Ties Announces The Oslo Statement On Ecotourism

TIES ANNOUNCES THE OSLO STATEMENT ON ECOTOURISM

Washington DC - August 15, 2007 - The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) released today the Oslo Statement on Ecotourism, which is an outcome of the Global Ecotourism Conference 2007 (GEC07), in Oslo, Norway, 14-16 May. Marking the 5th anniversary of the International Year of Ecotourism, GEC07 was an important step forward for the global ecotourism community's efforts to strengthen its voice and to influence the travel industry to become more sustainable.

David Sollitt, TIES Executive Director, says, "Serving both as a summary of the discussions that took place during GEC07 and as a practical tool for promoting ecotourism, the Oslo Statement on Ecotourism should be used by all ecotourism stakeholders to assess the current state of the global ecotourism community and to evaluate the challenges facing ecotourism."

The Statement highlights ecotourism's past achievements and future challenges, and puts forward recommendations about ecotourism's roles in safeguarding the world's natural and cultural heritage and bringing positive changes to the travel industry. The Statement is available for download at: www.ecotourism.org.

"It is our hope that our members, conference participants, government representatives and ecotourism businesses around the world will use the recommendations put forth in this Statement to enhance their operations and to raise awareness of key issues in ecotourism," says Sollitt.

The Statement has been developed based on the workshop themes and topics of GEC07, with input from speakers, moderators, and conference participants, and comments from others submitted online. The following staff and Board members of TIES have contributed their time to craft this Statement: Kelly Bricker, Christina Cavaliere, Richard Denman, Ayako Ezaki, David Sollitt and Carolyn Wild.

The Statement is available for download at the TIES website

In the coming weeks, TIES will release the French, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish versions of the Oslo Statement on Ecotourism through its website.

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) As the world's oldest and largest ecotourism organization, TIES is committed to promoting the principles of ecotourism and responsible practices in travel and tourism. With the goal of uniting conservation, communities and sustainable travel, TIES serves its members in over 90 countries, and strives to act as the global source of knowledge and advocacy in ecotourism.