UK: A new non-profit has launched to amplify global knowledge and understanding of responsible tourism.
The International Centre for Responsible Tourism global (ICRT global) was launched by Debbie Hindle, responsible tourism expert and Emeritus Professor Harold Goodwin, to offer bespoke and online training courses and guidance to Universities on responsible tourism across the globe.
The charity is being supported by Sabre and easyJet Holidays.
Professor Harold Goodwin, managing director of the Responsible Tourism Partnership and founder of ICRT global and said: “Responsible tourism is what we do to make tourism more sustainable, in a way which benefits communities and destinations.
“It requires people working in tourism and hospitality to say what they are doing to make tourism better and to be transparent about what they achieve. But, to do that, they need to understand the issues and the possible levers for change. So, our mission is to spread the word about what can be achieve and we appreciate the backing of our founding partners easyJet Holidays to support the creation of our new courses.”
The non-profit will launch two online training courses focused on responsible tourism and managing overtourism in the first half of 2025. A third course on creating shared value will follow.
Chair of ICRT global, Debbie Hindle said: “Our courses are designed to help people from any part of the tourism sector who want to understand the issues and opportunities for tourism to make a positive impact.
“This could be the head of a national park wanting to understand how to combine conservation and tourism, through to a city planner wanting to harness tourism for the benefit, rather than the detriment of their city. Our courses will be at postgraduate level but are accessible to anyone to attend.”
ICRT global will hold a half-day conference in London on November 4th to formally launch, where it will also unveil the winners of the annual Global Responsible Tourism Awards.
The charity will use the experiences from winners of the awards to feed back into its training programmes.
Regional ICRTs are already operating in Southern and West Africa, the India sub-continent, Latin America and Southeast Asia.
Hindle said: “We’ll act as a hub for independent regional ICRTs around the world and as an open-source of knowledge for anyone looking for ways to make tourism better.”
ICRT global is backed by a board and panel of special advisors including industry professionals and academic experts.
The board includes: Adama Bah, chair of the Institute of Travel and Tourism of Gambia, Martin Brackenbury former travel and tourism director, professor of Nottingham University and advisor to the World Tourism Organisation, Manisha Pande, managing director of Village Ways in India and Caroline Warburton, formerly of Wild Scotland and the Scottish Tourism Alliance, and now at VisitScotland.
The panel of special advisors for ICRT global includes: Julie Cheetham, sustainability expert and former managing director of Weeva, Dr Xavier Font, University of Surrey, Carol Hay, chief tourism officer McKenzie Gayle, Richard Hearn, founder of Inntravel and former chair of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO), Sarah Habsburg-Lothringen, founder of Responsible Hospitality Training and Marketing SarahHabsburg.com, Dilys Roe, principal researcher and team leader (biodiversity), natural resources, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), sustainable use and livelihoods specialist group.
ICRT global’s ten week courses in responsible tourism and in managing overtourism are available at £365 for early bookings.
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