Don't Steal My Water!!!

The stealing or monopolising of natural resources by hotel complex's, especially in the developing world, has always been an area of worry and concern. Especially if it means that host communities are forced to go without such major commodities as water...

"Water Equity in Tourism" is a new initiative from Tourism Concern that aims to stop these problems. They say "The right to water constitutes one of the most fundamental human rights. Yet for local communities in many countries, this right is being undermined in the name of tourism. While tourists can enjoy several showers a day, swimming pools, golf courses and lush landscaped gardens, neighbouring communities often face severe water shortages. This can exacerbate already extreme conditions of hardship and poverty...

Water Equity in Tourism (WET) is Tourism Concern's new programme of research and campaigning. It aims to promote and protect the right to water of local communities in the face of increasing competition from the tourism industry. The programme involves:

1.Ground-breaking research into tourism’s impact on water access of local communities. This is being analysed by a special steering committee made up of water experts from campaigning groups, development agencies, think-tanks and academia...

2.Awareness-raising with tourists and the tourism industry
Lobbying and advocacy, including promoting dialogues with industry, governments and community stakeholders in a bid to ensure local peoples' right to water is protected..."

Please go to http://www.tourismconcern.org.uk/index.php?page=water-equity and think how you can also make a difference...

Barticus.