Fair Trade Tourism Resources

Fair trade has been increasingly promoted by activists, farmers, business people, and even rockers like Coldplay's Chris Martin, who became a leading front man for fair trade after participating in an Oxfam trip to meet Haitian farmers. According to the group Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA), “Fair trade in tourism is about ensuring that the people whose land, natural resources, labor, knowledge, and culture are used for tourism activities actually benefit from tourism.” In short, it means that tourism has an ethical framework and focuses on fair wages and long-term benefits for locals.

—Deborah McLaren, Responsible Travel contributing editor for Transitions Abroad
Author of Rethinking Tourism & Ecotravel

Bespoke Experience is a sustainable, fair trade tourism company set up to help poor communities. It is designing a prototype resort to minimize the impact on the environment and ecology and maximize benefits to local communities. Its first project is in Guludo, Northern Mozambique. Contact: Bespoke Experience Ltd, 16, Caburn Close, Eastbourne, East Sussex. BN23 8LP U.K.; Tel. 011-01323- 766655; contact@bespokeexperience.com; www.bespokeexperience.com.

Fair Trade in Tourism Campaign highlights industry initiatives that promote good management and trade practice in order to achieve sustainable tourism. Contact: Fair Trade in Tourism Campaign, Tourism Concern, Stapleton House, 277-81 Holloway Rd., London N7 8HN, U.K.; Tel. 011-44-0-20-7753-3330; info@tourismconcern.org.uk; www.tourismconcern.org.uk. Purchase their book on community-based tourism: The Good Alternative Travel Guide by Mark Mann (2002 Tourism Concern/Earthscan, 246pp) £9.99 + s&h. The new edition of Tourism Concern’s guidebook (formerly the Community Tourism Guide), remains the only guidebook for responsible community-based tourism projects, offering ethical travelers hundreds of inspiring holidays. If you are interested in responsible tourism, this is a must.

Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA), is an independent initiative of IUCN (the World Conservation Union) South Africa that works toward equitable and sustainable tourism growth and development in South Africa. FTTSA does this by promoting the concept of Fair Trade in Tourism, and by creatively and energetically marketing fair and responsible tourism businesses through the “Fair Trade in Tourism” trademark. Their values include fair share, democracy, respect, reliability, transparency, and sustainability. Options include trips to game parks lodges, adventure tours, and guesthouses. Fair Trade South Africa, P.O. Box 11536, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa; Tel. 011-27-0-12-342 8307/8; info@fairtourismsa.org.za; www.fairtourismsa.org.za.

New Consumer Magazine. The U.K.’s first and only fair trade lifestyle magazine. By publicizing the world of fair trade, they hope to attract more customers to fair trade goods and build more support for the organizations involved in the growing fair trade movement. Contact: New Consumer, 51 Timberbush, Edinburgh, EH6 6QH, U.K.; Tel. 011-44-0-131-561-1780; www.newconsumer.org.

Oxfam America’s “Make Trade Fair” campaign. Oxfam partners with other organizations to educate millions of people about unfair trade rules and their negative impact on poor communities. They mobilize concerned citizens through petitions and coordinated actions. Contact: Oxfam America, Fair Trade Campaign, 26 West St., Boston, MA 02111; Tel. 800-77-OXFAM; outside the U.S.: 617-482-1211; www.oxfamamerica.org/whatwedo/campaigns/make_trade_fair.