Spotlight on Sustainability: Origins of Ecotourism

In the grand scheme of things, the term ecotourism is pretty much brand new.  Coined by Mexican architect Hector Ceballos-Lascurain in 1983, the definition has been evolving ever since.  His original description provided a powerful introduction to this new term:

 “Ecotourism is that tourism that involves traveling to relatively undisturbed natural areas with the specific object of studying, admiring, and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants and animals, as well as any existing cultural aspects found in these areas. Ecotourism implies a scientific, esthetic, or philosophical approach, although the ‘ecotourist’ is not required to be a professional scientist, artist, or philosopher. The main point is that the person who practices ecotourism has the opportunity of immersing him or herself in nature in a way that most people cannot enjoy in their routine, urban existences. This person will eventually acquire a consciousness and knowledge of the natural environment, together with its cultural aspects, that will convert him into somebody keenly involved in conservation issues”

He covered a number of descriptors we still use today both in the academic and industry sides of ecotourism.  The definition has evolved throughout the years, but the core principles of Ceballos-Lascurain’s initial vision remain.

A view from the top of Bartolome, Galapagos Islands

The word ecotourism may be new, but the concept of ecotourism actually has roots much earlier in history.  We could go back to the Egyptian, Greek, and Roman civilizations to find the earliest forms of tourism, but throughout those times nature tourism was still relatively absent (at least in the written literature of the times).  It wasn’t until a grand revolution in society, culture, and education that we see something largely resembling today’s ecotourism.  This was the period of the Grand Tour.

The Grand Tour predominated tourism in the 18^th and 19^th centuries when it became relatively popular for young men (around today’s college age range) to embark on pre-planned, multi-year journeys of discovery across the Europe for the sake of education.  Early on in the Grand Tour Era, the itineraries and routes focused on the hubs for culture, fashion, and the arts.  Places like Versailles and Paris were must-dos.  Think of the tour as a culmination of social refinement of the time.  However, over the course of 100 years or so, the education encapsulated in these tours began to focus on the natural world.  By the 19^thcentury, Grand Tours revolved around the natural components between major cities and in some cases, the tours changed completely.  Prominent figures like Darwin, Wallace, Humboldt, and Bates were some of these young Grand Tourists who pushed the envelope and deviated from the typical European circuit.  Visiting places like Malaysia, the Galapagos Islands, and the Amazon, these “Pioneers of Ecotourism”, as I like to call them, initiated a new Grand Tour that emphasized discovery, education, and novel experiences in nature.  They didn’t just embark on “nature tourism”, for they positively impacted local cultures, wrote essays on the benefits of environmental conservation, and developed new ways to educate the world about the wonders of nature.

An ecotourist gets the perfect shot amidst the Giant Tortoises of Santa Cruz, Galapagos Islands

The Grand Tour did not stop evolving.  As the 19^th century progressed, the Grand Tour became more and more popular and practical for much of society at the time.  Tours began to shorten from multi-year to only weeks or months.  Destinations, durations, and even age ranges of Grand Tourists became more and more varied.  By the mid 19^th century, a true travel industry was born, with travel agencies and tour operators becoming relatively large enterprises catering to all levels of society.

Fast forward to today.  The travel industry is alive and well, with new modes of transportation (i.e., airplanes and cars) enabling all sorts of new travel possibilities.  Finding wilderness no longer requires multi-year journeys by ships and is no longer reserved for the most intrepid of explorers and adventurers.  A sense of discovery and adventure is now available to a massive subsection of our global society, exposing people to remote areas that are in critical need of advocacy and conservation.  Ecotourism is now a tool to promote conservation of nature and culture, not just a way to culminate one’s education in a grand learning experience.

Huli Warriors perform a Sing Sing in the Tari Valley, Papua New Guinea

The spirit of early ecotourism is still with us today and the values and components have become more organized.  Since 1983, the term ecotourism continues to gain popularity and evolve in its message and influence.  Large organizations like the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and the UN (United Nations) have adopted ecotourism as both a term and a strategy for sustainable travel and environmental conservation.  Ecotourism is not only present in the travel industry, but also in academia, with entire college degree programs focusing on the subject.  Organizations like The International Ecotourism Society and others offer online education, ecotourism certification programs, and a host of other tools to promote ecotourism and to make sure that it’s done right, with environmental conservation and community welfare front and center.

So, the takeaway point that I want to make is that ecotourism, although new in definition, has been around for centuries.  There were early pioneers that led us to our current methodology, but ecotourism continues to evolve.  We’re at a very interesting time in the evolution of ecotourism, primarily because of its extreme popularity and its ability to make meaningful change in the way we as a society view our world.

Keep searching for your greatest adventure,

Travel to Help Find Work-Life Balance

Over the years, there’s been a lot of discussion on the need for work-life balance, and with good reason. According to a five-year study of the American workforce conducted by the Families and Work Institute, 30% of employees often or very often feel burned out or stressed by their jobs, 27% feel emotionally drained from their work, and 42% feel used up at the end of the work day.

Clearly, the work-life balance conversation is a necessary one; but why are we always focused on keeping our work out of the personal lives we lead? I suggest a different approach. Try bringing a little personal life into your work. Taking a little time for yourself between working periods is a great way to drive down the stress in your everyday activities and achieve balance. The perfect time to introduce a blended work-life experience is while you’re traveling.

Consider the possibilities for the next conference you’ll be attending. For a conference in Phoenix or Las Vegas, take an extra day, rent a car and get adventurous. It’s just a few hours’ drive to the Grand Canyon. Heading to New Orleans? Venture out to the French Quarter and enjoy an evening listening to classic jazz tunes.

Kollam : The Land of Cashews

Kollam or Quilon, an old sea port and town on the Arabian coast in Kerala, India, on the Ashtamudi Lake. Kollam, once called Desinganadu, had a sustained commercial reputation from the days of the Phoenicians and the Romans. Fed by the Chinese trade, it was regarded by Ibn Battuta, as one of the five ports which he had seen in the course of his travels during twenty four years, in the 14th century. Kollam District is a veritable Kerala in miniature is gifted with sea, lakes, plains, mountains, rivers, streams, backwaters, forest, vast green fields and tropical crops of every variety. Kollam is a coastal city on the banks of the Ashtamudi that took on the title God's Own Country without much demur. The braids of Ashtamudi Lake lie about 71 kilometres (44 mi) north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram. The city hosts the administrative offices of Kollam district and is a prominent city of trade for the state. An ancient trading town - trading with Chinese, Arabs and other Orientals - with historical citations of trade dating back to Biblical history and the reign of Solomon (supported with a find of ancient Roman coins). Internal trade occurred through the Punalur Pass connecting the ancient town to Tamil Nadu. The overland trade by bullock cart of its produce pepper and the trade over the waterways connecting Allepey and Cochin ensured trade linakges that grew into shaping it as a town playing host to one of the earliest industrial townships. The rail links established to Tamil Nadu supported firmer trade links. The marine exports processing factories and the processing and packaging of Cashewnuts took the produce of these shores across the globe. The State of Kerala is looking at trade to drive development that is environment friendly and sustainable.

Kollam is the fourth-largest city Village in Kerala, after Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, (The new population is taken as city agglomeration) in Kerala on the basis of population and the fifth-largest city on the basis of area after Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Thrissur. It is known for cashew processing and coir manufacturing. It is considered to be the southern gateway to the backwaters of Kerala and is a prominent tourist destination. The Kollam urban area comprises the fast developing suburban towns such as Kottiyam in the south, Kundara in the east, and Chavara in the north of the city. Other important towns in the city suburbs are Paravur, Eravipuram, Kannanalore, and Anchalumoodu. Karunagapally, Chathannoor, and Kottarakkara are major towns within a distance of 25 km from Kollam city centre towards north, south, and east respectively. Kollam appeared as Palombe in Mandeville's Travels, where he claimed it contained a Fountain of Youth. During the later stages of the rule of the Chera monarchy in Kerala, Kollam emerged as the focal point of trade and politics. Kollam continues to be a major business and commercial centre in the central Travancore region of Kerala.