The second annual Geotourism Change Summit on Tuesday, February. 2 at National Geographic headquarters showcased travel entrepreneurs from around the globe presenting success stories, all with the purpose of preserving the character of the world’s special places and sustainable travel.
Some news from the Geotourism Summit:
•Consumers now desire a combination of the “four E’s”: entertainment, education, esthetics and escapism which can be offered by green hotels.
• The vice president, global brand marketing, InterContinental Hotel Group shared how the hotel group has fully embraced geotourism, including training its 60,000 employees how to help visitors “go local.” Information cards on local activities and history are often left at night on guests’ pillows.
• Nature Air, the 100 percent carbon-neutral airline in Costa Rica, offsets 100 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions to encourage reforestation of tropical forests in Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula.
• PEPY (“Protect the Earth, Protect Yourself”) is Cambodia’s Educational Volunteer Tourism Program, providing adventure bike tours and on-site volunteer projects, like building rainwater collection units.
• Wikiloc Community Maps, based in Girona, Spain, created by a software engineer with a passion for travel, is built on maps, photos and video submitted to offer honest impressions about numerous destinations and eco hotels.
For more details, go to www.changemakers.net/geotourismchallenge
If you are looking for an eco hotel, a green hotel, go to https://www.greenty.com/
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