Ecumenical Coalition on Third World Tourism
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Ecumenical Coalition on Third World Tourism (ECTWT) - non-governmental organization, which declares its aim to challenge the negative impacts of tourism on society and environment by helping vulnerable people and groups. The association involves 70 secular and faith-based groups and based in Hong Kong. Founded in 1982.
The major four areas of activities: various forms of alternative tourism, awareness of the dangers of sex tourism, the defence of victims of child abuse (leading to the establishment of the ECPAT), critical analysis of golf tourism.
ECTWT is taking part in international plans and campaigns, such as the UN Year of Ecotourism 2002, UN Commission on Sustainable Development, Convention on biological diversity, WTO/GATS negotiations (World Trade Organization/General Agreement on Trade in Services) and the Implementation of the WTO "Global Code of Ethics for Tourism".[1]
[edit] Principal aims of ECTWT
- Focus on tourism and the effect it has on the lives of the people of the Third World and the environment.
- Provide opportunities for local people affected by tourism to express their views and concerns.
- Denounce unfair practices in tourism and encourage action to change them.
- Promote a good quality of tourist activity that is appropriate to the quest for a just, participatory and sustainable society.
- Empower indigenous people and support them in their attempts to get a fair price for their exposure to tourism.
- Lobby against violation of Human Rights related to tourism development projects at national and international level.
- Provide research and information on the impact of tourism.
