice an practical measures for saving energy, especially to small and medium sized businesses, including grants and information on the new climate change levy legislation.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.globalactionplan.org.uk
Provides information and practical ways of going green at home and at work, checklists, packs and employee training are all offered to businesses of all sizes.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.hcima.org.uk
The Hotel and Catering Management International Management Association have a programme called 'Hospitable Climates' which industry members can join. The site contains information on the programme and measures the industry is taking to reduce its environmental impact.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.useitagain.org.uk
The UK government's interactive 'useitagain' website explains why this waste is such a problem, and how everyone can do their bit to reduce it.

International Environmental Hotels Initiative.
Greenhotelier.com will be launched in August 2001.

Minimise pollution due to waste disposal, noise and congestion.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.chooseclimate.org/flying/index.html
A fun site which you can use to calculate the environmental effects of air journeys.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.futureforests.com
Future Forests is a responsibletravel.com partner and enables you or your company to offset a proportion of your carbon dioxide emissions or become totally carbon neutral. They will calculate your emissions and the level of forestry needed to balance the impact. They then arrange for sapling trees to be planted, professionally managed and monitored in forest sites across the UK and the rest of the world.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/ClickThrough.asp?URL=http://www.wastewatch.org.uk.
A useful site looking at education, training and research into waste reduction and energy conservation.

Source:responsibletravel.com

Events

2002-2004

In July 1998 the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) proposed to members of the UN General Assembly that 2002 be designated as the International Year of Ecotourism (IYE). The lead agencies of this year were the World Tourism Organization (WTO) and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).

The World Ecotourism Summit held in Québec, Canada in May 2002, represented the culmination of the International Year of Ecotourism, and was an initiative of the World Tourism Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The Cape Town Conference on responsible tourism was organized by the Responsible Tourism Partnership and Western Cape Tourism as a side event preceding the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002.

The conference on Environmental Sustainability for Mountain Areas Impacted by Tourism and Amenity Migration was held at the Banff Centre for Mountain Culture in Banff, Canada in June 2003.

2005- 2008

The Rural Tourism Fair (Oaxaca, Mexico, February, 2005) brought together local travel providers, community leaders, media, government officials and inspired travellers. The event, co-created by Planeta.com, showcased alternatives for travellers exploring Mexico's rural countryside.

Planeta on-line conference on rural tourism (25 April - 6 May 2005). Planeta.com played host to a global two-week online dialogue on rural tourism: an opportunity to review current work around the globe and build upon issues raised in the recent Planeta.com Urban Ecotourism Conference (September-October 2004).

Smithers Symposium on Mountain Community Development (Smithers, British Columbia, Canada. 28 - 30 June 2005). The purpose of this event was to bring together researchers, planning practitioners and decision-makers concerned with planning for nature-based tourism, amenity migration, and large resort development in mountain communities of the world, but particularly those in the British Columbia interior.

The First Ecotourism in the U.S. Conference. (Bar Harbor, Maine, 14-16 September 2005)

Each year World Tourism Day is celebrated on 27 September. The main purpose of World Tourism Day is to foster awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic values.

Third Global Summit on Peace through Tourism (Pattaya, Thailand, 2-5 October 2005).

International Conference on Protected Areas in the Alps (Nice, France, 24-26 November 2005). Organized by the Alpine Network of Protected Areas.

Ecotourism Emerging Industry Forum. (1-18 November, 2005). The online forum is designed to provide professionally moderated, up-to-date results on small and medium enterprise (SME) priorities for funding and investment decisions for sustainable tourism in developing countries.

2006 Tourism and Migration Conference to be organized by Planeta. Participants will share information about current work and coordinate research and collaborative projects.

Chiapas 20 Foro Internacional de Turismo Solidario y Comercio Justo (Tuxtla-Guiterrez, Chiapas, Mexico, 23-26 March 2006).

2008 Workshop: Managing Ecotourism in Mountain Protected Areas to be organized by IUCN WCPA.

Declarations

Babia Gora Declaration on Sustainable Tourism Development in Mountain Areas is the outcome of the international workshop for Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries held in Sucha Beskidzka, Biosphere Reserve Babia Gora National Park, Poland in October 2002. The workshop was supported by UNEP and UNESCO

Fact sheets

The thematic Factsheet on tourism was published within the framework of the International Year of Mountains in 2002.

The ICIMOD newsletter on Mountain Tourism: Constraints and Opportunities describes patterns and trends as well as positive and negative impacts of mountain tourism. The newsletter includes various case studies from the Hindu Kush Himalaya Area.

Guidelines

FAO/A.Odoul

Organizations

The Inka Porter Project (IPP) published a set of environmental guidelines for trekkers on the Inca Trail in Peru and other Andean hiking circuits.

WWF International developed Guidelines for community-based ecotourism development. These guidelines identify some general principles, and highlight some practical considerations for community-based ecotourism. They seek to provide a reference point for field project staff, and to encourage a consistent approach.

The Resource Kit for Community-based Tourism for Conservation and Development serves as a guide for planners and field-based staff to design, implement and manage community-based tourism. The Kit was originally developed to accompany international courses in 'Community-based Tourism for Conservation and Development' offered by The Mountain Institute (TMI) and the Regional Community Forestry Training Center (RECOFTC).

Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas. Guidelines for Planning and Management Published by the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), these guidelines aim to assist protected area managers and other stakeholders in the planning and management of protected areas, visitor recreation and the tourism industry, so that tourism can develop in a sustainable fashion, while respecting local conditions and local communities.

Guidelines on Biodiversity and Tourism Development. This document includes international guidelines for activities related to sustainable tourism development in vulnerable terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems and habitats of major importance for biological diversity and protected areas, including fragile riparian and mountain ecosystems. It is published by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biodiversity.

UN

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) takes a special interest in ecotourism and its relationship with conservation, sustainability, and biological diversity. UNEP and the World Tourism Organization (WTO) took the lead in coordinating the International Year of Ecotourism in 2002.

UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere programme and its World Network of Biosphere Reserves seek to help guide tourism towards a more sustainable path.

The World Tourism Organization (WTO/OMT), a specialized agency of the United Nations, is the leading international organization in the field of tourism. It serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and practical source of tourism know-how. Together with UNEP, WTO coordinated global observance of the International Year of Ecotourism in 2002.

NGOs and others (by region)

Africa

Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa encourages and publicizes fair and responsible business practice by the tourism industry in South Africa. FTTSA's mission is to facilitate the integration of Fair Trade in Tourism Principles and Criteria into South African tourism so that the industry is more sustainable. Principles include: Fair Share, Democracy, Respect, Reliability, Transparency and Sustainability.

Naturally Africa Dot Orgis an online portal enabling locals and visitors to find out more about countries in Africa. The site provides basic travel guides and travel information combined with listings of local businesses including accommodation, restaurants, leisure and wellness activities, a directory and an events calendar. The vision of Naturally Africa is that African countries take advantage of their natural resources and diverse cultures to attract tourists and visitors from across the globe in order to achieve economic independence.

The Ecotourism Society of Kenya (ESOK) was founded in 1996 to provide a unique forum where members would comprehend the concept of ecotourism and use this knowledge to improve performance in line with the principles of ecotourism. In particular, it was envisaged that ESOK would provide leadership in development of standards for best practice tourism, especially ecotourism, and ensure that equity is achieved among all stakeholders.

The Kilimanjaro Environmental Conservation Management Trust Fund is an NGO based in Tanzania, East Africa. The objective of the Fund is to mobilize financial resources and channel them to communities with a view to financing community driven activities geared towards combating environmental problems and hence improving the living conditions of the people through improved environmental conditions.

Asia Pacific

CAMAT - Chitral Association for Mountain Area Tourism offers economic and livelihood opportunities to the people of Chitral. CAMAT aims to promote Chitral as a tourist destination for foreign and domestic tour operators, foreign tourists and groups who come for mountaineering and trekking. CAMAT's members consist of hotel owners, tour operators, tour guides, jeep drivers and shop keepers.

Eco Himal is an international NGO that works mainly with local grassroots' initiatives and village community groups in Nepal and Tibet to improve living conditions for the local populations. Eco Himal is focusing on small-scale hydropower and solar energy,rural development and biodiversity conservation, sustainable tourism, cultural cooperation and preservation of cultural heritage.

Ecotourism Australia is the leading national body for the ecotourism industry with a diverse membership that includes key industry sectors such as tour operators; tourism planners; protected area managers; academics and students; environmental, interpretation and training consultants; local and regional tourism associations and travellers.

Ecotourism Society Pakistan (ESP) is a group of professionals, dedicated to the cause of integrated tourism research and assists poor people living in mountain areas. ESP mainly concentrates on problem-oriented multidisciplinary field research in tourism, distributes literature on tourism and offers ecotours all over Pakistan.

EQUATIONS is a non-profit organization based in Bangalore, India that promotes holistic tourism and works towards transforming the inherently exploitative nature of mass commercial tourism. EQUATIONS' activities include documentation, publication, research, seminars and the investigation of alternative tourism policies and structures.

The primary objectives of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)are to help to promote the development of an economically and environmentally sound mountain ecosystem and to improve the living standards of mountain populations, with a special focus on the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. ICIMOD recently initiated a Mountain Tourism Resource Centreafter having realized that there is a lack of information and literature on the subject in the Hindu Kush Himalaya Area.

SUNV is a unique joint programme between SNV Netherlands Development Organization and United Nations Volunteers in Lao PDR. SUNV has been working since 1995 to support poor local communities, marginalized groups of people in society, and government organizations in Lao. The Programme provides advisory services and technical assistance, emphasizing on institutional development and capacity-building.

Sustainable Tourism Network Nepal is a network of groups and individuals committed to the promotion of sustainable tourism in Nepal and whose objectives are the continuous development and promotion of sustainable tourism. The participants of the network are national tourism organizations, tour operators, development organizations and individuals.

The Ecotourism Conservation Society of Sikkim (ECOSS) in India is dedicated to promoting ecotourism and conservation for the benefit of people at all levels of Sikkimese society. ECOSS seeks to combine the strengths of rural communities with the experiences of national and international groups who are leaders in the field of ecotourism.

The Kathmandu Environmental Education Project (KEEP)is an NGO that provides impartial and independent information to travellers, and ensures the future ecological and cultural prosperity of Nepal through positive impact tourism and outreach project work.

The King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation (KMTNC) in Nepal promotes, conserves and manages nature in all its diversity, balancing human needs with the environment on a sustainable basis for posterity.

The Tourism for Rural Poverty Alleviation Programme (TRPAP) of Nepal assists some of Nepal's poorest rural areas by developing, promoting and marketing rural tourism. As a community-based tourism programme, it uses tourism as a vehicle to reduce poverty. TRPAP is implemented by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation with technical and financial assistance from UNDP, DFID and SNV/Nepal

Europe

Ecological Tourism Europe (ETE) was founded in Germany as a forum for national organizations supporting environmentally and socially responsible tourism. To date, ETE has five member organizations, which work in the fields of nature conservation and environment protection, sustainable tourism, youth, leisure activities and culture.

ECOTRANS is a European network of experts and organizations in tourism, environment and regional development, who are seeking to promote good practice in the field of sustainable tourism.

Friends of Nature International are committed to a sustainable deal for a nature- based on democracy and solidarity in both economy and society. The activities of the organization are focused on Europe's responsibility for sustainable development, environmentally and socially sound tourism, sustainable regional development and active environmental education.

The Swedish Ecotourism Society has developed a system of quality classification. There are plans to produce a special logo, which will illustrate which ecotourism products and arrangements are of high quality.

Tourism Concern is a British membership organization campaigning for ethical and fairly traded tourism.

Latin America

Ecoturismolatino is an ecotourism guide of Natural Protected Areas in Latin America which aims to promote the conservation of protected natural areas in the region through the development of genuine ecotourism that provides resources (economic and/or human) for conservation, actively involves community participation and incorporates environmental education and nature interpretation as a tools to encourage a re-linkage between humans and nature.

The Foundation for Integrated Education and Development (FUNEDESIN), is dedicated to finding sustainable solutions in the struggle between the ideals of rain forest preservation and the realities of life in the Ecuadorian Amazon. FUNDESIN works with local communities to develop community-based medical care and ecotourism programmes, establish sustainable agricultural practices, improve education, provide environmentally sustainable economic alternatives, and conserve the rain forest.

Planeta.com is a pioneer of on-line environmental and tourism reporting, providing a public space for the development of conscientious travel and ecotourism that benefits multiple stakeholders, from local communities to travellers. Planeta.com hosts the Latin America Media Project (LAMP) to spotlight reporters working in the field and showcase Web sites about this region.

North America

Indigenous Tourism Rights International, formerly the Rethinking Tourism Project, is based in the US and is dedicated to collaborating with indigenous communities and networks to help protect native territories, rights and cultures. Its mission is to facilitate the exchange of local experiences in order to understand, challenge and take control of the ways in which tourism affects lives.

Partners in Responsible Tourism (PIRT) is a network of individuals and representatives of tourism companies, based in San Francisco (USA), who have a strong interest in adventure travel and ecotourism and are concerned about the impact of tourism and tourism development on local environments and cultures, particularly those of indigenous peoples. PIRT believes that responsible tourism promotes positive cultural and environmental ethics and practices, and promotes travel which supports these goals.

The International Bicycle Fund is US-based NGO that promotes bicycle transportation in order to create a sustainable, people-friendly environment. Responsible tourism is one of the Fund's core activities.

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) generates and disseminates information about ecotourism to a diverse membership in more than 70 countries. TIES promotes responsible travel that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.

The mission of the Rainforest Alliance is to protect ecosystems and the people and wildlife that depend on them by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behaviour. The Rainforest Alliance's Sustainable Tourism Program works with tourism entrepreneurs and community-based businesses in Latin America,.

Global

Conservation International (CI) is a global non-profit organization, working in 32 countries on four continents. CI's ecotourism projects help forge links between human welfare and the protection of biodiversity, placing CI at the forefront of conservation efforts in critical hotspots such as Madidi National Park in Bolivia, the Upper Guinean Forest in Ghana, the Maya Biosphere Reserve in the Petén Region in Guatemala and many others.

GREEN GLOBE 21 is the worldwide benchmarking and certification programme which facilitates sustainable travel and tourism for consumers, companies and communities. It is based on Agenda 21 and the principles for Sustainable Development endorsed by 182 governments at the United Nations 'Earth Summit' (Rio de Janeiro, 1992).

The International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA) promotes access for the freedom to enjoy climbing and mountain sports in a responsible way and with minimum impact to the environment. The UIAA helps to protect mountain areas and climbing sites from damaging developments, and encourages development for local communities.

Mountain Wilderness is an international movement for the preservation of mountain environments. The objective of Mountain Wilderness is the "safeguard of the mountain under all its aspects". Mountain Wilderness is comprised of NGOs from several countries, and an international assembly, international coordination and the group of Mountain Wilderness international guarantors.

The International Porter Protection Group (IPPG) works to improve the conditions of mountain porters in the tourism industry worldwide. This involves working to eradicate avoidable illness, injury and death through awareness raising of the issues among travel companies, guides, trek leaders, sirdars (porters' foremen), and trekkers. IPPG also supports porters in their quest for a decent wage and freedom from overloading (especially at high altitude).

The Mountain Institute, founded in 1972, is based in Washington, DC, and has offices and community-based programs in the Andean, Appalachian and Himalayan mountain ranges, partnering with local people to strengthen their communities and to conserve their natural resources and cultural heritage. The Mountain Institute supports community-based tourism initiatives in the Himalayas and in the Andes

The Responsible Tourism Partnership is a not-for-profit organization that works in partnerships to improve destinations for local people and their visitors. The Partnership aims at bringing together tourism businesses in originating markets and destinations to work with local communities and national and local government to create better places for local communities to live in and for tourists to visit.

Tourism Watch was established in 1975 by the Church Development Service of the Protestant Church in Germany and is involved in training programmes and solidarity initiatives related to "Third-World" tourism. It promotes socially and environmentally responsible developments in tourism. Against a background of numerous negative consequences resulting from tourism, Tourism Watch questions the assumption that "tourism equals development".

Information portals

DestiNet is an Internet portal for tourist destinations and their stakeholders in Europe. The portal contains selected, quality-assessed information on the ways in which tourism is being made more sustainable. DestiNet offers a number of services including the option to post news bulletins and suggest new links on relevant topics.

The Pro Poor Tourism Web site provides up-to-date information on Pro-Poor Tourism, tourism that results in increased net benefits for poor people. A range of research reports and studies that focus on how tourism's contribution to poverty reduction can be increased can be downloaded from the webpage.

The Internet database gentle-tours.org has been developed as a worldwide Internet portal for ecological tourism. On this site, you can find useful information to plan a sustainable-oriented holiday.

'Tourisme solidaire et development durable' is an Internet site that displays texts, charts, contacts and project documents (of which many are in mountain areas) related to responsible and solidarity tourism.

The Big Volcano Ecotourism Resource Centre is a comprehensive guide to ecotourism practice, ecologically sustainable development (ESD) and general tourism and travel best practice management sites world-wide

Key Documents

Brandon, K., 1996. Ecotourism and Conservation: A review of Key Issues. Environment department papers No. 033. The World Bank.

Christ, C.; Hillel, O.; Matus, S. & Sweeting, J., 2003. Tourism and Biodiversity: Mapping Tourism's Global Footprint. Conservation International.

East, P. Luger, K. & Inmann, K, eds 1998. Sustainability in Mountain Tourism : Perspectives for the Himalayan Countries. Delhi, India. Book Faith.

Epler Wood, M., 2002. Ecotourism: Principles, Practices and Policies for Sustainability. UNEP. Paris. France

Hurni, H., ed.2002. MRD, 22(2). Ecotourism in mountains: realizing the potential. Published by the United Nation University and the International Mountain Society (IMS).

ICIMOD & Centre for Rural Technology, 1997. Manual of Rural Technology with Implications for Mountain Tourism.

Mountain Agenda, 1999. Mountains of the World - Tourism and Sustainable Mountain Development. Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), University of Berne, Switzerland. (Free download available at: http://www.cde.unibe.ch/)

Nepal, S. K. Mountain Eco-Tourism: Global Perspective on Challenges and Opportunities. University of Northern British Colombia. Prince George. Canada. (paper).

Nepal, S.K.; Kohler, T.& Banzhaf, B.R., 2002. Great Himalaya. Tourism and the Dynamics of change in Nepal. by the Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research, Zurich, Switzerland in collaboration with the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), University of Bern, Switzerland.

Nepal, S. K., 2002. Tourism as a key to sustainable mountain development: the Nepalese Himalayas in retrospect. FAO. Rome, Italy.

Overseas Development Institute, 1999. Sustainable Tourism and Poverty Elimination Study. A report to the Department for International Development.

Panos, 1995. Ecotourism: Paradise lost or paradise gained. Panos media briefing No. 14.

Price, M.; Moss L. & Williams, P., 1997. Tourism and amenity migration. In: B. Messerli & J.D. Ives, eds. Mountains of the World. A global priority., pp.249-280. Parthenon Publishing Group Inc., New York, USA.

Sharma, P., ed. 2002. Tourism as Development: Case Studies from the Himalaya. Austria/Germany. Kathmandu: Himal Books and STUDIENVerlag.Innsbruck-Wien-Munchen.

The Mountain Forum, 1999.Community-Based Mountain Tourism: Practices for Linking Conservation with Enterprise. Synthesis of an Electronic Conference of the Mountain Forum, April 13-May 18, 1998. (available at http://www.mtnforum.org/)

The World Tourism Organization & United Nations Environment Programme, 2002. World Ecotoursim Summit. Final Report. Madrid. Spain.

The World Tourism Organization, 1997. Rural Tourism - A Solution for Employment, Local Development and Environment. Madrid. Spain.

The World Tourism Organization, 2002. Tourism and Poverty Alleviation. Madrid. Spain.

Journals

Journal of Ecotourism

Journal of Sustainable Tourism

Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change

Mountain Research and Development

Planeta.com Global journal of practical ecotourism

Oral Testimonies

The Mountain Voices Web site, developed by the Panos Oral History Programme contains a section on tourism, with oral testimonies from mountain dwellers on their experiences

Film Festivals

The Festival International du Film Alpin et de l'Environnement is held in the last week of September each year in les Diablerets, Switzerland. About thirty films from the around the world compete in such categories as Freeride, Extreme Sports, Exploits, Fiction, Documentary and Environment.

The Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival is organized by Himal Association, a Kathmandu based non-profit group which seeks to inform the people of the Himalaya on issues related to their lives and times. The non-competitive biennial festival of mountain films provides a unique platform for filmmakers to exhibit new works, and to foster an understanding of the world's highlands, mountain cultures, and mountain sensibilities.

The Banff Mountain Film Festival in Canada, presented by National Geographic and Dunham Bootmakers, presents mountain films, videos and speakers from around the world.

The Fort William Mountain Film Festival, takes place in the Scottish Highlands and provides a varied and very full programme of lectures, films, activities and exhibitions during nine days every February.

The International Film Festival of Trento -- the oldest film festival in the world -- specializes in showing documentary and fiction films on the themes of mountains, exploration, mountaineering and mountain culture. Visit the official Web site at: http://www.trentofestival.it/index2006i.htm for schedules and to view film clips, director profiles and past winners of festival awards.

The Dundee Mountain Film Festival was established in Scotland to promote interest in films relating to mountain activities, exploration, the mountain environment and the diverse cultures found in mountainous regions. The Festival is currently a non-competitive event

Sustainable Tourism/Eco-Tourism Awards

National Geographic Traveller magazine and Conservation International together launched the World Legacy Awards, a global campaign to promote environmentally, culturally, and socially responsible tourism practices across a wider spectrum of the tourism industry, with the goal of protecting the Earth's natural and cultural heritage.

The Responsible Tourism Awards recognize companies and organizations in the travel industry that are making a significant commitment to 'responsible' tourism - that is, projects which make a positive contribution to conservation and the economies of local communities, while minimizing any negative impacts of tourism. . The Awards are organized by the online travel agent responsibletravel.com .

Tourism for Tomorrow awards : Launched in 1991 by British Airways and, since 2004, under the auspices of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Tourism for Tomorrow recognizes and promotes best practice in Travel & Tourism development around the world.