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During a recent Tourism Society event in London, a panel of experts which included Sustainable Travel International’s Marilyn Larden discussed the topic: Has sustainable tourism made the progress it should have, and has the recession make it harder?

The last few years have seen radical global change across all sectors and lifestyles. Recession tourism is now a travel trend, which evolved by way of the world economic crisis, and can be defined by low-cost, high-value experiences taking the place of once-popular generic retreats. But how does this affect the travel industry's role in responsibility?   

As expected there were differing opinions on the answer to this question. Travel Foundation’s Julie Middleton feels that progress has been made, demonstrated by a growing awareness of the need to act and the proven business case for sustainability, but adds there is still a long way to go.  Marilyn Larden agrees that progress has been made, but that this progress has been a bit stifled by the fragmented nature of the travel sector, particularly within the UK.  She added that sustainability measures do translate into direct bottom line results, and that the industry is missing an opportunity to embrace this.

The over-arching conclusion was that the recession has absolutely made it more difficult for some companies, however many are seeing that long-term operational success and financial health are viable through sustainable management. Ultimately this can be fostered through an ethical approach to business, and a consistent focus on quality product delivery and customer experience.