What would Responsible Cruising look like? What would be the characteristics of a Responsible Cruise?
Cruising is growing rapidly driven on by technological advances, the attractiveness of the moving, multi-activity, all inclusive, floating resort and the luxury, perceived safety and isolation of the cruise experience.
Presumably we would expect Responsible Cruising to have most, if not all, of the characteristics of Responsible Tourism as defined in the Cape Town Declaration:
- minimises negative economic, environmental, and social impacts;
- generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well-being of host communities, improves working conditions and access to the industry;
- involves local people in decisions that affect their lives and life chances;
- makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, to the maintenance of the world’s diversity;
- provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues;
- provides access for physically challenged people; and
- is culturally sensitive, engenders respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence
At the March conference in Leeds participants will be discussing the applicability of this definition to cruising and the extent to which current practise meets these criteria.
However, cruising raises some additional issues.
- Economic
- the bargaining power of cruise operating companies over landing and berthing fees when they have exceptional mobility and are able to play one port against another.
- the capturing of value in highly vertically integrated companies which often own or part own their handling agents and “local” retailers in the ports.
- the ability of cruise line operators to influence and manage the purchasing decisions of their passengers.
- the extent to which the supply chains of the cruise lines benefit the local economies of the destinations they use.
- Is it true that the destinations do not capture an appropriate share of the value of the cruise – the cruise lines are largely “free loaders” with no investment in the destination.
- Social
- the impact of large numbers of tourists, often inappropriately dressed, coming ashore and dominating the destination to the detriment of locals and other visitors.
- the impact of intensive large group visitors on the aesthetics and visitor experience at natural and cultural heritage sites.
- Environmental
- Discharge of waste – within the 12 mile limit and beyond
- Solid waste disposal ashore
- Green House Gas Emissions
- High intensity, high volume low value visitor pressure undermining conservation at natural and cultural heritage sites.
The conference may well identify more. In Antarctica these issues are exacerbated by the absence of any territorial sovereignty and the absence of regulation, at the conference I shall be exploring some of the issues which arise in the Antarctic, issues which whilst more extreme in Antarctica are representative of the problems posed by cruise tourism in general.
We shall be discussing these issues in at the ICRT in Leeds at a Responsible Cruising Conference – 10am-4pm, 12th March, Leeds – Register Now
Free one day event with keynote speaker Prof Ross Klein, Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada. Ross is an international expert with knowledge of cruising out of the UK, North America and the Caribbean, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Harold Goodwin will be talking about Responsible Tourism in Antarctica. This conference is an opportunity to explore what we mean by Responsible Cruising and to begin to work towards a definition of it.
If you would like to attend, speak, or present a paper please register your interest by emailing Andreas Walmsley at responsiblecruising@googlemail.com
All participants will need to register here
Harold Goodwin