The Cape Town Declaration, a founding statement of Responsible Tourism upon which much of the development of sustainability in tourism rests, was published in 2002. It was developed from The Cape Town Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations, a side event preceding the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, attended by 280 delegates from 20 countries. It grew from South Africa’s work on responsible tourism guidelines, and so became the first country to institute responsible tourism in policy. I was privileged to study my Master’s with Professor Harold Goodwin, who co-authored the Cape Town Declaration.

For its 20th year, the new 2022 Responsible Tourism Charter is a revised version of the 2002 Cape Town Declaration. Launched and signed at Magna Carta House, UK, on 6th November, 2022, it modernises the language and addresses the now-prevalent issues in tourism of carbon emissions, plastic and biodiversity extinction.

I had the honour of being invited to witness and sign the Charter at its launch at Magna Carta House, built to commemorate the sealing of the Magna Carta Libertatum ("Great Charter of Freedoms"), commonly called the Magna Carta, a royal charter of rights agreed to by King John of England in 1215. The Magna Carta is one of the most important documents in history as it established the principle that everyone is subject to the law, even the king, and guarantees the rights of individuals, the right to justice and the right to a fair trial. The specially built Charter Room in Magna Carta House (below) is home to the stone on which it is claimed the Magna Carta was signed. What an historic and amazing place for the launch of the 2022 Responsible Tourism Charter:

The 2022 Responsible Tourism Charter

Sustainability is an aspiration. It will only be realised if and when we take responsibility for making tourism sustainable. Responsibility drives sustainability. Responsible Tourism is about "making better places for people to live in and better places for people to visit."

The diversity of our world makes travel worthwhile and generates tourism. Few businesses or destinations can address all the issues on the Responsible Tourism agenda. We need to explain why we take responsibility for the things we choose to improve through tourism and the impacts of our efforts.

Responsible Tourism:

Recognises that greenhouse gas emissions, plastic waste, and biodiversity extinction are global issues requiring local action, potable water is an issue in many places, but not everywhere;
Sets goals, measures and reports efforts to minimise negative economic, environmental, and social impacts, including crowding and overtourism
Generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well-being of host communities by providing better employment conditions, developing shared value with local businesses to create more and better livelihoods and addressing the economic needs of th economically poor and marginalised.
Involves local people in decisions that affect their communities, their lives and life chances
Makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, to the maintenance of the world's diversity, lived cultures and cultural monuments
Addresses biodiversity loss and is nature-positive
Provides inclusive employment for the differently abled and people of diverse ethnicities, gender and sexual orientation
Provides more enjoyable experiences for all, through more meaningful connections with local people and a greater understanding of local history and culture and social and environmental issues;
Offers culturally sensitive experiences engendering respect between tourists and hosts and building local pride and confidence.

We call upon countries, multilateral agencies, destinations and enterprises to develop locally relevant practical guidelines to these ends and to take the necessary action, reporting on the change achieved. We encourage planning authorities, tourism businesses, tourists and local communities to take responsibility for achieving sustainable tourism.

We call upon countries, multilateral agencies, destinations and enterprises to develop practical guidelines and to encourage planning authorities, tourism businesses, tourists and local communities - to take responsibility for achieving sustainable tourism and creating better places for people to live in and for people to visit.

Recognising that sustainability is a journey and that we will need to do more when we can, we commit

to do what we can to make tourism better,
to explain why we focus on particular issues, and
what we are doing to address them and
recognising that transparent and auditable reporting on the impacts of our efforts is essential to demonstrating what is being achieved by those taking responsibility and moving our sector towards sustainability.

Signed on Magna Carta Island on November 6th, 2022 at an event sponsored by Therme.