Wellington - Are you a responsible tourist when you go to Third World countries? Does your visit leave them and their people better off when you leave? Or is the money you have put into the host country's economy outweighed by the negative effects on the local community and its environment?It's a question posed by the New Zealand-based Development Resource Centre (DRC), which has drawn up a responsible tourism code for visitors to the tiny and poor island states of the South Pacific, where tourism accounts for up to 75 per cent of foreign exchange earnings.
Its message is equally pertinent to travellers to other under-developed countries that offer vacation facilities to those who can afford the luxury of international travel.
Tourism is one of the main three revenue earners for more than 50 of the world's poorest countries and is vitally important to their tiny economies, offering much-needed opportunities for development and growth.
But as the DRC points out, large numbers of tourists can devastate small poor communities with inappropriate construction of facilities and excessive demand for water, sanitation and other infrastructure facilities.
Golf courses are just one example, with estimates that the average course in a tropical country uses as much water as 60,000 rural villages.
In the Pacific, there is a real danger of tourists destroying the very things that attract them in the first place, like coral, which is sensitive to increasing pollution. In some states, dominant foreign investment means that profits from tourism go overseas, instead of to locals who suffer the negative effects without getting the financial benefits.
The DRC, an independent non-governmental organisation funded by New Zealand's national international aid agency, says responsible tourism is about tourists making environmentally-friendly, sustainable, ethical and respectful choices and minimising the negative impact of their travel.
The responsible tourism code advises:Don't take photographs without asking, including pictures of children. Be wary about giving money and/or gifts to children. Better to support the area with a donation to local initiatives or community projects instead.
Don't wear revealing clothes or swimwear in regions where the local people tend to be much more modest.
On the environment, the code notes that pollution from plastic bags and bottles is an increasing problem, clogging rivers which caused floods in Fiji, for instance.
It recommends refusing plastic bags in stores and using filtered water or iodine tablets to refill the tourist's bottle rather than continually buying new ones.
Consider staying in locally-owned accommodation, rather than international hotel chains, and supporting local tour operators. Power is expensive in developing countries so use it sparingly.
Coral reefs are living organisms and particularly vulnerable to tourism, so don't walk on them or buy jewellery and trinkets made from coral. Buy souvenirs of traditional art and crafts instead and make sure they don't carry "Made in China" stickers.
"Give something back to those who have accepted you into their home country, and look for local produce and products," the code says.
Eating? Try local food and drinks, instead of burgers and imported steak and chips. Remember every imported bottle of Coke has to be transported, impacting on the environment, and you will pay plenty for it.
And the code warns that the spread of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS is a growing concern adding, "As a tourist, you have a responsibility to practise safe and responsible sex."
Transport? Hire a bike instead of a car, the code recommends. If you have to hire a car, choose a model with a small engine to cut down on fuel consumption.
It advises using slower forms of transport where possible and taking one long holiday rather than a number of trips a year. "This cuts down on your environmental impact, gives you time to properly relax and provides more time to explore, spreading the economic benefits of your stay further."
The code warns tourists seeking a totally environmentally-sensitive vacation that there are no universal standards for "eco-tourism or sustainable tourism.
"While there are many genuine operators promoting themselves under one of these slogans, others might just be jumping on the trendy eco-tourism bandwagon," DRC says. "It's up to you to see what they are doing and decide for yourself."
See: www.responsibletourism.org.nz
