EHPnet: The Ecotourism Society

The World Tourism Organization has estimated that over 595 million people traveled internationally in 1997. Although tourism overall has been growing at an annual rate of 4%, nature travel, also known as ecotourism, is increasing at an estimated annual rate of 10-30%. The Ecotourism Society (TES) of North Bennington, Vermont, was founded in 1990 as a tool for both consumers and ecotourism professionals to help make travel an environmentally responsible activity and to contribute to the conservation of natural resources and the well-being of local people. The organization also fosters a sense of synergy between ecotourism entrepreneurs, researchers, and con-servationists. TES is an international nonprofit organization with over 1,700 members in more than 70 countries. The TES Web site at http://www.ecotourism.org/ provides visitors with vital facts on ecotourism and tourism in general as well as "nuggets of personal wisdom" acquired by explorers in the field. Visitors can begin by clicking on the Your Travel Choice Makes A Difference link on the home page. This leads to further links that show visitors how to consider travel from a more holistic perspective, teach them about tourism's impact and how tourists can build sustainable economies, and lead them in exploring the world of ecotourism so they can learn how to choose responsible destinations, tours, and accommodations. In addition, the site provides information on how visitors can experience ecotourism with member tour operators and lodges around the globe. The In Search of True Ecotourism link leads to reports filed by Megan Epler Wood, TES president, who is currently on sabbatical from TES. With titles such as "Healing the Scarred Mayan Forests" and "In the Shadow of Machu Picchu," the reports recount Wood's journey through Central and South America in 1998-1999 and investigate "the lives of the entrepreneurs, idealists, indigenous people, and activists who are bringing true ecotourism to life and bringing the reader to their doorstep." Because tourism development is often uncontrolled, especially within the relatively new realm of ecotourism, there are many environmental and political questions that are still being answered. Each year, TES identifies key issues in the field of ecotourism and works with other organizations around the world to bring these issues into public awareness. By following the TES Initiatives link on the home page, visitors can explore issues tackled by the organization over the past decade. Past issues have included creating policies for the economic development of the eco-tourism industry, …