| Specifics may vary,
but the big picture doesn't -- responsible
tourism is preferable to irresponsible tourism, ecotourism
is preferable to un-ecotourism and local tourism is better than
tourism that ignores the locals.
In a globalized world we are also more hyperlocal
than ever. We crave the carrotmobs and cater to a growing wave
couchsurfers. Locals
are using Flickr to show
off neighborhood events and visitors are seeking out what makes
places unique. Visitors are checking in using Foursquare
-- 10 million users and 1 billion check-ins as of 2011. To enrich
your vacation, meet the people who are the focal point of the
growing local tourism movement. Slow
down!
Planeta.com is a proud partner of the Local
Travel Movement — the main goal of which is to make
‘local
travel' a key travel trend, aka buzzword that percolates
on the Web and on the street. The movement is a celebration
of the long
tail writ in the world of travel. Quoting Long Tail author
Chris Anderson: “Everyone's taste departs from the
mainstream somewhere. The more we explore alternatives the more
we are drawn to them.”
Speaking with Ethan Gelber, it's refreshing to see how
optimistic he is about the travel industry and the possibilities
of where it can go once localities are valued. Says Ethan: "The
local travel movement adds momentum to a growing movement, to
a growing sense of awareness within the industry that there
is a still a disconnect with the traveler."
Ethan sees the movement – spread across the web using
web 2.0 channels
including LinkedIn and Twitter – as an opportunity to
create a nexus that shows travelers how to successfully engage
with locals. Given the diversity of partner companies, the Local
Travel Movement is not overly descriptive. Rather than define
‘local travel,' the Local Travel Movement simply
places value on an approach to travel that is mindful of local
people, the local environment, local culture and the local economy.
To enrich your vacation, meet the people who are the focal
point of the growing local tourism movement.
LOCAL TRAVEL MOVEMENT
The Local Travel
Movement was initiated by a core coalition of people from
companies that believe Local Travel is greater than the sum
of its parts. Local Travel companies can help give locals a
real voice, engage travellers and develop a stronger ethical
dialogue within the travel industry. Leaders propose four easy
steps to becoming a local traveler:
• connecting with local people before,
during and after a trip
• traveling in a manner that is sensitive
to the local environment
• respecting local heritage and culture
• spending money locally.
While these actions may seem self-evident, the Local Travel
Movement prioritizes this conscious and conscientious shift
in attention to the direct connection between visitor and local
host. For travelers it's a chance to get under a place's skin
(and let it under theirs), while also making the most of their
travel time and saving money by spending locally. For host communities,
it is vital for enforcing the beneficial qualities of tourism,
maximizing a general awareness of the local culture and minimizing
'leakage' from the local economy.
FEATURES
Planeta.com
Joins Local Travel Movement
Local
Food
Slow
Travel
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