1. Travelers need – and want – help to travel responsibly.

Travelers want to travel more sustainably, but they need your help.

Two recent studies emphasize the importance of the role DMOs and tourism businesses play in encouraging responsible travel. The 2023 Booking.com Sustainable Travel Report found that two-thirds (66%) of people want to leave the destination better than when they arrived, but 40% don’t know how to find activities that ensure they are giving back to the community.

The Expedia Group’s 2022 Sustainable Travel Report found that 7 in 10 consumers feel overwhelmed by starting the process of being a more sustainable traveler. The respondents to this study are looking for sustainable travel information from trusted travel resources. 50% of respondents would like to see more information on how to be a more sustainable traveler from local destination, tourism, or visitor resource groups.

2. Destination Communities want tourists to behave better

Destination communities are demanding that visitors behave better. As visitor numbers increase, communities are more aware of the negative impacts of travelers. While it is rarely said, visitors to destination communities have the social license, the implicit permission, of the communities in which they travel.

As issues with bad behavior and overtourism become more prominent, some communities are rethinking tourism. It is critical that DMOs and the tourism industry recognize these concerns and nurture community support for tourism. For more information on how to engage with key stakeholders, check out our Time for DMOcracy program. Responsible traveler programs are a great way to show that the tourism industry is committed to ensuring the best outcomes from tourism.

3. Every traveler has an impact

Every traveler makes an impact. The tourism industry has been criticized for being too focused on the positives while overlooking the negative impacts of travelers and tourism. For a long time, our industry has taken credit for the positives but has taken no responsibility for the negatives of tourism. Responsible traveler programs recognize that if tourism is going to improve the quality of life in our communities, we must work to ensure that we maximize the benefits of tourism while minimizing and even eliminating the negatives.