Debates

To celebrate 25 years of frontline-work in the sustainable development of tourism, the Retour Foundation wants to make an assessment of what has and has not been achieved until now. Always having been a positive but critical partner in the tourism debate we want to honor this tradition by focussing on issues that have been ignored, stayed unanswered, or have led to a deadlock in the debate.

Planet vs People vs Profit

Are the three Ps a coherent set of principles that harmoniously enhance each other or are they masking the fact that there is a conflict of interest between safeguarding the planet, respecting the people and reaping larger profit.

Gats and tourism

Whilst the discussion on sustainability in tourism tries to improve the existing situation, treaties like the GATS are changing the global playing field in a way that all our inward looking efforts will be without any effect for the sustainability of tourism.

Air Traffic

Can a tourism system that is based on (cheap) air traffic rightfully claim that it is safeguarding resources for use by future generations?

"Alternatives" vs Mass tourism

There has always been a group of travellers who want to distinguish themselves from the tourists. Depending on how the challenges to the establishment were called these travellers would be labelled alternative, eco- or responsible tourists. The question is not only whether they are an alternative for mass-tourism but also whether they are "better"than mass-tourists or if alternatives would be possible without mass-tourism.

Tourism certification and Fair Trade

CSR and Fair Trade in tourism and their implications for small entreprises and the informal sector

Persisting problems?

Tourism always had the claim of contributing to peace and a better world. How hard is this claim? What has been achieved in 50 years of mass tourism?
- Tourism and human rights
- Indigenous people's rights
- Workers rights in tourism

Tourism industries

Under this heading we will discuss
- Tourism industry vs tourism industries
- SMEs vs MNCs
- Impact measurement systems
- CSR in tourism