ecological tourism community & consultancy
ecotourism & sustainable tourism expertise since 1999
Ecolodge for Sale near Iquitos, Peru ecoclub.com/ecolodge-for-sale-peru-r260616
R260616-PE: Naturalia Retreat Center - Ecolodge for Sale - Peru - ECOCLUB®
Posted: 17 June 2026 Sale by: Owner Sale Price & Currency: USD 800,000 - Negotiable Property Name: Naturalia Retreat Center Property Address:...
As tourist dies from massive fire in sprawling Dominican resort, part of major hotel chain, but "independently owned" (to minimize exposure?) one wonders about the quality of fire inspections conducted by the local authorities in poor countries keen on maximizing revenues and soft on foreign investors... www.reuters.com/world/americas/one-killed-hundreds…
One more cruel reminder that conservation and ecological tourism may not bring peace, but certainly need peace. Hopefully Mona Khalil's many friends and followers around the world will find a way to continue her important work for sea turtles in Lebanon. Why is it so easy for some to destroy those who try to save us? www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/20/mona-khalil-…
Israeli attack kills famed turtle sanctuary ecologist in Lebanon | Lebanon | The Guardian
Mona Khalil led decades-long effort to protect nesting site for turtles near her home in south of the country
Andros.ai is a new, quality chat-based guide for the island of Andros, Greece. I asked it various questions about hiking, birdwatching and upcoming festivals and the results were very informative, and presented in a user-friendly way, with maps. Let's see if it is a sign of things to come for other destinations, or if prospective travellers sticks to their own general-purpose AI. I also asked... Show more
Andros AI — Ask Anything About Andros Island, Greece
Your AI-powered island assistant for Andros, Greece. Ask about beaches, ferries, hiking trails, restaurants, hotels and local services — instantly.
When it comes to the use of AI tools by consultants in EU projects, the EU seems to have adopted a pragmatic approach: use it but declare it, what tools did you use and how exactly. There are also strict laws about what data you are (not) allowed to feed to public AI models. The EU Artificial Intelligence Act website offers more info. artificialintelligenceact.eu/
Under heavy US pressure, the Cuban parliament has essentially approved the reintroduction of capitalism, marking the end of an era, and not just for this large Caribbean island. The collapse of tourism was likely the last straw. One wonders what natural destruction will ensue from tourism development if the economy is rapidly liberalized in the next few years.
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Interesting article by Professor Xavier Font et.al on the uses and effects of green accommodation taxes. "From eco-social intent to green growth drift: The governance of a sustainable tourism tax" www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160738… . The authors rightly argue that accommodation taxes need clear legal purpose, ring-fenced revenues, transparency and alignment with limits on... Show more
About 20 years ago (30 July 2006) the great Green political philosopher, activist and ecological social theorist and pioneer, Murray Bookchin passed away leaving behind a tremendous endowment of fresh ideas and future frameworks, in dozens of books and hundreds of articles and speeches. Influenced by the works of Kropotkin, among others, Bookchin methodically and exhaustively explored every... Show more
Will THIS be the future of hospitality? Presently, it is indeed just a marketing gimmick for fancy hotel reception desks, but soon robots could handle cleaning and preparing rooms - a difficult and poorly paid job and one of the hardest to fill post-pandemic. This could benefit workers by alleviating some physically strenuous work but some positions will be lost. Over the next decade some large... Show more
Robot suitcases, AI concierges — the future of hospitality?
Concierge robots and autonomous systems are increasingly entering hotels and airports. What still seems like a gimmick today could help solve staff shortages in the…
You cannot take Green politics out of Ecological Tourism. Otherwise, Necker Island, a billionaire's private resort would be called "ecological" because it has "three giant wind turbines". Perhaps Epstein's island did have some solar panels too? So, If you do not want to call such resorts green or ecological, you must explain why, and thus, Green politics. Who owns what, who bought what from... Show more
Caper: the flower you eat before it blooms! A key ingredient of Mediterannean dishes, the pickled flower buds of the caper bush (Capparis spinosa) are an antioxidant powerhouse, contain essential minerals such as copper and are a good source of vitamin K among other benefits. Before eating them from a jar, you only need to soak them for a few minutes in cold water to remove the excess salt. If... Show more
Free news services are fine -- some are even of higher quality than paid ones. Free news services that keep begging you, the reader, for money, because "they do not charge readers", "they do not have sponsors", "they do not really like money but somehow they need it" or for any other nonsense reason, are to be avoided.
Description
I share concerns that sustainable tourism becomes a trendy ‘thing’ to invest in, with investors expecting sustainable tourism business and returns working in the same way as mainstream, with the values of volume and profit not positive impacts, as if it’s just a product extension
Vicky Smith is the Founder & Director of the online community EarthChangers, and a Sustainable Tourism Consultant. She believes in the power of the Internet and tourism for connecting communities worldwide for positive impact and sustainable development. She has extensive experience of business operations, both on the ground in host communities and the UK market, having worked in a wide range of tourism sectors including the Ski industry, safari operations (qualified ranger), trekking, adventure & activities, Sustainable / responsible tourism, volunteer travel & conservation. She holds a BA in French and International Business from the University of Sheffield and an MSc in Responsible Tourism Management from Leeds Beckett University.
Ecoclub: Why did you choose to work in Tourism and what key assumptions about the sector did you have to revise over the years?
Vicky Smith: A love of the great outdoors led to a love of ski, then a love of travel, so I worked in it to do it.
I was a passionate skier from school years and loved the mountains. One holiday from university where I was studying French and International Business, skiing with my mother in France, she a bad leg injury, and the company rep was so helpful. I thought, I’d like to do that job sometime, I get to ski, be in mountains, speak French, help people and get paid for it! When my final exams came around, I went through a couple of blue chip graduate recruitment programmes but it felt uncomfortably corporate! So I decided to first concentrate on my studies, then aim to get a job in the Alps for 6 months, then travel for 6 months before getting a ‘proper’ (office) job… that was in the mid 90’s when a ‘year out’ was frowned upon: professors told me I would ruin my career – instead it made it! My naïve assumptions were that you get to ski and socialise, speak French, help people, get paid and get months of shoulder season holidays. Not untrue for that job, but as a manager (of increasingly bigger resorts, staff, logistics, accounts, accidents, problems…), skiing gave way to 7 days a week long days’ work for little money, less of the fun aspects, but more problems. I realised I could ski more in a week’s holiday from a UK office job with a decent salary than I would in a whole season in the Alps, have a natural smile on my face, and be able to see family and friends and attend important events, so returned to the UK. That said, it was the best experience at the coalface of tourism that I wouldn’t change for the world. In more recent years, I probably assumed that consumers would demand sustainable tourism if available. Historically it’s not been true. I’ve had to learn how much education is required.