GDP and monetary contributions from tourism can be used to alleviate important issues such as lack of infrastructure, low employment rates or poverty by contributing resources to fostering opportunities for the local communities.

In this week’s blog, I’ll unpack how tourism, when managed sustainably, can contribute to building a society that is engaged with sustainable tourism.

Bead the Change is an initiative that supports local female entrepreneurs in Ghana while promoting projects that are working towards increased social and environmental sustainability. Each color of their bracelets is associated with a specific cause that you can choose to support. With each sale of a traditionally-made glass beaded bracelet, a portion of the proceeds is donated to these projects, which is a win-win for the local economy, livelihoods and our planet!

Keep reading to find out more about Bead the Change’s mission, how they make their bracelets and how they are pushing the sustainability agenda forward with each bead made!

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, is the talk of the town these days, and no, not just because he is a beloved member of the British Royal family, but because of his new initiative looking to be a driving force for sustainable tourism: Travalyst. 

This past Tuesday in Amsterdam, Prince Harry along with some big names in the travel industry, Booking, Skyscanner, TripAdvisor, Visa and C-Trip, gathered together in ADAM Tower amongst an intimate group of local entrepreneurs and professionals, including our very own Founder and CEO, Ally Dragozet. 

In my last blog “Transitioning from a Tourism-Dependent Region to a Sustainable Paradise: The Caribbean Case Study pt. I” I talked about human pressures on the natural environment in the Caribbean. Even though these pressures are substantial, I think there is a way to turn the most unsustainable tourism-dependent region in the world into a sustainable tourism paradise. In this blog i’ll explain how this can come to be by using the example of Baja, Mexico. 

After spending the last two years traveling, working and volunteering in various parts of Southeast Asia, Caitlin found herself fascinated by the explosion in tourism, the spread of Western influence and the impact tourism is having on the local community.

In part II of this blog piece, she will discuss her observations while carrying out fieldwork in Lombok to provide insights on the management and implementation of the Mandalika Project.

Read on to see how local communities are being affected and what prospects lie ahead for the island as it faces rapid development.