Operators should make more of their responsible tourism credentials in order to attract more customers.
Responsibletravel.com managing director Justin Francis said operators should not be afraid to market their good deeds providing they back them up with corporate transparency and independent checks.
He added: “We need to talk about responsible tourism in our marketing, if we don’t consumers don’t know how important it is to us. Responsible tourism is good for business, I think it meets the demand for more experiential and authentic holidays.”
Francis cited fair trade products as an example of how ethical deeds can be used as effective marketing.
Many products in the range like coffee feature information on the packaging concerning the farmer who grew it, so allowing the consumer an emotional connection with the supplier.
Francis added operators doing this can cash in on the rapidly growing responsible tourism market which is being further boosted by a shift in consumer focus concerning holidays.
“Tourism has gone from being about places and beaches to being about experiences,” he added.