Harold is Professor of Responsible Tourism Management and Director of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism at Leeds Metropolitan University where he teaches and supervises research, and does some writing and research himself.

In the 1990's much of his research and consultancy was on tourism and conservation, particularly in and around national parks; he directed a major study for DFID on Tourism, Conservation and Sustainable Development at the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology 1994-1997, looking at parks in India, Indonesia and Zimbabwe. Consultancy work on tourism development in and around national parks and heritage trails in Slovenia, Albania and Bulgaria followed.

In 1998 he wrote the first paper of Tourism and Poverty Elimination for DFID, this led on to his work with the Pro-Poor Tourism Partnership and to training, evaluation and consultancy work on tourism, local economic development, and poverty reduction. In The Gambia he led a market access project for informal sector craft workers, guides, fruit sellers and juice pressers which significantly increased their incomes.

Since the mid-90's Harold has been involved in action research, pursuing the concept of responsible tourism in the UK with tour operators and campaigning organisations like VSO and Tearfund in the UK; and in destinations working with industry, governments, and communities to make tourism more sustainable and to enrich host communities. Harold assisted the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism in South Africa to develop practical responsible tourism guidelines

Harold is an advisor to the World Travel Market on World Responsible Tourism Day; chair of the Academic Advisory Panel of the International Tourism Partnership and Chair of the Judges for the annual Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards He co-chaired the Kerala International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations held at Easter 2008, the follow-up to the Cape Town Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations which he also co-chaired and produced the Kerala Declaration. In May 2009 he is co-chairing the 3rd International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations which is being held in Belize.

He is currently involved in establishing a new Travel Philanthropy charity Travaid. Harold has worked as a consultant and researcher for the UN World Tourism Organization, the UK's DFID, the EU, the World Bank, KPMG, Deloitte & Touche, the International Finance Corporation, the AKDN and the International Trade Centre; and for a host of tour operators including the Association of Independent Tour Operators and the Federation of Tour Operators.

Harold is a director of the Responsible Tourism Partnership which works to develop links between UK tour operators and responsible tourism businesses and organisations in destinations. He is non-executive chair of peopleandplaces a new social enterprise company established to provide responsible volunteering experiences.

Harold Goodwin co-founded ResponsibleTravel.com with Justin Francis, although he is no longer a shareholder or director he watches the development of the company with paternal interest and distance. In 2007 he created Irresponsible Tourism.info to provide a space for whistle blowing and debate; and in 2008 he launched a site which provides information about good practices and a forum for sharing good practices and debating best practice.