Welcome to the 2009 Geotourism Challenge!

In recent decades tourism has exploded into one of the largest, most all-pervasive industries on Earth. Even in difficult times, hundreds of millions of us now travel. When done well, tourism can alleviate poverty, educate the public, and motivate preservation and conservation of unique cultural, natural, and historic resources. This beneficial type of responsible tourism is most attracted to destinations that are well taken care of.

But when done poorly, tourism may destroy environmental and cultural distinctiveness, perpetuate great disparities in wealth, and educate few. Careless or greedy local leaders may encourage the trend, seeking short-term profits rather than sustainability, and excessive quantity instead of high quality.

National Geographic is committed to protecting the world’s distinctive places. To further our mission, we welcome you to the second annual global Geotourism Challenge: Power of Place—Sustaining the Future of our Destinations, the second of three annual collaborative competitions in partnership with Ashoka’s Changemakers.

The goal of the Geotourism Challenge is to identify and showcase innovators—individuals and organizations—that directly or indirectly support good destination stewardship and the approach known as geotourism: “tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents.” Innovators who improve or protect that character of place are as important as geotourism practitioners.

We invite you to participate in Ashoka’s Changemakers collaborative competition through several actions:

• nominate candidates for the 2009 Geotourism Challenge through May 20, 2009;
• enter the competition itself and encourage others to do so, starting February 18, 2009;
• comment on entries in the online discussion throughout the competition, to help innovators refine and improve their ideas;
• vote for three Geotourism Challenge winners from a slate of finalists chosen by expert judges between July 15 and August 12, 2009. 

There is a dynamic relation between tourists and the places that host them.  Help us identify innovative ways for that interaction to do the most good and the least harm. We seek information on innovators from around the world and from every kind of business, government, or organization–large and small– who are helping destinations benefit from tourism while protecting the assets that make their places special.

Who are the best Geotourism Challenge candidates? People and organizations that build community pride, increase knowledge about a place, help to protect or enrich the character of a place, and improve residents’ well-being.

Please share your knowledge with us and with the world. Even if you do not nominate a candidate or enter the competition, visit Ashoka’s Changemakers community discussion and comment online. Whether you are a traveler, tourism professional, or resident, you may already be working to improve a particular destination, to make that locale more attractive for both visitors and the local population.  Your insights will be valuable and help shape the growing field of geotourism.  Together, we can move tourism toward a model that protects and enhances the world.

Including your own favorite places.

Sincerely,

Jonathan B. Tourtellot
Director, Center for Sustainable Destinations
National Geographic