In 2000 DEAT published national Responsible Tourism guidelines for the private sector, which subsequently became the sector planning guidelines for local government. In 2002 the first International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations was held in Cape Town. This conference coincided with the WSSD (World Summit on Sustainable Development) conference which was taking place in Johannesburg at the same time. Prof Harold Goodwin cochaired the conference and what emerged was the definition of Responsible Tourism in the form of the Cape Town Declaration. This definition has been reaffirmed at the second International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations in Kerala in 2008. The Kerala Declaration on Responsible Tourism was adopted by the World Travel Market (WTM) and the United Nations World Tourism Organisation
(UNWTO) for World Responsible Tourism Day.

Responsible Tourism was defined in the 2002 Cape Town Declaration as:

• minimizes negative economic, environmental, and social impacts;
• generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well-being of host communities, improves working conditions and access to the industry;
• involves local people in decisions that affect their lives and life chances;
• makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, to the maintenance of the world's diversity;
• provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues;
• provides access for physically challenged people; and iis culturally sensitive, engenders respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence

The declaration concludes with a commitment 'to work with others to take responsibility for achieving the economic, social and environmental components of responsible and sustainable tourism.'