The Torres del Paine (Towers of Paine) are the most famous peaks of the Paine massif in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile, a park that covers 181,414 hectares (448,284 acres) of unique landscapes and is a UNESCO-recognised Biosphere Reserve. Photo © Hernán Torres

The park is one of the nature tourism meccas in Chile. Located in the Chilean Patagonia, it covers a total of 181,414 hectares (448,284 acres) and is among the preferred worldwide destinations for trekking, particularly for its famous five-day ‘W’ circuit (named for the shape of the route). In 1978, Torres del Paine National Park was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, because it is one of the world’s most representative regions of different ecosystem and also provides opportunities to measure human impacts on the environment.

The stark granite rock formations known as the Towers of Paine, the Grey and Dickson glaciers, the numerous waterfalls and lakes, and an abundance of wildlife that includes endangered species such as the condor, the puma and the Huemul deer, are some of the main attractions of this protected area.

Irresponsible Tourists

Unfortunately, the most recent recent conflagration is not the first time that a fire has started as a result of a tourist’s irresponsible conduct. In recent years, three forest fires have affected the park, all of them caused by visitors.

The first one occurred in February 2005, when an inferno that lasted 10 days destroyed more than 13,000 hectares (32,000 acres), or approximately 7 percent of the park. It was sparked by a gas stove used by a Czech tourist in a grassland area where camping was not authorised. The disaster was such that the Czech Republic quickly offered help to restore the damaged sectors and sent Czech experts. The forest cooperation project “Assistance to renew Torres del Paine National Park ecosystems damaged by the fire” ended in December 2010. It ran for five years and included reforestation with 180,000 Lenga (Nothofagus pumilio)plants.

In February 2011, a new fire was again cause for grief. An Israeli tourist who lit a bonfire in an unauthorised area initiated it, although it did not have the same catastrophic consequences because rain helped control the flames. The tourist was expelled from the national park and declared an unwelcome visitor because of his irresponsibility.

Most recently, on December 29, 2011, another Israeli citizen caused the second fire in one year when he tried to burn some toilet paper. The devastation, in this case, was far worse. So much so that volunteers from all over the world came to offer help, including Australian firefighters. Until last week, CONAF– the government agency in charge of managing protected areas in Chile – still had staff putting out blazes in different sectors of the park.

The endangered Huemul deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus) lives in the Chilean and Argentine Patagonia and can sometimes be seen in Torres del Paine National Park. Photo © Hernán Torres

Impacts of the Fire

The native forest that was destroyed comprised trees that grow very slowly and reach maturity only after approximately 200 years. They also need to be protected from the cold and wind during the winter and the dryness during the summer.

Revitalising the scorched areas is therefore not just a matter of replanting small trees, but also of providing them with the required growing conditions. In addition, it’s important to consider that a large part of the fire went underground and affected the area’s soil. Wildlife living in the park will probably return to the damaged sectors only to find them completely barren and will have to move elsewhere in search of food and shelter.

The forced closure of the park also affected the local economy, which depends on income generated by thousands of foreign tourists who visit the area during the high season, between November and February.

It is estimated that tourism business owners lost US$2 million dollars, although this is a preliminary figure that may need to be revised upward. Many local businesses have made great efforts to avoid layoffs because their employees rely on the salaries they obtain during these months.

More than 140,000 tourists travel to Torres del Paine National Park in Chile each year, many to admire the Large Paine Waterfall. Photo © Hernán Torres

Data provided by park authorities shows that, despite the park’s partial reopening, visits dropped 50 percent in January. Thankfully, the Chilean government has allocated resources to support micro and small tourism enterprises in the area and has launched an aggressive international promotion campaign to maintain the flow of visitors to the park in 2012 and 2013.

Who’s to Blame?

This third fire in Torres del Paine caused a flurry of angry comments in social networks and the media, with Chileans demanding that the government change the rules for visitors to national parks, such as forbidding camping, and also allocate more resources to protection. Many people also complained about what was considered to be a slow reaction by the Israeli government to offer help, certainly in comparison to that of the Czech Republic in 2005.

The biggest issue is that Torres del Paineis mainly a destination for foreign tourists. Chilean visitors usually just go for a day trip, since the cost of staying overnight is too expensive for them. Many foreign tourists who also can’t afford to travel to the park with a tour operator and stay at one of the several accommodations available there choose to rent a car to go on their own and to camp.

The Cuernos del Paine (Horns of Paine) are one of the most astounding features of the Paine massif in Chile's Torres del Paine National Park. Photo © Hernán Torres

Those are the riskier visitors, because many of them stay outside of authorised areas. In such cases – faced with inadequate infrastructure – they do whatever they can to be comfortable. Although they generally mean no harm, their limited knowledge of the park’s environmental conditions and their disregard for warnings by park rangers leads them to make wrong decisions.

The Israeli tourist who started this last fire has been forced to stay in the area until the legal investigation is over. He has claimed that there were no warning signs in the national park and that nobody gave him any guidelines. That may be true. National parks in Chile – as in many other countries – suffer from decades of insufficient funding to hire necessary personnel and implement adequate surveillance and prevention measures. Things will probably improve after this devastating fire, but until then it is up to us to act responsibly to ensure that beautiful places such as Torres del Paine National Park are preserved for the enjoyment of future generations.

For incredible vacation packages in Chile, including a five-day discovery tour of Southern Patagonia and Torres del Paine National Park, visit Gunyah.com, the WHL Group’s marketplace for authentic and responsible local travel experiences.

Their practice in experiential and mindful travel and their locals’ knack for identifying, explaining and sustaining the distinctive qualities of a place make them the perfect go-to people for travellers looking for unique ways to experience a destination. But sometimes, when travellers prepare to hit the road, they’re not choosy about where they want to go: they’re actively looking only for the best of the best – the best experiences in the best destinations based on information from the best travel experts.

To facilitate that process, whl.travel has announced the winners of its 2011 internal competitive performance review. Based on their work in 2011, four tour operators – one from each of four broad geographical areas – have been singled out as models for a set of whl.travel standards critical to the operation of their own businesses but also fundamental to the success of the global network. Assessment criteria included response times and customer service, maintaining an active social media presence and keeping destination Web portals up to date.

The whl.travel local partner in Malawi: The Responsible Safari Company (left to right: Chimwemwe Siyabu, Kate Webb, Dom Webb, Andrew Kayuni). Photo courtesy of The Responsible Safari Company

Malawi Triumphs in Africa

In Africa, whl.travel is anchored in about 40 destinations across 20 countries. Taking honors on this continent was the Responsible Safari Company, the whl.travel local connection for Malawi. Apart from demonstrating a strong commitment to community development through sustainable tourism initiatives, they have proven that they are serious about client services.

The whl.travel local connection in Boracay, Philippines: Go Discover Travels (left to right: Kristiana Jorjah Espiritu, Trudy Allen and Chaddy Cocjin; not pictured: Helen Atanacio and John Maclang). Photo courtesy of Go Discover Travels

The Philippines Shine in Asia and the Pacific

The whl.travel local partners in Nepal, the Philippines and northeast India stood out from the mix of more than 70 destinations in 26 countries in Asia and Oceania; however, it was the Philippines’ Go Discover Travels, one of the first partners to join the whl.travel network, that came out on top for their whl.travel Boracay Travel website. They also manage portals in the Philippines for Cebu, Palawan and Manila.

The whl.travel local expert in Corfu, Greece: Corfu Sunspots Travel (right to left: Sandra Broedner and Chrysa Tsakalakou; Andronikos Moutos not pictured). Photo courtesy of Corfu Sunspots Travel

Corfu Takes the Limelight in Europe and the Middle East

Corfu Sunspots Travel Ltd, the whl.travel local expert in Corfu, Greece, ranked above approximately 40 other destinations in about 20 countries in Europe and the Middle East. What started as a small family-run business back in 1986 has blossomed into one of Corfu‘s largest, most reputable and successful agencies.

The whl.travel local partner in Santa Marta, Colombia: Las Pleyades (Fabiola Duerig and Oliver Blanco). Photo courtesy of Las Pleyades

Colombia Conquers in the Americas

The whl.travel local connection in Santa Marta, Colombia, was crowned the winner in the Americas, where there are about 50 whl.travel destinations in 15 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The site for Santa Marta is owned and operated by Las Pleyades, a small company that is a big player when it comes to developing social and environmental travel.

“While every network is only as strong as its weakest link, it’s also as ambitious as its strongest,” commented Rob Shortland, CEO of whl.travel. “whl.travel relies on each local operator to help build and develop our shared global brand. If we want travellers to support local companies then it’s essential that their service standards compete with, if not exceed, that of the large global powerhouses. Add in a large dollop of local knowledge and we’re tough to beat.”

Screenshot of the Bahamas page on Gunyah.com, the website shortlisted by the Caribbean Web Awards 2012

An Award for Quality Websites

Unlike most travel awards, the Caribbean Web Awards 2012 focused on the websites that represent the travel companies, not on the travel companies themselves. As stated on the Caribbean Web Awards 2012 website, special attention was given to best practices in online marketing with an eye toward recognizing websites with excellent graphic communication, superb online copy and salesmanship, and laudable examples of strategies and techniques for enhanced site conversion.

Through its recently launched online presence, designed with all of this in mind, Gunyah dishes up memorable short-break package holidays and vacations managed by a dedicated network of passionate people all around the world. With locals in every destination and a clear responsible travel vision, Gunyah is more in tune with what makes a truly authentic local travel experience.

“We wanted to convey the authenticity and inspiration of our short breaks from the moment users started researching their trips, something that combined the spontaneity of independent travel with the comfort of a package holiday,” commented Luke Ford, CEO of Gunyah, about the unique look and feel of Gunyah.com. “The experience begins from the moment they start corresponding with our local operators. We wanted the navigation functionality to be simple and so it’s search by destination, but we also wanted to include a search by experiences for those looking for, for example, diving or a cultural break. We were thrilled to have been shortlisted.”

A screenshot of one of the packages available in the Bahamas on the Gunyah.com website

A Work in Progress

At the present time, Gunyah lists 170 short-break package holidays in 46 countries with an additional 600 contracted or under construction. Gunyah is working with 83 local partners in a total of 78 countries, including developed markets in North America, Europe and Australia, and emerging-market economies across Africa, Asia, South America and elsewhere.

The short breaks – all of which consist of carefully selected accommodation, tours and activities – average four to six days in duration, but can also extend to 12 days. Regardless of length, Gunyah’s goal is to evoke an authentic experience through each package by connecting travelers to the people, communities, food and culture of each destination.

“We are only at the early stages with product development in the Caribbean, but this attention from the Caribbean Web Awards provides us with even more motivation to include more fascinating destinations in the region,” added Ford. “We have some amazing experiences in San Salvador, Bahamas, with diving, fishing, nature and eco walks, history and adventure, something for everyone! Our local partners in the Bahamas deserve credit for all of their hard work developing such unique experiences.”

The kind of idyllic setting found on of the many islands that make up the Bahamas

The Winning Announcement

The TravelMole Caribbean Web Award winners were announced on the eve of the Caribbean Marketplace held in Nassau, Paradise Island, Bahamas. In their second year, the awards were run by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association in association with TravelMole, one of the largest online travel trade communities in the world, and LeadGenerators, the UK’s specialist online marketing agency for the travel industry.

The awards were presented by TravelMole’s Graham McKenzie, who praised the shortlisted websites but called for a stronger focus on online marketing within the Caribbean: “With the obvious exception of the shortlisted sites, the general standard of nominations were very poor and for the benefit of all really needs to improve. The importance of a good online presence for all tourism businesses cannot be overstated and at this time many do not make the most of the opportunities presented.”

Co-management of protected areas by both the state and local communities is one of the best ways to guarantee that tourism will provide economic and social benefits to many people who would otherwise be marginalized, at the same time that it ensures protection for the environment on which these communities rely for their income. An excellent example is the Soncor Sector of Los Flamencos National Reserve, in the Atacama Desert of the Antofagasta Region, in northern Chile.

A local Lickan Antay guide explains the importance of conservation to a group of school children. Photo by Marcela Torres

Los Flamencos National Reserve is located within the Atacama La Grande Indigenous Development Area, which was established in 1997 to promote sustainable development of the ancient territories of the Lickan Antay peoples. Since then, the Lickan Antay communities have strengthened their ancient rights to use of the resources, in many cases following traditional methods, and in others applying modern natural resource management techniques.

When the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) began charging entrance fees to visit the Reserve, at the begining of the 2000 decade, the Lickan Antay Community of Toconao cut off the access road to Laguna Chaxa, in the Soncor Sector, to demand that tourism, carried out in their ancient territories, also benefit the descendants of this ethnic group that live in the nearby town. Their action brought about a revision of the plan and CONAF and the Lickan Antay communities signed co-management agreements for four of the seven sectors of the Reserve: Soncor, Miscanti and Miñiques Lagoons, Moon Valley and Tambillo.

Los Flamencos National Reserve harbors the three flamingo species found in Chile: the Andean Flamingo, the Chilean Flamingo, and James’ Flamingo. Photo by Hernán Torres

Income generated from the entrance fees to these sites, which attract national and foreign visitors, has allowed the communities to strengthen programs to aid elderly and disabled people in their communities. At the same time, a significant amount of this income is invested in the management of each sector and staff salaries. The inclusion of local community personnel in the management of these sectors has allowed CONAF to redirect its staff to sectors and activities that were previously left largely unattended due to the lack of personnel and resources that affect the institution.

First Sustainable Visitor Center

Because of the increasing interest shown by tourists arriving from the nearby town of San Pedro de Atacama, the community decided to improve the site’s infrastructure and visitor information. To that end, in 2006, it partnered with CONAF and the SQM mining company, which exploits lithium in the Atacama Salt Flat, to develop the first sustainable visitor center in a protected area in Chile.

The project included the architectural design and construction of the visitor center, incorporating techniques such as reuse of grey water and electricity generation through solar panels and windmills. The roads were also repaired and the parking lot expanded.

This was the first sustainable visitor center built in a protected area in Chile, using renewable wind and solar energy. Photo by Hernán Torres

At the same time, a group of local guides from the Lickan Antay Community of Toconao was trained in interpretation techniques to convey effectively to visitors the natural and cultural values of the area. To support this, five bilingual signs were developed for the interpretive trail and 18 for the inner hall of the center. A documentary video was also produced, in Spanish with English subtitles, to complement information provided to visitors.

The results could not have been better. Visitors to Laguna Chaxa comment that it is a pleasure to pay an entrance fee because you can see that the revenues are invested in the people and in improving the place, where you no longer find garbage lying around and there is good infrastructure. In addition, tourism has provided local people with a new source of income and each day more and more Lickan Antay Community members seek training to be part of the benefits of responsible tourism.

Part of Traventuria's clean 10-vehicle fleet in Bulgaria is a Mercedes Sprinter that can fit up to nine people. Photo courtesy of Traventuria

Green Transfers and Tours in Bulgaria

For more than 10 years, Traventuria has been providing reliable ground transportation that focuses on all of Bulgaria, but also extends to and from major airports in neighbouring Skopje, Macedonia and Thessaloniki, Greece.

But what really sets Traventuria apart is its fleet of well-maintained vehicles that comply with either Euro 4 or Euro 5 emissions standards, a measure of the acceptable limits for exhaust emissions of vehicles sold in European Union. Traventuria’s cars have all been equipped with particle filters and use autogas, a mixture of propane and butane that produces fewer emissions than regular petrol.

More than just a transfer and transportation service, though, Traventuria is an independent tour operator that offers to travellers a suite of tour services. The company has an enticing menu of Bulgaria excursions – everything from active short breaks and wildlife and walking tours to spa and wellness trips. Traventuria can even arrange skiing and snowboarding tours, demonstrating that there really is no such thing as low season in Bulgaria.

Bansko is one of Bulgaria's premier ski resorts that Traventuria services, and one of the pristine alpine landscapes that it cares to conserve

Grounded in Responsible Tourism

Through both transport services and tours, and drawing on years of experience as tour leaders and travelers, the staff of Traventuria demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism, going green being something in which Green Path Transfers sees great merit.

“Lots of companies juggle with words like ‘responsible’ and ‘sustainable’ travel, converting them into clichés while giving them vague and broad meanings,” observes Atenas Zahariev of the Traventuria team. “As travellers ourselves, we believe that first-class experiences and unforgettable memories are granted in isolated communities, authentic cultures, preserved habitats and lively traditions. Naturally, we want to protect them for future generations.”

As this awareness of and concern for a sustainable future guides much of Traventuria’s growth, the company is always thinking of new and better ways to act on its guiding principles and to set examples for other tour operators. For example, Traventuria has supported a number of local and international nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) in Bulgaria: as active partners with the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) in Bulgaria, they help conserve the precious ecosystems of the lower Danube River area; they also work with the Cooperation for Voluntary Service in Bulgaria to encourage international exchange and volunteering in Bulgaria; three other partnerships are with the Regional Environmental Center, the Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation and the Balkani Wildlife Society.

“We’re involved with basically every NGO that works with nature conservation and protection in Bulgaria,” says Zahariev.

A Traventuria vehicle drops off passengers at the Sofia airport in Bulgaria. All the petrol vehicles in the fleet have been converted to use Autogas LPG. Photo courtesy of Facebook.com/Traventuria

A Bright Partnership

Traventuria has high hopes for Green Path Transfers and the mission to turn more people on to greener forms of transit and transport.

On having joined the innovative Green Path Transfers network, Zahariev says, “We are looking forward to collaborating with Green Path Transfers in Bulgaria to help them extend their presence worldwide, and to help us broaden the number of travellers serviced.”

“We couldn’t have found a better fit for our partner criteria in Bulgaria than Traventuria,” Adrian Cordiner, founder of Green Path Transfers, comments. “They really embody the kind of tourism and transit that Green Path Transfers is about.”

To learn more about Green Path Transfers and the carbon-neutral transfer services it offers growing number of destinations around the globe, visit www.GreenPathTransfers.com.

What will it take to build a more sustainable transportation industry that is less dependent on fossil fuels? Looking ahead into this brave new world of alternative transport, we bring to you some of the better (but also weirder and wilder) ideas and conveyances of the future.

'Oscar' is a Toyota Sienna minivan that can hold up to seven passengers. On the roads around Burlington, Vermont, its hydrogen injection system reduces the inefficiency of the internal combustion engine, using less gasoline and producing less emissions. Photo courtesy of Green Cabs VT

Green Path Transfers

After having responsibly paid the carbon offset for your flights, or, better yet, opted to travel by train or even slower local transport, you might as well do the right thing during airport and other intercity motorised transfers. Green Path Transfers is one company that has built an entire business around going green.

Its long-term goal is to support innovations in low-carbon transport. Fortunately, today’s scientists, engineers and manufacturers are hard at work building smarter, cleaner and more energy-efficient vehicles. In fact, the latest wave of hybrids (see below), which include a new plug-in model of the Toyota Prius with a fuel economy of almost 100 miles per gallon, are just a taste of the many bigger and better innovations to come.

The Nissan Leaf is the world's first mass-market all-electric vehicle. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Club RACC

Turning Over a New Leaf

The amount of fossil fuel burned while driving is staggering: put 12,000 miles a year on a regular 20-mile-per-gallon car and you will produce upwards of six tons of CO2 every year. Hybrids like the Prius bring that number down to approximately 3.5 tons annually, but there’s no time like the present to knock that figure down to… zero.

Enter the Nissan Leaf, which made its debut last year as the world’s first mass-produced all-electric vehicle. Ushering in a new era in transportation, this green dream machine starts at US$33,000. The downside? Extreme temperatures are bad for the batteries and internal heating/cooling control uses lots of juice.

The USS Makin Island is the US Navy's first hybrid amphibious assault vessel. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Official U.S. Navy Imagery/Ray Narimatsu/Released

Lean Green Fighting Machine

Beginning with a supersonic jet powered partly by biofuel, the U.S. military has set itself an aggressive mission to reduce its dependence on petroleum through the use of renewable energy sources. Make no mistake: this actually has nothing to do with halting the environmental damage done by burning 300,000 barrels of oil on a typical day. One cold hard fact alone is behind the military’s move to go green: half the deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan occurred while guarding fuel convoys.

With the Navy having set its sights on cutting its petroleum use in half by 2020, all eyes are now on the greener fleet being built. The USS Makin Island is its first hybrid amphibious assault vessel and is capable of transporting an entire marine unit. On its first voyage, the ship is rumoured to have saved $2 million worth in fuel.

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A Motorcycle Worth Wearing

Half exoskeleton, half motorbike, the Deus Ex Machina is the brainchild of Jake Loniak, a former student at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. Planned with efficient urban transport in mind, the bike would be powered by lithium-ion batteries and ultracapacitors, and steered via pneumatic muscles that inflate and deflate with pressurized air. The Tron-like suit exists for now only as a computer illustration, but its technology and design is based on real-world science. If built, this evil-looking green machine would be capable of going from 0 to 60 miles in just 3 seconds.

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Going Solo in the City

Honda unveiled its unusual personal transport vehicle, the Honda 3R-C, at the 2010 Geneva International Motor Show. Designed for urban commuters, the three-wheeled electric 3R-C is part motorcycle and part car, with an enveloping glass windshield that can move back to completely cover the driver during inclement weather. Designed at Honda’s research and design facility in Milan, the concept vehicle also has a lockable boot area for luggage storage.

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Dreams of Flying Cars

When it comes to hard physics, it’s true that automobiles and airplanes function in very different ways. Fortunately, that hasn’t stopped engineers from promising us a flying car since the early days of science fiction. Today, those dreams of personal flight have finally become a reality.

Cleared for flight in 2010 by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and for the road by the state of Florida, the I-TEC Maverick is a true flying car with a wing deployment system and powered parachutes. Part dune-buggy, part aircraft, this aptly named machine can be used off-road and in mid-air, as well as on the highway.

Such is the case with The Region Initiative (TRI), a broad-based, tri-regional responsible-tourism partnership founded in May 2010 and spanning South Asia, Central Asia and Eastern Europe with the goal of connecting communities along the ancient Silk Road. By working with a coalition of nongovernmental stakeholders, including tour operators, nongovernmental organisations, tourism experts, academia and youth, TRI hopes to push beyond the similar threats and challenges faced by destinations along the Silk Road and sharpen the focus on the regions’ shared opportunities, particularly with regard to responsible travel and tourism.

An Enduring Ride on the Silk Road

What is known today as the “Silk Road” (also called the Silk Route) is a vast network of interconnecting routes that was arguably the most important transcontinental trade road in history. It once extended nearly 12,000 kilometres and linked many powerful civilisations across ancient China, India, Tibet, Egypt, the Persian Empire and the Mediterranean. Beginning around 200 B.C.E., merchants managed highly lucrative businesses along these interweaving long-distance tracks, bartering for all manner of goods that included spices, tea, gold, jewels, ivory, silk, carpets, porcelain and much much more.

But the Silk Road was more than just a channel for trade. Following in the footsteps of these tradesmen, other travellers, such as nomads, missionaries, pilgrims, conquerors and early explorers (some of them long before Marco Polo), set forth from all corners of the world, forging cross-cultural connections that encouraged the spread of spiritual wealth, religious doctrine, great scholarship, art and architecture, and resulted in numerous intellectual exchanges. Strong echoes of the ties born in these early times still exist to this day.

The modern “Silk Road” also remains an inspiration and magnet for curious and intrepid travellers. In fact, for decades, the growth of tourism in regions along the Silk Road has been steady, bringing with it new challenges as well as the strong potential for improving local economies. And now, in a good 21st-century twist, there’s growing community-led unity behind a quest to promote sustainable tourism and travel along the Silk Road.

In Nepal, one of the Silk Road countries participating in The Region Initiative, emblematic eyes are painted on Swayambunath temple in Kathmandu

Creating Sustainable Tourism Connections

While governments often put politics ahead of policy and sometimes fail to establish strong international collaborative ties among those in the tourism sector, other groups, like TRI, are leading the process of building cross-border partnerships in the industry and to encourage responsible tourism.

TRI has already established its presence in 15 Silk Road countries: Armenia, Bangladesh, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Tajikistan, Russia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Tourism operators in each of these countries have adopted the aim of encouraging local travel professionals to share ideas and strategies that minimise the negative impacts of mass tourism and instead encourage sustainable, long-term and responsible practices, focusing more on history, people and culture than on the their outer trappings.

Unfortunately, the way ahead is not as smooth as silk. With current or recent armed conflicts in Afghanistan, India, Nepal Pakistan and Sri Lanka in South Asia, as well as economic and political unrest in several Central Asian republics and in Eastern Europe, there are many obstacles to overcome. But high hopes persist through the efforts of The Region Initiative to support small community-based tourism stakeholders who work as accommodation providers, tour operators and guides.

For more information about The Region Initiative, please visit www.theregionaltourism.org.

There can be so much stress wrapped up in the simple act of catching a taxi. Book ahead with Green Path Transfers and you have peace of mind, in part because your travel is 100% carbon offset. This taxi waits near the Greek Parliament in Syntagma Square, Athens, Greece. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/Salonica84

Triptrotting is all about connecting travellers with locals and then providing both with authentic experiences and opportunities to make new friends. I was the lucky gal chosen from among 300 others as the Ultimate Triptrotter and spent several weeks in Europe putting the Triptrotting network of travellers and hosts to the test.

Well, my Ultimate Triptrotting Adventures featured a lot of hopping from city to city, which meant a lot of time spent on planes and in airports. And I mean a lot of time: the start of my journey featured a period in which, thanks to Mother Nature (snow is nice, but not when it traps you in New Zealand), I barely set foot outside of an airport for five days.

Luckily for me, the WHL Group, with a little help from The Travel Word, stepped in and offered me the use of their innovative service known as Green Path Transfers, a global network of local eco-friendly airport transfer partners and ground transportation operators that transformed airport-city travel into something I anticipated rather than dreaded.

With ground transportation no longer a worry, in Istanbul, Yolanda met up with Salih, her Urban Adventures guide eager to share his love of his city and knowledge about Turkish life, including his his favourite Baklava cafe. Photo courtesy of Triptrotting

Much More Than a Transfer

Green Path Transfers was so much more than an airport transfer to me. As a traveller on a budget, I am used to taking the cheapest option to get into the city. This usually means one of three things:

1) scamming a friend into picking me up and hoping that they’ll still be there even if my flight is delayed
2) waiting around for a shuttle that will eventually take me to some inconvenient part of the city, or
3) scouring the airport for some form of public transportation, which then loops around and around suburbs for ages before ending up anywhere remotely close to civilization.

‘Splurging’ means getting a taxi, and it is only done as a last resort in the wee hours of the morning or when no other public transportation is available. Even that is usually not all that pleasant of an experience, as I can’t help wondering if the cab is actually a real cab, and if the driver is taking advantage of my clear unfamiliarity with the city by driving me around in circles.

A Taste of Something Different

Green Path Transfers was different: a global network of door-to-door ground transportation operators that provide a friendly face and reliable service at competitive costs, all while being green (using low-emissions vehicles and/or 100% carbon offsets).

Is the journey the way there or the destination? It's both, especially when the transport is simplified by Green Path Transfers and the goal is Athens, Greece, site of the world-famous Parthenon, sitting atop the Acropolis. Photo courtesy of Triptrotting

I was amazed at the ease with which I could get from the airport to my Triptrotting hosts! There was unfailingly someone at the airport to greet me, grab my bags and offer up both big smiles and lots of tips for ways to enjoy their cities. The drivers took great pride not only in their jobs, their cities and in maintaining high standards of service, but, as an added bonus, in knowing that they were doing right by the planet.

Especially to those of us concerned about how much carbon gets pumped into the atmosphere as a result of flights, Green Path Transfers promises some peace of mind. After all, Green Path Transfers is not just ‘green’ in name only. It aims to work with operators who use vehicles that are hybrids, run off biofuel, or whatever it takes to ensure reduced carbon emissions. As a further guarantee that the transfer is completely carbon neutral, Green Path Transfers offsets on any unavoidable emissions.

Now that I have had the good fortune of Green Path Transfer in Istanbul and in Athens, I can never go back to my old ways of long hours hauling luggage around on outdated and sketchy public transportation. Here’s to Green Path Transfers, where the grass truly is greener on the other side!

Well, the pace hasn’t lifted. Not long after saluting its six-month anniversary, Green Path Transfers took brief note of its 100th destination and then plunged tirelessly onward. As I write this, the total is already 123 destinations in 44 countries, ahead of the pace needed to meet the goal of being operational in 200 destinations a year after launch.

A Quality Alternative

As we never tire of telling, Green Path Transfers pursues a vision of competitively priced airport transfers and inter-city ground transportation operators by local partners all across the globe committed to environmental sustainability, especially through the use of low-carbon-emission fuels or engines.

Green Path Transfers unifies existing local service-minded businesses around a goal to go ‘green’ and then uses that collective presence to raise the profile of earth-conscious transfer options worldwide, appealing to the growing number of business and leisure travellers wishing to book eco-friendly transport.

By working with carefully selected partners that maintain top-quality fleets and assure comfort, quality and competency, Green Path Transfers also leaves tread marks on the notion that low-carbon-emissions vehicles running on alternative-fuel engine systems can’t deliver a level of price and service comparable with that of non-green options.

Clean Technology

Green tech is here to stay. It better be if we’re going to repair (and halt) the punishment from which our planet suffers. That’s why Green Path Transfers partners use or hope to use vehicles powered by recycled vegetable oil; engines running on renewable, non-toxic and all-natural fuels like biodiesel and ethanol; Ultra-Low and Super Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicles (ULEVs and SULEVs) and alternative-fuel cars using compressed natural gas (CNG); and hybrid cars.

But the latest tools needed for minimising one’s footprint aren’t available everywhere; some local partners do not yet have green-technology fleets (especially in emerging economies). Green Path Transfers therefore guarantees its intentions through a 100% carbon-offset emissions policy. Through verified third-party carbon-offset organisations like atmosfair and Blue Ventures, Green Path Transfers brings customers peace of mind with the knowledge that their trips are helping to fund clean-energy projects worldwide, from solar energy programs in India to hydraulic irrigation systems for rural farmers in China.

“Every little bit helps,” says Adrian Cordiner, CEO of Green Path Transfers. “We hope that, by being an industry leader in the use and support of cleaner technology, both in transfers and through offsets, we will inspire others to follow suit.”

To learn more about Green Path Transfers and how be part of carbon-neutral travel arrangements that emphasise green technology, visit www.GreenPathTransfers.com.

On this Gunyah Short Break guests learn the secrets of the cuisine on Greece's island of Crete with hands-on cooking classes at a boutique accommodation. Photo courtesy of the local Gunyah partner in Crete

“Planning your travels takes a lot of time, and, let’s face it, people are increasingly busy and have fewer holidays,” says Gunyah CEO, Luke Ford. “Whilst it is easy to book an all-inclusive package holiday or group tour online, travellers still crave a more authentic holiday experience, which is not readily accessible online due to the fragmented nature of the market. Our short breaks allow travellers to easily book real local experiences online. Gunyah puts travellers just a click away from their first, or their next, locally inspired journey.”

Gunyah works directly with local travel experts in each destination to ensure the short breaks offered via its travel website are of the highest quality and at all times uphold a responsible travel ethos. In each destination, these local teams stand ready to process requests and answer any question, as well as then providing complete on-the-ground support.

“Our short breaks still cover the essential sights you would expect on a traditional tour,” says Ford, “but they also allow travellers to experience the destination from a local’s perspective, to evoke a more authentic travel experience.”

A screenshot of the inspirational Gunyah travel booking website

One example of a Gunyah Short Break reveals how unique travel experiences can be found on even the most popular Greek Islands. This five-day Crete Culinary Adventure takes guests around the island to discover local wines, cheeses and taverns, as well as cooking classes with the host and adopted grandma for the week, to learn the secrets of Cretan cuisine.

Other experiences include a homestay adventure in Mongolia, some horseback riding through the Andes mountainous in Ecuador, a chance to go chimpanzee-spotting in Uganda and an extreme adventure in Jordan.

Gunyah was developed with the backing of the WHL Group, the largest local-travel company in the world and a collective of companies enthusiastically promoting local travel initiatives. Of the Gunyah launch, Len Cordiner, the founder and chairman of the WHL Group, said “We have connected some of the best local travel experiences to global markets and we’re extremely pleased with the result.”

Gunyah is on track to launch short breaks in another 40 countries over the coming months, which will make it one of the largest providers of experiential travel products in the world.

Local craftsmen in Ghana have been trained by Bamboo Bikes Limited to manufacture quality bicycles with bamboo frames. Photo courtesy of the SYTO

Meanwhile, in Kumasi, Ghana, one operation, called Bamboo Bikes Limited, has blossomed from its small-scale experimental beginnings into a large-scale producer of just what SYTO volunteers need: bikes made out of bamboo. SYTO is therefore a proud supporter of Bamboo Bikes Limited and uses this local producer to supply what it needs for volunteers headed places that are all but inaccessible by public transport.

Bamboo Beginnings

Bamboo Bikes Limited came about as part of the Millennium Cities Initiative of Columbia University. First, the Bamboo Bike Project at the Earth Institute of Columbia University assembled a team of engineers to design a prototype and then provided technical training to local people in Ghana. The idea was to create a light, strong, affordable bicycle constructed entirely of local material and able to be assembled using local labour.

At the Bamboo Bikes Limited headquarters in Kumasi, Ghana, four finished bamboo bikes are ready for shipping. Photo courtesy of the SYTO

Now, two years later, Bamboo Bikes Limited is operational and growing. During a two-week training program earlier this year, it began the production of 750 bikes for a test run. Its ultimate goal is to put 20,000 bikes per year on the road, which would go a long way toward meeting the transportation needs of Ghana’s rural communities.

Benefits of Bamboo

Bamboo bikes are beneficial in a number of ways. First, the primary material used is biodegradable, which is easier on the environment than other materials used in building bikes. Second, the bikes are manufactured locally by trained community craftsmen, thereby creating employment for the local people. The bikes are most useful in rural areas, where vehicular transport is not common and roads are poor, especially during the raining seasons.

French volunteer Magali Comte grins as she rolls up to her host family's house on her project site in the Walewale area of Ghaana via bamboo bike. Photo courtesy of the SYTO

Local people find many uses for bamboo bicycles. Students travel to school with them; merchants carry goods to the market; farmers transport agricultural produce to and from their land; and health workers deliver much-needed medical supplies to and from clinics.

Volunteers’ Experiences

At SYTO, foreign volunteers are trying these bamboo-framed bicycles out for themselves, excited by how unique and comfortable they are.

As Doug Switzer, a volunteer from Ireland, observes: “I ride my bamboo bike to work every day and to town to buy stuff I need. I enjoy riding it because it’s smooth and well built. This bike is great. It’s useful to me and my colleagues, who also enjoy it because I see a number of them riding their bikes to work.”

A few volunteers from Canada World Youth/SYTO discuss issues with locals on their bamboo bikes in Paga, Ghana. Photo courtesy of the SYTO

That said, the bamboo bikes still need some mechanical fine-tuning. The pedals, for example, are not the most durable and usually the first part to have problems.

Volunteer Sarina Thiel from Germany points out another kind of complication. “The bikes are good, but the only problem is that they attract unnecessary attention from the community every time I am using it because the bikes are so unique!”

SYTO and Bamboo Bikes Limited look forward to the day when this sustainable form of transport is less of a head-turning novelty item and more of a norm.

If you would like to arrange a volunteer experience or internship in Ghana, get in contact with SYTO Ghana. Also stay tuned for bamboo bike tours through M&J Travel and Tours, the whl.travel local connection in Northern Ghana.

The dizzying melting pot of Delhi, the quiet canal-lined streets of ancient Kochi and the magnificent Taj Mahal, a World Heritage Site, are just three highlights that travellers have visited for centuries. Countless other local sights are just as captivating to anyone who ventures just off the tourist trail.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site of the white-marble Taj Mahal is, with SS Travels, just a short ride away from the Indian capital of Delhi. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Friar's Balsam

Worry-free and Also Green

When faced with the vast distances to cover in India and so many worthwhile places to explore, however, you may find that planning travel in India can be overwhelming. Fortunately, one local company can take all the hassle out of getting around in India – helping travellers arrange transport that is comfortable and worry-free. Now they can do it in an environmentally responsible manner as well.

Since 1991, the experts at SS Travels have always used their first-hand local knowledge to bring a high level of luxury service to ground transportation in India. But the SS Travel quality promise hit a new high when they joined the growing ranks of local partners part of a new, global, environmentally friendly transfer service called Green Path Transfers. In keeping with the Green Path Transfers 100%-carbon-offset policy, SS Travels is poised to deliver reliable transfers to ever greater numbers of passengers keen to go green.

The reliable transfer service offered by SS Travels provides ground transport throughout India, including such cities as Delhi, Bangalore and Kochi. Photo courtesy of SS Travels

“We want to keep the environment of India clean and green,” explains Anil Kumar, Marketing Director of SS Travels. “Together with Green Path Transfers we look forward to demonstrating to the world our responsible outlook towards society.”

“It’s great to see a company in India offering such unparalleled service, whilst at the same time having a strong interest and focus on being eco-friendly,” commented Adrian Cordiner, CEO of Green Path Transfers.

An Established Local Leader

Launched with just one single car, SS Travels has since grown into a far-reaching transfer-service provider with over 600 modern, stylish and fuel-efficient vehicles. Renowned for its high quality transportation services, the company’s personalised and professional approach caters to both leisure and corporate travellers.

Today, SS Travels also maintains strong partnerships with airlines such as Air India, Gulf Air, Emirates Airlines and Malaysia Airlines as a proven purveyor of prompt and reliable airport transfers and hotel pickups in cities such as Delhi, Bangalore and Kochi.

The picturesque town of Alleppey in southern India has numerous canals and backwaters and is know as the

Comfortable and Reliable Rides

Placing special emphasis on ensuring that travellers’ ground transportation plans are secure, SS Travels offers 24-hour, seven-day reservation and operations services. In addition, SS Travels works only with carefully selected, well-trained, English-speaking chauffeurs who can demonstrate expert knowledge of local roads and vehicle safety measures.

Clients can choose from among a wide range of economy vehicles, luxury sedans or SUVs, all kept up to date thanks to a fleet change every three years. This helps SS Travels ensure its vehicles are highly fuel efficient and come equipped with all the modern conveniences, including extras like newspapers and magazines.

Enchanting Attractions of India

With one simple online reservation, tourists and business travellers alike can now easily arrange airport pickups, event transfers and ground transportation in India.

The area around the Kabini River, a recommended destination by the SS Travels team, is a popular site for elephant watching. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Pondspider

For visitors with a little time to spare, SS Travel drivers are fonts of knowledge about interesting sights easily accessible by vehicle. For instance, Mr. Kumar suggests that anyone arriving in Delhi should not skip a visit to Agra, site of the monumental white-marbled Taj Mahal, or Shimla with its beautiful old colonial buildings. Further afield, another excellent stopover is the ruined royal palace that towers over the mountain town of Leh.

If you’ve got even more time, Mr. Kumar recommends a visit to Ooty, a beautiful hill station in the Blue Mountains close to Bangalore; the Kabini River for its incredible wildlife viewing and frequent herds of elephants; and the lovely town Alleppey, which is known as the Venice of the East and is “all about house boats and beautiful trees in and around the backwaters.”

To learn more about Green Path Transfers and how to be part of carbon-neutral travel arrangements that emphasise green technology in a growing number of destinations around the globe, visit www.GreenPathTransfers.com.

Projects in Kenya, Peru, Sri Lanka and Brazil have been announced as the winners of the first travel2change idea challenge. Over 500 members joined the travel2change online community since its launch in late April 2011, and submitted around 60 innovative project proposals. The submitted ideas were evaluated based on creativity, effectiveness, impact, feasibility and sustainability.

The children participating in the travel2change project in Oyugis, Kenya, were shown and then practiced how to wash hands properly with soap in order to prevent the spread of germs and diseases. The children were trained as role models, who will then replicate the idea in the wider community, starting in their own homes. Photo courtesy of travel2Change

The four winning projects were named on July 17, 2011, by a jury of experts and will be realized in the coming months, thanks to the support of the travel partner Kuoni. Each winning project receives financial support as well as the help of volunteer travelers, who will collaborate with the local communities to bring the projects to life.

Travel2change First Challenge Winners

SEP – Soccer, Education and Prevention (Oyugis, Kenya)

In Oyugis, Kenya, travel2change, together with the Society Empowerment Project (SEP), hosted a four-day football event for around 300 children. Along with teaching life skills, teamwork and football skills, volunteer travelers will now train the children in proper hand washing techniques and the importance of basic hygiene. The production of soap from locally sourced materials will also be part of the program.

300 children from all over Kenya participated in the SEP Football Tournament in Oyugis where they learned about life skills, teamwork and the importance of basic hygiene and hand washing with soap. Photo courtesy of travel2change

Getting Kids Pumped for School (Horana, Sri Lanka)

The aim of Getting Kids Pumped for School is to connect a local school to its well so the children have access to running water for drinking and sanitation, which will help improve the children’s health, thus reducing the risk of dengue and other communicable diseases. This will be achieved by installing pumps, water tanks and pipes, as well as expanding the depth of the well. Visiting travelers will contribute to the project by assisting with the installation of pumps and water tanks.

AmazonArt at the Combu Education Centre (Combu Island, Brazil)

AmazonArt aims to employ music and the arts to inspire the children and local community. Its goal is to create awareness and understanding of the importance of protecting the rainforest, river and its local communities. Together with the staff of AmazonArt, travelers will assist with music and art classes and provide English lessons along with a cultural exchange to local children. Travelers will have a chance to improve the infrastructure of the school through basic construction projects and educate the children on the importance of safe drinking water and hygiene.

Travel2change will assist local staff from WAVES for Development in running a number of activities to create life-enriching experiences in the coastal community of Lobitos, Peru. This will be done through education programs that help develop youth into healthy and empowered adults, and of course surfing and swimming lessons. Photo courtesy of travel2Change

WAVES for Development (Lobitos, Peru)

WAVES for Development aims to create life-enriching experiences through education programs to develop healthy and empowered adults. The traveler will join local staff to teach local children water safety, beach management and environmental conservation among other things, and of course, surfing classes. Cultural exchange through activities to increase healthy living and teaching skills for life is another great benefit of the program.

All travelers will provide frequent updates to give all community members the opportunity to monitor the realization of the projects.

Are You Ready to Travel2change?

Travel2change is now offering the chance for you to participate in the Sri Lanka project and the Peru project this fall (September-October 2011). Travelers will play an active part in carrying out the activities to help successfully implement the goals of these projects. To learn more about the Travel2change Join This Trip Contest and to apply, please go to review the contest details here.

Kalkan is a beautiful and sophisticated bougainvillea-covered harbour town set in the heart of the Lycian coastal region of southern Turkey. The Taurus Mountains provide a stunning backdrop, whilst the views across the bay are remarkable. Photo courtesy of Unlimited Holidays

In keeping with that, Unlimited Holidays, a young tour operator based in Kalkan, in the southern Mediterranean region of Turkey, has signed on as a local partner of the Green Path Transfers global network of local eco-friendly airport transfer partners and ground transportation operators. This business decision has placed Unlimited Holidays at the forefront of efforts to commit to greener, more environmentally responsible transport options.

Just one area of activity amongst many others, Unlimited Holidays runs transfers services between the Dalaman and Antalya airports and destinations in Kalkan, Kaş and Fethiye.

Preserving Environmental Resources

For Unlimited Holidays, which launched its operations in 2010, the partnership with Green Path Transfers builds on a commitment to preserve the natural environment and the communities in which it operates.

Since his start more than a decade ago as a professional tour guide in Antalya, Kalkan and Kaş, Mehmet Yildiz, founder and manager of Unlimited Holidays, has always been thinking about responsible travel initiatives in Turkey. According to Yildiz, his interests and the company’s participation in the green transfers industry stem from his commitment to preserving his country’s environment in a balanced fashion that takes into account the economic gains from tourism.

The city of Fethiye (Telmessos) rests easy on a broad Mediterranean bay boasting some of Turkey's best beaches and yachting. Unlimited Holidays provides easy transfers from nearby Dalaman Airport. Photo courtesy of Unlimited Holidays

“Every small and big company has to take care of the environment,” he said. “We have studied this business and l am earning my living in this business, but if it’s so developed and so polluted, who will come to this kind of country in future? I want to attract more people who care for nature and the locals around. It’s not only for us, it’s for the animals, trees, etc. That’s why we are a partner in Green Path Transfers.”

In its turn, “Green Path Transfers looks forward to our future success in Turkey through our partnership with Unlimited Holidays,” commented Adrian Cordiner, the company’s CEO.

Delivering Sustainable Solutions

As an official Green Path Transfers partner, Unlimited Holidays has vowed to reduce its carbon emissions. The company’s current vehicle fleet consists of three-passenger diesel-powered cars and 14-passenger vans run on ‘euro-diesel’, a type of low-sulphur fuel that produces lower emissions than regular diesel fuel.

This VW Caravelle is one of Unlimited Holidays' low-carbon-emissions vehicles used in and around Kalkan, Turkey. The vehicle transports up to seven passengers and runs on Eurodiesel 95. Unlimited Holidays looks forward to moving toward a no-emissions fleet of vehicles in coming years. Photo courtesy Unlimited Holidays

Further to this, the company intends to switch from diesel fuels to low-emission liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for its vehicles. Later on, the company even intends to build an entire fleet of low- and zero-emission cars. “I can promise to use the lowest carbon emissions vehicles for the cars l’ll buy in the future,” Yildiz said.

At the moment, one of the main constraints to going green is the high taxes associated with hybrid vehicles in Turkey. Yildiz is nevertheless confident that with the new government’s stated intention to support hybrid-vehicle use, things will change. “They’ll reduce taxes on hybrid cars,” he said, “but l think it will take at least five more years for companies to start using zero-carbon emissions vehicles.”

Unlimited Holidays’ deep respect for the local environment is reflected in more than just the company’s stance on green transport. Yildiz and his team also use non-toxic, chemical-free cleaning agents and commute to work on mopeds or electrical bicycles.

The staff at Green Path Transfers partner Unlimited Holidays always welcomes visitors and inquiries on transfers, tours and the best sights and places to visit in Kalkan and Antalya, Turkey. Photo courtesy of Unlimited Holidays

Exploring Local Sights

In addition to airport transfers, Unlimited Holidays provides travellers with a range of services, including guided sightseeing, adventure and luxury tours; hotel and villa reservations; and car hires. The regional focus is Kalkan, Kaş and Fethiye, including attractions like the sunken city of Kekova, Fethiye Market and even a lazy but luxurious day at sea via private yacht.

For ecotourists and travellers in search of their next adventure, Yildiz has a list of must-see sights in Turkey. Among his top picks are Kalkan, listed as one of the most romantic European escapes  by the British newspaper The Independent; Kaş, a diving resort and site of the oldest known shipwreck in the world; Patara Beach, a long, beautiful beach and a protected habitat for the Caretta turtles who lay their eggs there; and last but not least, the Taurus Mountains, home to the tallest natural-grown cedar forests in the world.

To learn more about Green Path Transfers and how to be part of carbon-neutral travel arrangements that emphasise green technology in a growing number of destinations around the globe, visit www.GreenPathTransfers.com.

No fewer than 1.6 billion people — nearly a quarter of the world’s population — depend on forests for their livelihoods. Forests are also critical to maintaining biodiversity, mitigating climate change and enabling key ecosystem functions that regulate the biosphere. And, as the UN resolution declaring 2011 the International Year of Forests recognized, managing forests sustainably can contribute significantly to sustainable development, poverty eradication and meeting the Millennium Development Goals. And yet about 45 per cent of the world’s forests have already been cleared.

In Guatemala, the Ecolodge El Sombrero in the Peten region supports local communities and initiatives for conserving the Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo National Park. Photo courtesy of Ecolodge El Sombrero

Building a sustainable tourism economy around visiting forests is a powerful way of witnessing and leveraging their contributions If that sounds a little trivial compared to the planetary stakes of conserving the world’s remaining forests then consider these economic facts.

The global timber trade is worth over US$150 billion a year. That money often creates short-term, perverse incentives — especially in developing nations — to fell forests even though in the long run countries are far stronger economically when they manage them sustainably.

The value of forests is far higher than the value of the timber trade. The total value of the ecosystem services they provide — such as carbon capture, water filtration, soil fertility and pest management — is estimated at US$4.7 trillion annually. Forests contain over half of the planet’s biodiversity, on which around 40% of the world’s economy — particularly agriculture, forestry and pharmaceuticals — directly depends. The value of forests, like the value of survival, can’t be measured in money: but if we compare them to human economic activity, they couldn’t be ”worth” less than 20% of Gross World Product, or at least US$15 trillion — two orders of magnitude higher than their timber.

The Pacuare Lodge on the Pacuare River in Costa Rica is deep inside a 25,000-square-kilometre primordial forest which contains jaguars, ocelots, monkeys, sloths, and numerous other species of mammals and birds. Photo courtesy of Pacuare Lodge

Now consider the value of travel and tourism, one of the world’s largest and fastest growing industries. It generates about US$6 trillion worldwide — over 9% of Gross World Product — and employs 235 million people. It is especially important for the economies of developing countries, which house most of the world’s most biodiverse forests. From 1990 to 2006, international tourism revenues in developing countries quintupled, from US$43 billion to US$222 billion. Travel and tourism globally has continued to grow robustly through the economic downturn: by 2021, it is forecast to generate over 13% of GWP or US$9.2 trillion, employing one in ten of the world’s workers.

Ecotourism is estimated to be growing three times faster among leisure travelers than the overall industry: it of course encompasses forest-based tourism — including travel to lodges that own protected areas or to forestbased communities that run tourism operations, situated near or within national parks and biosphere reserves. Though a fraction of the total market, the potential economic value of forests as tourist destinations could clearly exceed their market value as timber stocks, and would be exploited much less destructively and more profitably. The power of tourism can generate massive investments in conservation that carry a high rate of return. Tourism market values are much more commensurate with a broader view of what forests are “worth” (many trillions of dollars) Tapping those values can preserve forests’ biodiversity, ecosystems services and other invaluable assets. USAID’s Forestry Team found that nature-based tourism contributes to forest protection “through heightened awareness of biological resources and the generation of alternative income-producing opportunities.”

In Ecuador, the Kapawi Ecolodge is in a remote and well-protected part of the Amazon, deep in the large First Nation territories of the Achuar people, who have chosen tourism as an alternative and effective way of conserving their land and heritage. Photo courtesy of Kapawi Ecolodge

Of course, largescale tourism can also decimate ecosystems, from coral reefs to rainforests: so it’s critically important that it, like forestry, is managed sustainably. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification has a huge, positive impact on forest management. So far 334 million acres of forestland — about 1% of the Earth’s land area, roughly twice the size Texas — are under FSC responsible management (just under half of those acres are certified by the Rainforest Alliance). FSC is growing rapidly, and its sustainable practices are deeply and rapidly influencing industry practice — including selective harvesting of lower volumes of wood, replanting, providing wide conservation areas, preserving sensitive ecosystems, protecting the habitat of endangered species and maintaining carbon sequestration to reduce carbon emissions. It is the gold standard for environmentally and socially responsible forestry, helping communities earn a living by maintaining healthy, productive forests.

Given the value of the tourism sector, and the rapid growth of ecotourism, an analogous system for sustainable tourism could be a powerful tool in providing communities with an additional way to make a good living by keeping their forests standing. Tourism is relatively labor-intensive and can help reduce poverty and increase economic equality for women, who make up 46% of the tourism workforce, higher than the global average. Tourism jobs offer relatively high wages and have a jobcreating multiplier effect. A new study by the Center for Responsible Travel, for example, found that workers in ecolodges in Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula — which National Geographic calls “the most biologically intense” place on earth, but is also one the country’s poorest regions — earn twice as much ($710 a month) as workers in a range of other fields. In Nicaragua, where tourism focuses prominently on the natural environment, the Rainforest Alliance estimates that every job in tourism creates an additional local job in another sector, with a higher wage than the national average.

The Explorer's Inn has preserved a forest setting along the Tambopata River in Peru that contains a record biodiversity of birds and butterflies. Photo courtesy of Explorer's Inn

For all these reasons, Rainforest Alliance promotes sustainable tourism along with sustainable forestry and agriculture. It helps tourist businesses get up to speed by providing them with training and technical assistance, and verifies compliance with sustainability requirements, so they can achieve sound accredited certifications. We supported the launch of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), which advances universal principles and criteria, connecting diverse businesses, governments, UN bodies, research and academic institutions, social and environmental NGOs and certification programs around the world. And we launched the website SustainableTrip.Org, aggregating businesses that are verified by independent, third-party sustainable tourism certification programs on a searchable database where travellers can find sustainable forest destinations.

Sustainable tourism certification is still in its relatively early days, but it has already demonstrated a potential to tap the power of market forces and the need for sustainable development to create powerful incentives for conserving forests.