What is Tourism Concern

Asks sugar

A. Tourism Concern is a charitable organisation that was set up in 1989 to campaign for tourism that is economically fair, limiting any damage to the environment or cultural mores of destination countries. Its campaigns have been especially targeted at poorer countries, where the influx of tourism has brought welcome visitors and their associated wealth, but also the displacement of communities (that have been moved off their own or communal land so that resorts can be built), mountains of refuse, water shortages, rising prices, begging and prostitution.

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Tourism Concern works on the premise that many tourist destinations are now counting the cost of development that has failed to put their interests and rights on a par with their visitors and as a result livelihoods are being lost, religions and cultural traditions debased and environments degraded.

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Q. So is the organisation against tourism

A. No, it just works towards making it work for, rather than against, local communities - creating a distribution of wealth that reaches the pockets of the local community as well as the big business corporations and hotel networks.

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Q. What does the organisation actually do

A. It is a membership organisation so it depends on donated funds to keep it going and sponsorship through grant funds. It campaigns for fairer tourism; informs and advises governments, NGOs, environmentalists etc on how to develop tourism responsibly and sustainably; raises awareness of the impact of tourism with the general public, with government decision-makers and within the tourist industry itself; and provides a unique database of information for campaigners and tourism students throughout the world.

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Q. What type of companies support Tourism Concern

A. Currently, in addition to individual donations the charity receives grant funds from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, Christian Aid, VSO, Polden Puckham Charitable Foundation, CAFOD, University of London, The Department for International Development and Network Foundation.

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Q. How much does individual membership cost

A. If you are waged it is �20 per year, and �12 per year for concessions. For this fee you receive a subscription to its quarterly magazine, In Focus; access to a network of contacts, and access to its vast video library.

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Q. Has Tourism Concern published any reports that can help me understand more about its work.

A. It has published many reports that you can obtains from its website. Most recently it has addressed the issue of Tourism and Human Rights in a new report, to mark the 50th Anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights. Some of the issues the report covers include:

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(a) the right to the freedom of movement (local people are often prevented from using land that they have traditionally relied upon to survive);

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(b) the right to land, water and natural resources (resources of water are known to have been pumped underground past local communities who only have access to clean water for two hours a day, to provide a constant supply to hotel resorts);

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(c) the right to health;

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(d) the right to respect and dignity (prevents the exploitation of local people and land e.g. in Hawaii many hotels have been built on top of native sites, including burial grounds which ignore the culture of the local people)

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(e) and the right of children to protection (children in many countries do not go to school because they can earn more money than their parents from begging and prostitution).

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Q. I think the work they do is very worthy and emotive, but I had no idea that some of these things were happening when I was on holiday in India and Sri Lanka for example - how can I be sure that I don't contribute to the problem when I go on holiday again Are there any guidelines or similar to follow

A. Tourism Concern is constructive in its work, so instead of just issuing a long list of things you shouldn't do while you're abroad, it offers some solutions to existing problems, and offers tips of how you can contribute to the ethical and environmental development of the tourism industry in poorer countries. It has tried to remain un-preachy in its attitude, so that its Travellers Code (available in full on its website or in leaflet form) tells you all you need to know about getting more out of your travels whilst putting more back in.

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The Travellers Code covers topics such as spending your money - and encourages you to think about where it goes e.g. try to buy local produce and stay in local accommodation, and when haggling do it with humour and not aggression, remembering how wealthy you are compared to the local people. It also covers photography (and how to be respectful of people and culture will taking your snaps), clothing, travel, local culture, customs and behaviour.

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By Karen Anderson