All about the UK!

Officially named the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the UK is an island nation comprised of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Consistently among the top 6 international destinations, and boasting 27 natural and cultural UNESCO world heritage sites, there’s no shortage of awe-inspiring places to explore in the UK. Consequently, travellers continually repeating similar tracks puts a heavy burden on the natural and built environment, and motivates visionaries in the industry to find solutions to manage tourism in a sustainable way. On the other hand, many parts of the UK remain wild and pristine. So get off the beaten path, and into the great outdoors! This month, TIES partners with local experts at the forefront of responsible tourism to provide travellers and stakeholders alike with information on how to experience the best of the UK, while remaining in the good graces of Mother Nature.

ecoDestinations UK Supporting Organizations

Cornwall Sustainable Tourism Project (CoaST): CoaST is a tiny but tenacious social enterprise whose aim is to work towards one planet tourism; a type of tourism which provides benefits to the people, economy and environment of Cornwall, and which operates within our social, financial and environmental means. In other words, the triple bottom line.

Harold Goodwin: Harold Goodwin is Professor of Responsible Tourism Management and Director of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism at Leeds Metropolitan University. His research focuses on tourism, local economic development and poverty reduction, conservation and responsible tourism and teaches Masters and PhD students as well as the industry, local communities, governments, and conservationists. Among his many projects are carbon neutral flight finder fly smart and the whistle-blowing forum irresponsibletravel.info.

Make Travel Fair: It’s not about being green, tagging an ‘eco’ prefix onto a service being offered, nor about creating a new industry called ‘responsible travel’. It’s about unleashing the potential of travel to educate, engage and inspire.

Trees for Life: Trees for Life’s vision is to restore the Caledonian wild forest, which is there for its own sake, as a home for wildlife and to fulfil the ecological functions necessary for the wellbeing of the land itself.

Wild Scotland: Wild Scotland is the Scottish wildlife tourism operators association. The association promotes the fabulous wildlife-watching opportunities available in Scotland, from whale-watching to bird-watching and everything in between. The association also strongly promotes responsible wildlife-watching through best practice amongst the industry and by encouraging visitors to watch wildlife with recognised companies and guides.

Wilderness Scotland: Winner of the National Geographic Adventure “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth” award 2009, Wilderness Scotland is an adventure travel and ecotourism company that specialises in small group walking and adventure holidays in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Driven by a passion for adventure and a desire to share the magic of the Scotland’s last remaining wild places, Wilderness Scotland is committed to the principles of sustainable tourism.

Your Safe Planet (YSP): YSP is the independent traveller’s ultimate website, offering a trusted local contact in the place you want to visit. Not only is this just like having a friend at the other end, it means you have unlimited access to bespoke local knowledge for planning your trip.

Sustainable Travel Experiences in the UK

Here are a few organizations and programs that can help you search for sustainable travel experiences that make a difference!

Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO): AITO is the first tourism industry association to incorporate into its business charter a commitment to Responsible travel and green tourism. AITO members recognise that the destinations where they provide holidays are the life blood of the industry, and that they need to protect them with a responsible travel and sustainable tourism policy.

Green Dragon: Provided by the ARENA Network, Green Dragon is a manageable way of achieving a recognised United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS)-accredited and independently-inspected Environmental Management System (EMS).

Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS): The GTBS is the national sustainable tourism certification scheme for the UK. Those businesses that meet the required standard receive a Bronze, Silver, or Gold award based on their level of achievement. The current network of members is comprised of a wide range of business types, including accommodation providers, visitor attractions and others.

GreenTraveller: GreenTraveller is a green travel guide to green places to stay and green holidays. It features eco-friendly places to stay in the UK and Europe and suggest low impact ways to get there.

The New Forest: England’s newest National Park, the New Forest offers a range of sustainable options for places to explore, sleep, eat and play. Their “Green Forest” website features the tourism businesses in The New Forest who are going that extra mile to help protect the environment while providing quality services.

UNESCO World Heritage Site (Great Britain and Northern Ireland): The island country boasts 27 UNESCO heritage sites, including the natural and cultural treasures such as the charming City of Bath in Southern England, Neolithic Orkney in northern Scotland, and Dorset and East Devon Coast.

>> Read more about the featured ecoDestination, the UK