Responsible Tourism

What is Responsible Tourism?

Broadly speaking, Responsible Tourism is a way of travelling or offering tourism experiences that aim to minimise the negative impact tourism has on the environment, local communities, and the local economy.

Responsible tourism is about making our destination a better place to live, and therefore a better place to visit for all.

Responsible tourism is the umbrella under which Sustainable, Accessible, and Inclusive tourism falls, and shares the spotlight.

Why is Responsible Tourism important to Tourism in Fife?

In 2023, Welcome to Fife published our refreshed Tourism Strategy, which is built on 4 main priorities: Place, People, Businesses and Sustainable tourism, covering the essential pillars of responsible tourism.

Building on the responsible tourism practices, tourism can be a force for good, supporting communities and our local economy by:

• supporting tourism jobs
• improving the well-being of everyone who experiences it
• protecting our natural and cultural assets for future prosperity
• building business resilience

How does Responsible Tourism benefit your business?

Booking.com - Expedia - VisitScotland data

Sustainability

TBC - glossary etc

Fife joined many other organisations committing to a set of pathways for climate action.

Accessibility

Accessible tourism ensures that tourist destinations, products, and services are accessible to all people, regardless of their physical limitations, disabilities, or age. This includes accommodations, transportation, attractions, and public spaces designed to be inclusive and welcoming.

Accessible tourism is not just about compliance with regulations; it’s about creating an inclusive environment where everyone can enjoy travel experiences. Here, we explore the numerous benefits of making tourism accessible for all.

Inclusion

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Great places to start your responsible journey

VisitScotland Responsible Tourism

How to measure your climate impact - A guide to help you establish a baseline and identify business opportunities.

Zero Waste Scotland

Businesses are increasingly responding to the climate crisis by identifying changes they can make to reduce their carbon footprint and hit Net Zero. Zero Waste Scotland offers advice and resources to support businesses adopting circular economy practices.

Keep Scotland Beautiful

Scotland is beautiful. But we can’t take it for granted. Which is why this charity is inspiring action for our environment. Their mission is to inspire changes in behaviour to improve our environment, the quality of people’s lives, their wellbeing and the places that they care for.

Business Energy Scotland

Business Energy Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government to provide free, impartial support and access to funding to help small and medium-sized enterprises save energy, carbon and money.

Food4Fife

Fife is abundant with food and drink suppliers with high quality products that buying will increase the quality of your visitor experience. Visitors are looking for authenticity and new experiences. Adding locally sourced products to your menu adds quality to both the product and experience. 

Food from Fife

Food from Fife is an exciting initiative that aims to promote and develop the region’s food and drink. It does so by developing better connections between the food and drink businesses of Fife, and increasing awareness of them in the Kingdom and beyond. 

Green Tourism

Learn how to run a more sustainable business. Green Tourism provide expert advice and manageable actions for tourism and hospitality businesses to achieve sustainability certification.

Euan's Guide

The award-winning disabled access charity. They're best known for EuansGuide.com, the disabled access review website. Disabled access information - by disabled people for disabled people.

AccessAble

AccessAble takes the "chance" out of going out. With detailed information on properties and venues needed to work out if a place is going to be accessible to visitor needs.
The Detailed Access Guides tells visitors all about a venue's access. They are 100% facts, figures and photographs.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.

Climate Forth

Furthering Our Resilience Through Heritage - Climate FORTH is the latest project for the Inner Forth Futures partnership. By responding to local need and demand, it is facilitating and demonstrating the transformative action needed to transition to a climate literate, ready and resilient place.

Climate Action Fife

Climate Action Fife is an ambitious five-year programme of climate action.
Together they are tackling the key areas of greenhouse gas emissions, including energy and heat, food and transport. We are working across all sectors and building capacity in communities and organisations across the region.

Fife Climate Hub

Fife Climate Hub empowers community-led action on the climate crisis. They help build the capacity of existing community groups working on climate and deliver stronger collaboration between groups and organisations.