"Fair trade" travel no longer a green fantasy

Bremen, Germany - The "fair trade" label influences many people's shopping decisions such as buying coffee and chocolate. But the concept has yet to make its mark on planning a vacation as it's difficulty to say which vacations might adhere to fair trade principles.

A seal of approval would take the guesswork out of choosing a trip. Until then, reports showing how travel groups pay their employees and the working conditions in the destination countries could provide an alternative.

Some say the time is ripe for such considerations.

"Transfair products increased by 30 per cent in 2007," says Heinz Fuchs of Tourism Watch, part of the Bonn-based Evangelical Development Service. The trend is fuelled by travellers who are worried about the ecological and sociological impact of their spending habits.

"This idea is pretty widespread in other countries, but it's just catching on here," says Fuchs.

Indeed, "fair trade" labels are not entirely new in the travel industry. South Africa's tourist organizations already use them and some European organizations are considering similar ideas.

Rainer Hartmann, a professor at Bremen College sees the merit of such proposals. "People do not want to have a guilty conscience when they travel," he says. "Consciousness in this area has grown, just like the evolution of organic food products, which are now on sale at every discount store."

And just like organic apples, a seal of approval for fair trade travel would be useful, says Hartmann. Not only would it have the bonus of providing a standard set of criteria, it would also add transparency. "It would make it easier to convey that 'this trip is OK,'" he says.

Hartmann says there is a demand for fair trade travel. Fuchs, who represents Tourism Watch in an interstate working group, agrees. The working group is trying to lay down criteria for a seal, which would look at factors like fair pay for workers. "There have to be set working hours. Employees should have health and accident insurance, as well as unemployment insurance," says Fuchs, ticking off the seal's requirements.

The group has agreed that the label should not focus on niche markets for do-gooders. "It should instead focus on mainstream tourism." That's why the group plans to discuss its standards with major industry players.

There's also widespread agreement that tour operators and companies should not get the seal. It should instead be awarded to products such as individual tours.

Not everyone is convinced a seal is the best idea.

"Certification is not cheap. It costs several thousand euros," says Rolf Pfeifer, Chief Executive Officer of Forum Anders Reisen, a group of travel operators dedicated to environmentally sound tourism. "A lot of hotels won't be able to afford it. Nor will a lot of small operators."

Pfeifer's company recently completed a report on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in tourism. The report is meant to serve as the basis for sustainability reports for other organizers to show how they comply.

A recent decision by the forum requires all members to get CSR certification by the end of 2010. The certification would cover many of the same values covered by any fair trade seal. (dpa)