Tourism with respect and a vision

In 2011, the commitment of Naturefriends International (NFI) for sustainable tourism was given the name RESPECT.

With RESPECT, NFI contributes to a tourism that is ecologically, socially and economically sustainable in the long term and that supports the Sustainable Development Goals of the Agenda 2030 of the United Nations.
Ideally, travelling will enrich the travellers as much as the people in the destination. Tourism ought to be a positive and meaningful experience for travellers and for locals alike, aiming to promote mutual understanding.
Our aim is to promote a form of tourism which is fair towards the environment and the people in the destinations; tourism that all those involved benefit from; tourism which is sustainably successful.

Our work has four areas of activity:

Information and public relations activities
NFI – RESPECT issues publications, prepares media reports, offers expert press information, organises and moderates events and provides its expertise to informational offers of third parties. 

Educational activities
NFI – RESPECT compiles educational material, drafts and evaluates target group-specific educational offers and organises workshops and lectures in tourism education institutions. 

Networking
NFI – RESPECT is in close contact with tourism institutions and networks, brings together experts on different occasions and acts as intermediary between the stakeholder groups of science, politics, economy, and civil society. (Our Network)

Political activities
NFI – RESPECT publishes recommendations and demands for shaping legal framework conditions, takes a stand in discussions relating to tourism policies and remains in contact with political decision-makers in Austria and Europe.
 

Our history

1995
The IITF - Institute for Integrative Tourism and Leisure Research is founded at the occasion of the 100th anniversary celebration of Naturefriends.

 
1998
The Austrian Development Cooperation founds the organisation "respect – Zentrum für Tourismus und Entwicklung" (respect - Centre for Tourism and Development) in order to pursue issues regarding tourism in development cooperation in a professional manner. respect shares an office with the IITF.

2003
The IITF and respect merge and become the new organisation "respect – Institute for Integrative Tourism and Development".

2011
respect becomes part of the structure of Naturefriends International. That way, joint expertises and networks can be used more efficiently and in an intensified manner at the European level.