Responsible vs. Sustainable Tourism
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| Responsible tourism. Sustainable tourism. What’s the difference, and why does it matter? Both responsible and sustainable tourism emphasizes the role of travelers and destinations in maintaining the integrity of a place while ensuring that tourism benefits its residents. What is responsible tourism? Responsible tourism is tourism that ensures individuals and groups of travelers take responsibility for maintaining or enhancing the integrity and sustainability of a destination. What roles do tourists and destinations play in responsible tourism? Responsible tourism must be a partnership between the destination and its visitors. Destinations must ensure their priorities are clearly stated so tourists can be guided by those priorities covering culture, environment as well as community benefits. How does responsible tourism differ from sustainable tourism? While responsible tourism requires the personal dedication of individuals to the well-being of destinations and their communities, sustainable tourism usually refers to the importance of hotels, airlines, and major stakeholders in ensuring tourism can flourish without adversely affecting any part of a destination. Tourism plays an important role in the socioeconomic development of Caribbean communities, contributing to job and wealth creation, cultural preservation, and infrastructure development. |