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Fair trade in tourism? With Fairtrade Fortnight commencing across the UK on Monday (25 February – 9 March), leading ethical holiday directory responsibletravel.com announces an 87% year on year increase for 2006/07 in the number of people enquiring about community-based holidays and points to a growing trend for tourism ventures that sit in the hands of local people. However, the online company warns that the tourism industry still has a long way to go. In the same way that consumers can buy coffee direct from growers, community-based tourism is rooted in similar principles - it's about connecting travellers directly with local communities around the world, allowing them to stay with local people in their homes or villages. Locals earn a fair wage as a result and the traveller is provided with a unique cultural experience.
Justin Francis, co-founder and managing director of responsibletravel.com says: "This is a relatively new way to travel but one that offers a truly unforgettable experience and I believe we’ll see more people pursuing community-based travel in the future. Rather than staying in a chain hotel where local people have minimal control and involvement in the business, you are invited to be part of village life and the community is your host. This is a unique opportunity for cultural exchange and the tourist dollar contributes to local employment and provides an income for education and conservation initiatives." Commenting more broadly on how the tourism industry can apply the principles of fair trade, Francis said: “Unlike the grocery or fashion industry, there are no benchmarks around fair trade tourism. This means that purchasing prices are not monitored, the amount of money that goes back to the local community is not regulated and working conditions are not independently assessed." Francis urges travellers to ask questions of travel companies when booking holidays. "It is up to us as consumers to keep the pressure on. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Whether booking a hotel or an entire trip we must demand that companies provide us with transparent information about how they are improving the economic benefits of tourism to local people." To see responsibletravel.com’s community-tourism based holidays, go to responsibletravel.com/accommodation/community-based-tourism . Here are some favourites:  Community tour in Thailand - from £155 for 3 daysExperience untouched Thailand on a customized community-based tour to traditional villages, off the beaten track in the North Andaman, Southern Thailand. As part of their post-tsunami recovery, villagers have opened up their homes and lives to allow you to experience their fascinating cultures and communities, in an authentic and non-intrusive way. By visiting the region and the villagers, you will contribute to the conservation and economic reconstruction of the area, ravaged by the tsunami in 2004. You can find yourself helping subsistence fishermen, rowing through dense mangroves, joining in community aerobics, playing beach football as the sun sets over the Andaman Sea, feeding baby goats, preparing the evening meal and even volunteering on a community-driven project.  Costa Rica Jungle accommodation - from £333 per person, per week, including all meals, hikes, entrance fees and accommodation
Set in the lush Pacific lowland tropical rain forest of the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica this remote reserve and Biological Station is only accessible by boat and is home to a wide array of rare and endangered flora and fauna. The project protects tracts of tropical lowland rain forest, maintaining the eco-systems with a minimum of human impact.
Stay in one of five private cabins or within the field station with six bunk rooms. Go hiking in the lush tropical rain forest, spend time bird watching exotic species, swim or snorkel with schools of brilliantly coloured fish, go sea kayaking and enjoy spectacular sunsets. You can also visit the local school which is located on the beach and continually supported by this project. Neotropical Ecology courses are offered throughout the year. See responsibletravel.com/community-based-tourism for similar holidays. In addition, check out responsibletravel.com/homestays for 25 homestay projects around the globe. - Ends -
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