By Marcus Cotton

Tiger Mountain Nepal has been working closely with a research graduate of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT), Jenefer Bobbin, who has designed a unique and excellent scheme called Responsible Tourism Reporting. Responsible Tourism Reporting, or RT Reporting, is a method of audit which can be used to validate the claims made by eco-tourism operations.

The new manual, “Stepping Towards Sustainability: A Manual for Sustainable Tourism Suppliers and Supporters,” presents 20 common principles to realize sustainable tourism, developed through an extensive consultation process with over 200 representatives of Thai tourism supplier groups. The manual serves as a handy guide for suppliers developing and striving to improve their sustainability practices. These principles have been developed based on a consensus reached by participating local tourism supplier groups who compared the main pillars of the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria

In October 2010, a new group of visitors will arrive on Sierra Leone’s John Obey Beach, 20 miles south of the capital, Freetown, and begin to build a new life alongside the local fishing community. The initiative is led by Tribewanted, a social enterprise whose groundbreaking social experiment on the Fijian island of Vorovoro has injected since 2006 more than US$ 1 million into the local economy by setting up an online tribal community of more than 10,000 people.

Tourism and hospitality leaders want to make your vacations and business travel a “greener” experience for you, and for the planet. Global environmental and travel organizations, suppliers and media have joined with CMI Green and BBMG to produce this first-ever, comprehensive Green Traveler Survey. Your important feedback will help airlines, cruise lines, hotels, tour operators and destinations make their operations and communications greener.

The hotel Canto das Aguas (“Song of the Waters”) in Brazil’s beautiful Chapada Diamantina region is the first hotel to be certified under the official Brazilian Sustainable Tourism Standard (ABNT NBR 15.401). The hotel was established more than 20 years ago in the historic diamond town of Lençois in the Chapada Diamantina, one of Brazil’s top outdoor adventure destinations, in the heart of the State of Bahia. The hotel is known for is charm and hospitality and its attention to its socio-environmental responsibilities.

Tourism Australia, Tourism Queensland and Gold Coast Tourism are staging the seventh National Conference on Tourism Futures from 17-19 August 2009 at the Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa, the Gold Coast. The Conference takes a forward perspective on the industry, looking out over a ten year timeframe and examining opportunities and issues for the future. The 2009 conference theme is ‘Redefining the Future’ and will examine the ‘over the horizon’ trends and opportunities that are reshaping the future of Australian tourism.