Responsible tourism will headline several seminar theatre sessions at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2016 as government legislation, increased focus on the traveller footprint and the impact of natural disasters on country economies put the spotlight on the importance of effective sustainable travel strategies.
In 2015, ATM welcomed over 50 exhibitors with a responsible tourism focus, and the number is set to grow this year.
According to certain industry commentators, responsible travel trends for 2016 include seeking out locally sourced food, traveller interest in the preservation of local culture and authentic experiences, ‘voluntourism’, pro-environmental hotel development and a significant focus on energy saving by operators as well as guests.
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“More and more companies are re-evaluating their business model to incorporate responsible tourism products and programmes, and are using this as a tool to attract ethically and environmentally minded guests and clients as well as to support local government efforts or in response to legislated change,” said Nadege Noblet-Segers, exhibition manager, Arabian Travel Market.
According to a 2014 Blue & Green Tomorrow’s consumer survey, 43% of respondents said they would be considering the ethical or environmental footprint of their primary holiday, with almost 10% partially considering this when planning their travel.
As one of the region’s early adopters of sustainable practices, UAE headquartered Time Hotels was the sponsor of a dedicated responsible tourism roundtable at World Travel Market London (WTM) 2015.
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