| The economic buzz of green travel creates both | | | | slow burn under a coconut tree. |
| practitioners and impostors. Responsible tourism is | | | | “Resort operators have to stop thinking they |
| not a fad. Good operators understand the issues | | | | can fool their customers,” professes Yessy |
| and incorporate appropriate practices as part of | | | | Hidajat of Alila Ubud Resort in Bali. “Tourists |
| their business strategies, not as part of empty | | | | are very intelligent and they shop around on the |
| eco-slogans. | | | | web, so nobody will believe if you just claim |
| For earnest travellers it’s hard to decode all | | | | yourself as green, people have to see it.” |
| the eco-friendly greenwashing and determine | | | | Tourists have ample choices on where to spend |
| what’s really happening to natural habitats and | | | | their holiday dollars. And the tourism industry is |
| surrounding communities. This is the dilemma for | | | | starting to get the message. More and more |
| tourists wanting to choose green destinations | | | | families and groups choose faraway vacation |
| without contributing to ecosystem degradation or | | | | spots based on a mental checklist that includes |
| disrupting local economies. | | | | preventing pollution, using recycled products, |
| Tourism operators have a choice to make as well. | | | | protecting nature and giving back to surrounding |
| The current model still supports the pre-Internet | | | | communities. |
| generation, when tourist information moved as | | | | Green travel is about responsibility and taking |
| slow as a lingering tropical day. Today, however, | | | | control. When tourism includes local communities, |
| the lightening speed of global communications and | | | | helps distribute revenues throughout villages and |
| a newfound sense of social responsibility urge | | | | promotes conservation of natural areas, then all |
| travellers to make conscientious decisions. | | | | parties – private resorts, local authorities and |
| Tourists are no longer just carefree and whimsical | | | | village residents – are in control of their |
| sightseers; they are savvy consumers. Instead of | | | | resources. |
| just grabbing a Lonely Planet guide and heading | | | | Throughout Asia, resorts and ecotourism |
| out, these days tourists log on, read website | | | | ventures are learning the lessons of going green. |
| travelogues, discuss issues on forums and | | | | They understand that making the effort to be |
| research potential sites like a corporate raider | | | | responsible is a winning proposition. |
| getting ready for a company takeover. | | | | For travellers, now is the time to harness the |
| In the climate change age, travellers seek to use | | | | power of choice into a more powerful green |
| their quota of carbon credits on environmentally | | | | message. |
| sound destinations. They don’t want a | | | | Learn more about responsible tourism and how |
| journey spoiled by unsightly resorts where pipes | | | | both travelers and operators can play a role at |
| spew sewage into beachfront waters or plastic | | | | Wild Asia 's Responsible Tourism Initiative. |
| bottles, soda cans and wet waste smoulders in a | | | | |