Green Tourism

Specialist Reports Special Interest Holidays Green Tourism Organisations and Information 

Centre for Environmentally Responsible Tourism

University of Greenwich
c-e-r-t
Established in 1994 as an independent membership organisation, to demonstrate how responsible tourism can protect the environment, wildlife and cultural aspects of holiday destinations. “C.E.R.T.'s aim is to show how travellers can play a part in protecting the world's natural resources and develop a sustainable future for destinations and the travel industry. The unique nature of C.E.R.T. is that it involves the traveller, the travel industry and conservationists in the achievement of its aims.”
Also bills itself as Europe's leading institution for training, consultancy and research in global tourism, conservation and sustainable development, worldwide.
Subscription costs £25 and includes access to a destination information pack for one of around 190 destinations, informing travellers how they can minimise their impact on environment. Also included is a sheet of visa requirements, travel advice and health requirement guidelines, plus a copy of the Lonely Planet Guide, a list of CERT approved tour operators. At least 20% of this subscription is allocated to a specific environmental or cultural project in the chosen holiday destination.

European Centre for Agro Tourism (ECEAT)

Postbox 10899, 1001 EW Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
+31 20 668 1030
eceat
Promotes smallscale and environmentally-friendly accommodation in rural areas, mainly on organic farms. Some run organic gardening courses and can help visitors learn about renewable energy and self-sufficiency.
The properties, include guest houses, farms, b&bs, camp sites, barn conversions and hotels
There are between 50 and 150 in 20 European countries, namely Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Romania, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Germany, France, Greece, Great Britain, Ireland, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Slovakia and Switzerland.
Country Green Holiday guides cost £7 (payable by cheque to Wildflowers), though not all are in English.

Green Globe

Green Globe 21, 7 St Stephens Court, St Stephens Road, Bournemouth BH2 6LA, United Kingdom
(01202) 312001
greenglobe21
'An organisation which specialises in developing environmental management and awareness for the Travel & Tourism industry and provides practical means through which companies can improve their environmental performance.'
Originally a part of the World Travel and Tourism Council, Green Globe in now a stand alone company offering an internationally recognised green certificate. Evolved out of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, worldwide programme to help tourism organisations, communities and operators to become more sustainable, improving the environment, well-being and way of life for local people and for visitors. It operates in more than 100 countries and its 1,000-plus members include Marriott, Inter-Continental and Sandals Hotels, as well as communities such as Bournemouth in the south of England. As of late 2000 about 50 companies had been certified, with another 200 waiting for certification.
Certificates indicate that a company is committed to a sustainable environmental policy and is pursuing ways to become more environmentally friendly.
The web site includes access to a list of members but not links or further information about what they do.

Greenstop

(01663) 744 606
Greenstop
Greenstop utilises a three-point classification eco-friendly development plan, which allows anyone to check out the environmental record of travel companies, hotels and associated businesses.
? 3 "stops" ( ) have achieved environmental excellence through certification, awards or development of their own stringent policies
? 2 "stop" ( ) companies are deeply committed to environmentally responsible management with environmental management policies and active programmes
? 1 "stop" ( ) organisations are working in an environmentally friendly way on at least some level(s).
You can search the site by destination to find tours and accommodation.

Responsibletravel.com

responsibletravel
Founded in 1991, a membership site with details of a growing number of companies, ranging from British Airways to grass roots community projects in more than 80 countries, ranging from b&b in the UK, to yak trekking. Accommodation practises recycling and the income earnt benefits the local community. Prices range from close on £7,000 for an Antarctic cruise to say £10 a night for a hotel in India.
All trips and accommodation on the site have met minimum environmental, social and economic criteria to qualify for membership.
The site allows searches by area, activity, or accommodation (b&b, backpackers, eco-lodge, large hotel, small hotel and wilderness). There are some reports on travel with a child but the main section does refer to travel with children.

Tourism Concern

Stapleton House, 277-281 Holloway Road, London N7 8HN.
(020) 7753 3330
tourismconcern
A independent membership organisation, set up in 1989 and campaigning on ethical and fairly traded tourism. Membership costs £24 annual membership fee (UK only), £12 (unwaged). Campaigns for tourism which is economically fairer and less environmentally and culturally damaging for destination communities, particularly in poor countries. The organisation supports people and organisations in destination countries opposing developments that will be damaging to them and their environment and advising on how to take more control over tourism.
Produces The Community Tourism Guide.

UN Environment Programme

unepie
Includes sections on the environmental impacts of tourism, the socio-cultural impacts and the economic.

Worldsurface

worldsurface
An online travel guide written by travellers for travellers,based on sustainable and ecotourism. The site features 3,000 independent travel writers, 40 national tourist authorities, and 100 sustainable tourism operators, airlines, hotels, hostel operators and travel guide publishers.

Every six months worldsurface.com funds 10 of its volunteer writers and photographers to travel the world and report on the development of sustainable tourism for the site. In 2001, Worldsurface.com funded travellers to cycle around Iceland, eat out of a cow's stomach in China, and teach English at a primary school in India. In 2002 winning members will visit a volunteer school in Guatemala City, a National Park in Venezuela and community tourism projects in Namibia.

The site makes no charge for the first posting of information by tourism businesses, US$50 for a second tour and US$100 for all subsequent tours. This means that revenues from the larger more successful ecotour operators, and from airline, hotel and hostel commissions, fund grass roots ecotour development.

“As our site is written by travellers who review this grassroots development, we ensure that this development is responsible and sustainable.”

By definition none of them seem to have children in tow but it's a fun site.

Hospitable Climates

Trinity Court, 34, West Street, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 1SH
(020) 8661 4900
hospitableclimates
A web site helping visitors find environmentally-friendly accommodation with an interactive map with more than 2,000 organisations which have agreed to cut energy consumption by up to 40%, without reducing guests' comfort.

Ecoescapes

ecoescapes
An e-zine offering information on holidays for eco warriors to eco lightweights in a themed travel section, short break reviews and features and debates on green travel issues.

See also the report on Clean Beaches in the Practicalities section.