Africa Travel: I know CC Africa takes responsible travel seriously. Are there companies in this space where responsible travel has become a mere marketing ploy? And do you have some advice for consumers who want to pick a truly responsible safari company?
Claire Howse: I think there are of course many travel companies that do a lot of greenwashing and that is wrong - it shouldn't be done! The irony is that the easiest way to greenwash is to tell self-satisfied stories about changing your lightbulbs and stop there. Lightbulbs are easy, creating meaningful positive impact on the communities (who really are the cornerstone of conservation) is very hard and takes a lot of time and commitment.
The way a consumer should pick is to ask questions, but ask the right questions and then think about what positive impact you can make. If that means tipping well, buying local craft or seeking a truly authentic, respectful interaction with locals, you can choose, but don't think by not having a shower is the best you can do. That's sometimes hard for people to understand from an industrialized, developed nation context (or it's not an immediate understanding), but if you think it through a little, it starts to make sense. And of course, there is always the traveler who examines their 3 days of travel through one filter and then go home for 362 days and shower, flush, drive, consume, eat food from faraway etc.
We hope that the reconnection people feel with nature and the world when they have an awesome safari experience can make them more conscious and value the planet and it's beauty much more for the rest of their lives ... that will be true impact!!
Africa Travel: What is CC Africa's most Responsible holiday?
Claire Howse: Again, it depends on your definition ... all of them are responsible and deliver benefit to conservation and rural communities, but if you are specifically looking for the lightest camp footprint, probably our Under Canvas camps are the lightest (running almost entirely on solar power and some firewood collected from around the camp).
Africa Travel: What outcomes if any did the recent Indaba and NY meetings on this issue have? Will you change anything you're doing now as a result of any discussions there?
Claire Howse: What they gave us was a really strong endorsement and encouragement to continue to "take less" and, importantly, "give more" which is the model we are operating on. There is always lots of improvement and innovation and we will continue to pursue that.
End of interview (July 2008)
Responsible Travel Resources
- Responsibletravel.com -- The largest travel resource for those looking to spend a responsible vacation. There are many trips to various African destinations as well as the rest of the world.
- Tips for traveling responsibly from the folks at Lonely Planet
- The International Center for Responsible Tourism - from Leeds University. Lots of research on this issue and interesting articles.
- 2007 Winners of Responsible Tourism Awards -- Annual awards organised by Virgin Holidays.
- Eco-tourism in Africa - A collection of articles and links to eco-tours in Africa from About.com's Africa Travel Guide.
