“Geotourism” is defined as tourism that sustains or enhances the destination, and the man who is making this term more recognised and accepted in tourism circles will be a featured speaker at the fourth Caribbean Media Exchange on Sustainable Tourism (CMEx) at Half Moon Golf, Tennis and Beach in Montego Bay, May 15-19, 2003.
Jonathan Tourtellot, a senior editor at the world`s leading sustainable tourism magazine, “National Geographic Traveler”, will discuss geo-tourism issues with local, regional and international journalists and other stakeholders of the Caribbean`s number one generator of foreign exchange.
Tourtellot has spent 12 of his 24 years with the National Geographic Society as a senior editor at National Geographic Traveler magazine. Since 2001 he has divided his time between Traveler and his role as the Society`s first Director of Sustainable Tourism.
Over the past several years he has helped expand Traveler`s coverage of tourism management, and of the interplay between tourism and the character of the destinations being visited. He is an award-winning tourism features writer and he currently pens the magazine`s “Travel Watch” column on destination stewardship.
Counterpart International`s President Lelei LeLaulu thanked the Magazine for its consistent support of the CMEx tourism education process. “National Geographic Traveler has been an ardent supporter of CMEx, the Caribbean`s media and the Caribbean region,” he said.
As the Society`s Director of Sustainable Tourism, Tourtellot launched National Geographic`s online Sustainable Tourism Resource Center. (www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainable)
He is helping to implement several new projects for disseminating information about best tourism practices worldwide. These include the Geotourism Study, sponsored by Traveler and conducted by the Travel Industry Association of America , on U.S. traveler behaviour and attitudes, and the new World Legacy Awards in Nature Travel, Heritage Tourism, and Destination Stewardship presented by Traveler and Conservation International.
Other distinguished speakers who have been confirmed for the tourism talks include public relations guru Gail Moaney of Ruder Finn; Director-General of the Caribbean Hotel Association Alec Sanguinetti; CHA First Vice President Berthia Parle; President of the Barbados Tourism Authority, Oliver Jordan; Vernice Walkine, Deputy Director-General of Bahamas Ministry of Tourism; Laura Wilde, Caribbean Manager of Expedia and cruise expert Professor Ross Klein.
For further information about CMEx, visit www.caribbeanmediaexchange.com .
CMEx is co-produced by Counterpart International, its Barbados-based partner, Counterpart Caribbean, Caribbean Hotel Association, Caribbean Alliance forSustainable Tourism, Air Jamaica, Caribbean Hotel Association Charitable Trust (“Life Needs the Caribbean”), EarthVoice and the Caribbean Broadcasting Union.Ê
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