Responsible Tourism

Responsible tourism focuses on sustainable growth that makes better places for people to live and visit in every corner of Scotland, enhancing the positive benefits of tourism for everyone.

There are three strands to a responsible tourism approach:

1. Sustainability | Environmental, Cultural and Economic
   • Environmental - looking after the assets that are so vital to Scotland's brand by seeking to address the impacts of climate change, and reducing harm to the natural and built environment.
   • Cultural - protecting our cultural heritage; our attractions, events and activities that make Scotland unique. 
   • Economic – enabling good economic growth whilst ensuring progress is beneficial to everyone. 
2. Inclusion - ensuring Scotland is a place for everyone by prioritising accessibility and inclusivity, so no one faces barriers to visiting our country.
3. Communities - connecting visitors and host communities meaningfully while working with local people to make sure they experience the benefits of tourism – economic, social and well-being.

Why is responsible tourism important?

Tourism is a force for positive change; it can sustain communities and the economy by creating jobs, tackling depopulation and improving the well-being of everyone who experiences it.

We have a duty of care to protect our assets for the future. We recognise the importance of protecting those assets, which are so vital to Scotland’s brand and make Scotland so unique. A responsible approach to tourism helps Scotland’s world-famous beauty and communities thrive, enabling good growth while minimising any negative impacts. 

We aim to play a leading role in the development of Scotland as a globally recognised responsible destination. We are committed to protecting the natural assets which are vital to Scotland’s iconic identity through our marketing, advice, partnerships and the actions of our staff, including:

Travellers are seeking transformational tourism, as identified in our Trends Paper 2020 - a movement among consumers who take trips to maximise their time, give something back to the destinations they visit and consciously off-set the impact of their travel. 

Adopting a sustainable approach can increase efficiency and reduce running costs for businesses. Likewise, visitors benefit through better links with local communities, a high-quality tourism experience and a natural and built environment that is cared for.

There are some great examples of businesses already taking innovative steps to protect and enhance Scotland through responsible tourism initiatives that you can find on our case studies page.

Environmental accreditation programmes like Green Tourism and Green Key provide formalised long-term support for businesses.