Promoting Fair Travel in Finland Mari Mero founder and former president, Association for Fair Travel, Finland General Manager, Travel Agency Avara Maailma

Presentation Background and the beginning Background and the beginning Target groups and aims Target groups and aims Activities Activities Media response Media response Challenges and success stories Challenges and success stories The future? The future?

Background Travels in Africa, Asia, Latin America in Travels in Africa, Asia, Latin America in Studies in environment conservation (MSc 2001) Studies in environment conservation (MSc 2001) Setting up Travel Agency Avara Maailma in 2002: Setting up Travel Agency Avara Maailma in 2002: –Responsible adventure tourism into Third World Countries

’Fair Travel’ Travel Fair MATKA January 2003 Travel Fair MATKA January 2003 Interview in Helsingin sanomat Interview in Helsingin sanomat Immediate response from the media, travelling public and tourism sector Immediate response from the media, travelling public and tourism sector

Association for Fair Travel public debate on issues concerning tourism impacts in March 2003 public debate on issues concerning tourism impacts in March 2003 establishing the association in response to the feedback establishing the association in response to the feedback –3 founding members, all tourism professionals –in 2010, almost 300 members  mostly former tourism students and tourism lecturers  less than 10 active members

Aims to raise discussion and encourage debate on tourism impacts to raise discussion and encourage debate on tourism impacts to highlight and question existing practices, structures and methods to highlight and question existing practices, structures and methods to develop, publish and promote priciples of Fair Travel to develop, publish and promote priciples of Fair Travel to ENCOURAGE and give POSITIVE examples of responsible practices to ENCOURAGE and give POSITIVE examples of responsible practices

Target Groups 1) The travelling public 2) Tourism professionals, especially students 3) The travel industry

Activities Media work Media work Talks and presentations Talks and presentations Sustainable Travel Days Sustainable Travel Days Theme evenings Theme evenings Travel Fairs Travel Fairs Travel Photography Contests Travel Photography Contests

Fair Traveller’s Instructions Autumn 2003 Autumn 2003 response to media pressure response to media pressure working group of 6-8 people from varying backgrounds working group of 6-8 people from varying backgrounds –technical support from tourism students: literature survey of existing sets of advice –summary and modification NOTE: meant for ALL travel NOTE: meant for ALL travel

Talks and presentations Travel Fairs Travel Fairs Trade Shows Trade Shows Tourism Vocational Schools, Colleges, Polytechnics Tourism Vocational Schools, Colleges, Polytechnics Conferences in Finland and abroad Conferences in Finland and abroad

Sustainable Travel Days 2004: A get-together for Tourism Teachers and Education Planners 2004: A get-together for Tourism Teachers and Education Planners 2006: Tourism and Climate Change 2006: Tourism and Climate Change –adaptation AND mitigation 2008: Cultural Impacts of Tourism 2008: Cultural Impacts of Tourism –students and teachers

Theme evenings Travel Photography Travel Photography Tourism and Climate Change Tourism and Climate Change Cultural Impacts of Tourism Cultural Impacts of Tourism

Travel Fair MATKA 2009 ”Our World – Our Common Responsibility” ”Our World – Our Common Responsibility” over visitors over visitors Partnering with Finnexpo Partnering with Finnexpo –40 volunteers promoting Fair Travel –talks, presentations –motivational video –testimonials from celebrities

Travel Photography Contests Encounters on a journey – cultural impacts of tourism (2007) Encounters on a journey – cultural impacts of tourism (2007) Tourism preserving and modifiying culture (2010) Tourism preserving and modifiying culture (2010)

Media response overwhelmingly positive overwhelmingly positive over 100 stories, interviews and appearances in TV, Radio, Newspapers and Lifestyle Magazines over 100 stories, interviews and appearances in TV, Radio, Newspapers and Lifestyle Magazines mostly focusing on Fair Traveller’s Instructions mostly focusing on Fair Traveller’s Instructions

Success stories media response media response feedback from tourism students and educational institutions feedback from tourism students and educational institutions growing demand for lectures and presentations growing demand for lectures and presentations incorporation and promotion of Fair Travel principles in published policies of tourism sector businesses incorporation and promotion of Fair Travel principles in published policies of tourism sector businesses requests for comments on CSR drafts and Sustainable Travel Charters (Helsinki Declaration) requests for comments on CSR drafts and Sustainable Travel Charters (Helsinki Declaration)

Challenges Funding Funding Number of committed activists, speakers and actors Number of committed activists, speakers and actors Proper (or any) wages for speakers and writers on responsible travel Proper (or any) wages for speakers and writers on responsible travel Real changes in actions, not just policies Real changes in actions, not just policies The Public: from awareness to action? The Public: from awareness to action?

The Future Changes in the Board: new blood, new ideas Changes in the Board: new blood, new ideas Collaboration with Businesses, Educational institutions and Tourism Boards Collaboration with Businesses, Educational institutions and Tourism Boards Training more speakers: the Ambassadors of Sustainable Travel (2011) Training more speakers: the Ambassadors of Sustainable Travel (2011)

THANK YOU!