Le guide du Routard continues to invest in sustainable tourism. Building on the success of the first edition and always accompanied by the expertise of its partners Voyages-sncf.com, ADEME and Comité 21, the guide to Sustainable Tourism 2009 edition has been enriched with sixty new addresses including 40 in France, the preferred destination for the French and a dozen additional addresses in Europe. And, for those who prefer distant destinations, this new edition has also broadened its horizons by offering a dozen addresses on other continents: Asia, Africa and South America.
The Guide du Routard du Tourisme durable has chosen to present initiatives selected for their orientation in favor of responsible and controlled tourism, as well as for their desire to share their commitment in favor of this new attitude. Its editor, Pascal Languillon, heads the French Ecotourism Association. Criss-crossing France for several years in search of exemplary and innovative proposals, he considered the originality and the quality of the offers, covered all ranges of comfort and ensured a balanced geographical distribution.
The book lists the contact details of tour operators, organizations and associations, who are keen to promote a new way of preparing and living their trip. In addition to the forerunners, such as the ATES (Association for Fair and Solidarity Tourism), which unites the twenty or so French associations offering fair and solidarity trips abroad, this 2009 edition presents new players who have joined the movement. The association ATR (Agir pour le tourisme responsable) has, for example, created a label recognized by the State, based on regular and independent monitoring, implying environmental management criteria and involvement of local populations in tourism projects . And always in this guide: a reminder of the fundamental concepts of sustainable tourism and a lexicon which clarifies the somewhat technical terms.
The Guide du Routard du Tourisme durable shows that responsible travel is accessible to everyone. Contrary to popular belief, no need to budget more than a conventional trip. Above all, beyond commitment, traveling responsibly also means having fun. If one of the bases of sustainable tourism is the reduction of consumption, that does not prevent it from rhyming with charm, comfort and pleasure - pleasure of the table, pleasure of meeting, pleasure of discovery.
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