Corporate Responsibility

Tourism is characterized by complex and internationally interwoven value chains. At the same time, tourism is a widely unregulated economic sector. In order to attract investors or travellers, destinations outpace each other with low environmental and social standards – at the expense of nature and people.

Therefore, it is urgently necessary, that businesses within the tourism industry perform environmental and human rights risk assessments to fulfil their due diligence and transparency obligations. We strive for binding rules on corporate responsibility and are engaged in independent sustainability certification schemes.


Interview

Tourism at any price?

Dr. Ya-Yen Sun looks at the economic profitability of tourism from a cost-benefit calculation taking into account environmental effects.

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Article
Signposts point in different directions

SDG 12: Sustainable Consumption and Production

To enable sustainable consumption and production patterns in tourism, markets of origin need to become aware of their responsibilities.

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Study

Study: Sustainability at booking platforms

The study looks at the economic, social and environmental sustainability efforts of 15 booking platforms.

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Interview
[Translate to english:] Computer

The Invisible Burden of Tourism

Many holiday regions do not record the real costs of tourism. Often the expenses are even higher than the income from tourism.

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Junge spielt Fußball in Peru

Peru: Child Protection in Informal Accomodations

The restart of tourism raises concerns about the effects on children, because the tourism sector is rapidly expanding and – to some degree – in new

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Vietnamesische Kinder beim Lernen

Vietnam: Connecting Child Protection and Sustainability

The pandemic has increased the vulnerability of children in Vietnam. High time for the tourism industry to include the protection of children in

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Volunteer

Protecting Children during Project Visits

Many children are involved in tourist attractions and suffer the consequences. Three examples show how the protection of children can also succeed in

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Mensch zählt Geld

Advancing Child Protection in Tourism

Covid-19 derailed momentum in the protection of children from sexual exploitation, but the restart in tourism also offers opportunities.

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Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism e.V.

Online seminar: Child protection during tourism project visits

Wie gelingt es Reiseveranstaltern, Projektbesuche zu organisieren ohne dabei Kinderrechte zu missachten. Praktische Hinweise liefert das Webinar.

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Teilnehmer:innen Fachtagung

Conference-Documentation: Child Rights and Tourism

Representatives from public and private sector as well as NGOs met in Berlin on June, 13 to discuss strategies to strengthen child protection in

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Starke Frauen - Starker Tourismus

Latin America: Female Entrepreneurship in Tourism

Three women from Brazil and El Salvador report on the ups and downs of their entrepreneurship.

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Madagaskar Boot auf Fluss

Progress for Women in Tourism in Madagascar

While gender inequalities persist in Madagascar, women are increasingly free to choose their activities. The pandemic gave a boost to their

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Ausgebildete Managerin auf Barbados

Empowering Women in Caribbean Tourism

Krystal Yearwood of UNDP's future tourism project talks about the importance of women's empowerment to rebuilding Caribbean MSMEs in tourism after

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Paneldiskussion Informeller Sektor ITB 2022

Panel Discussion at ITB Convention 2022

Companies should not benefit from the vulnerability of people in the informal economy but act with due diligence to fulfil their responsibilities to

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Zaun aus Surfbrettern

Surf tourism worldwide

Travelling to surf becomes more and more popular. However, the way the sport is being practiced today is based on a colonial past whose power

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Bunt gestreifte Wand mit einem Mann davor

Europe: No more whitewashing

Baroque splendour makes Europe's metropolises a tourist magnet. What guests usually don't learn is that this prosperity is based on exploitation in

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Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism e.V.

Diversity and Inclusion in Tourism 

Non-discrimination and diversity are important human rights issues for companies. Here's how tour operators can implement them.

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Online seminar: United for vaccine justice worldwide!

Two international online seminar on vaccine equity were held and highlighted the need for more engagement from the tourism industry and also giving

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Tourism and aviation commitments at COP26

On the occasion of the UN Climate Change Conference, the travel and airline sector announced plans for more climate protection.

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Stop greenwashing - reduce air traffic now!

The aviation industry is trying hard to get a green image. Stay Grounded has critically reviewed the industry's claims for greenwashing in five

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Strand-Fales auf Samoa

Tourism at 48°C

In many destinations, climate change puts the future of tourism at stake. Apart from mitigation, adaptation will be a major challenge.

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Strategien für eine Just Transition im Tourismus

The journey to climate neutrality

The Science Based Targets initiative shows companies, including tour operators how much and how fast they need to reduce their greenhouse gas

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Child protection in tourism

Sexual exploitation of children is a current and important issue. ECPAT Germany re-launched its online training for tourism professionals in English,

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Videos of ITB 2021now online

The international tourism fair ITB NOW took place in March 2021. Here you can find videos of the events that we helped to create.

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Seminar: Precarious futures for gender equality in the post-COVID tourism world

In an online seminar, the International Transforming Tourism Initiative took a look at the consequences of COVID-19 on working conditions for women.

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COVID-19 Impacts on the Thai Tourism Supply Chain

The new report from the Asian Travel Association (PATA) and Focusright highlights the impact of COVID-19 on Thailand's tourism supply chain.

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Addressing Land Rights and Corporate Accountability in the ‘Re-start’ of Tourism

Documentation of the online seminar at the Asia - Europe People's Forum (AEPF13), 18.5.2021

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Schulung „Earthquake“

From COVID-19 to Climate

In the middle of the COVID-19 crisis hotels start to integrate disaster preparedness systematically in their strategies and actions.

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Hand mit Kompass

Sustainability Assessments in Tourism

Entrepreneurial and political decisions are often based on performance indicators. It is time to revise the existing success criteria for tourism.

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COVID-19 and its impact on tourism in The Gambia

In an interview with Naturefriends International, Adamah Bah explains the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Gambian people and outlines

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Tourism Declares

Interview with Kasia Morgan

The initiative Tourism Declares calls on the tourism industry to declare a climate emergency. Kasia Morgan explains, why climate protection is so

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Signposts point in different directions

Back to old routines or off to a better tourism?

ITB is a mirror of the current debates in the tourism world: Some promise to "build back better"; others try follow their old business paths.

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Cover Fair Reisen mit Herz und Verstand

Tourism Watch at ITB Berlin NOW 2021

This year's ITB Berlin, took place virtually from the 9 – 12 of March 2021. Tourism Watch participated with a virtual booth and own events.

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Study: The Case for Responsible Travel - Trends & Statistics 2020

The Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) has published its annual report on the state of sustainable tourism in 2020.

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Study: A spotlight on ten climate-damaging subsidies in Germany

A new study by Greenpeace Germany shows how a reduction of climate-damaging subsidies in Germany could relieve the federal government budget by up to

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Video documentation on precariousness of work

The discussion, with various exciting contributions, was about the vulnerability and precariousness of workers in tourism. The COVID-19-Pandemic

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Investors are concerned about the situation of migrant workers

Investors are taking an even closer look on what impact their investments have. Now a group of investors is concerned about reports of serious labor

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Policy Paper: Migrant Workers in the Tourism Industry

Das Center for Global Development hat einen zusammenfassenden Artikel über die Auswirkungen der Covid-19 Pandemie auf Arbeitsmigrant*innen in der

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Kreuzfahrtschiff auf See

Filipino Seafarers claim working rights

Seafarers worldwide are stuck on their ships due to COVID-19 – among them many Filipinos. They are facing inadequate hygiene measures, financial

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Tourismusmitarbeiterin in Eingangshalle

Migrant Workers in Tourism in Times of Covid-19

In an interview with Tourism Watch, Christiane Kuptsch, migartion expert at ILO, explains why migrants working in tourism are particularly affected by

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Straßenreinigung durch indische Männer

From Empty Hand to Mouth

In India, the informal sector has been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. A study now provides insights into the extent of the precariousness and

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Demo - We the people

Women first

Women are predominant in tourism employment. But COVID-19 has revealed structural inequalities that are hitting female employees in the travel

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Resilienz durch gemeindebasierten Tourismus

Tourism As A Viable Livelihood?

Due to the corona-crisis, the tourism industry is facing enormous challenges. The pandemic shows which providers and entrepreneurs are more resilient

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Schild ,,we alle be okay - spread hope" an Eingangstür

Unsustainably Resilient?

Resilience is the new buzz word. It is more than just returning to the old tourism models - which were neither sustainable nor resilient - but to

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Schutzmasken gegen die Pandemie

Helpers in need

The platform Ubuntu Beds offers hotel rooms to medical workers in order to reduce the spread of the virus and losses in tourism. An interview with its

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Wendepunkt

The end of the global travel warning in Germany

While most European countries are about to re-start tourism, the German government extended the travel warning for countries of the Global South. What

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Dossier Digitalization
Titelbild der Studie: Techno-Dispurtions in Travel and Tourism.

Booking Platforms Disrupt Tourism Value Chains in India

How are booking platforms changing the tourism value chain in India? National players such as Oyo and MakeMyTrip dominate the market. A new study by

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Rikshaws in Indien

Improving Working Conditions Through Rating Platforms

The Fairwork Foundation rates and ranks the fairness of digital labour platforms. The goal of the project is to define standards for decent working

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Reisterassen auf Bali

Digital Travel Platforms in Germany Claim to Offer Sustainable Travel Options

More and more digital booking platforms and online tour operators claim to offer sustainable holiday trips. A second glance raises doubts: Does the

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 ‘Rinjani Women Adventure’ bieten als erste Frauen in Lombok Wandertouren an

Towards Gender Equality in Indonesian Tourism

Tourism is a promising sector of employment for women. However, digitalization and online booking platforms bring about new gender-specific

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Unite Here uionist protesting for LGBTQI* rights

Equality, Decent Work and Economic Justice for All

Unionist Cleve Jones explains in the interview, what kinds of discrimination LGBTQI* workers in the food and hospitality sector face every day and how

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Dossier Voluntourism

New Criteria for Voluntourism Projects in Southern Africa

While voluntourism has been gaining popularity, it has also come under increasing criticism. Fair Trade in Tourism has revised the criteria for

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Dossier Agenda 2030 and Tourism

The 2030 Agenda as a Frame of Reference for a Transformation in Tourism

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a new frame of reference for the international community is designed to advance both sustainability and

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Tourism Industry Takes Action against Child Prostitution

The ″Code of Conduct″ (CC) for the Protection of Children from Commercial Sexual Exploitation in Tourism has reached the tourism industry. It has so

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Global Commitment to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation

The sexual exploitation of children is not inevitable. That was the message coming out of Rio de Janeiro where 137 governments met with children and

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Responsible Tourism

In the current D+C Development and Cooperation 2010/07-08 is an article "Responsible Tourism" published on the thematic focus Corporate Social

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Human Rights – A Primary Responsibility

In a new report "Putting Tourism to Rights", the British campaigning organisation Tourism Concern demands action to end human rights violations in

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Corporate Social Irresponsibility

By Sumesh Mangalassery

For the villagers of Kovalam fishing village, the night of April 13th, 2006 (the eve of the Tamil New Year) is still a

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CSR along the Service Chain

In their brochure "Supply chain engagement for tour operators"*, the Tour Operators Initiative for Sustainable Tourism Development (TOI) shows

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Sustainability along the Line?

By Katja Plume

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) plays an increasingly important role. A symposium on CSR along the tourism supply chain,

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CSR Reporting Guidelines for Tour Operators

The "CSR Reporting Initiative for Tourism", an initiative by KATE (Center for Ecology & Development, Stuttgart) in cooperation with EED-Tourism Watch,

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CSR Labels for Sustainable Tourism

By Angela Giraldo

A quality label for sustainable tourism shall help customers to get an idea of the environmental and social impact of their

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ITB 2009: CSR Quality Labels for 15 Tour Operators

At the International Tourism Exchange (ITB) 2009, the first 15 members of the tour operators' association "Forum anders reisen" were awarded their

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New Institutions for Sustainability Certification in Germany

"TourCert", the non-profit certification organisation in tourism, was founded to certify CSR/sustainability reports prepared by tour operators.

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People, Not Profit! - Civil Society Perspectives on Tourism and Climate Change

The tourism industry must act immediately to reduce its emissions and to operate a broad paradigm shift, from profit-centred strategies to

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Efficiency is not enough

Tour operators currently find themselves in a dilemma: On the one hand, they recognize that climate change mitigation is essential for protecting

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New publications on Climate Change and Climate Justice

On the occasion of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP 15) in Copenhagen,

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"The Oxford Handbook of Corporate Social Responsibility"

In a globalised world, the capacity of the state to regulate economic behaviour is in decline. This implies an increasing role of economic

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"Trends and Issues in Global Tourism 2009"

The volume "Trends and Issues in Global Tourism 2009" is based on panel discussions and presentations made at the ITB Congress "Market Trends &

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"The Oxford Handbook of Corporate Social Responsibility"

In a globalised world, the capacity of the state to regulate economic behaviour is in decline. This implies an increasing role of economic

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Nachhaltigkeit auf der ganzen Linie? CSR in touristischen Zulieferketten

GATE - Netzwerk, Tourismus, Kultur e.V. lädt zum Symposium „Nachhaltigkeit auf der ganzen Linie? CSR in touristischen Zuliefererketten" am

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Start der weltweiten Kampagne gegen Kinderhandel von ECPAT und The Body Shop

Das weltweite Kinderrechtsbündnis ECPAT und das Kosmetikunternehmen "The Body Shop" starten zum 31. August 2009 die dreijährige Kampagne "Stoppt

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Sun, Sand and Sustainable Tourism?

On Friday, 13th of March EED-Tourism Watch realized a presentation on Corporate Social Responsiblity in Practise under the title: "Sun, Sand and

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Dokumentation des Symposiums "Corporate Social Responsibility im Tourismus" erschienen

Im Rahmen des von GATE e.V. veranstalteten Symposiums „Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) im Tourismus", das am 9. und 10. Mai 2008 an der

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Tourism Industry Takes Action against Child Prostitution

The ″Code of Conduct″ (CC) for the Protection of Children from Commercial Sexual Exploitation in Tourism has reached the tourism industry. It has so

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Dominican Republic: Progress in Fighting Sexual Exploitation of Children

In certain tourist areas in the Dominican Republic, child prostitution has become so rampant that hoteliers have recognised the need of taking action.

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