From Dan Gates
I read with interest your article on unscrupulous operators of shark diving tours
(This Week, 24 October, p 4).
Being fortunate enough to have visited many
ecologically fragile and precious places, I have seen at first-hand other
examples of the dangers of the ecotourism industry.
Why is there not some regulatory body that can vet operators and award them a
certificate for good environmental practice? The operator could then display a
logo to advertise this fact. If the scheme were sufficiently known, consumer
pressure would force operators to comply.
This is directly analogous to, say, the situation with “dolphin-friendly”
tuna.
The Association of British Travel Agents tells us that there are three
organisations actively involved in ecological and ethical concerns related to
tourism. The first, run by the World Travel and Tourism Council, is called Green
Globe. It will vet operators, resorts and services for Green Globe
accreditation. The others are the Campaign for Environmentally Responsible
Tourism, which awards a kitemark, and Tourism Concern. All operate voluntary
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Fintray, Scotland
