Contributor

Jonathan Tourtellot

Travel journalist, destination critic, geotourism & destination-stewardship consultant; founder, Nat Geo Center for Sustainable Destinations

Editor, writer/photographer, consultant, and speaker, Jonathan Tourtellot specializes in sustainable tourism and destination stewardship. He originated the concept of geotourism, defined as “tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a
place—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the
well-being of its residents.” He is the portal editor for the growing collaborative community, www.DestinationCenter.org and writes for National Geographic Voices and the Huffington Post.
• He founded and directed
National Geographic’s Center for Sustainable Destinations, where he
instituted the Geotourism MapGuide program, notable for
participation by destination residents. He is primary author of the
Geotourism Charter, a set of principles adopted by various world
destinations. He helped the U.S. Travel Association develop the 2002 landmark
study "Geotourism: The New Trend in Travel," a survey of U.S.
traveler behavior and sustainability attitudes.
• He initiated and ran the annual Destination Stewardship surveys in National Geographic Traveler magazine, 2004-10. His articles cover resort sprawl, climate change, nature tourism, heritage travel, and tourism’s impact on places, including “The Two Faces of Tourism” and “The Tourism Wars,” winners of the Lowell Thomas award. He co-originated Traveler's World Legacy Awards. In 2011, Traveler won the prestigious World Tourism Award for his geotourism initiatives.
• Tourtellot has addressed many national and international groups, including the U.N. World Tourism Organization, UNESCO, and the World Travel and Tourism Council.

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