Responsible Tourism Awards 2008

The Responsible Tourism Awards are now into their fifth year.

The idea behind the Awards is that all types of tourism – from niche to mainstream – can and should be operated in a way that respects and benefits destinations and local people. The Awards recognize individuals, companies and organizations in travel that are making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.

They’re a little different from other awards schemes in that winners are nominated by travelers. The deadline for receiving nominations this year is Monday 16 June so you better get a move on! Nominations can be made there before that date, and I encourage you to do so if you’ve perhaps stayed in a great little lodge or perhaps traveled with a tour operator who you were impressed with their responsible attitude towards the environment.

Last year there were over 1,700 nominations, the video below shows you last year’s overall winner.

South Freo Eco Village - The Painted Fish

When booking my latest trip in Australia I wanted to find and stay at as much eco-friendly accommodation as possible. And the first tip I can share is that using the search term ‘eco accommodation’ + “destination” seems the best way to find the most relevant search returns using a search engine. (I had originally tried to be more specific putting in “B&B’s” as well however, this led to much less relevant search returns).

So I typed in ‘eco accommodation Fremantle’ and up popped The Painted Fish. So I called Shani and Tim and booked to stay 3 nights in the South Beach Eco Village. The accommodation is uniquely “Freo” and the website thepaintedfish.com.au is chock full of information about how Shani and Tim have turned their dream of combining a living gallery and sustainable accommodation. They are currently busy renovating another house in the ‘village’ and were more than happy to spend time chatting with me about their various projects and the choices they have to make in terms of choosing materials and suppliers. They like to use local suppliers wherever possible.

I stayed in The Railway Carriage (yes it really is a converted railway carriage!) which was beautiful, secluded and self-contained. The shower and ‘dunny’ are both outside and if you have never showered al fresco before then try it! The shower itself is one of Tim’s scultpures and is made from copper pipe and shaped into a showering sunflower.

This is high quality budget accommodation and ideal for two people to have a uniquely eco, South Freo experience. Locally run supermarkets selling organic produce are only 10 minutes walk away. In fact everything you could want is within walking distance. The beach is literally a 3 minute walk away! And you can easily get from Perth to South Freo by public transport so no need to take a car. It is simple to catch the train from central Perth using the Transperth Journey Planner and then you can either walk 25 minutes or take the free CAT bus to South Freo.

Official Green Hotel Scheme Launches In UK

VisitBritain, Britain’s National Tourist Board has launched a new program to help accommodation providers and visitor attractions in England take the first steps toward becoming sustainable businesses.

The Green Start project aims to encourage a “rapid, widespread and significant increase in the adoption of sustainable tourism principles” by offering a validated sustainable accreditation scheme.

Jason Freezer, VisitBritain’s sustainable tourism project manager, said: “VisitBritain is committed to encouraging sustainable businesses. However, nearly two-thirds tell us they need more guidance on developing their business in that way.

“Green Start is an initial step in helping more of our tourism businesses improve their existing practices and signal to visitors that they recognize the increasing importance and value of sustainable good practice.”

Benefits to businesses are listed as including:

• Cost savings, e.g. on utility bills
• Improved quality profile and market edge
• Increased business, e.g. from green conscious consumers
• Improved management efficiency and skills
• A feel-good factor for you and your staff

Using an online self-assessment tool, participants must meet a code of conduct, commit to four fundamental sustainability requirements and, over a period of two years, meet or work towards at least 23 relevant ‘good practices’ from a total menu of 50. These could include insulating buildings and water tanks, using low-energy lighting, collecting rainwater, using locally-sourced produce or promoting eco-friendly travel such as cycling. More details can be found on the Green Start site.