The great migration of Chinese people from the countryside to cities is one of the most incredible things of the last 50 years. The growth of cities has transformed China in many ways. It is not surprising that Chinese people today look to their village roots with great nostalgia. Push back on urbanization has happened in other cultures. In England, the Romantic movement responded to industrialization and the fascination with cowboys and The West happened as the importance of cities grew in the US.    In a recent study...

20 November, 2019 /

We came to their village and they welcomed us with warm smiles and simple gifts; Flowers, tea, tasty snacks. The head of the community spoke words of friendship and we walked through the village, the Annapurna range in the distance. We stopped by a well and spoke to the young people, collecting water for the evening meal. We were sharing our evening meal with a small group of families. After dinner, they brought out their iPhone and wireless speakers and played an eclectic mix of traditional Nepalese songs...

06 October, 2017 /

So often, tourism is a "bit player" in the health of a community. In the traditional models of tourism,  tour operators come and - at best - the visitors they bring spend money that contributes to the local economy. While the tourism income helps, there is a lot of  what economists call "leakage". Imagine a new type of tourism company - a company founded for the purpose of enhancing the cultural and economic benefit of the host community. Imagine a social enterprise - like Tom's Shoes or Ethos Water...

16 May, 2014 /

Sustainable tourism definitions almost always combine two big, important ideas. The first idea comes from the Brundtland Report - Our Common Future - in which they say sustainable development  "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" . The second big idea is John Elkington's 'Triple Bottom Line" that requires consideration of not only the "profits" but "people" and "planet" as well. These big ideas provide a great foundation but they also present a real challenge for anyone attempting to develop...

30 June, 2012 /

To many, tourism is an economic savior that can bring jobs and opportunity. Indeed there are tourism opportunities everywhere and markets for most any type of experience. But not all markets are the same and not all destinations have the ability to service the markets they want to attract. I have been thinking a lot about the  "human traffic jam" on Everest this week and the tourists who undertake this type of travel. The market for this type of experience is somewhat limited by all sorts of factors - money, health, access,...

28 May, 2012 /

[caption id="attachment_79" align="alignright" width="192"] People in the RainforestThanks to Tourism Queensland for the image.[/caption]     Heritage Tourism is an important way for indigenous communities to celebrate their culture and support their communities. It is also an important way for visitors to learn and appreciate the culture of people from places we visit.     Here's a great indigenous ecotourism toolkit developed by a team for at the Australian National Training Authority. Thanks to RobinNunkoo at University of Waterloo for sharing it !...

27 May, 2012 /

Deadwood, South Dakota is dealing with many of the challenges inherent in tourism today. A recent USA Today article - Ghost Town or Gambling Haven outlines the issues of  balancing growth, fuelled by gaming, while maintaining the character of the destination. Heritage Tourism "lives" on a continuum from Disney's Main Street to the most faithful recreations of historical locations and events. As each destination struggles to balance the "here and now" with "what we were" and "what we want to be", they need to find their place on that continuum. And...

21 May, 2012 /