Our Exploring Ecotourism and
Conscious Travel Guide is the 20+ year story of how tourism
and conservation began to change themselves inside-out. This feature
is regularly updated with feedback from travelers, community leaders,
entrepreneurs and policy-makers. We share the stories of how locals
and visitors are creating mutually beneficial relationships
that deepen our understanding of the world.
Some history. I've been a supporter of the local
travel movement, responsible
travel and ecotourism,
long before the terms were coined or churned into associations and
movements! Since 1988 I've been involved professionally and as you
may also know, Planeta.com has been online since 1994 and thus maintains
its hip old school appearance.
In 2011 it's time
to rethink, reflect, reimagine and rebuild on a number of levels
at the same time. Wikification is gaining ground, so please keep
an eye on the Planeta Wiki.
A reminder: the Resource Guide is a work-in-progress. It would
be good to refashion parts of this work into digital format. Suggestions
and partners are welcome.
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BACKGROUND
The term really doesn't matter -- ecotourism, responsible tourism,
sustainable tourism -- whatever policymakers call it, this will
never be THE solution for any particular desired outcome. Tourism
in all its guises - from slow adventures to local travel - can work
in tandem with other cultural and economic forces and serve as a
catalyst which supports sustainable practices, including greening
trade and tourism, conserving wildlife and creating mutually beneficial
relationships among locals
and visitors.
The guide and the entire Planeta.com website ask the big 'what
if' question -- what if we truly helped one another? This contrasts
with what if we try beat up on each other all the time, the vicious
cycle seen far too often. What I'd like to see -- and what Planeta.com
nurtures is what in Spanish is called un circulo virtuoso or a 'virtuous
circle.'
Specifics may vary, but the big picture doesn't -- responsible
tourism is preferable to irresponsible tourism, ecotourism is preferable
to un-ecotourism, local tourism is better than tourism that ignores
the locals and sustainable tourism is, well, you get the idea.
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