It is a sign of our level of awareness and our commitment to promoting the culture of tourism to accept this “Responsible Tourism Charter” and fulfilling its provision. So we have prepared this charter to promote such an approach in tourism worldwide and particularly in Iran. We also suggest that all travelers, including travelers and tourism service businesses, give it the highest priority in their behavior and policies. This charter is a moral code that is the result of the study, experience, and desire to improve the quality of tourism in Iran and other parts of the world.
A Practical Step in Adhering to the Provisions of the Charter of Responsible Tourism
We ask all those who believe in this charter to place a desirable size of the following logo on their personal or commercial site or pages and link it to this page. This step indicates that you are active in promoting the goals of this charter.
In the meantime, we recommend that you take a more serious step in this direction to demonstrate your practical commitment to the “Responsible Tourism Charter”:
To make this easier, you can also put the following HTML code in the source code of your page:
“Responsible Tourism Charter”
Small logo: 250 by 250
“Responsible Tourism Charter”
Medium logo: 300 by 300
“Responsible Tourism Charter”
Large logo: 350 by 350
We know that adherence to the “responsible tourism charter” must be within the framework of a comprehensive national plan and in the direction of sustainable tourism and sustainable development in order to achieve all its goals. Therefore, such a plan includes two groups:
- Governments and government agencies that must responsibly adopt and implement macro-national tourism policies; and
- Tourists and tourism service providers who should play their parts with their knowledge and individual and organizational interactions.
Our goal is to teach all Iranians to play their parts properly and to inform others.
Individuals and organizations’ Roles in the Responsible Tourism Charter
In order to achieve the goals of all individuals to accept personal and organizational responsibilities, it is necessary for government organizations and institutions to consider the highest priority to this charter in their policies and actions in the direction of sustainable tourism and sustainable development.
We, travelers and tourism service providers, as a large part of this humanitarian campaign, are doing our part by adhering to the “Responsible Tourism Charter”. Likewise, we invite all individuals and businesses engaged in the travel or tourism service-providing sector to support and implement this Charter.
Responsible Tourism Charter for Travelers
As a traveler, we consider and implement the following:
A) Our responsibilities to the local people and the people of the host community:
- Before taking photos of people or their belongings on the trip and in the host community, we ask their permission, whether we are in this photo (selfie) or not,
- Our words, my voice, my personal moods and expressions, even in our faces and body language, will be respectful when dealing with people in the host community,
- We speak delightfully and respectfully with people in the host community,
- Instead of judging the people of the host community and their culture, history, customs, how they dress, etc., we accept them as they are and try to get to know them more and better by spending the necessary and sufficient time.
- By making no noise pollution, such as different music or loud car music player, obscenities and inappropriate words, etc., we show our respect for them,
- By avoiding to create scenes unfamiliar with the local culture of the host community, we show our respect for them,
- By studying tourist destinations beforehand, we try not to cause the maximum influx of tourists there and not to be part of the huge wave of travelers at a particular time in that particular place,
- We will support local businesses by buying food and souvenirs (at a fair price) from the residents of the cities along the way and the tourist destination itself. If we do not agree with the announced prices and do not buy for the same reason, we will still treat the sellers with respect,
- At local restaurants, we order local food made by the host community’s recipe to learn more about their food culture,
- We try to eat at local restaurants to support local businesses,
- We refuse to eat the meat of rare or endangered animals and migratory birds in local restaurants, and
- In cases of infectious diseases, we avoid traveling to infected areas as much as possible. If we have to travel, we follow health protocols.
B) Our responsibilities toward nature:
- By keeping nature clean, this national and global human heritage, we promote this belief,
- What we will leave behind will be just a footprint, nothing else,
- We will choose a vehicle that has the least environmental pollution,
- We will not use disposable plastic items as much as we can,
- We will treat plants and animals (especially wild species) kindly and will not threaten them or deprive them of their comfort,
- We do not threaten the living environment of animals and the plants’ growing habitat, and Iwe do not take them out of the natural state, we do not threaten the living environment of animals and the plants’ growing habitat, and we do not take them out of the natural state,
- We will obtain the necessary permits to enter protected areas and biosphere reserves if required by law.
- We do not leave any objects, garbage, … in nature (on the ground, in the river, lake, on the tree, in the forest, …) so that other travelers can learn from me, and
- We do not take any objects or living things from nature as a souvenir and we do not separate them from their natural environment.
C) Our responsibilities in choosing tourism service providers:
- We try to choose a place to stay in that believes in the principles of this “Responsible Tourism Charter” and that its services are nature-friendly,
- We try to use ecolodges, traditional houses and local accommodation to support local businesses as well,
- We try to choose accommodations that minimize damage to the environment by using water and energy resources optimally,
- We try to get my travel package from companies that believe in principles similar to this “Responsible Tourism Charter”.
- We try to choose companies that believe in sustainable tourism and sustainable development, and
- We try to choose companies that do not seek maximum tourism and do not damage the capacity of the host community with too much pressure.
Responsible Tourism Charter for Tourism Service Providers
As a company / business / service provider active in the field of tourism, we consider and implement the following:
A) Our responsibilities toward travelers:
- Our words, loudness, moods and personal expressions, even in face and body language, when dealing with tourists, will be respectful,
- Instead of judging tourists and their culture, history, customs, clothing, etc., we accept them as they are and try to get to know them more and better by spending the necessary and sufficient time.
- By making no noise pollution, loud talking and long arguments and playing loud music, obscenities and inappropriate words, etc., we show our respect for travelers,
- By not creating unfamiliar scenes with the culture of travelers and disturbing the peace and rest of travelers, we show our respect for them,
- In order to prevent the maximum influx of tourists, if the capacity of service facilities to tourists is completed, we will not try to attract them too much,
- We will be fair in selling all kinds of goods, food, and souvenirs (at a fair price) to travelers. If travelers do not consider the announced prices fair and do not buy for the same reason, we will still treat them with respect,
- By using the best quality goods and skillful services, we try to encourage travelers to use local goods and services as well as eat local food to become more familiar with our food culture,
- In local restaurants, we offer local cuisine of the host community to make travelers more familiar with our food culture,
- We encourage travelers to dine at local restaurants to support local businesses,
- We refuse to offer meat of rare or endangered animals and migratory birds in local restaurants, and
- In cases of infectious diseases, we prioritize the health of tourists and apply health protocols.
B) Our responsibilities toward nature:
- By keeping nature clean, this national and global human heritage, we promote this belief,
- By learning and observing the scientific principles of waste management, we will minimize the amount of waste production and disposal,
- We will choose vehicles for transportation that have the least environmental pollution,
- We will not use disposable plastic items as much as we can,
- We will treat plants and animals (especially wild species) kindly and will not threaten them or deprive them of their comfort,
- We do not threaten the living environment of animals and the plants’ growing habitat, and we do not take them out of the natural state,
- We will obtain the necessary permits to enter protected areas and biosphere reserves, if required by law,
- We do not leave any objects, garbage, … in nature (on the ground, in the river, lake, on the tree, in the forest, …) so that travelers can learn from us, and
- We do not take any objects or living things from nature as a souvenir and we do not separate them from their natural environment.
C) Our responsibilities toward travelers and tourism service providers:
- We strive to provide accommodation in accordance with the principles of this “Responsible Tourism Charter” and to provide nature-friendly services to travelers there,
- We try to minimize the damage to the environment in our residence by using water and energy resources optimally,
- We try to make our travel packages comply with the principles of this “Responsible Tourism Charter”,
- We try to support other local businesses by buying the right goods and services,
- We strive to work with companies that believe in responsible tourism and sustainable development, and
- We try to select companies that do not contribute to maximum tourism and do not damage the capacity of the host community with too much pressure.
The Dynamic Nature of This Tourism Charter
Since this moral code is prepared for the first time and given to the people in the tourism sector, it has a dynamic nature and will definitely change. Of course, its basic principles will not change, but it is possible that the current uncertain angles will be revealed, suggestions will be received, and they will urge us to update and improve the current “Responsible Tourism Charter”.
How Can We Be Notified of Changes to This Charter?
To reserve the right for all of you to be aware of any changes to this charter, we have two suggestions for you:
- Follow the contents of the website and especially the “Tourism” section!
- Subscribe to our newsletter to be notified of probable changes!
You can find the Persian version of “Responsible Tourism Charter” here!
