Co-founder Justin Francis wrote his MSc dissertation on establishing a portal for responsible travel after being inspired by a village elder on a visit to Kawaza village in Zambia.
Launch with private investors including Anita & Gordon Roddick from The Body Shop.
First business in the world to talk about responsible travel, and first dedicated to promoting 'green', 'eco' or 'responsible' holidays on one site. Publishes traveller's reviews on their experiences and responsible travel.
In the years to follow worked with 100s of tourism businesses to screen them for the site, and to help them improve their policies.
Offered one of the first carbon offset schemes in tourism.
Launched the world's first Responsible Tourism Awards
Successfully campaigned to persuade Thomson Holidays, Thomas Cook and MyTravel to publish policies for responsible tourism, with up to 1,000 people a day signing the petition.
Published first national press supplement on responsible travel with The Observer.
Justin joined speakers including the founders of The Big Issue and Innocent Drinks to give a talk at the British Library on being an 'Ethical entreprenuer'.
Annual holiday sales reached £4m.
Justin named one of The Times 50 most influential people in travel.
Offered 2,500 holidays from 270 tour operators - by far the biggest specialist green or eco travel business. Annual holiday sales reached £10m.
Launched magazine to promote the Award winners - now the largest scheme of its type globally.
Formed partnership with Conservation International to promote grass roots community tourism in developing countries.
Justin named one of the Courvoisier Future 500.
Published first audit of responsible tourism of the UK's biggest travel companies with The Daily Telegraph.
Awards attracted a record 1950 entries – Michael Palin says 'the responsible tourism awards are one of the most important ways that we can learn to travel better.'
Launched a travel community IKnowAGreatPlace.com - "local secrets from a world of travellers".
Launched a vision for the Future of Tourism in a special issue of Geographical Magazine and creates future of tourism site.
Published the 4,000th independent traveller review.
Became one of the first travel organisations to remove CO2 offsetting, sparking a debate on carbon reduction with press in the Guardian, Independent and the New York Times.
Released first environmental & social impacts (CSR) report
Launched first Insiders' Travel Guide to Jordan, with podcasts and tips from local people.
responsiblevacation.com launched in the US, taking UK-based sister site Responsible Travel's 10 years of outstanding tourism experiences to a new audience.
Selected as partner on the EU-funded South East Protected Landscapes project to promote rural tourism in AONBs and National Parks in the South of England.
Thames and Hudson included co-founder Justin Francis in their book of 60 global 'Innovators Shaping our Creative future'.
Lifted 10 year Burma travel boycott and added first Burma holiday to the site.
Launched 'Our Land' to promote rural tourism in the protected landscapes of the South of England with EU-funding and endorsement from Visit England, Kate Humble and Jeremy Hunt.
Launched Responsible Travel Guides to Kwazulu Natal and Gozo.
Celebrated 10th birthday, growing from just 15 holidays on 6th April 2001 to almost 4,000 holidays in April 2011, and selling over $100 million of responsible holidays.
Grew to over 6,000 holidays on the site and publishes the 7,000th independent traveller review.
Donated 15% of profits to charity between 2006 and 2012, on average.
Closed community site iknowagreatplace.com to refocus on Responsible Travel.
Our Land expanded to cover 16 protected landscapes throughout the UK and external audit published.
Celebrated the 10th year of the Responsible Tourism Awards by relaunching them as the World Responsible Tourism Awards, with new categories and a People's Choice award.
Moved to new offices in Brighton's trendy 'North Laine' and switches to green energy supplier Ecotricity.
Launched Responsible Travel Guides to California and New York State with insider tips from micro-breweries to National Parks.
Removed orphanage volunteering holidays from the site following concerns, sparking a conversation and coverage in The Telegraph.
Launched the first of many honest and easy-to-read 2 minute guides to popular locations and activities.
Launched say NO to orca circuses campaign with the World Cetacean Alliance to stop whales and dolphins being kept in captivity.
Increased our Holiday Helpdesk team up to four so we can stay open longer.
Launched the African and the Irish Responsible Tourism Awards for the first time, alongside our World Responsible Tourism Awards.
Published new teaching volunteer guidelines and launches a guide to accessible tourism.
Sent Lyn cycling across India to celebrate her 10th year working at Responsible Travel (she's our accountant and also keeps us in tea and biscuits so she's Very Important).
Went for a walk on the South Downs to mark our co-founder Justin's big birthday (we won't tell you which one!).
Received our 1,000,000th holiday enquiry!
Published our 200th travel guide.
Want to know more?
Read more about us.
