Blue Sky Cafe

Will the credit crunch usher in a green backlash, as people abandon environmentalism in favour of what they consider more pressing economic concerns, and how should the green movement respond? Throughout the weekGuardian has asked a number of leading thinkers to assess the lessons of history and the changing tactics necessary to deliver their agenda during a recession.

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But what impact will the fiancial crisis have on the Green Travel Industry? Harold Goodwin of the responsible tourism Awards, announced this week, explains how tourism can and should be a force in these cash strapped times.

All the champions of responsible tourism report high levels of repeat bookings and referrals; tour operators say that responsible tourism has been good for their businesses. Caroline Bremner of the market research company Euromonitor, which released its Global Trends Report at this week’s World Travel Market in London, reports that “the desire for environmental responsibility, social interaction, authentic travel experiences and fair trade practices” has more relevance to more travellers in the current economic environment. But that change in our attitude to travel has been a while in coming.

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