Team

The Xarxa de Turisme Responsable is co-ordinated by a team of volunteers who have various roles, interests and involvements in tourism.  Read on for some background on each of them.

♦ Karen Rodríguez

Graduate of the University Politecnica of Catalonia’s Masters in Strategic Marketing, with first degree studies from the University Autonomous of Barcelona in Tourism & Leisure Management and Social & Cultural Anthropology from the University of Barcelona.

Has applied local and responsible tourism knowledge to introduce social and cultural practices between tourists and local people for Costa Brava Group, and has worked for the Centre for Tourism and Cultural Change based in the UK on marketing management, supporting tourism projects, and collaborating in the design of tourism conferences.

What’s RT? Responsible Tourism is the way of travelling conscientiously, means adopting ethic values for making sustainable tourism within destinations and respecting both the environment, and local people, and striving together to make our world a better place to live.

Main interests in:

  • informing social and cultural practices between tourists, local people and branding companies in Spain, France and Mexico
  • destination management through sustainable strategic planning in Catalonia
  • applying responsible tourism initiatives to develop tourism businesses in Latin America, particularly in Costa Rica, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru.
  • producing a valuable tourist service to market an authentic image
  • working together on issues of authenticity through promoting culture, ethical practices, tourism education, and the power of natural & cultural heritage

Will be blogging soon at: http://pureandrealtourism.wordpress.com/.

♦ Mariana Quiroz

Student of the ICRT’s Masters in Responsible Tourism Management, with first degree studies in International Business from the University of Barcelona and Tourism Development Studies from the Escola Superior de Turisme de Barcelona.

Has applied local and responsible tourism knowledge to develop and implement the marketing plan for Ethnic, a  Barcelona-based responsible tourism association.  Has also volunteered for the International Tourism Partnership, a London-based NGO, translating training documents to reinsert human traffic victims into the hospitality industry.

What’s RT?  Responsible tourism is to minimise negative impacts and to maximise the positive ones, making tourism fair and enjoyable for the visitors and the host communities, respecting and protecting the environment, enabling sustainable development and enhancing the experience of travelling.

Main interests in:

  • facilitating the adoption of responsible and sustainable tourism practices in small tourism businesses in Latin America, especially in Peru.
  • social responsibility in tourism businesses
  • raising awareness of RT between travellers
  • pro-poor tourism initiatives in developing countries.
  • using social media as a tool to communicate successful cases of responsible tourism.

Also blogs at http://marianabcnrt.wordpress.com/

♦ Robin Barden

Graduate of the ICRT’s Masters in Responsible Tourism Management, with a doctorate from the University of Bradford’s Management Centre, and first degree studies in Environmental Science and Urban and Rural Planning.

Has applied local and responsible tourism knowledge to compile My Guide to a Sustainable Congress for the IUCN World Congress in Barcelona, and has advised tourism businesses in Catalonia on adopting responsible tourism principles and practices.

What’s RT?  Responsible tourism is many things (see our group’s definition) but I like to hear it described as a movement for change that challenges and informs those involved in tourism to take responsibility, adopt smarter practices and make places better for people to live in and visit. 

Gets involved in:

  • facilitating the adoption of responsible and sustainable tourism practices in small tourism businesses
  • devising effectives ways to communicate sustainability
  • acquiring sense of place insights and developing sense of place toolkits
  • developing ways to sustain liveable places that are also enjoyable to visit
  • producing guides to places that promote respect, enjoyment and enrichment

Also blogs at RTnotesfromthefield and Sense Our Way and Twitters from time to time.