Summary Report: 3 rd International Travelers Philanthropy Conference July 20-23, 2011 ~ San Jose & Monteverde, Costa Rica

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1 Summary Report: 3 rd International Travelers Philanthropy Conference July 20-23, 2011 ~ San Jose & Monteverde, Costa Rica We are pleased to share with you the highlights and outcomes of the 3 rd International Travelers Philanthropy Conference in Costa Rica, jointly organized and hosted by CREST and the Monteverde Institute. Costa Rica, widely hailed as a world leader in socially and environmentally responsible tourism, was an ideal venue for the first ever conference on travelers philanthropy in Latin America. CREST previously organized similar conferences in Arusha, Tanzania in 2008 and at Stanford University in The quality and diversity of participants and presentations at the Costa Rica conference exceeded the two earlier gatherings an indication, we believe, that travelers philanthropy initiatives are both growing in numbers and developing protocols and good practices to guide their operations. Travelers philanthropy is tourism businesses and travelers making concrete contributions of time, talent, and treasure to local projects beyond what is generated through the normal tourism business. - - CREST, Travelers Philanthropy Handbook, 2011 Group Photo, Closing Dinner Photo: William Durham One hundred and fifty delegates from some 20 countries including speakers from three long haul It was truly a wonderful gathering of eclectic destinations, Australia, Kenya, and Vietnam people, ideas and working models that attended the bilingual gathering. They included inspired and informed people from tourism business, NGOs, development - - Christina Tunnah, World Nomads agencies, philanthropic foundations, academia, and government agencies. Travelers Philanthropy Documentary The conference began on July 20 at the Ramada Herradura Hotel in San Jose, the first large urban hotel to earn top ranking 5 green leaves under Costa Rica s Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) program. During the afternoon, a panel of international experts presented a 5- hour Short Course on the nuts and bolts of travelers philanthropy. Topics included the origin and growth of travelers philanthropy; marketing, branding and communications; and the do s and don ts of travel giving. The lively, interactive session, attended by some 100 participants, concluded with the showing of CREST s travelers philanthropy documentary, Giving Time, Talent, and Treasure.

2 That evening s official opening a cocktail reception followed by a dinner featured Erika Harms, Executive Director of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) who was introduced by Costa Rica s former First Lady and member of Parliament, Margarita Penon. Both stressed the importance of travelers philanthropy as a central part of responsible tourism. Early the next morning, conference participants boarded buses for a 3 hour drive to the small mountain top community of Monteverde, renowned for its cloud forest reserves and small- scale nature based ecotourism. Monteverde has no airport or Keynote Speaker Erika chain hotels but receives some 150,000 visitors a year. Over the next three days, Harms conference attendees- - who were housed in some dozen local hotels - - shuttled by Photo: GSTC bus to workshops and plenary sessions at the three main meeting venues. I applaud you for taking on the logistical Among the featured speakers were Jane Crouch of challenge of holding this conference in Australian- based Intrepid Travel in Australia; Judy Monteverde, with the multiple locations. Kepher- Gona, CEO of Basecamp Foundation in Kenya; - - Keith Whittingham, Rollins College Toni Neubauer, President of Myths & Mountains; Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records and owner of Island Outpost in Jamaica; Jimmy Pham, founder and CEO of KOTO, an NGO in Hanoi that trains street children to become chefs; and Kevin Salwen, author of The Power of Half which recounts his family s collective decision to sell their large house and contribute half its value to support rural community projects in Ghana. Speaker Jimmy Pham, KOTO Photo: KOTO Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve Carbon Offset Reforestation Activity Photo: Jane Crouch Photo: Catherine Ardagh Speaker Jimmy Pham Photo: Jane Crouch The response from the attendees was overwhelmingly positive. The setting, the diversity of the speakers, & the creative spirit of the conference were all picked out for special praise. CREST & the Monteverde Institute pulled off the complex organization without a hitch. I expect some major outcomes to result from this superb conference. - - Andrew Bill, Siera Marketing Topics at the 18 different workshop topics ranged from discussions of ethical issues, why travelers become donors, pros and cons of voluntourism, and moving from charity models to sustainable development, to presentations on new technologies and consumer and industry demand for travelers philanthropy. A great job of pulling leaders from all over the world working in different industries - - Nicole Kluge, Institute at the Golden Gate 2

3 Also launched at the conference is the new Monteverde Travelers Philanthropy Initiative, an innovative effort to create a destination- wide travelers philanthropy fund supported collectively by tourism businesses and travelers. Led by the Monteverde Institute, the Initiative s first project is to raise funds to upgrade the local community center. Conference participants attended a cultural performance at the community center and helped kick off the drive with contributions totaling over $1500. Monteverde Initiative Community Center Launch Photo: Joe Staiano The conference closed with a live performance by Manuel Obregon, Costa Rica s Minister of Culture who is an internationally acclaimed pianist. Obregon performed his most famous piece Simbiosis", a piano piece that integrates rainforest sounds and video for an exquisite multimedia experience. Manuel Obregon Simbiosis Performance Photo: Jane Crouch The conference was very rich in its content and participants. It was remarkable to see the Vice- Minister of Tourism from República Dominicana, Erika Harms and Minister Manuel Obregón. - - Fernando Esquivel, RiosTropicales Next Steps: While there were widespread calls for more Travelers Philanthropy conferences, CREST is also considering offering more frequently its Short Course in a two- day format in various geographic regions. In addition, CREST has pledged to: Produce full proceedings of the conference Update and expand its Travelers Philanthropy website ( Produce an online directory of tourism companies involved in travelers philanthropy I would like to see it become a yearly event. - - Rosemarie Thomas, The Travel Foundation Provide expert assistance to businesses, NGOs, governments, and others interested in initiating or expanding travelers philanthropy projects Promote in suitable locations destination- wide travelers philanthropy conferences Carry out field research to measure and assess the growth and impacts of travelers philanthropy Develop a proposed Code of Conduct for travelers philanthropy. Use social media Facebook, Twitter, webinars, blogs to carry on discussion threads from the conference. 3

4 CREST s Travelers Philanthropy Program In addition to hosting international conferences, CREST has, since 2003, developed an innovative Travelers Philanthropy Program, which includes: A one- stop- shop website which includes a Impressive this is a movement that will portal soliciting tax- deductible grow in future. donations for local projects supported - - Mike Robins, The Tourism Company by our partner tour companies. Partnerships with tourism businesses to assist them in their community and conservation initiatives. Branding these initiatives under one umbrella, with a common logo, educational and promotional materials, and dedicated website ( The first ever documentary on travelers philanthropy in English and Spanish ( Giving Time, Talent and Treasure ). The first comprehensive Travelers Philanthropy Handbook, published in A 5- hour Short Course, designed to train businesses, community organizations and others on the nuts and bolts of travelers philanthropy. An Experts Bureau of consultants prepared to assist tourism companies, community organizations, and others in initiating, strengthening, assessing, and expanding travelers philanthropy projects. Field projects and studies, including currently in the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. Proceedings from its 2004, 2008 and 2011 (forthcoming) conference. For more information or to obtain the above materials, visit: 4

5 Conference Participants The following businesses, organizations, and institutions attended the conference: ACTUAR Antigua Tours Asesor Basecamp Explorer Bosque del Cabo The Boston Globe California State University Cascadas los Gavernitas Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality Center for Corporate Citizenship Center for Responsible Travel CondeNast Traveler CRUSA DAI Danta Corcovado Lodge Delegacion Chihuahua Earth University Eco Logic Developers International Ecole Travel Ecoventura El Silencio Lodge & SPa Elevate Destinations Fundación Comunidad Sustentable Fundación Corcovado Fundación del Rio Fundación Marviva Fundación Natura Fundación Neotropica GAP Adventures Global Sojourns Global Sustainable Tourism Council Hidden Canopy Treehouses Holbrook Travel Holiday Inn, San Jose Horizontes Travel Hotel Mar y Luna Hotel Mar y Luna Institute at the Golden Gate Inter- American Foundation International Student Volunteers Intrepid Travel iseeitravel Island Outpost Koto Know one Teach One Laguna del Lagarto Lodge Lapa Rios Ecolodge Ministry of Culture, Costa Rica Ministry of Tourism, Dominican Republic Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve Myths and Mountains Namlo International The New York Times The Ocean Foundation Organizacion de Cetaceos Pack for a Purpose Pantrepant Island Outpost Pellas Development Group Peninsula Papagayo Penny M. Sinder Consulting Planeterra Foundation PRETOMA Punta Islita Resort & Spa Ramada Herradura Hotel Rainforest Alliance Rancho la Puerta RECOTURH Reef Check Responsible Business Alliance Rios Tropicales Rollins College SAGA Charitable Trust SECTUR Chiapas Sharper Council Siera Marketing Sociedad Mundial para la Protección Animal Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort The Rincon The Travel Foundation Tinker Foundation Tourism Cares Foundation The Tourism Company University of Brighton Unidad Turística Municipal la Ceiba Unique Adventures Universidad Javeriana University of Peace Vail & Rock Resorts 5

6 Our Partner We are proud and grateful for our partnership with the Monteverde Institute: Our Conference Sponsors Without the financial support of these businesses and institutions this conference could not have been possible Click Here to go to the Conference website CREST: 1333 H Street, NW Suite 300, East Tower, Washington, D.C T: F: CREST: 450 Serra Mall, Bldg. 50, Rm. 51D Stanford, CA T: F: