International Ecotourism Society
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| International Ecotourism Society | |
|---|---|
| Name | International Ecotourism Society |
| Abbreviation | TIES |
| Formation | 1990 |
| Type | Non-governmental organization |
| Headquarters | Burlington, Vermont |
| Region served | Global |
| Language | English |
International Ecotourism Society is an international non-profit organization founded to promote responsible travel to natural areas and to advance conservation and community-based development through tourism. The organization connects practitioners, policymakers, academics, funders, and destinations to disseminate best practices in sustainable tourism through events, publications, and collaborations. Its work intersects with global environmental governance, conservation finance, indigenous rights, and international development agendas.
History
The organization was established in 1990 amid heightened international attention to biodiversity and sustainable development exemplified by the Rio de Janeiro United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and the rise of NGOs such as World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International, and The Nature Conservancy. Early leadership included conservationists and tourism professionals who engaged with institutions like the World Tourism Organization, United Nations Environment Programme, and the World Bank to frame ecotourism within broader initiatives such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Global Environment Facility. During the 1990s and 2000s the society convened conferences and produced guidelines paralleling efforts by IUCN, UNESCO, and regional bodies like the European Commission and ASEAN. The organization’s activities have intersected with leaders and thinkers associated with Jane Goodall, Paul Hawken, E.O. Wilson, and programs linked to National Geographic Society, Smithsonian Institution, and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
Mission and Objectives
The society’s stated mission emphasizes conservation, community benefits, and sustainable livelihoods, aligning goals with international frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals and treaties negotiated under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Objectives include capacity building for local stakeholders, standards development resonant with frameworks from ISO and Global Reporting Initiative, and promotion of market mechanisms similar to initiatives by Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade International. The institution seeks to influence policy debates held in venues like the United Nations General Assembly, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and multinational forums including the G20 Tourism Working Group.
Programs and Initiatives
Programs have targeted protected areas, biosphere reserves, and community-conserved areas such as those recognized by UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Man and the Biosphere Programme, and networks like IUCN Protected Area Categories. Initiatives include practitioner training akin to curricula developed at University of Oxford and Colorado State University tourism programs, toolkits reflecting methodologies from World Resources Institute and monitoring approaches used by BirdLife International and Wildlife Conservation Society. The society has organized regional workshops connecting stakeholders from Amazon rainforest, Great Barrier Reef, Serengeti, Galápagos Islands, Borneo, and Himalayas with funders like Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and Rockefeller Foundation.
Membership and Governance
Membership structures have encompassed individual practitioners, tour operators, guides, and institutional members including universities, NGOs, and private-sector firms such as boutique operators with profiles similar to Abercrombie & Kent and conservation-minded resorts akin to Six Senses. Governance historically involved a board of directors composed of leaders drawn from organizations like Conservation International, World Bank Group, UN Development Programme, and academic appointments from Cornell University and University of California, Berkeley. Regional chapters and advisory councils have linked to networks in Africa, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.
Certification and Standards
The society developed principles and guidance comparable to certification schemes such as GSTC and standards administered by Green Globe and EarthCheck, promoting criteria addressing biodiversity, cultural heritage, and livelihood impacts. It has produced best-practice documents discussed alongside standards from ISO 14001 environmental management, community benefit frameworks like Equator Principles, and voluntary sustainability standards used by supply chains influenced by UN Global Compact signatories. Debates over third-party auditing, labeling, and market recognition have intersected with protocols used by Fair Trade USA and accreditation processes in Tourism Accreditation Board-like bodies.
Partnerships and Advocacy
Strategic partnerships have linked the society with multilateral agencies such as UNEP, UNWTO, and UNDP as well as NGOs including WWF, Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy, Rainforest Alliance, and academic partners like Oxford Brookes University and University of Queensland. Advocacy has targeted national tourism ministries, regional development banks such as the Asian Development Bank and Inter-American Development Bank, and philanthropic actors including Gates Foundation-type funders, engaging in campaigns alongside networks like Sustainable Travel International and industry associations similar to Pacific Asia Travel Association.
Impact and Criticism
The society has influenced policy dialogues, capacity-building outcomes, and the mainstreaming of ecotourism in destination management plans evident in cases from Costa Rica, Kenya, Nepal, Ecuador, and Australia. Evaluations cite positive contributions to awareness, community enterprise development, and conservation funding streams analogous to payments for ecosystem services programs in Costa Rica and community-based tourism in Tanzania. Criticism has focused on greenwashing risks paralleling controversies involving carbon offsetting markets, leakage concerns discussed in REDD+ debates, and challenges of ensuring equitable benefit-sharing highlighted by indigenous movements in Canada, Australia, and Bolivia. Scholars from institutions like University of Cambridge, London School of Economics, and Yale University have interrogated efficacy, while investigative reporting by outlets comparable to The Guardian and New York Times has scrutinized commercial practices in the sector.