New Year Honours 2025: Tourism pioneer awarded OBE for services to nature and the environment
Mr Francis founded Brighton-based activist vacation company Responsible Travel in 2000, alongside Professor Harold Goodwin and with support from mentor and Body Shop founder Dame Anita Roddick. Its goal was to drive change in the tourism industry through an alternative type of travel that aimed to reduce the negative impacts of tourism, and maximise its benefits for local places and people.
The company marks its 25th anniversary on January 4th.
Since its launch, Mr Francis has campaigned extensively on a range of human and animal rights issues, from orphanage tourism to cetaceans in captivity, accessibility and overtourism. From 2009 he campaigned against voluntary carbon offset schemes – advocating instead for aviation system change, flight and carbon reduction and ambitious steps to restore nature.
In 2004, Mr Francis founded The World Responsible Tourism Awards, now run by The International Centre for Responsible Tourism.
His advocacy work on biodiversity and the climate crisis extends into several additional roles.
In 2018 Mr Francis was appointed to the UK Council for Sustainable Business (CSB), where he serves as nature lead – advising the Government on the Environmental Improvement Plan and the role of business. He also chairs Projects for Nature, a digital marketplace connecting nature restoration projects in the UK with corporate donors, and sits on the Board of Directors for Saruni Basecamp in Kenya, a community-based safari and conservation initiative working in partnership with Maasai and Samburu families across 1 million acres of land.
Justin Francis OBE said: “It's a huge honour to be recognised for the work that I love. The responsible travel movement has come a very long way in 25 years. I'm proud of what we've achieved, grateful to everyone who's been part of creating change, and excited by the progress and innovation we're seeing.
“Responsible business is not only possible, but profitable – proving that is essential to driving urgent industry reforms. There are obstacles still – in tourism and other sectors alike – but it's encouraging to have seen what was once regarded as niche and oddball, progress to become a must-do for any credible business or tourism destination.”
He added: “Responsible tourism is uniquely positioned to support a fairer transition to a nature positive, low carbon future – generating vital conservation funding and income in the least advantaged communities and places of huge significance for biodiversity and carbon sequestration.”
Following a kidney transplant in December 2017 and having been unable to travel for four years, Mr Francis initiated the Trip for a Trip scheme for disadvantaged children who don't have the opportunity to travel far from home, and a manifesto for a more accessible travel industry – an industry, he says, which “needs to get morally and commercially serious about accessibility for those with mental and physical health issues.”
You can read a new year reflection from Justin on ‘community consent and the new age of tourism,’ here.
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