Tourism can be a factor for development in theThird World. It can also contribute to the understanding between peoplefrom different parts of the world. Besides that local people in the ThirdWorld and interested tourists from the North have not benefitted fully fromthe opportunities tourism could offer. From the local population this hasoccasionally led to reactions which vary from taking their own initiativesin organising tours to protests against tourism. From tourists it can beargued that quite often they don't see, let alone understand, as much ofthe daily life and culture of the people, as could be possible. Dutch travel agency Multatuli Travel aims to improvethis situation by contributing to forms of responsible tourism. The ideaof responsible tourism grew simultaneously in Western and Thirld World countriesand this can be seen as part of a sustainable development plan. After thereports of the Palme, Brandt and Bruntlandt commitees and the UNCED conference,the United Nations lobbied for development of the world and particularlyof the Third World that would not lead to the depletion of the basic resourceson which it relies. The principles of responsible tourism are: Tourism should not disturb the balance between the population, the natural resources and capacity of the environment. The economic interests of the local population must profit from tourism. There should be positive linkage effects to economic and social fields. Thus development of tourism must contribute in the long term to development in other economic areas such as trade, agriculture, fishing, small industries, national recreation and tourism, culture and education. Responsible tourism contributes to the economic diversification of both the region and the country. In the economic field the possibilities for a self-reliant or a collectively self-reliant development of the region must increase. Tourism should lead to an increase of the number of jobs with the quality of the employment improving. Tourism should support the control of raw material and energy cycles through: decrease of quantities used choosing the responsible options for transport encouraging recycling. The local people must be involved in the tourism development process through co-operation with decision-makers, experts and consumers at the preparatory, planning, implementation and control stages. Tourism should contribute to the inter-cultural learning process however, it must not contribute to over-romantisation of the Third World nor of the West. The tourists will learn about the local culture while travelling and in return the local population will receive information about Western society. In this way the population can obtain a more complete and balanced image of the western world. New forms of tourism should also seek alternatives for the existing marketing and distribution channels. Responsible tourism must not lead to the well known negative consequences already experienced in a number of Third World countries such as prostitution, crime and drug-abuse. The local population must be positive regarding the use of tourism for the economical and social development of their region, otherwise tourism cannot be called responsible. Tourism should not inhibit but support development in a positive manner.