Our People .
Consultant Matthew Humke
Matthew Humke has worked for 20 years in Latin America, Africa, and Asia for organizations like Rare and Solimar International developing sustainable tourism as a tool for economic development and biodiversity conservation. The tourism enterprises Matthew has helped to establish, such as La Ruta Moskitia in Honduras, have generated more than $5 million for local economies. The success of these enterprises has resulted in a number of the industry’s top honors, including a World Travel & Tourism Council “Tourism for Tomorrow” award. Matthew is the author of the Sustainable Tourism Toolkit, a four-part publication designed to help local entrepreneurs and project managers, particularly in developing countries, successfully develop sustainable tourism. For more information, please contact Matthew Humke at matthewhumke@gmail.com.
by Matthew Humke
Tourism and Conservation: Rethinking the Paradigm
Due to its sheer size and potential, sustainable tourism — travel that attempts to benefit a destination’s economy, environment, and society — has become an essential element of nearly any economic development strategy in emerging economies around the world. You’ve probably seen the stats: Worldwide, travel and tourism contribute 10.2 percent of GDP, are third…