Responsible Travel
{{short description|Activist travel company}}
{{Infobox company|
| name = Responsible Travel
| logo = Responsible Travel logo (black).png
| type = Online travel agency and publisher
| caption =
| foundation = 2001 in Brighton, Sussex, England
| location = Brighton, England
| key_people = Justin Francis (British entrepreneur), Chair and Founder; Richard Skinner, Joint Managing Director; Tim Williamson, Joint Managing Director
| num_employees =
| industry = Tourism
| products = Responsible holidays, travel guides and editorial
| revenue =
| homepage = [https://www.responsibletravel.com www.responsibletravel.com]
}}
Responsible Travel is an English travel agency and publisher. The company sells holidays it says are designed to maximise the benefit and minimise the harm involved in tourism.{{cite news |last=Calder |first=Simon |date=6 April 2011 |title=Justin Francis: 'I want to be a challenger' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/justin-francis-i-want-to-be-a-challenger-2263428.html |accessdate=4 December 2013 |newspaper=The Independent |publisher=Independent Digital News and Media Limited |location=London}}{{cite news |author= |date=24 April 2001 |title=Your ticket to green tourism |url=http://www.theargus.co.uk/archive/2001/04/24/5150695.Your_ticket_to_green_tourism/ |accessdate=13 December 2013 |newspaper=The Argus |publisher=Newsquest Media Group Limited |location=Brighton}}{{cite news |last=Greenwood |first=Susan |date=15 July 2011 |title=The best travel websites ever |url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2011/jul/15/best-travel-websites |accessdate=4 December 2013 |newspaper=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited |location=London}}
History
Responsible Travel was founded in 2001 by Justin Francis and Harold Goodwin. Anita Roddick of The Body Shop was one of the first investors.{{cite news |author= |date=6 April 2001 |title=Roddick backs responsible travel |url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2001/apr/06/travelnews |accessdate=13 December 2013 |newspaper=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited |location=London}}{{cite journal |last=Amodeo |first=Christian |date=December 2002 |title=New Horizons: Anita Roddick, Co-Founder of the Body Shop, Is an Outspoken and Active Supporter of Responsible-Travel and Sustainable-Tourism Initiatives |url=https://www.questia.com/library/1G1-95448379/new-horizons-anita-roddick-co-founder-of-the-body |journal=Geographical |location=London |publisher=The Royal Geographical Society |volume=74 |issue=12 |accessdate=4 December 2013}}
In October 2009, Responsible Travel stopped offering carbon offsets (which it offered since 2002) claiming that people were using the offset as an excuse to pollute more.{{cite news |last=Rosenthal |first=Elisabeth |date=17 November 2009 |title=Paying More for Flights Eases Guilt, Not Emissions |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/science/earth/18offset.html?_r=4& |accessdate=4 December 2013 |newspaper=The New York Times}}{{cite news |last=Taylor |first=Jerome |date=7 November 2009 |title=Ethical travel company drops carbon offsetting |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/ethical-travel-company-drops-carbon-offsetting-1816554.html |accessdate=5 December 2013 |newspaper=The Independent |publisher=Independent Digital News and Media Limited |location=London}}{{Cite episode |title=fast:track examines carbon offsetting |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/8490419.stm |series=Fast:Track |last=Datar |first=Rajan |network=BBC News Channel |date=31 January 2010 |accessdate=5 December 2013 |location=London}}{{cite news |author= |title=ResponsibleTravel cancels carbon offset program|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/travel/news/2009-11-25-carbon-offset-program_N.htm |newspaper=USA Today |location=Washington DC |publisher=Gannett Company |date=25 November 2009 |accessdate=5 December 2013}}
In 2014, the company removed elephant trekking and elephant performance trips from its collection.{{cite news |last1=Francis |first1=Justin |date=18 August 2014 |title=Elephant tourism: why the call of the wild is too loud to ignore |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/elephant-tourism-why-the-call-of-the-wild-is-too-loud-to-ignore-9676187.html |accessdate=21 August 2014 |work=The Independent}} In April 2017 Responsible Travel stopped promoting holidays that included a visit to a zoo, describing them as "relics of the past".{{cite news |last1=Pollock |first1=Ian |date=3 April 2017 |title=Wildlife travel agent drops zoo trips |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39479367 |accessdate=14 November 2017 |work=BBC News}} The move was supported by The Born Free Foundation.{{cite news |last1=Coldwell |first1=Will |date=3 April 2017 |title=UK travel firm becomes the first to drop zoos |url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/apr/03/uk-travel-firm-becomes-the-first-to-drop-zoos |accessdate=14 November 2017 |work=The Guardian}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.responsibletravel.com/|responsibletravel.com official website}}
- [http://www.icrtourism.org/ International Centre for Responsible Tourism]
- [http://www.worldresponsibletourismawards.com/ World Responsible Tourism Awards]