The Power of Responsible Travel

On April 7^thCBT Vietnam welcomed nearly a hundred aspiring jetsetters and travel enthusiasts for “The Power of Responsible Travel”. This event featured two of our films including  When the Villagers Left .  There were also talks from five outstanding speakers who shared stories, advice and aspirations for the future, in regards to “responsible travel”. These guest speakers included:

• Mark Harosowksi – Moving Worlds
•  Dr. Peter Williams – Simon Fraser University
• Lo May Ly – From Sapa, Vietnam
•  Erin Butler – G Adventures; and
• Andrew Motiwalla – Discover Corps

This event was a huge success and we were so glad that so many members of our local community were able to come support our project, while taking the time to learn about what they can do to travel responsibly.

So, you may be asking: What is responsible travel? Responsible travel/tourism is a concept that has been defined in different ways by different organizations. Some of these definitions include that responsible travel and tourism is:

 “Travel that aims to minimize tourism's negative impacts on the environment and maximize the positive contributions tourism can make to local communities.” 
– The Centre for Responsible Travel (CREST)

 “An approach to the management of tourism, aimed at maximising economic, social and environmental benefits and minimising costs to destinations. Simply put, Responsible tourism is tourism 'that creates better places for people to live in, and better places to visit.” 
– The City of Cape Town

“About creating more meaningful experiences for travellers by connecting them to the local culture and the natural beauty of host communities around the world.  It is also about ensuring the communities hosting travellers benefit from tourism – through building skills, creating jobs and opportunities – all while protecting local natural and cultural integrity”. 
– The International Centre for Responsible Travel Canada

 

So, what can you do to be a Responsible Traveler?

- Choose businesses that take initiatives to protect our environment

-Choose business that employ local people and create jobs for women

-Be a conscious shopper and purchase goods from local businesses

-Chose businesses that respect human rights

-Take action to protect the local natural environment (save water and recycle when possible, do not litter ect.)

-Do not participate in activities that put wildlife at risk

-Observe and respect the local culture and customs

-Research and choose your volunteer travel experiences wisely

-Learn as much as possible about your destination before you arrive!

We would like to thank our wonderful community members again for attending our event and we encourage everyone to learn about how they can use “the power of responsible travel” to create positive social, economic, and environmental benefits for our world.

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Community-Based Tourism & The UN Sustainable Development Goals

What are the sustainable development goals?

In September 2015, the United Nations launched the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. This agenda proposes that all countries work together to achieve 17 sustainable development goals (SGDs) over the next 15 years. The goals, which UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon refers to as “a to-do list for people and planet” relate to addressing the developmental needs of those in both developed and developing countries to ensure that “no one is left behind”.  

Tourism as a tool?

In order for this ambitious agenda to be accomplished, the UN has called for all sectors to begin on a pathway to sustainable development. Ban Ki-moon has asserted that tourism will be a critical tool for promoting the achievement of the SGDs stating: “Tourism helps people to develop a variety of skills. As a service sector with cross-cutting impact on agriculture, construction or handicrafts, tourism creates millions of jobs and business opportunities. Its capacity to lift people from poverty, promote gender empowerment and help protect the environment has made it a vital tool for achieving positive change in communities across the world”.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization states that the specific SGD's that they aim to address through their work are:

• Promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
•  Ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns
• Conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

CBT and the SGD’s

The call to action for the tourism industry to assist with the achievement of the SGD's is very clear. As tourism students, we are proud to be involved with CBT Vietnam, as it is a project that is based on the values that are apparent in the SGD's, including environmental protection, empowering women, and inclusive growth for all.

As the sustainable development agenda enters its first year, we hope that new partnerships can be formed and that communities worldwide are able to receive the benefits that sustainable tourism can bring!

To learn more about the UN's SGDs click here: 

https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics/sustainabledevelopmentgoals

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Ripple effect of tourism dollars in the Sapa communities

Community development and community support is the foundation of the CBT project. What started out as an idea to help get tourists to stay the night in a village has quickly developed into a trickle down effect that economically impacts more than just the homestay operators.

The project helps maintain critical capacity building momentum so that the benefits of increased tourist visitation are distributed widely in the villages and throughout the region.

During our most recent project trip this past August, the CBT team travelled to Tavan for lunch. This village is one of the original villages the CBT Vietnam project worked with from 2002 - 2007. Our host, Ms. Xoi, talked  about the economic impacts our lunch had on the village. 

Each portion of our meal was connected to the village through two or more people. The rippling of our economic activities from the homestay lunch was beneficial to many within the local / regional community. Her are just some of the examples Ms. Xoi highlighted: 

• A Giay woman down the street made the tofu that we ate, while another woman grew the soy beans to produce the tofu in Ta Van as well;
• The rice wine she bought from her sister, who does not own a homestay, but supplies many business owners with traditional rice wine for their guests;
• Another Giay person had butchered the meat we were eating which came from a family that raises pigs. Many of the pigs in the neighbourhood at the product of another family that studs out the male pigs throughout the village to all of the  people who have female pigs which creates an entire animal husbandry industry.
• Ms. Xoi grows most of her own vegetables but whatever she is unable to pick from her garden she purchase in the village at one of the family-owned markets. 

The UNWTO advocates for tourism's connectivity. “As so many different activities and inputs make up the tourism product, which has a large and diversified supply chain, spending by tourists can benefit a wide range of sectors such as agriculture, handicrafts, transport, and other services. Additional rounds of spending by those people whose income is supported by tourism spread the economic benefit further (the multiplier effect)” (STEP.UNWTO.ORG).

Prior to the enhanced development of homestays and community tourism products the guides and tour companies trucked in the food for their guests. Our research suggested that the economic impacts to the community were minimal. Now with increased number homestays and the development of local services, there is an increased need to have things like food markets in town to support the local community. Each time we visit the villages we notice that the the community has found ways to develop the local supply chain to benefit the local community. 

To learn more about the CBT Vietnam project please visit our website. 

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What a Night, we thank you!

Well the CBT Vietnam team's event of the first screening of Kyle Sandilands' "When the Villagers Left" was a success, with over 120 in attendance! It was not without a lot of last minute calling, facebooking, tweeting, and texting though as earlier in the week we were concerned that we would not meet the goal we of 100 tickets.

I personally phoned, texted, emailed and mailed every person I could think of and invited them to the event. I felt like mission control, counting out loud every time we sold another ticket. 40 soon jumped to 50, then soared to 70. I checked the Eventbrite page more than I checked my email, Facebook and Instagram combined.

Everyone worked tirelessly on this event. Hedieh collected five amazing films to support Kyle's, Emily organized the venue rentals while Sabrina dealt with our suppliers and coordinated the liquor licence, and Maggie took on posting signs everywhere and anywhere building  awareness for the event. Working as a team was incredible which bodes well in terms of the successes we will be able to reach when we travel to Vietnam.

This entire event never would have happened without our fearless leaders. Stephanie Wells and Chris Carnovale took charge of this event and guided us through every step. The success of this event directly reflects their leadership and efforts.

When the event day finally came around everything had come together We cheered when we sold over 100 tickets, (which was our goal) and Chris promptly said "lets make it 120". Alumni of the project came through and supported us with over 15 previous team members in attendance.

We were especially honoured to have Dr. Geoffrey Bird in attendance as he was one of the original founders of this project. Dr. Chris Bottrill, Dean of the Faculty of Global and Community Studies, as well as the project's Director was our MC for the night. In addition, 12 Dao community members who not call Surrey their home, came to the event in their traditional clothes.

All in all the event was a remarkable experience. It is one that I will never forget and I will be forever grateful to our friends, family, colleagues and supporters for showing up in hoards and backing the CBT Vietnam Project.

23 Days until departure. Not that we are counting or anything. 

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A dream come true

Today at our weekly meeting I learnt the most amazing news; I will be joining the team in Vietnam! When I first heard the news, I was in shock. I just smiled and thanked our teacher sponsors Chris Carnovale and Stephanie Wells. As the night continued the news started to sink in. I was going to go to Vietnam! While writing this blog post I have cried, danced around my room and smiled like an idiot. I am so happy and excited. It is a dream come true. I am so honoured and thankful to have been chosen to be part of this project.

In February, I discovered that Capilano University was accepting applicants for the CBT Vietnam Project. I applied but I was doubtful that I would make it because there were so many amazing applicants. At the end of February, I learnt I had made it into the project team as the backup. I was super excited for such a life changing opportunity. However, after last night's announcement, I have had to dramatically change gears. Planning, rescheduling and preparing have taken a new priority.

Last year, I went to an information session at Capilano University for the Tourism Department. The reason I went was to learn a little more about the Outdoor Recreation Management Program I had just been accepted into. At first, I didn't pay to much attention to the other presentations but then a video came on about a community tourism training project in Vietnam. The video blew me away. After just 3 minutes the project stole my heart.

Emily is a first year Outdoor Recreation Management student at Capilano University. 

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Sapa is one for the books!

A new book “The Lost Girls”, written by three friends, chronicling their yearlong adventure around the globe, brings readers into the region of Sapa, and a guide name Tsu, a young Hmong woman.

The Lost Girls (I immediately fell in love, realizing I myself may be a lost girl) are from New York and tired of their careers and lack of adventure pack up their lives and take off on a year long adventure around the globe. Nearing the end of their trip they travel to Sapa via Hanoi and instantly fall in love…(albeit not with the February weather that is)…and take off on a three-night trek into a few villages.

Mastering the Sapa Slide, a dance created by their lack of skill during their trek through rain torn trails, the girls arrive in a homestay, and following dinner, are served “one part lighter fluid, two parts rubbing alcohol” (aka homemade rice wine). As part of our interview, Chris asked us how we would handle being served the local specialty at an early hour. Needless to say I may be a bit hesitant, but look forward to experiencing the local favourite.

Our last meeting coincidentally landed on the day in which I read the chapter dedicated to Sapa. I shared the pages with the team and after talking with not only our current team, but also past CBT Vietnam volunteers Caitlin and Nic, we realized the importance of the project, building sustainable tourism, and the value the training brings to the local communities.

These woman make us even more excited to travel with the team to Sapa and about the opportunity all of us have to work with these truly remarkable communities. We are all nervous; will we be able to do enough? The more and more we think about it we realize we are not the only one educating, but rather the locals will be educating us.

This week's mission: Eat some more Vietnamese food, start our Vietnamese language tutorials, 

and make sure our passports are current.

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When a Village was Heard - Capilano U / PATA Foundation Tourism Project (Sapa, Vietnam)

Here it is! The NEW video by the CBT Vietnam team. We hope you enjoy it! Please fell free to comment below - we love hearing your feedback!


A community tourism training project in the Sapa region of Northern Vietnam operated by Capilano University Vancouver, Canada, and Hanoi Open University, Vietnam, and supported by the PATA Foundation. The project features tourism training to help sustain vulnerable ethnic cultures and maximize benefits of tourism to small and unique villages in Northern Vietnam. Training is done by Capilano and Hanoi Open University students and faculty.

This video is illustrative of a second two-year project that will look to enhance networks between the village of Taphin and private sector tourism companies. The project will also deliver tourism training in the Hmong community of Lao Chai. 

This video was scripted by Chris Carnovale, Chris Bottrill and Kyle Sandilands, and filmed and directed by Kyle Sandilands (www.kylesandilands.ca).

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One day to go until NEW CBT Vietnam video

Tomorrow the CBT Vietnam project will launch its second video. The Capilano University project, funded by the PATA Foundation, had Kyle Sandilands come to Vietnam to shoot a video in the Spring.

Kyle, a Capilano University grad, has said that he is very excited and is planning on working late into the night to have the new video ready for tomorrow.

The music on the new video was composed by Luke Dunn from Capri Studios.

Here is the first instalment, "When the tourists come" filmed and produced by Kyle in 2011.

 Kyle is also working on a third video that was shot on the most recent October trip. Stay tuned!

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Change is Inevitable

What is the extent of the impacts we are having through working in the villages delivering tourism training? Are the impacts all positive? 

When discussing development within such culturally rich communities, it is important to consider the change that inevitably occurs through our actions. In fact, it is our belief that responsible tourism can be a tool for change that motivates our work within Sa Pa district.

Community-based tourism development, when done appropriately, is unique in that it empowers people who have very little, if any, formal education to improve their quality of life by creating employment opportunities with minimal capital investment. Our approach is to work with communities through the engagement of a broad range of stakeholders and the nurturing of important relationships amongst these individuals.

This project builds on the community's capacity to implement and manage change themselves. And this is an important concept - these communities are not static environments that will remain unchanged. CBT training hopefully gives these community members some additional tools to help them effectively cope with a changing world. And perhaps the recent dialogue, now underway after the September trip, between the villagers and Ha Noi's private tourism sector best exemplifies this.

What are your thoughts on the slippery slope of tourism development work?

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