Fundación InterMundial and the Responsible Tourism Institute present the “Responsible Traveler Manifesto”

InterMundial Foundation and the Responsible Tourism Institute (ITR) present the “Responsible Traveler Manifesto”, a guide for traveling responsibly. The Manifesto was unveiled at a press breakfast today, September 26, the eve of World Tourism Day, which in 2017 celebrates the “International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.” Manuel López, trustee of the InterMundial Foundation and CEO of InterMundial Seguros, Tomás Azcárate, president of the Responsible Tourism Institute, and Yolanda Perdomo, director of the Affiliate Members Programme of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), led the presentation.

The document is structured around 10 fundamental principles, drafted based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the UN in the 2030 Agenda and the criteria of renowned travel bloggers. Its goal is to serve as a document that any traveler can use as a personal checklist, both before embarking on a new trip and after returning, to identify areas for improvement.

Being aware of the risks involved in traveling and taking precautions; promoting the local development of the destination by consuming local products and services; contributing to the conservation, protection, and regeneration of the destination's ecosystem; respecting diversity and not participating in discriminatory activities; favoring the sustainability of the destination's heritage and infrastructure; fostering fair labor conditions that respect the rights of workers in tourism companies; or choosing experiences or products that promote the destination's R&D&i are some of the points in the document. The Manifesto expands on each of these points, explaining in detail how a traveler can contribute to making travel as sustainable as possible.

“We want to engage the traveler in achieving better tourism,” says Manuel López, trustee of the InterMundial Foundation and president of InterMundial Seguros. “They are the true protagonist of the journey, and therefore, the responsibility starts with them.”

For his part, ITR president Tomás Azcárate recalled that 2017 has been proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, with the goal of “expanding the contribution of tourism to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as well as increasing awareness of the true dimensions of a sector whose contribution to Sustainable Development is crucial.” Azcárate stated that "responsible travelers are those who respect and value not only the natural heritage of the destination, but also the cultures, traditions, and local knowledge in all their forms.”

Anyone can symbolically sign the Manifesto, which is hosted on the website www.manifiestoviajeroresponsable.es, thereby committing to a way of traveling that is conscious of the fact that the impact generated on the destination must always be positive. The Manifesto also promotes the “responsible traveler seal”, a badge for those travel bloggers who comply with the principles of the document and serve as examples of committed travelers. Additionally, and within the framework of the Manifesto, various sessions will be held to bring travel bloggers and tourism companies into dialogue.

“We must stop thinking of the tourist as someone who devastates the territory and start thinking of them as a transformative agent, an agent of change,” concluded Yolanda Perdomo, director of the Affiliate Members Programme of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). “If each of the 43 million travelers who travel every year thinks they can do something to improve, a true revolution will occur.”

InterMundial Foundation

The main objective of the InterMundial Foundation is to showcase the benefits that tourism brings to society and the environment, fostering research in pursuit of responsible tourism development and rewarding any initiative that favors the excellence and commitment that the tourism industry maintains with the socioeconomic and environmental context.

The Foundation is part of InterMundial Seguros, a leading travel insurance broker in Spain.