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EXPLORING ECOTOURISM

The Value of Continuity
by Ron Mader

PLANETA FORUM

How do you develop sustainability in an on-demand world with a short-attention span?
Sustainable Development Notebook


PHOTO GALLERY: A Place to Sit
SLIDESHOW


PUBLISHERS -- This article is a working draft. Those interested in publishing this article should request permission.


QUESTIONS

What is the value of continuity?

Lack of continuity is the Achilles' Heel in ecotourism and responsible travel. For many players, it's easy to be sold on 'ecotourism' only to experience frustration, disappointment and in many cases failure.

Successful ecotourism depends on security and building quality relationships take time.

THE VALUE OF CONTINUITY

One of the benefits of continuity is that the process of communication and organization is simplified over time. What works works, what does not work changes. Long-term success requires a willingness to collaborate over extended periods of time.

A traveler who plans a trip in advance and finds ways to stay in contact afterward has a better chance of supporting continuity in the development of tourism services.

WHY CONTINUITY IS ELUSIVE

While sustainability is gaining in public interest, daily reporters generally do not have the time to investigate or report on long-term development.

If the topic is considered 'hot,' officials dedicate time and money in developing institutional presence in the field -- regardless of whether it duplicates other efforts. When interest dwindles, the project is shut down and personnel sent to other divisions.

We continue to see tourism managed by program directors with no expertise and frequently little interest. Given that tourism development and promotin requires travel, many leaders are on the road. This leads to a start-go-stop-backward, go-again routine.

Many complain that bureaucrats just take up space. If they are not actively sabotaging 'sustainability' projects, they are simply neither supportive nor interested. "Every time a new tourism official is put in charge of ecotourism, we have to teach them all over again," a tour guide says.

Many newstakeholders are uncertain whether they their operations will survive the coming year.

Until we can develop a longer attention span, a high failure rate in this field will be the norm.And without continuity, sustainability and tourism ethics is a long shot.

PLANETA.COM

Here are a few examples of continuity on Planeta.com.

Working with colleagues, I have been able to stay in contact with professionals more than a decade. We continue to hear from John Shores and Ronda Green who contribute articles and post on the Planeta Forum.

Planeta.com launched the Sustainable Development Index in 1996 to assist researchers and journalists covering environmental business and sustainable development.

Offline we have co-hosted an annual tourism fair in Oaxaca City from 2001-2008.

RECOMMENDATIONS

We are interested in seeing how projects are born and mature. We'd like to see more analysis of work that fails as such projects have much to teach. Instead of reinventing the wheel, conduct public inventories of work already underway. This helps avoid duplication. All players need to make a long-term commitment (5-8 years minimum)!

Everyone - Pay kudos to individuals and instutitions who have a track record. Give credit where it is due.

Everyone - Technical continuity tip: those creating email accounts, flicrk galleries and such need to figure out how to return and do the same task a day and a week later.

Everyone - Focus on place instead of destination.

Donors and Foundations - Support the work that is already underway. Instead of betting on a new solution, consider the idea that perhaps the older solutions needed more time. Create incentives for people working in the field. Donors should fund creative extensions to existing projects, particularly with individuals and groups with a proven track record.

Donors and Foundations - Conduct public inventories and evaluations of efforts. Stop reinventing the wheel!


AUTHOR

Ron Mader is the Latin America correspondent for Transitions Abroad and host of the award-winning Planeta.com website.


REFERENCES

g Slow Travel
b Preparatory Process - World Water Forum
b Inter-Institutional Meetings in Oaxaca - Abdon Vazquez/IMAC

FLICKR

g Email Tips
g What is the value of attention?
ONLINE FLICKR

WIKI

g Planeta Wikispace
g How green is your eco conference?
g Toward Effective Communication in Responsible Travel and Ecotourism
b Persistence of vision
ONLINE WIKI


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