ATTA Advisory Board Taps Sustainable Travel Expert
OutdoorHub 02.09.12
International sustainable travel expert Richard G. Edwards, Founder of the travel marketing firm ecoism, has joined the Advisory Board of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, a global membership organization dedicated to unifying, networking, professionalizing, promoting and responsibly growing the adventure travel market.
An expert in sustainability and adventure travel with over 20 years of experience in marketing, ecotourism, and community development in Latin America, where he lived for many years, Edwards recently launched a new travel and sustainable tourism marketing company, ecoism, which is committed to a more socially and environmentally responsible approach to travel.
“In the years I have worked with ATTA, I am most proud of our role in driving the market and encouraging the whole industry to embrace triple bottom line product development,” says Edwards. “I continue to see greater understanding throughout the community of the vital importance of sustainable destination management, and will be working hard to advocate for finding new ways for local economies and communities to benefit from tourism,” he adds.
Before launching ecoism (www.ecoismglobal.com), Edwards was the Director of Marketing and e-Commerce and founding Director of the non-profit Planeterra Foundation at the adventure giant Gap Adventures (now G Adventures). His wide-ranging career in the adventure travel industry includes leadership positions with luminary adventure organizations Costa Rica Expeditions, Austin-Lehman Adventures and Wildland Adventures.
A strong advocate for harnessing the capacities of local communities to develop travel destinations in harmony with core cultural values, Edwards is cited annually as a Top Travel Specialist by Conde Nast Traveler magazine. He encourages small businesses to add their voice and play a meaningful role in the sustainable travel movement.
“I am honored to join the ATTA Advisory Board, to combine my passion for sustainable tourism with the expertise and talents of so many people throughout the adventure travel community, and to help the industry shift to a more sustainable model as it continues to grow,” says Edwards.
Edwards has always found time for interesting and unique projects, working on marketing strategy, messaging, branding, product development, CSR programs, and community development with destinations such as Belize and Korea, large corporations such as Discovery Communications and Hilton, and his own boutique adventure company, GreenSpot.travel. He also serves on the Executive Board of the United Nations-backed Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) as Communications Chair, as well as the board of The International Ecotourism Society.
