San Jose and Monteverde, Costa Rica
July 20 – 23, 2011
“Travelers’ Philanthropy: A Core Component of Responsible Travel”
- Benefiting communities and conservation
- Enhancing the tourism experience
- Building a more engaged and ethical tourism industry
The conference will include three simultaneous streams of workshops, centered on the three sub-themes listed above. There will be a total of 21 workshops, each running 90 minutes. They will include 3 or 4 presenters, plus a moderator. Each presenter will speak no more than 12 – 15 minutes, depending on the number of panelists.
In addition, there will be a number of keynote presentations and workshops at plenary sessions. These topics are not listed here, but they will be posted as they are finalized.
Those interested in being a presenter or panelist click here and complete this form. Your written statement of no more than 300 words should outline what you propose to discuss, plus your bio (200 words max). Speakers will be required to submit a written paper of their presentation, not simply a PowerPoint, to be used in the conference proceedings. This will be due 2 weeks (July 6, 2011) before the conference.
If you require a scholarship to cover registration and other expenses, click here to complete the scholarship application form. Priority is given on a needs basis, particularly to people from developing countries.
We will respond as quickly as we can to all submissions. A sub-committee of the Conference Advisory Committee will review submissions as they arrive and decide to accept, reject, or wait pending other submissions.
The Advisory Committee has compiled the following set of workshop topics. Over the next several months, some changes may be made based on input and interest from conference attendees. If you feel a compelling topic has been omitted, please send it to us as quickly as possible.
The date, time and venue for each workshop will be decided once most of the panelists have been determined. The order below does not indicate where the workshops will fall in the schedule.
Click Here for Full Schedule of Speakers
Workshop Topics
Stream 1: Benefiting Communities and Conservation
Stream 2: Enhancing the Tourism Experience
Steam 3: Building a More Engaged
and Ethical Tourism Industry
1. Supporting Environmental Protection: Successful Models
2. Why Travelers become Donors
This will include a discussion by donors about what and who motivated them to contribute, how giving enriches their travel experiences, and what techniques or tactics should be avoided. It will also review several recent studies of donor motivation.
3. From Charity to Sustainable Development
Discussion of how travelers’ philanthropy has been evolving. What are tools for selecting and building projects that promote long term development and social empowerment, and how to incorporate travelers’ philanthropy as part of a business’ CSR policies.
4. Serving Local Development Priorities through Travelers’ Philanthropy
What are the best practices to ensure that ‘time, talent, and treasure’ generated through travelers’ philanthropy initiatives go to support priorities determined by the local community and not solely by the traveler or tourism company? This session also includes a discussion of how to engage even jaded travelers by incorporating fun and light education while being respectful of community/local project needs, culture, values, priorities, and time.
5. Integrating Social Media and New Technologies into Travelers’ Philanthropy
How are blogs, Facebook, Twitter, online donation portals, and other techniques contributing to creating and retaining donors?
6. Travelers’ Philanthropy and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): how to build and integrate Travelers’ Philanthropy into the tourism business
Rather than merely writing a check at the end of the year, a number of businesses are incorporating travel giving (corporate and client) into the experience they offer and they way they do business. Travelers’ philanthropy is not a substitute for good CSR, rather, it involves many elements of which philanthropy is just one. In this session, participants will discuss the ways in which travel giving can be built into the business model and complement other initiatives while generating value for everyone, including owners.
7. Ethical Issues: Protecting Children, Wildlife, and Fragile Ecosystems
How to ensure that travelers’ philanthropy does not exploit vulnerable human or wildlife populations.
What types of projects should not be supported? What are guidelines to guard against exploitation?
8. Linking Community-based Tourism Services to Travelers’ Philanthropy
This will examine the growing variety of income generating community activities – handicrafts; classes (language, cooking, dance, music, culture), homestays, etc – are targeting tourists and being incorporated by tourism businesses into travelers’ philanthropy initiatives.
9. Corporate-wide Travelers’ Philanthropy Programs
Corporate giving and client engagement among companies with multiple destinations
10. Community and NGO views of Travelers’ Philanthropy: Partnering with Travel Businesses
This will cover what community projects and local NGOs need to do to become ‘tourism ready’, how to manage the encounter with tourists, and how to maximize the impact for visitors while not over-burdening the local organization.
11. Voluntourism: Case Studies & Key Issues
This will provide an overview of the growing popularity of visitors donating “time” and “talent” and will highlight some areas of success as well as concern. It will also look at a range of volunteer programs, including service learning and citizen science.
12. Latest trends: consumer and industry demand for travelers’ philanthropy
A review of recent research and surveys and discussion by media professionals, academics, and other experts.
13. Benefiting Community Projects: Successful Models for Large Resorts
14. Material Donations: Pros, Cons, Best Practices
Using travelers to bring donations (“Wish lists and Mules”).
17. Successfully Managing Travelers’ Philanthropy Programs: Legal and Administrative Issues
A panel of professionals discussions best practice procedures for administering programs.
18. Using Travelers’ Philanthropy to Address Climate Change
Carbon offset programs; initiatives to offset the entire travel footprint; supporting green and alternative energy through tourism donations
19. Spas and Travelers’ Philanthropy
Worldwide leaders from the spa industry will be on hand to discuss the ways in which the growing concept of holistic wellness embraced by the spa industry includes philanthropic ideals as a way of contributing to personal health and happiness.
20. Foundation and Development Community Views of Travelers’ Philanthropy
A panel with development professionals reflects on the role and contribution of travelers’ philanthropy, best practices, and applicable development lessons.
21. Benefiting Community Projects: Small Scale Successful Models
