Do you know any faith-based groups involved in community-based ecotourism?
Community-based ecotourism is best defined as responsible tourism to natural and cultural areas that conserves creation and improves the well-being of the local community that takes ownership of the project and receives direct benefit from the venture. While there may be a partnership with an outside group or business, the local community remains the key stakeholder and is honored as such by all parties.
Eastern University invites you to contact us if you know of any such community-based ecotourism ventures. This may include:
organizations that are beginning to think about incorporating this into their vision,
companies or missions that already have a business in place, and/or
anecdotes of personal travel experiences with ecotourism.
All information is both welcome and appreciated. In fact, feel free to contact the university (addresses below) even if you are unaware of any projects, but are interested in how they might apply to your community.
Why is Eastern University interested in your input on this topic?
The university's School of Leadership and Development has just launched a new research project in ecotourism. We will investigate the viability of ecotourism as a solution in three major problem areas: poverty alleviation through sustainable economic development, preservation of indigenous cultures, and environmental preservation. The goal is more than a contribution to a field of knowledge, but the interface of knowledge with action. In addition, we will research the ecotourism practices of faith-based groups with the intention of creating a model that can be used by other groups in their work with those communities for whom ecotourism is a viable and appropriate means of development. This project relates strongly to Eastern's commitment to training students in taking the whole gospel to the whole world.
This project is innovative. Until now, tourism – and particularly ecotourism – has largely been ignored among missional relief and development groups. Eastern's hope is that with the information gathered from the research, this avenue of development will be further explored and incorporated into practice by communities around the world who face economic hardships and threats to the environmental integrity of their land.
Thank you for any information you can send that will help with this research.
Sincerely,
Stan LeQuire
ecotourism@eastern.edu
slequire@eastern.edu
Community-based ecotourism is best defined as responsible tourism to natural and cultural areas that conserves creation and improves the well-being of the local community that takes ownership of the project and receives direct benefit from the venture. While there may be a partnership with an outside group or business, the local community remains the key stakeholder and is honored as such by all parties.
Eastern University invites you to contact us if you know of any such community-based ecotourism ventures. This may include:
organizations that are beginning to think about incorporating this into their vision,
companies or missions that already have a business in place, and/or
anecdotes of personal travel experiences with ecotourism.
All information is both welcome and appreciated. In fact, feel free to contact the university (addresses below) even if you are unaware of any projects, but are interested in how they might apply to your community.
Why is Eastern University interested in your input on this topic?
The university's School of Leadership and Development has just launched a new research project in ecotourism. We will investigate the viability of ecotourism as a solution in three major problem areas: poverty alleviation through sustainable economic development, preservation of indigenous cultures, and environmental preservation. The goal is more than a contribution to a field of knowledge, but the interface of knowledge with action. In addition, we will research the ecotourism practices of faith-based groups with the intention of creating a model that can be used by other groups in their work with those communities for whom ecotourism is a viable and appropriate means of development. This project relates strongly to Eastern's commitment to training students in taking the whole gospel to the whole world.
This project is innovative. Until now, tourism – and particularly ecotourism – has largely been ignored among missional relief and development groups. Eastern's hope is that with the information gathered from the research, this avenue of development will be further explored and incorporated into practice by communities around the world who face economic hardships and threats to the environmental integrity of their land.
Thank you for any information you can send that will help with this research.
Stan LeQuire
ecotourism@eastern.edu
slequire@eastern.edu