2010 ESTC Conference to celebrate biodiversity year

Special Workshops, Indigenous Tourism and Biodiversity Website Award Ceremony to be Hosted at This Year’s ESTC, Portland, Oregon USA, Sept 8-10.

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) is collaborating with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to host three events during the upcoming Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC): Global Perspective Workshop “Biodiversity and Our Lives” on Wednesday, September 8th; Award Ceremony for the 2010 Indigenous Tourism and Biodiversity Website (ITBW) Award on Friday, September 10th, and ITBW Web 2.0 Workshop on Saturday, September 11th.

Global Perspective Workshop: Biodiversity and Our Lives will highlight various global initiatives around the International Year of Biodiversity and the roles of biodiversity in our lives, this workshop will feature key examples of wildlife conservation, environmental education and awareness-raising efforts relevant to travelers and the tourism industry alike. It is free and open to the public.
 

The workshop will feature Oliver Hillel of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CDB); Jenny Gray (Chief Executive Officer of Zoos Victoria) and Dr. Wallace J. Nicols the Co-Founder of SEE Turtles, advocacy groups.
 

The Indigenous Tourism and Biodiversity Website Award (ITBW) is a collaborative effort between CBD and Planeta.com, with the support of the Heidehof Foundation.
 

The competition highlights the contributions of Indigenous operators to biological and cultural diversity, and recognizes best practice examples of innovative use of online communication tools and web technologies. Applicants from 10 countries around the world (Australia, Bolivia, Canada, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mexico, Micronesia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sweden) entered the 2010 ITBW Award, and the following operators have been selected as this year’s winners:
 

Nutti Sami Siida (Winner, 2010 ITBW Award) features reindeer sled trips and excellent nature and culture tours in Sweden. Owners Nils Torbjörn Nutti and Carina Pingi are both Sami from Gabna Sameby and work with experienced and knowledgeable guides to ensure quality.
 

TIME Unlimited Tours (Winner, 2010 ITBW Popular Vote Award) from New Zealand, operated by the Maori-European couple Ceillhe Tewhare Teneti Hema Sperath and Néill Sperath, provides personalized and interactive Auckland and Maori Indigenous Cultural Tours.
 

TIES also welcomes Neill and Ceillhe Sperath of TIME Unlimited Tours and Nils Torbjörn Nutti, Carina Pingi of Nutti Sami Siida, and Joe Doherty of Te Urewera Treks (Finalist, 2010 ITBW Award), who will be joining the ESTC in September, and attending the ITBW award ceremony to be held during the Closing Reception.
 

The ITBW delegates will also be joining the ITBW Web 2.0 Workshop, which allows participants to get a hands-on experience of Web 2.0 channels for immediate and inexpensive communication, including genuine conversations and guerrilla marketing.
 

Further information: www.ecotourismconference.org/register
 

Valere Tjolle