Ethan Gelber
Go local in Oaxaca, Mexico, during the 2011 Responsible Tourism Fair
From January 30 to February 5, 2011, the Mexican city of Oaxaca will host an unconventional, unconference – the Responsible Tourism Fair. Now in its 11th year, it is a veritable model of the Local Travel Movement and Slow Travel. “Most importantly, the fair will also be a lot of fun,” said Ron Mader, founder […]
The 2010 Geotourism Challenge is now accepting submissions
Ashoka’s Changemakers has recently announced the start of its third Geotourism Challenge. In cooperation with National Geographic and the Inter-American Development Bank’s Multilateral Investment Fund (BID/Fomin), Changemakers this year is in search of innovations that protect the environment and that strengthen the patrimony and the sustainability of local communities located on coastal, fluvial and insular […]
The first European Ecotourism Conference is soon to begin in Pärnu, Estonia
The importance of balancing sustainability and profitability is the primary underlying theme of the first European Ecotourism Conference, being held from 26 to 30 September, 2010, in Pärnu, Estonia. Established with a mission to serve as a Europe-wide forum through which stakeholders involved in ecotourism can gain insight into its development, opportunities and future challenges. […]
The Tourism Development Bank: a new funding channel for small and local accommodation providers
In international development, access to finance at the local level is one of the biggest obstacles to real and sustainable progress. Wealthy donor agencies bring exciting promise of great opportunities, but many require matching funding or only agree to short-term engagements after which local businesses scramble to secure ongoing support. The local businesses find it […]
Local Travel – that’s what we’re talking about!
That is literally what I’m talking about below: On Friday 20 August, in my capacity as one of the initiators of the Local Travel Movement, I had a chance to chat about Local Travel with Ron Mader of Planeta.com, a global journal of practical ecotourism and an active Local Travel Movement partner. This online get-together […]
Weaving goodbye – going local in Peru
Nina Fogelman and Ancient Summit, Inc., are the inspiration for and the host of a new documentary (see the trailer below) that was filmed in the summer of 2009. The documentary features five American teenagers with a strong desire to go local, to immerse themselves in a different culture and forge a bond through the […]
Top five picks for community-based tourism accommodation in sub-equatorial Africa
Nothing beats the experience of staying with locals and supporting their local communities. The WHL Group puts forward here five of its favourite community-based accommodation initiatives in Africa. Liziwes Bed & Breakfast in Cape Town, South Africa As a long but growing list of travellers has already discovered, little rivals the cultural experience of staying […]
Responsible Tourism Week 2010: May 17-21
For the second year in a row, Planeta.com is proud to announce Responsible Tourism Week, revving up for action from May 17-21, 2010. Created first in 2009 when the Belize Responsible Tourism Conference was cancelled due to the swine flu outbreak, RT Week, scheduled just a few weeks before World Environment Day, is “a free […]
Are couchsurfing networks legitimate local travel?
When we launched the Local Travel Movement, we stated our belief that Local Travel is greater than the sum of its parts and that the Local Travel Movement could be a rallying point through which, by working together, we can give locals a real voice, engage travellers and develop a dialogue within the travel industry. […]
Finding local travel opportunity in South Africa around the World Cup
The clock’s ticking. Every hour we move closer to 4pm South Africa time on 11 June 2010, when the World Cup 2010 kicks off in Johannesburg’s Soccer City Stadium. The anticipation is palpable, but so is the growing frustration and sometimes anger about the absurd room rates and out-of-focus travel opportunities in a country driven […]