How indigenous communities are driving sustainable tourism

I am currently working on the Pacific island of Samoa, helping the Polynesian people find a way to meet their need for foreign exchange without diluting their culture or degrading the Earth they view as sacred.

Faced with the prospect of becoming just another piece of resort real estate, members of the tourism sector are coming together to explore ways of enriching their guests’ experience while ensuring that the money they spend directly benefits villages and helps provide livelihoods and hope for local young people.

Crece la tendencia del turismo sostenible

 El turismo sostenible surgió hace más de tres décadas, sin embargo, en los últimos años las nuevas tendencias ecologistas y los turistas interesados en preservar el medio ambiente se encargaron de impulsar este movimiento. Aunque reciba muchos nombres, turismo responsable, ecoturismo, turismo sostenible o slow, el objetivo que los une es el mismo: el respeto máximo por la ecología.

Sustainable tourism gains traction

Travellers and travel agents alike are keen to preserve the beauty of holiday destinations. But are we ready to curb our cheap-flight weekend-away mentality to make it happen?

News that the Caribbean could have lost up to 80% of its coral reef over recent decades comes as no big surprise to Louise Armstrong. Five years ago, she sat down with leaders in the tourism industry and mapped out the sustainability challenges ahead. The subsequent Tourism 2023 report made for a long list. «There’s everything from the impacts of climate change…to the availability of resources and the cost of travel in the future,» notes Armstrong, a senior sustainability adviser for UK environment non-profit organisation Forum for the Future.