Destination Stewardship Report – Summer 2020 A historic holiday island in Florida was succumbing to bland residential development with little regard for sustainability. In this case, it took a visionary leader from the private sector to turn things around. David Randle sums up six lessons from Anna Maria Island. Anna
As tourism moves forward and begins to recover from the Covid-19 global pandemic, a new nonprofit coalition urges the world to re-center around a strong set of principles, vital for long term sustainable and equitable growth. Decades of unfettered growth in travel have put the world’s treasured places at risk – environmentally, culturally, socially, and financially. “Now is the chance to rebalance,” say Coalition leaders.
If no good crisis should go to waste, DSC director Jonathan Tourtellot urges destinations to seize this one, forming stewardship councils that can oversee research and planning for the recovery. Plus a personal afterthought.
Herewith the second of our profiles of destination organizations that at least partially meet the GSTC-D criterion for holistic destination management. In this post: Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, which is adopting a multisector, high-tech “Intelligent Destination” approach.
Jake Pearring of Milllion Mile Secrets provides a traveler’s guide to voluntouring opportunities worldwide. Destinations, take notice: A resource you can tap.
A new French ecoresort offers a model for other developers and destinations to emulate, says Dr. David Randle, managing director of Florida-based Blue Communities Consortium.
Eugene Kim tries out a home-sharing service that matches resident language learners with visiting travelers. It’s a good deal for destinations as well.
The rising buzz in tourism circles about overtourism is now spilling into the mainstream media, especially in Europe, which seems to have the largest numbers of unhappy, tourism-battered residents. Here’s some of the latest information on overtourism.
Featuring Sierra Gorda, Querétaro, Mexico. We chose this UNESCO Biosphere Reserve as the international pilot for the World’s Inspiring Places series. Here’s why.
Our First “World’s Inspiring Places,” a Short-Form Travel Documentary: Producer Erika Gilsdorf explains what inspired HER to launch this video series, focused on great stewardship of destinations.
Canadians Likely to Avoid U.S. Travel | TTW
Ironic: Loss of foreign revenue hurts U.S. balance of payments
Tourists Skeptical of Visiting “Toxic America” | Euronews
Trump Purge May Cripple U.S. National Parks | Politico
Greenland Unready for Expected Tourism Surge| Arctic Today
Can Nothing Stop Overtourism? | NY Times
Everest Choppers Destroy Peace, Prosperity | Mungabay
Noisy flights destroy Sherpa trekking economy.
How 39 Destinations Combat Overtourism | Independent
Useful rundown
Barcelona Uses Its Tourist Tax for Climate Action | CBS
Andaman Island Plan Called “Ecocide” | Deccan Herald
Port project endangers Great Nicobar tribes, biosphere reserve
Tulum, After the Airport | Washington Post
Once off-beat, the Maya coastal town girds for mass tourism
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