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October 2006 -- A few weeks ago I had a skype
call with one of the operators featured in the World
Travel Directory and this colleague was telling me that
one of his competitors had installed air-conditioning in a rural
community lodge.
"We always said that if anyone installed air-conditioning,
air conditioning would trump sustainability," he said,
adding that now he is not so certain.
Why?
He's getting more queries from media and consumers asking how
'eco' are his practices. With rising oil prices, more eco media
-- including 'Inconvenient
Truth' and 'Who
killed the Electric Car?' -- customers may actually opt
in for sustainability.
OPTING IN
Spin the wheel! In pop culture, even the Wheel
of Fortune game show is giving away trips to Costa Rica
rainforest lodges. This is unprecedented.
And for the umpteenth year in a row, Conde
Nast Traveler has published its Green
List of places that preserve the environment and culture.
(Disclosure, I am one of the judges, not for Wheel of Fortune,
but the CNT award.)
More than 75 percent of Condé Nast Traveler readers
recently surveyed deemed it important for hotels near impoverished
areas to help local people obtain education, clean water, food
and health care.
Perhaps we will learn how to opt in. There are many good signs.
A Latin American business magazine is calling 'environmentalism'
one of the top trends for the coming year. Also, Frances Figart
of Green
Travel Consultingis developing a new magazine about modern
travel.
The November/December issue of Transitions
Abroad is now going to press and 3/4th of the issue will
focus on responsible travel.
SKEPTICISM
That said, I am having a difficult time getting my head around
this particular topic. I have seen eco movements come and go
(mostly go) which leaves me a bit jaded. During this time we
have seen several dozen websites focusing on sustainability
go under themselves. Anyone remember 'Communication for a Sustainable
Future'?
In many ways 'sustainability' remains a wonk buzzword that
lacks depth and practical action. In ten+ years of hosting the
'Sustainable
Development Index,' we have never received any financial
support and very little constructive criticism.
Still, what if things were changing course? What if things
were conspiring toward concern and positive action? Tell me
that whole
world is wonderful!
Travelers
play a critical role, and if they given timely and useful information
can put the details into context ... such as understanding the
idea that the rural community does not have enough electricity
for air-conditioning the rooms and the town.
WHAT'S NEXT
We are thinking about how to incorporate some of these questions
and concerns in the upcoming "Responsible Travel Survey"
and contemplating how to engage Planeta.com readers on the topics
of sustainability, green building and energy efficiency.
In the next few months we will be updating the Sustainable
Development Index, one of our most popular and referenced
resources.
YOUR TURN
Spot a publication about sustainability in the news? Members
in our forum
are encouraged to post headlines, urls and brief excerpts in
the 'share
the news' topic in our suggestion
box.
And for students of all ages seeking guidance in sustainable
tourism reporting, we are developing an online
seminar.
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