A List of Eco, Ethical and Responsible Travel Organisations on Twitter

I've become aware of late of the various eco-tourism, ethical tourism and responsible tourism organisations who are on twitter but I sometimes feel like there's a lot of us working towards the same ends, but we're not always as in touch as we could be.


I've put together a list of people who I follow on twitter and I am sharing the list here. I have featured the ones below as a taster of the entire list as a whole.  To follow the entire list on twitter just click on the link below.  

@ecothreesixty/eco-travel-orgs

Sustainable Travel @STI_travel

STI's mission is to positively impact communities and travelers worldwide through sustainable tourism development that delivers measurable results.

Hidden Britain @HiddenBritain
We’re a charity helping local communities to realise their tourism potential, creating a fantastic place to visit for everyone and supporting the local economy

Resp Tourism Canada @ICRT_Canada

International Centre for Responsible Tourism Canada - promoting & developing the concept of responsible tourism in Canada

World Green Tourism @WGreenTourism
ADTA and EAD initiative to promote sustainable tourism globally - especially in the Middle East . Tweets news on the region and titbits from further afield.

Mary Mulvey @ecoireland

Ireland only Ecotourism criteria approved by Global Sustainable Tourism Council 2012


Chitwan Jungle Lodge @ChitwanJungle
I'm Nistha Shrestha, Marketing Exec for Chitwan Jungle Lodge, a quiet little family-run lodge located deep inside the Chitwan National Park in Nepal.

Nat Geo Traveler @NatGeoTraveler

Traveler championed sustainable travel before it was cool and celebrates cultural and authentic journeys. 

Carin Cowell @EcolodgeMorocco

Founder of www.khanfousretreat.com, a bamboo retreat experience on the gorgeous Atlantic coast of Morocco, where sustainability and responsibility matter.

Tourism Concern @tourismconcern

We're the only organisation in Europe actively campaigning on tourism & human rights issues. Our mission is to ensure that tourism always benefits local people

Joie de Vivre Hotels @JDVHotels

Joie de Vivre manages over 30 boutique hotels, restaurants and spas located in Calif. and Ariz. and is opening in Palm Springs and Chicago in Feb. 2012.

The Social Travelers @SocialTravelers

WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF TRAVEL TO EFFECT POSITIVE CHANGE...WE LIVE FOR EXCEPTIONAL MOMENTS...THE WORLD AWAITS!

Sandy @TiptoeTraveller 

French Marketer, loves life, people, nature, real food, travelling near & far. Keen to share small ideas for greener adventures just 1 little step at a time.

One World 365 @oneworld365

A directory of meaningful travel opportunities including volunteer work, jobs, teaching, conservation, eco / adventure trips & tours worldwide

Ethan Gelber @thetravelword

The travel blog of the WHL Group (www.whl-group.com), the largest local-travel company in the world, connecting mindful travellers to responsible experiences.

TIES @ecotravel

Dedicated to promoting ecotourism since 1990.

Kate T @Thedivehub

Applying responsible tourism principles to scuba diving, making a difference - one dive at a time! Kate Turner

SustainableTrip.org @SustainableTrip

Helping travelers find sustainable tourism destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean! Created by the Rainforest Alliance, a nonprofit organization.

Stephen Chapman @maketravelfair

The original sustainable travel Blog network. Make Travel Fair is about unleashing the potential of travel to educate, engage and inspire

Ecotourism Feeds @EcotourismFeeds

GO GREEN ON THE ROAD!!Tweets and retweet to inspire to conserve local nature and cultural differences!

Himalayan Footsteps @Himalfootsteps
Himalayan specialists. Follow for adventure with altitude and attitude. Olly tweets news from Himalayas, ethical travel & travel tips.

Irene Lane @GreenloonsEco
Founder of Greenloons | educates & connects eco-conscious travelers with certified ecotourism operators & accommodations | aims to visit a new country each year

Ecotourism Australia @EcotourismAus
Ecotourism Australia is committed to growing and promoting ecotourism and other sustainable tourism experiences

Katie @QualityUnearthd
tweeting about anything that grabs my attention, eco-builds, yurts, retreats, quirky stuff and even, sometimes, QU holidays!

Muskoka Foundation @DoGoodAsYouGo
We equip&inspire a network of travelers to live the idea of use what you know, to do good as you go. Programs create skills, independence &sustainable change.

If you think you can recommend any organisation who is worth adding, I'll happily add them.

Destinations Travel Show 2012 and Web Comparisons

Firstly, let me apologise for the large gap between this and the last posting.  I have been spending a lot of time tightening up the website and there's still a lot to do.  Anyway I managed to prise myself away from fun-filled data entry, and write up my notes on on the "Destinations - Holiday and Travel Show 2012".  I thought I'd share my thoughts with you here.  

I went to the first day of this years Destinations Show in Earls Court in London, which I’ve been going to for the last few years.  This years was not hugely changed from previous years.  And something that surprised me, was that most of the stands have numbers and occupy various spaces, and are made up of national tourism offices from various countries, tour operators, cruise operators, they all looked so plain, thin bits of metal with card dividers, the stands look like a they were from a trade fair, the stands themselves looked dated and didn't reflect what they were selling.  Another very major gripe is the presence of non-travel related stalls that are just there selling jewellery, massage aids, photography studios, basically just stuff. Their presence just really reduced the value of the show.  

Anyway to get on to my major point.  Holidays are all about the "experience".  Yes, you'll hopefully have lots of nice memories, photos and perhaps some souvenirs that actually have some meaning for you, but the experience is key.  The main thing that struck me above anything else at the show is that there is very little of an actual experience that comes from the show itself. 

Having someone with a name badge smile at me and (for the record plenty of people at the stands looked like they would rather have been anywhere else).  People standing there with brochures, answering questions.  It’s really nice to actually have objects or things or experiences that spark your interest.  People with brochures seems to be missing an opportunity.  Interesting things on show were an Icelandic jeep with the biggest tyres I’ve ever seen on a 4x4, but I imagine the mountains of pose more of a threat to the jeep that it does to them.  Another long haul Safari vehicle which looked just like a very high-riding bus. 

There were the celebrity speakers who were doubtless very familiar to most people who watch documentaries on UK TV. I have to confess to not seeing any of them, but I am sure they gave very interesting presentations.  But outside of these speakers there's not a huge "experiential" dimension within the show itself.  I'm not saying I want to be greeted by faux Maasai warriors on arrival, or go for a short ride on a camel.  But frankly, if I had gone to the show looking for ideas I think I'd have asked myself, why I didn't just type "Travel blog" into Google and start to troll through the search results.  That's not to say every travel blog is worth the time or that the show was so bad.  But I feel should have walked out in a daze of elation, excited by the show I've just visited, thinking about or even booked a holiday.  I really don't think that from this years show many people will have done either.  

What do I suggest?  I don't have a clear and simple one sentence answer, but I definitely think it should market itself as an "event" rather than a "show" because the "show" element is really lacking and I think over time, the number of people attending will gradually drop off more and more, unless something is done to actually get people involved and engaged.