Round Table on Responsible Tourism

"Green"-oriented tourism investors will kick off Karibu Fair 2010 with a seminar on Responsible Tourism. As the green revolution of socially and ecologically responsible tour operators slowly picks up speed globally, one finds that products on demand will have a market advantage if they carry a green label or brand. Indeed the global trend in manufacturing, fisheries, and agricultural industries is to establish agencies to certify "green" projects. Is an association for responsible tourism feasible in Tanzania? Join the Round Table on 3 June to debate this and more.

The Event

At the Round Table on 3rd June the main questions are:

• How does Responsible, or Green, Tourism apply to the Tanzanian tourism industry?
• What are concrete working examples of Responible Tourism as practiced by Tanzanian companies?
• What would an association for Responsible Tourism in Tanzania look like?

Presenters from Tanzania and the region will debate these issues and more during the one-day round table seminar at Arusha Hotel just before the Karibu Fair 2010. To download a preliminary programme please click here. For registration materials, please go here.

For more information please contact Benard Tayebwa at rta@esamihq.ac.tz or Laura Tarimo at ltarimo@esamihq.ac.tz.

The Background

The concept of branding "green" products is now growing in the tourism industry, as tourists are more aware of the issues and will now make decisions on the choice of their holiday depending on the social and ecological implications of the destination or company product that they are buying. And agents selling the packages are quick to pick up on this concept. Many holiday destination agents now have responsible branding and are promoting responsible tourism issues from their sales and operations, such as offering customers the opportunity to offset their carbon on long haul flights, using energy saving bulbs in their offices and making sure their staff have a workplace that does not impair their health.

About the Event Organizers

The Round Table on Responsible Tourism is a collaboration of Round Table Africa, Honeyguide Foundation, ESAMI, Karibu Tourism and Travel Fair, Tanzania Natural Resource Forum, and the Maastricht School of Management.

Round Table Africa is set-up to stimulate expertise development in the area of sustainable business in Southern and Eastern Africa. The program aims to achieve a structural collaboration between international businesses, local companies and policy-makers. They meet at conventions to explore business opportunities and resolve bottlenecks. Round Table Africa looks at economic and social development from a business angle.

The Honeyguide Foundation provides the catalyst for the communities, to have a positive influence on their surrounding natural resources using tourism, through the following components:

• Providing mechanisms that contribute positively to community sustainability and poverty reduction
• Developing appropriate, transparent and accountable Corporate Social Responsibility and Philanthropy strategies for tourism enterprises working with communities
• Developing long term, positive strategic links between communities and their business partners in the recognition that long term partnerships rely upon rigorous community governance and sustainable management of the natural and socio-economic resources.

Maastricht School of Management - As a key player in the global education field, MSM systematically combines education, capacity development and research in its professional services. Offering high-quality management degree programs (MBA, DBA and PhD), MSM also implements management development research and international projects. With more than 2000 students graduating annually in more than 25 countries, MSM is the Netherlands' largest and most internationally oriented business school.

For more information about the Tanzania Natural Resource Forum please go to: www.tnrf.org/about/background.