We are a global group of ecotourism pioneers and practitioners, who want to share our many years of experience in ecotourism and sustainable tourism practices and also our wide contact network to help others.
We love nature, innovation and sustainable design, different cultures, great guides and know how important sustainability is for sharing a liveable planet.
We are for better tourism for the visitors and the visited. That does not necessarily mean more tourism.
We connected when we were the last Advisory Board of the International Ecotourism Society (TIES) and left because we differed with the TIES executive team about financial transparency and direction.
We are now connecting with other experienced ecotourism professionals and are working with networks in the main regions of the world.
Our Ecotourism Definition
Ecotourism is responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and creates knowledge and understanding through interpretation and education of all involved: visitors, staff and the visited”.
<Global Ecotourism Network, 2016>
Our Mission
The Global Ecotourism Network (GEN) brings the world’s regional and national ecotourism associations, networks and destinations, together with indigenous and rural peoples, global operators, professionals and academics, to grow the industry, provide advocacy, encourage thought leadership and innovation, and add greater authenticity to ecotourism.
Where We Are
We are represented in 99 countries and 6 global regions, which are setting up their own networks, linking into the Global one.
- Asian Ecotourism Network
- Latin American & Caribbean Ecotourism Network
- European Ecotourism Network
- Northern America Ecotourism Network
- Northern Africa & Middle East Ecotourism Network
- African Ecotourism Network