Our Mission & Vision for Archaeology Travel
OUR MISSION
OUR VISION
is to create a network of like-minded venues and organisations
in the heritage tourism sector that promote sustainability, inclusivity and accessibility
in their day-to-day practice as well as their approaches to presenting the world’s pasts.
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For Everyone
Visitors to heritage attractions are excluded for a variety of reasons. These range from being unable to physically enter a venue to finding only one side of a site's history presented. Sites and museums should welcome people of all backgrounds, and ensure they can explore all facets of an attraction to their fullest abilities. In our guides and articles we endeavour to include topics often ignored or downplayed. Topics often deemed uncomfortable or difficult, such as Slavery and Colonialism. We also highlight those venues that cater for their visitors' differing abilities, whether having braille information panels or providing lip-reading guided tours.
Sustainable Tourism
As a member of the One Planet Network, one aspect of our research is to identify solutions archaeological and historical sites and museums have developed to making tourism sustainable. Not only do we share these practices within the heritage tourism industry, we also encourage our readers to take a proactive role in adopting sustainable behaviours as tourists. We provide information for people to make choices that have a lesser impact on the historic as well as the natural environment. We align ourselves with the ideals and principles of responsible travel, slow travel and cultural travel and encourage people to do more than "take nothing but photographs and leave nothing but footprints".
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Meaningful Engagement
We firmly believe that by implementing practices that promote sustainability, accessibility and inclusivity in heritage tourism, historical attractions and venues provide a more meaningful experience for all visitors. Encouraging tourists to spend more time in a destination is not only good for reducing CO2 emissions, it allows visitors to engage more meaningfully with local communities, their arts and crafts initiatives, their gastronomy, as well as exploring lesser known sites and attractions in an area. More engaging and meaningful experiences lead to greater heritage appreciation and literacy.
