Ecotourism society re-organises prior to big conference

Largest conference in history scheduled for Quito

TIES – the International Ecotourism Society – and the grand old lady of the sustainable tourism world – has reorganized its structure prior to this year’s ESTC.

The advisory committee resigned recently and has been replaced by a Research and Education Council (described as the eyes and ears of ecotourism expertise) composed of 8 members.

The International Tourism Collective, created to deal with TIES partnerships, owns the rights to TIES Intellectual property – the ability to use the name TIES, ESTC, published materials, etc.  TIES is a 501(c)(3) entity, non-profit organization.

The 2015 International conference, the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC) will be held in Quito, Ecuador from April 27th to 30^th. A record turnout of members and registered participants is expected.

TIES Chair, Dr. Kelly Bricker says Ecuador was chosen because “Ecuador epitomizes ecotourism and sustainable tourism — every destination in the country has a terrific story to tell… from the work within national parks, to the engagement of local communities, there are numerous champions of sustainability at its best.”

This year’s ESTC will also feature Ecuador’s Minister of Tourism, Sandra Naranjo. the first sitting Minister of Tourism to deliver a keynote address at a TIES conference. Her vision is to utilize tourism as an economic instrument to achieve sustainable development, something ESTC delegates will hear more about during the conference.

Founded in 1990, TIES is the largest and oldest ecotourism society in the world, with over 14,000 members. Since 2005, TIES has hosted the ESTC, offering international tourism professionals, conservation groups, academicians, and governments the opportunity to network and share best practices in a supportive setting, while experiencing the ecotourism and sustainable tourism initiatives of the host destination.

ESTC15 in Quito is expected to expand up to 500 attendees, having grown significantly every year since 2011.

Oliver Hillel, Program Officer at Secretariat for the Convention on Biological Diversity, commented, “The ESTC provides global players with the best venue to discuss joint proposals and projects, and network with the best practitioners all over the world. The width of the issues discussed, the diversity of skills and experiences of participants, and the innovative solutions shared make it a reference and a watering hole for professionals trying to make a difference in the competitive and growing fields of ecotourism and sustainable tourism.”

Valere Tjolle

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