The Geotourism Challenge

 

The goal of the Geotourism Challenge is to identify and showcase innovators-individuals and organizations- that support the approach known as geotourism: tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place-its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents.

 

Exploration is at the core of human nature. For thousands of years travel has been the source of unparalleled experiences. We express the wonder of discovering places in the exchange of photography, stories, music, craft, recipes, and design. As travelers, we gain wisdom and knowledge from this cross-cultural engagement.

In recent decades tourism has exploded into one of the largest, most all-pervasive industries on Earth. Hundreds of millions of us now travel. When done well, tourism can alleviate poverty, educate the public, and motivate preservation and conservation of unique cultural, natural, and historic resources. But when done poorly, tourism may destroy environmental and cultural distinctiveness, perpetuate great disparities in wealth, and educate few.

National Geographic is committed to protecting the world's distinctive places. To further our mission, we welcome you to the global Geotourism Challenge: Celebrating Places/Changing Lives, the first of three annual collaborative competitions in partnership with Ashoka's Changemakers.

The goal of the Geotourism Challenge is to identify and showcase innovators-individuals and organizations- that support the approach known as geotourism: tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place-its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents.

We invite you to participate in Ashoka's Changemakers collaborative competition

Help us identify remarkable examples of innovation that demonstrate ways for tourism to do the most good and the least harm. We seek information on innovators from around the world and from every kind of enterprise, government, or organization-large and small- who are helping destinations benefit from tourism while protecting the assets that make their places special.

Who are the best Geotourism Challenge candidates? People and organizations that build community pride, increase knowledge about a place, help to protect or enrich the character of a place, and improve residents' well-being.

Please share your knowledge with us and with the world. Even if you do not nominate a candidate or enter the competition, visit Ashoka's Changemakers community discussion and comment online. If you are a traveler or tourism professional, you may already be working to improve a particular destination. If you live there, you may be working to make your place more attractive-both for visitors and for the local population. Your insights will be valuable and help shape the growing field of geotourism. Together, we can move tourism toward a model that protects and enhances the world.