MEDIA RELEASE: TUESDAY 8 JANUARY, 2008
Responsible holiday solutions for ethical New Year resolutions...
Travelling responsibly is about maximising the positive impacts that tourism can have on an environment and local people. Here's some ethical holiday ideas for 2008 that are fun as well as worthy.
1. 'No fly' holidays
responsibletravel.com has over 180 holidays in a dedicated 'I don't want to fly' section of the site. Justin Francis, co-founder of responsibletravel.com says as travellers, we should all be trying to reduce the number of short-haul flights we take in 2008.
"As well as reducing our carbon footprint in our day-to-day lives, our travel plans need addressing too. Taking less short-haul flights and looking at alternatives such as train travel gives us all the chance to slow down and enjoy the journey, which is often half of the fun of travelling."
 Check out this fantastic 8 day camping family adventure holiday in the Dordogne, France from £449 per adult or £399 per child including Eurostar from UK.
By boat, bike and on foot, discover mighty châteaux, breathtaking gorges and mysterious caves along the river. Departures throughout summer holidays in 2008.
See www.responsibletravel.com/NoFly for more ideas.
2. Holidaying closer to home...
You don't necessarily need to travel thousands of miles to discover something new - holidays closer to home give you the opportunity to appreciate the cuisine and culture of your own country. In the past 12 months, responsibletravel.com has increased its UK offering by over 200%. In fact, the UK is now the most popular destination on the website, so there's plenty of options to choose from.
 Check out this imaginative yurt holiday on the Isle of Wight . From £195 - £545 per tent per week. Each yurt sleeps five people and is fully equipped with double beds, tables, chairs, sofa-beds or day beds. Each has a small woodburning stove for heat, hot water and limited cooking.
No fossil fuels are used on site, only wood and charcoal from local sustainable woodland. There is also a local farm shop which specialises in organic and local produce.
3. Discover organic farmstays
Combining fresh, organic and delicious home-cooked meals with spectacular countryside is a definite recipe for a successful holiday. responsibletravel.com saw a 77% year-on-year increase in the number of enquiries regarding organic holidays in 2007.
 This farmstay in rural Egypt offers you the chance to learn about life on a working farm in the Nile Valley and tour the village on horseback or donkey cart.
The farm is worked according to principles of organic gardening with the fertiliser for the gardens coming from the composted horse, poultry and rabbit manure. No pesticides are used.
Prices from £25 per person, per night.
Check out responsibletravel.com's dedicated organic holiday section: www.responsibletravel.com/OrganicHolidays
4. Volunteer overseas...
Volunteering is a rapidly growing trend - responsibletravel.com saw almost a 30% year-on-year increase in 2007 in the number of holidaymakers enquiring about volunteer trips. Justin Francis explains further:
"Travellers can now choose from a wide range of volunteer trips. No longer are you required to take a gap year to volunteer - we're seeing more and more shorter trips on offer as well as projects that combine volunteering with sightseeing too.
"However, this also means it's more important than ever that people choose a reputable company to travel with and ask the right questions so as to ensure that the project they choose benefits the local people as much as possible."
 This Mozambique volunteer holiday combines time spent on conservation and community projects with adventure travel. Stay at the award winning Nkwichi Safari Lodge and venture out by canoe each day to your project work. When you're not busy with the communities or wildlife, your time can be spent reading, sailing peacefully down the Lake on an African Dhow, doing water sports or on safari. From £1,705 for 14 days.
Search other volunteering ideas here: www.responsibletravel.com/Volunteering
5. Cycle holidays
As environmental awareness increases, people are re-discovering their bicycles both at home and on holiday. responsibletravel.com saw a massive 85% year-on-year increase in 2007 in the number of enquiries received from travellers interested in taking a cycling or mountain bike holiday.
 This 8 day mountain biking holiday in the Sierra Nevada National Park , Andalucia, Spain is the ultimate adventure. Stay in a picturesque farmhouse, run on solar power and enjoy biking through spectacular scenery every day. Price from £550 including guide, en-suite accommodation, farmhouse meals and drinks.
If you travel the 'green' way by train for this trip, you will be rewarded with a free top-of-the-range mountain bike hire for the duration of your holiday (worth almost £100)
Check out www.responsibletravel.com/Cycling for a choice of almost 200 cycling holidays.
All prices are subject to availability. For further information or to make a booking, visit www.responsibletravel.com
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Notes to editors
About responsibletravel.com:
responsibletravel.com is an online travel directory - based in Brighton, England - launched in 2001 for travellers who want more real and authentic holidays that also benefit the environment and local people. responsibletravel.com markets pre-screened, handpicked holidays from over 265 specialist operators and over 550 accommodations.
Contact:
Krissy Pentland
press@responsibletravel.com
01273 648 519 or 07717 348368
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