Responsible Tourism in Action

Running time: 22 minutes
DVD region free PAL

Produced by Wild Asia
with support from The British Government's Global Opportunities Fund.
Video by Scott O'Connell.
Research by Reza Azmi and Rick Gregory.

Featured Resorts:

• Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa

• Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa

• Tanjung Rhu Resort, Langkawi

• Alila Manggis Resort, Bali

• Alila Ubud Resort, Bali

So, paying clients are becoming more eco-aware, while more and more luxury destinations are being crushed by mass numbers and poor planning. Responsible Tourism is not just a fad. It is a growing necessity; a way to make tourism work for everyone - tourists, resort owners, managers, staff, and local communities alike - while safeguarding the environment.

Responsible Tourism is about operators taking control. It is a business philosophy that involves working with local communities and governments to make tourism sustainable and beneficial for all.

"The future is responsible travel. You see it in the tourists. You see it in the younger people that come and visit the island.
--- Irshad, Naturalist Guide, Langkawi

From the white beaches of bustling Phuket, to the soaring jungles of Malaysia's Langkawi island, and to the rich cultural and spiritual setting of Bali, this video explores how these exemplary resorts are putting the 6 fundamental principles of Responsible Tourism into action. Through interviews, the video also examines some important tips from responsible resort owners and managers on how to ensure that 'going green' works. They reveal the best policies to implement and how to do it, and how to empower staff and spread awareness. They also talk about how to get started on the road to becoming responsible, how it has saved them money and made their properties better for both guests and staff.

Quotes from the video

"We have to find it in our hearts and care for the environment, because that's our bread and butter."
--- Irshad, Naturalist Guide, Langkawi

"Almost 83% of our staff is local. They want to stay longer in the village and they enjoy the job, so the turnover is almost zero percent."
--- I B Kumara, Executive Assitant Manager, Alila Manggis Resort, Bali

"There are lots of checklists, [and] nowadays websites are offering how to be a green operator through little ways they can do. It doesn't have to be very very costly."
--- Yessy Hidajat, Communications Manager, Alila Ubud Resort, Bali

"What I'm trying to show people here in the hotel is that they can save money, and then save the environment."
--- Anthony Wong, Owner, Frangipani Resort, Langkawi

"More and more people are becoming passionate about [Responsible Tourism]. So it is important. So it's not just that the company is passionate, the clients are becoming passionate about it."
--- Alasdair Junor, Area GM, Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa

"It's not that people don't want to be responsible, but they don't know where to find [information]."
--- Anthony Wong, Owner, Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa

"You claim yourself as green, people have to see it, that yes, this hotel is actually green."
--- Yessy Hidajat, Communications Manager, Alila Ubud Resort, Bali