A Higher Purpose
Tourism needs an upgrade. Not different software but a whole new operating system.
An upgrade of purpose – from simply growing in size to becoming so much better in outcome.
An operating system that delivers net benefits to the many not just the few.
A Challenging Present
The dominant model is now over sixty years old, and with continued expansion, is at risk of doing more harm than good. While this model has been hugely successful in the past, there are now many signs that mass tourism is:
- producing diminishing returns for many hosts and communities;
- placing excessive pressure on scarce resources of land, water and energy;
- rarely taking full responsibility for its externalities;
- turning unique places into commodity products; and
- viewing employees as resources or guests as targets to be exploited.
A Better Emerging Future
The really “good” news is that we’re all capable of creating something better! A new version, that goes way beyond simply “doing less harm” is possible. A tourism that, community by community, demonstrably:
- delivers better value for more people;
- supports all life and operates in harmony with nature;
- actively celebrates and nurtures the uniqueness of places and people
- enables all stakeholders to experience positive net benefit and develop their full potential as human beings; and
- creates meaningful and sustainable livelihoods for those people and enterprises on which it depends.
Tourism has delivered enormous benefits, has bought millions out of poverty and increased our understanding of each other.
It just needs to adjust to existing on a very different planet – one that’s full and whose support systems are under stress.
We’re living at one of the most exciting and scary time in human history.
The present crises – all of our own making – are forcing us to either evolve into a better version of ourselves or become extinct.
Tourism can play a proactive, positive role in that evolutionary leap.
BUT we’ll have to learn to see, be, think and act very differently.
AND we’re going to need a very different type of leader at every level.
The Conscious Travel Mission
Our mission is to grow suppliers of travel and hospitality services into becoming flourishing, prosperous Conscious Hosts, committed to delivering maximum benefit from tourism to their communities. We take hosts on a metaphorical Learning Journey through a mix of workshops, webinars and group coaching based on a variety of pathways and practices – modern and traditional.
As each community is unique in terms of its geography, community composition, and aspirations, their learning journey will be unique and while the goal is consistent – to co-create a visitor economy that does more good than harm over the short, medium and long-term, the way that economy expresses itself will be unique to each place.
Our Unique Approach
While fully supportive of existing practices and approaches to developing more responsible, sustainable forms of tourism, Conscious Travel takes a very different approach that focusses on the inner capacity of its participants for change. See more.