"Ecotourism guru."
This phrase is applied quite liberally to a number of scholars, consultants and entrepreneurs, but I have yet to figure out what it means. Perhaps we are so desperate that someone actually have a handle on all of the components of ecotourism, we agree to agree with others' interpretations of what defines genius.
One of the many problems - or challenges - of ecotourism is that this field combines the specialization of both environmental conservation and the tourism industry. It is difficult to master either component, let alone both. Perhaps we need to acknowledge that there are no experts, but there are people who are moving up the learning curve faster than others.
This past month I have had the pleasure of speaking on ecotourism at a number of conferences, including the Responsible Travel Expo in San Francisco and the Retos de Ecoturismo conference in Monterrey, Mexico. Speaking on familiar themes - the need to share information, to cooperate in educational endeavors and the great importance of the promotion of smaller eco-friendly destinations throughout Latin America - I found people were more ready than ever to set aside personal egos and work together.
I created this journal El Planeta Platica because as a rule in the United States, we don't hear much about Latin America, and if we do, certainly not about parks and recreational tourism. But why not? I could cite the list of statistics on biodiversity, but to be honest, I'm attracted by the region's friendliness. I've traveled in many countries, but not all. And since I'm always drawn to parks and reserves and environmentalists in general, I strike up conversations with great individuals running great projects that no body else ever seems to hear of. So I started this journal to spotlight those people doing so much in practice and with love for this planet.
Case in point - as this issue went to press (more specifically, the web - at least in this incarnation), Jorge Chavez de la Peña called me and asked if I could get together for some coffee. Jorge is a retired teacher and a consultant de ecoturismo in Mexico City. Previous conversations have run the gamut from taking about family to the Seri indians and travel in general.
Currently, Jorge is updating the tourism section for the magazine Kuanum, a magazine published by the Mexican Associatinof Travel Agencies and soliciting "new voices," particularly those inspired by sustainable and environmental tourism. As a frequent lecturer in Mexico, he gave me a disk with his presentations that I am putting online http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/mexico/ecoturismo/jcpindex.html
As mentioned before in this column, I have been working on two new guidebooks on environmental travel, and I'm happy to announce that Honduras: Adventures in Nature (co-authored with Jim Gollin) is now in bookstores.
Upcoming Trips: This May I am taking a personal trip to Peru. Suggestions are welcome, and you can find new materials about Peru online this website in a few months. Also, in October, I will be participating in the World Congress on Adventure Tourism and Ecotourism in Ecuador. For more info, see http://www.planeta.com/ecuador.html.
Ron Mader hosts the Planeta.com website and writes frequently on Latin American issues. He is available for speaking engagements and workshops.
1998 Copyright Ron Mader. Non-commercial distribution is welcome and encouraged if source is given. Bridges and Borders is a regular feature from the Planeta.com (http://www.planeta.com).
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