Interview with Ayako Ezaki of The International Ecotourism Society
Last week, Ayako Ezaki of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) was kind enough to answer some ecotourism-related questions we had for her. See her thoughtful and informative answers below, followed by her bio. Thanks, Ayako!
1. What’s the difference between ecotourism, responsible tourism, sustainable tourism, etc? Are they really different words for the same thing?
I think that the differences between these terms lie in the ways they are used (e.g. with specific focus on environmental conservation, in a broader sense to include tourism in both rural and urban settings and anywhere in between, etc.), and that such nuances may be important in some instances, but I believe that what matters most is the core principles that are common in all these concepts - ecotourism, responsible tourism, sustainable tourism, ethical tourism, community tourism… - that focus on minimizing negative impact and maximizing positive impact. They all say that traveling can be much more than simply visiting places, taking pictures and buying souvenirs; when executed mindfully travel can inspire change, transform communities, and contribute to conservation and sustainable development.
2. TIES has gone through some major changes this year – revamping your website, developing a blog, and getting more involved in other communication methods. What’s behind these changes and what do you hope to gain from them?
We’re very excited about the new opportunities that these communication tools offer, and hope that through our increased online visibility, we will be able to strengthen our efforts to engage, educate and inspire everyone to make travel choices that make a difference. We want to continue exploring opportunities to share information and resources, participate in conversations with members and supporters around the world, and certainly welcome suggestions on how we can improve our communication strategies!
3. Your organization speaks primarily for the tourists and the tourism providers. Do you ever interact or provide services for the people living in the communities affected by tourism? Do you know of other organizations that work closely with these communities?
As an international association, TIES network exist for, and in many ways because of, our members around the world who are leading the vital efforts to make travel and tourism more sustainable. Many of these members - associations, businesses, government organizations, NGO’s, destinations, professionals, travelers - work directly with individual community members that interact with and are affected by tourism developments. TIES’ work is to support and promote the important work of our members that provide services and opportunities (e.g. professional training, capacity building programs, scholarships, educational tools) for host community members.
That said, we are always interested in extending our services wherever it makes sense to address the needs of ecotourism stakeholders, and through partnerships hope to achieve greater, and more direct, impact on more people. A couple of examples of our initiatives in this area are: supporting community-based grassroots ecotourism initiatives in destinations by telling their stories through our ecoDestinations program; and supporting voluntourism community projects by offering global platforms through our partnership with Planeterra Foundation.
South Africa
4. When local community members are discussed through the ecotourism lens, the biggest emphasis is put on the economic benefits they may see through ecotourism. Are there other benefits local communities experience with ecotourism?
I think that the benefits for the environment go hand in hand with the economic benefits for local communities - ecotourism, by offering community members the means to make their living in a sustainable manner, creates strong incentive to protect local natural resources on which the long-term success of ecotourism ventures depend.
In addition, I think that intangible benefits of ecotourism are just as important for local community members. For instance, learning about the lives of people who come from other parts of the world seeking authentic, unique local experiences can be an eye-opening experience that reinforces pride in one’s own community. Travel, of course, is about making new friends and having a fun, memorable time - which should be the case for the host as well as for the visitor.
5. Where do you see ecotourism in 20 years? What is needed to get there?
I want ecotourism - not just the word but the principles and practices of ecotourism - to become so common that we don’t need the term ecotourism any more. That’s a lofty goal to achieve in 20 years - or maybe even in 50 years, but when you think about how far ecotourism has come since 20 years ago, the possibilities of what can be achieved in the next 20 seem endless.
6. If one wants to go to South Africa in June for the World Cup, how can one maximize responsible travel while there?
I think it’s really about making responsible travel choices whenever and wherever possible - minimizing waste, saving energy, eating and shopping locally. Here are some tips on minimizing your footprint.
The World Cup can be a great opportunity to raise awareness of social and environmental issues facing South Africa and the African continent in general. If you’re going to South Africa for the games, you may consider taking advantage of your stay to give back - for example by participating in voluntour projects such as Planeterra’s Shalati Pre-School in Mnisi, South Africa.
For more tips and recommendations on places to visit or activities to try out while in South Africa in 2010, I also suggest you get in touch with TIES Travel Ambassadors* - Jessy Lipperts, who lives in Cape Town, and Mikael Castro, who will be traveling through Southern and Eastern Africa in 2010. You can access their profiles on Ecotourism Explorer via the following links:
Jessy Lipperts
Mikael Castro
*For more information on TIES Travel Ambassador Program, see: www.ecotourism.org/travel-ambassador
7. You’ve traveled around the world for work and fun. Where would you like to go that you’ve never been and why?
My travel ‘bucket list’ is longer than my perpetual to-do list, which, as my colleagues know, is pretty long. I actually have a wish list of websites, articles, maps and publications about all the places around the world I want to learn more and experience first-hand. But when I think of places I’ve never been and want to experience, what comes to mind first are places in Japan (my home country) that I have not yet had the chance to explore.
For example, I recently read in the news about a town about 10 miles from where I grew up that is working to build sustainable communities through locally supported organic farming, products made from locally grown organic produce, and revival of traditional industries through citizen-led initiatives. There are many innovative community initiatives like this across Japan that may not be well-known outside, or even within, the country, and I’d love to travel (walk/bike) around and discover and re-discover Japan.
Japan
Ayako Ezaki is director of communications for The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), and has been with TIES since 2005. She leads TIES’ communications, marketing and media outreach initiatives, and is the editor of TIES blog and newsletters. Ayako joined TIES in 2005 as a project coordinator focusing on building and strengthening a regional communication network for TIES members and supporters in the Asia Pacific region. As part of her work facilitating TIES’ partnerships with national and regional ecotourism associations, she was the main organizer of the first Global Ecotourism Conference 2007. Ayako graduated from Wesleyan University with a Bachelor of Arts from the College of Social Studies. Through her academic career, she developed a keen interest in the corporate social responsibility (CSR) movement and non-fiction writing. She is originally from Japan and has traveled extensively throughout Asia and Europe.
The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) is a non-profit association committed to promoting responsible tourism practices that benefit conservation and communities. Representing the voices of stakeholders from all corners of the world, TIES’ global network supports and is supported by members from over 90 countries, who are leading the vital efforts to make travel and tourism more sustainable. www.ecotourism.org
