SITKA, ALASKA Tourism is up around the globe, and according to the National Geographic Society, it’s a double-edged sword. While tourism brings economic gains, the Society says it can also harm communities and ecosystems.
A representative of National Geographic’s Center for Sustainable Destinations was the keynote speaker at Sitka’s second-annual Cultural Tourism Conference. He introduced the idea of “Geotourism” – a new community-centered approach to the visitor industry.
As Melissa Marconi Wentzel reports, the concept may have sparked a movement among conference participants, who were looking for innovative approaches to balancing the state’s burgeoning cruise industry with cultural and environmental stewardship,