Resources to learn more …

The International Ecotourism Society

Travel Green Wisconsin

Boston Green Tourism

Green America’s National Green Pages

Vineyards in Napa.
More and more vineyards practice biodynamic farming principals as part of their practices because they realize it improves the quality of their wines while protecting the quality of their property. Learn more - take a regional tour! Photo from CA Board of Tourism.

Ecotourism and Ecotravel
The International Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people." This means that those who implement and participate in ecotourism activities should follow the following principles:

• Minimize impact
• Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect
• Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts
• Provide direct financial benefits for conservation
• Provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people
• Raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, and social climate
• Support international human rights and labor agreements

You can find more information about the principles of ecotourism online.

Travel Philanthropy
Green Concierge Travel encourages its clients to participate in Travel Philanthropy. Travel Philanthropy is the practice of giving back to the destination. This can be through volunteer work and, or donations to an organization working to protect the local culture and environment. For each itinerary, Green Concierge Travel will make a recommendation to the client for travel philanthropy.

Green Globe Certification
Green Globe is the worldwide benchmarking and certification program for the travel and tourism industry. Learn more about our program, credentials and international network. You can find more about the Green Globe program online.

Voluntourism

Cruise the waters off the west coast of Vancouver Island on a converted fishing boat searching for whales. You and your family work with scientists and learn how to identify individual whales, record data, and assist with navigation of the boat. Unwind by exploring coves and islands by kayak, or by enjoying the rich First Nation culture of the small village of Ahousaht, on Flores Island, where you’ll be based. (From Earthwatch, 2008)

You are here to help a family make a better life for themselves starting with a new home. Help make sun dried bricks and paint the new walls. These building projects are hands on from creating the materials to construction. You work 3 to 5 hours a day and then spend the rest of the time learning more about this beautiful but poverty strapped country. You know it's worth it when you see a family move into the house you built and students attending their first day in their new school. (From i-to-i, 2008)

Be a part of the solution. What do you get when you combine tourism with volunteer work? You get an extremely satisfying travel experience where both the community and the traveler are rewarded. You can become part of the solution - from a small, local economic challenge to helping with a global environmental challenge like climate change and its impacts on the world’s ecosystems.

Ecotourism involves giving back to communities and destinations. And what a better way to give back and to engage with the local community or environment than by actively participating in a project designed to directly help that community/ecosystem. Experienced organizations offer a range of trips and opportunities from the truly scientific to construction to tutoring and mentoring youth.

The nuts and bolts: Just like regular tour vendors, voluntourism trips are scheduled and prearranged so you need to plan ahead. Most of them require you to pay the full costs and do not include air in the pricing. Depending on the vendor, the “fee” for the trip may or may not be tax deductible and can be claimed on your taxes.

If you are looking for

• an intimate, rewarding experience - one that goes below the surface of a destination and explores the culture, the people and, or the environment and
• you want to leave the place better than when you arrived, then

a voluntourism trip may be for you.

Starting Points for Voluntourism:

• Voluntourism. A networking site with information on voluntourism that also includes a listing of some vendors offering trips.
• i-to-i, 1.800.985.4825
• Earthwatch, 1.800.776.0188