The excitement and joy of travelling is sometimes counterbalanced by our own ethical considerations about our necessary involvement in a variety of human, environmental and, possibly, political consequences.
Based in Brighton, United Kingdom, Responsible Travel is an award-winning online portal that allows users to browse an array of travel options—all ethical and locally-oriented. Responsible Travel is a leap away from the mass-produced, resort type of travel that many of us are used to. The emphasis is on making a genuine connection—or whatever’s closest to it -– to the land, food, people, culture and environment that you visit. One of the ways in which Responsible Travel does this is through travelling in smaller groups than your average tour. Many of the local holiday-providers themselves help to build communities, conserve the environment and provide medical services.
Responsible Travel was founded in 2001 by Justin Francis, the former Head of Marketing at The Body Shop, and Heather Goodwin, who was Francis’s course director while he was doing an MSc in Responsible Tourism.
Responsible Travel’s long list of various travel options include: adventure, beach, budget, cruising, cultural tours, cycling, family, gap year, honeymoon, last-minute trips, luxury vacations, overland tours, safaris, scuba diving, short trips, small group holidays, special interest holidays (like painting, wine-tasting, yoga and photography), volunteer travel, walking trips, wilderness, wildlife and winter. The possible travel destinations, which span the entire globe, are just as endless as the type of trip you decide to take.
Responsible Travel’s aim is to help you feel like a local, by employing locals, and for all travellers to feel like they’re getting to know the places they visit as much as possible. With their vast array of travel options, Responsible Travel is worth checking out when you’re planning your next vacation.
Contact Information:
Responsible Travel Website
Pavilion House
6 Old Steine
Brighton, East Sussex
BN1 1EJ
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0)1273 600030 (UK)
Ethical Vacation Choices
Responsible Travel is a Locally-Oriented Online Portal
Trend Themes
1. Ethical Travel - Responsible Travel's focus on ethical and locally-oriented travel offers an opportunity for disruption in the tourism industry by appealing to conscious consumers.
2. Small Group Travel - Responsible Travel's emphasis on travelling in smaller groups offers an opportunity for disruption in the tourism industry by providing more intimate and personalized experiences.
3. Social Impact Tourism - Responsible Travel's partnerships with local providers who prioritize community building and conservation offer an opportunity for disruption in the tourism industry by appealing to socially conscious travelers.
Industry Implications
1. Tourism - Responsible Travel is disrupting the traditional tourism industry by offering ethical, locally oriented and personalized travel options.
2. Hospitality - The trend towards ethical and sustainable travel creates opportunities for disruptive innovation in the hospitality industry through eco-friendly and socially responsible practices.
3. Travel Technology - The focus on ethical and socially responsible travel offers an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the travel technology industry through the development of platforms that specifically cater to conscious travelers.