Can Luxury Travel be Responsible Travel?

How can a luxury safari in the middle of the Kenyan bush be considered "responsible travel?" It's an interesting question and one I posed to CC Africa's Sustainability Director Claire Howse. We first figured out what "responsible travel" actually means. The definition is not set in stone, but generally follows along the lines that the vacation has a minimal impact on the environment and a positive economic impact on the community and wildlife visited. In that light, a luxury safari with its high profit margins can really make a significant impact on wildlife conservation and community sustainability -- which is what CC Africa largely succeeds in doing.

I still can't help feeling that people who really care about the environment, wildlife conservation or community development should at least give up full hot baths and fine dining and rough it up a little. It doesn't seem fair that the young volunteer who works for 2 years in a local village may get less concrete results than a millionaire taking a luxury safari in Tanzania. But I can't deny that after this interview with CC Africa, that it's possible for luxury to be responsible -- and it isn't all about greenwashing and marketing. Of course there's always more that can be done, but in the world of profit margins, businesses have to be sustainable as well.

Read the full interview: Can Luxury Travel be Responsible Travel?

_{Image of Serengeti Under Canvas - a CC Africa luxury tented camp which runs almost entirely on solar power -- © CC Africa}