Rise of tourism with respect

THE concept of ‘responsible tourism’ is becoming increasingly popular with Manchester holidaymakers.

A new survey by holiday firm TUI showed that four out of 10 Mancunians felt that ‘giving back’ to a holiday destination was important to them.

Even more agreed that travel companies commitment to supporting local communities impacts their booking decisions

Half of holidaymakers responded that it made them feel better when they knew their holiday was organised with respect to nature and the local community.

Priorities for Manchester holidaymakers included having good food, trying local cuisine, visiting local markets and neighbourhoods, shopping for souvenirs and taking a tour with a local guide.

Professor Xavier Font, who helped develop the study, said: “It’s great news that holidaymakers from Manchester are increasingly more concerned about the welfare of the places they visit.

“On an individual level, the notion of ‘giving back’ is becoming the norm and people want to engage with local cultures on holiday. There’s also a very clear message for the travel industry with the majority of TUI customers expecting the companies they book with to demonstrate care and responsibility towards the destinations they operate in to show how they ‘give back’, too.”

The study supports the work of the TUI Care Foundation, an independent charity which works to use tourism as a force for good.

Board of trustees member and director of marketing and customer experience at TUI, Jeremy Ellis, said: “The research confirms that travellers value the type of activities we support.

“We find and fund projects that align tourism with the most important social and environmental needs of holiday locations. Our latest initiatives are opening up youth employment opportunities for disadvantaged youngsters in Morocco and The Dominican Republic, protecting endangered loggerhead turtles in Cape Verde and supporting farmers in Crete.”

See tuicarefoundation.com/en for more details.