green.travel networkNice to her from Deborah after a long time.
Here in Brazil we are working on connectin community based tourism destinatins
(where communities are the owners and promoters of turism.
take a look at the site www.tucum.org in several languages.
In 2010 we hope to inaugurate the Brazilian Community Network
regards
René
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To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, October 08, 2009 6:52 AM
Subject: [green-travel] Digest Number 1958
green.travel network
Messages In This Digest (1 Message)
1. 2 tourism projects From: dmcla75001
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1. 2 tourism projects
Posted by: "dmcla75001" [email protected] dmcla75001
Wed Oct 7, 2009 9:52 am (PDT)
Hi, I'm on another listserver for socially responsible businesses and an
organization from Australia posted a message asking about global socially
responsible tourism models. I'll post their question and my answer, about the
Regional Flavor model here in the US. Thought this group would be interested in
both. - Deborah
First, here's the message from Australia:
Global Social Tourism - Expressions of Interest
Posted by: "Vern Hughes" [email protected] socialentrepreneurs
Tue Oct 6, 2009 8:55 am (PDT)
Here in the Social Enterprise Coalition in Australia, we are interested in
developing a project (with global possibilities) in social tourism, and we'd
like to hear from others around the globe who are interested.
By 'social tourism', we mean participation in the huge global tourism
industry in ways which:
a. develop real engagement and interactions between travellers and local
people in culture, history, and people to people connections;
b. develop global markets for products and services from social enterprises
that appeal to travellers;
c. develop opportunities for disadvantaged people and communities to
connect with travellers in mutually beneficial ways.
We see great scope for a global 'brand' to identify social tourism ventures
which:
1. signal to travellers that products and services carrying the brand are
social enterprises which benefit the producers and their communities, and
operate in an ethical manner;
2. provide organised opportunities to interact with local people through
tours, social events, cultural exchanges, etc.;
3. provide opportunities for disadvantaged people and communities to
participate in the huge global toursism markets.
In most parts of the world where there are huge tourism markets, there is
little assistance for travellers to identify cultural merchandise and other
products that are the genuine work of social ventures and their communities,
and where the proceeds of tourism spending actually reach these communities.
Nor is it easy for tourists to connect with real communities and interact in
mutually equal and beneficial ways.
In some parts of the world, such as Prague and Berlin, where there are
massive but very undeveloped tourism markets, political sensitivities and
histories mean that many experiences of cultural and historical value cannot be
accessed by travellers at all except through crass commercial operators. In
these places, there is great scope for social enterprises and a great need for
a brand to identify them to internatinal travellers.
The same dynamics are conspicuously present in developing countries.
People and enterprises interested in developing a global project around
these issues are invited to comment and contact:
Vern Hughes
Convenor
Social Enterprise Coalition Australia
[email protected]
0425 722 890
My reply:
In the US the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) helped launch
six "Regional Flavor" strategies in unique, rural areas. I have been part of
the White Earth Regional Flavor project in Minnesota and have visited the other
projects as part of learning clusters. Each is different but the focus is on
locally-owned, microenterprise development and support around the following:
heritage, cultural, arts, foods and tourism. The website is
http://www.microenterpriseworks.org/index.asp?bid=2191
Recently the White Earth project participants invited representatives from
a larger area to help expand the geographical area and are launching what they
are temporarily calling RFCircle, which is a circular region in west central
Minnesota that includes White Earth Indian Reservation, the headwaters of the
Mississippi River, and some other rural villages. The headquarters will open
later this month in a college business incubator and over the next year there
will be outreach, unique branding, and the development of regional product
marketing.
Regional Flavor Strategies can provide an alternative to mass tourism and
be a way to celebrate the uniqueness of an area - linking visitors with local
people - and also people to people within the region. As someone who has worked
internationally in socially responsible tourism, this is one of the best models
I've worked with because of its multi-approach, focus on small business
development to assist in strengthening the sustainability of the region, and
celebration of its uniqueness. It can also address local needs, poverty
alleviation and promote alternative transportation within a region.
Last month we celebrated by hosting the other five Regional Flavor projects
with a tour of the reservation, seasonal food activities (it was wild rice
harvest), a slow foods dinner featuring local foods and wines, visits to
cultural centers (Anishinaabe, a historical museum and the New York Mills
Regional Cultural Center - home of the "Great American Think-Off"), local
entrepreneurs, artists, a business/kitchen incubator, the Native Harvest food
processing and distribution company, a wildlife area, gorgeous north woods
forests, sparkling lake-dotted prairies, locally-owned resorts, local butchers,
a tour of a village that has an amazing 100 piece alley arts project, recently
restored historical train depots, and much more.
I am not in favor of the global tourism certification projects (over 100 of
them currently, mainly green or eco, with none of them very successful
primarily because one template can't adapt to so many localities). This unique
regional approach can be part of a larger system but still focus on the
sustainability, health and identity of a smaller area. It allows for its own
brand and marketing, but can potentially be linked to other similar programs.
We're very excited to be part of the pilot project stage and look forward to
helping to grow this model here and abroad.
Please contact me directly for more information. We'd love to have you
visit!
Deborah McLaren, Consultant
Author, Rethinking Tourism and Ecotravel
Saint Paul MN
cell 651-983-9880
email [email protected]
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