NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY GEOTOURISM COMMITMENT RECOGNIZED
Geotourism Commitment Launches with Annual Ashoka Competition
At the Third Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative today, the National Geographic Society was recognized for spearheading a new $25 million Geotourism Commitment aimed at protecting and celebrating the world’s distinctive destinations. National Geographic defines geotourism as “tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place — its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents.”
This Geotourism Commitment, which will be funded by National Geographic and other partners, will be used to demonstrate how communities around the world can use geotourism to help alleviate poverty, promote sustainable stewardship of places and tourism-related assets, and minimize negative environmental and social impacts often associated with mass tourism
development.
The Geotourism Commitment includes five key elements for implementation over the
next three years: 1) research and training on best practices; 2) creation of a global geotourism
network of experts to exchange information and ideas; 3) six demonstration projects to
implement and evaluate the geotourism approach; 4) a global media marketing campaign; and
5) sustainable funding to ensure continuation of geotourism in local communities.
To launch the Geotourism Commitment, National Geographic is partnering with
Changemakers (an Ashoka initative) to create three annual online competitions. The first “Geotourism Challenge” will debut January 2008 with a dedicated Web site to encourage online
nominations for innovative solutions in sustainable tourism and destination stewardship.
National Geographic's Center for Sustainable Destinations (CSD) will coordinate the
Geotourism Commitment. CSD Director Jonathan B. Tourtellot is attending the Clinton Global
Initiative to announce its partnership with Ashoka and to seek additional partners for National
Geographic’s Geotourism Commitment.
“With its emphasis on place-based assets and benefits, geotourism can help residents
increase employment opportunities with the production of indigenous crafts, preparing local
guide services, developing and providing hospitality services, and providing unique and valued
cultural educational experiences for visitors,” Tourtellot said.
The Geotourism Commitment builds on CSD’s ongoing geotourism education and place-
based initiatives using a holistic approach. To date, the Center has developed 13 guiding
principles that serve as the foundation for the geotourism approach; signed Geotourism
Charters with countries of Guatemala, Honduras, Norway, and Romania; and created branded
Geotourism MapGuides to showcase the unique assets of Appalachia, Arizona-Sonora and the
Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. The new Commitment allows CSD to enhance its existing
geotourism efforts and design innovative approaches to sustainable tourism worldwide.
President Clinton started the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in 2005. A non-partisan
catalyst for action, CGI brings together a community of global leaders to devise and implement
innovative solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges. CGI consists of
approximately 1,000 members from all over the world who commit to creating or supporting
projects within one or more of CGI’s annual areas of focus. In 2007 the areas of focus are
education, energy and climate change, global health and poverty alleviation.
The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and
educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,”
the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 300 million
people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other
magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books;
DVDs; maps; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National
Geographic has funded more than 8,000 scientific research projects and supports an education
program combating geographic illiteracy. For more information on geotourism and National
Geographic's Center for Sustainable Destinations, visit
www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainable.