EXPLORING ECOTOURISM

Reviewing National Portals: What Countries Say about Ecotourism, Responsible Travel and Indigenous/Aboriginal Tourism
by Ron Mader

PLANETA FORUM

This index profiles a dozen national tourism portals.

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PHOTO GALLERY: Web Seminar

FYI - This document is a being updated and is a working draft. Editorial suggestions are welcome.

QUESTIONS

What government portals do the best job of showcasing ecotourism and responsible travel?
What are examples of Web 2.0 communication at the government level?
How should government websites explain local actions regarding climate change and lowering carbon emissions?
How do municipalities, states and countries respond to crisis in relation to tourism?

BACKGROUND

In 2008 Planeta.com is updating this review of national portals and what countries do and do not say about ecotourism, responsible travel and indigenous tourism. This index was initially prepared during our Ethical Marketing of Ecotourism Conference.

Key to this update is asking readers to show us where government websites have done an exemplary job. Check out the Ecotourism Spotlight Award.

While many experts continue to debate varying definitions of sustainable travel and ecotourism, most government tourism portals websites simply avoid using any terms that would tip off the eco traveler! For tourism portals that do include a link to 'ecotourism' the target is rarely a list of local operators, rather a vague confirmation that the country indeed has nature.

It's hit and miss for those seeking practical details about 'responsible travel' or the options of traveling with indigenous or Aboriginal guides.

OBSERVATIONS

Lack of information at this level puts individual operations-- local or international -- in jeopardy.

Government portals tend to have a short shelf life. In some cases they are the "product" of a PR campaign that does not last more than 18 months. The problem comes when a traveler (or agent or journalist) does not know that the government has chosen a developed a new domain, clicks on the previously advertised URL and finds a real estate ad, online gambling or pornography instead of tourism information.

Typically government portals provide few outside links. This is a shortcoming as the sites could be used to provide access to individual operators, national associations and outside sources, including the Planeta website. As one participant explained, the Web is still new to most government officials and the tradition of creating reciprocal links is not practiced.

Another shortcoming of many portals is that the sites provide few global indicator maps. They provide tons of information about in-country options, but they fail to show how a traveler would actually arrive.

Another tendency is that "ecotourism" is buried deep within the site and subsequently not updated, such as this document on Panamanian ecotourism.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Ideally, what should tourism portals include?

It would be visually attractive without demanding too much bandwidth. In terms of content, it would provide information that prompts greater understanding of place while motivating a trip. Here are a few specific recommendations:

Provide timely information, including updates on disasters. Rationale -- If travelers can trust your information during bad times, they will have greater confidence during good times.

Provide direct links to organizations, businesses and relevant timely information (newspapers, magazines, and blogs, including those in other languages).

Provide a map of the country in relation to its position on the globe.

Provide directions to municipal tourism offices and information kiosks where travelers can find updated information on the ground.

Conduct regular public reviews of the website with local tourism businesses and other stakeholders AND with potential clients. Does the site keep up with the demands of the traveler and travel agent?

EVALUATING WEBSITES

As you review the sites, consider the following questions:

How often is the site updated?
How fast does the site load?
How effective is the search engine?
Does the site accept feedback via email /forums?
Does the website tell visitors where to find tourist information on the ground?
What languages are used?
How does the site define ecotourism?
Are there links to national operators?
Are there links to international operators?
Are there links to environmental agencies or groups?
Does the site publish in-depth reports?
What are the ministry or secretariat's short and long-term plans for developing ecotourism?
How does coverage compare among countries?
How popular is the website?