Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference 2008 location announced

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) announced today that on October 27-29, 2008, leaders in sustainable tourism from across North America and beyond will meet in Vancouver, British Columbia for the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference 2008 (ESTC 2008) at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.
The aim of the conference is to empower individuals and businesses within North [...]

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) announced today that on October 27-29, 2008, leaders in sustainable tourism from across North America and beyond will meet in Vancouver, British Columbia for the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference 2008 (ESTC 2008) at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.

The aim of the conference is to empower individuals and businesses within North American to increase their potential within the latest trends in ecotourism and sustainable tourism, learn practical skills, and participate in invaluable networking and knowledge sharing.

This is the third occurrence of the ESTC, which commenced in 2005. Over the past 3 years, TIES has reportedly seen a significant growth of the sustainable tourism community in North America. Their goal with ESTC is to expand the network of industry practitioners and experts and to encourage greater awareness and implementation of the principles of ecotourism and sustainability.

ESTC 2008 is being sponsored by the B.C. Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts, according to Kelly Bricker, TIES’ executive director.

As the conference name indicates, the annual conference will not only provide sustainable solutions for tourism businesses, it will also highlight innovative sustainable practices and case studies in the United States and Canada, and discuss effective ways to utilize the sustainable tourism community’s experience and expertise to tackle some of the critical issues and key challenges facing the industry today, including: climate change, sustainable business practices, wildlife conservation, community partnerships and innovative technologies for greening the tourism industry.

With British Colombia preparing to welcome the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games to Vancouver and Whistler, the timing of bringing this conference to Canada is ideal. A recent study conducted by TNS Canadian Facts, a market and opinion research firm, reported that nearly two-thirds of Canadian travelers say they are concerned about global warming, as well as the loss of natural habitats and ecosystems. The study also found that 83 percent of Canadian travelers agree that sustainable tourism practices would have a positive effect on the world’s future and that many Canadian travelers would take personal action including switching from a preferred holiday destination to another that supported sustainable tourism.

TIES has launched the ESTC 2008 conference website, www.ecotourismconference.org, through which updates on the conference program will be announced in the coming months.