This presentation was presented at the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference 2011 (ESTC 2011), held in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA,

from September 19th-21st. Organized by The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), the ESTC is a unique annual conference providing practical solutions to advance

sustainability goals for the tourism industry.

Learn more about the ESTC: http://www.ecotourismconference.org ESTC on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ESTC_Tourism

ESTC on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ESTC.Tourism

The International Ecotourism Society | web www.ecotourism.org email info@ecotourism.org | tel +1 202 506 5033

Owner of Go Discover Travels Ltd., a travel agency based in Boracay, Philippines

Owner and manager of Boracay Hills hotel, located on the island

Helen Atanacio

Trustee and secretary of the Boracay Foundation Inc., which focuses on island matters and regeneration and conservation projects

Marketing Task Force Leader for the now-defunct Eminent Persons Group of Boracay, a government body mandated by the previous president of the Philippines

Helen Atanacio

Go Discover Travels is one of the WHL Group’s model win-win success stories.

Go Discover Travels is the local partner for nearly all WHL Group companies in the Philippines:

Go Discover Travels

It's all about Boracay and the Philippines.

Goals are being achieved: “In another year, we will have really helped, will have done what I set out to do for the country.”

Time and effort put in at the WHL Group will be key tools for Philippine tourism growth.

How has your association with the WHL Group benefitted your country?

In Boracay, most locals don't have strong tourism skills. That was OK for a while.

Then the arrival of new big operators started causing community divisions.

Thanks to WHL Group, Helen has taken part in local committees that have helped the community stick together.

How has your association with the WHL Group benefitted your local community?

A lot of “intangible revenue”

Fantastic networking capabilities

Lots of kudos and gravitas

Leadership role in the responsible and sustainable tourism development of Boracay

How has your association with the WHL Group benefitted your business?

Promotion of independent and family-run establishments, especially online

The WHL Group has been instrumental in providing vital small-business support crucial to small operators

How has your association with the WHL Group benefitted other businesses?

Prior to our partnering with the WHL Group, there was no internet presence in Boracay at all.

There was no way to book online and pay by credit card.

Travelers who considered visiting Boracay were discouraged by a dearth of information.

The WHL Group facilitated quick development of online e-commerce website.

TripAdvisor, Expedia and others have now found Boracay, but fail to provide the same kind of local perspective.

How has your association with the WHL Group helped travellers?

Co-manager of The Responsible Safari Company in Blantyre, Malawi

Works with husband Dom and two Malawians Chimwemwe and Andrew

Kate Webb

Concentrates on the community development side of RSC

Specializes in sourcing suitable projects

Ensures volunteer placements are worthwhile, educational and beneficial for all involved

Writes frequently about sustainable travel

Sits on advisory board of the Geotourism Development Foundation

Kate Webb

The Responsible Safari Company is another of the WHL Group’s successes, but for different reasons.

The Responsible Safari Company is the local partner for a number of WHL Group companies:

The Responsible Safari Company

Increased positive media attention to Malawi

Increased company reach through article publication

Unqualified support of mission to work toward making tourism truly benefit Malawi

How has your association with the WHL Group benefitted your country?

Increased local employment

Facilitated knowledge and skill sharing

Enabled sending more clients to some of the 11 existing community projects

How has your association with the WHL Group benefitted your local community?

Helped raised the profile of RSC as one of Malawi’s leading travel suppliers and local travel operators

Increased bookings

A lot of positive customer feedback concerning the whl.travel website

Networking opportunities

Training in marketing, Internet skills and social media

Confidence building!

How has your association with the WHL Group benefitted your business?

Many of the listed hotels have no other website, phone or internet

Creation of new websites for lodges

Sending business to tiny lodges that struggle for bookings

Increased demand for ground transfers has required hiring of a local car supplier.

Transference of knowledge about social media and marketing to many smaller lodges

How has your association with the WHL Group benefitted other businesses?

Informative website providing travellers with more options across Malawi

Opportunities for philanthropic giving that are very important to travelers

Bringing material donations

Sharing skills on local projects

Sending financial support

How has your association with the WHL Group helped travellers?

If you are mindful of the local people, you put yourself in the locals' shoes and discover what they really think.

If you are mindful of the local environment, you put yourself at the heart of it, feel its beauty and power, and do what you can to preserve it for the future.

If you are mindful of the local culture, you put yourself in the local mindset and share in activities and experiences as locals do.

If you are mindful of the local economy, you put your money into local businesses and ensure that your tourism benefits the right people.

What Is Local Travel?

Four easy actions could make you a local traveler:

Connect with local people before or during your trip. Stay in touch after you leave.

Travel in a manner that is sensitive to the local environment.

Respect local heritage and culture.

Spend your money locally.

How to Be a Local Traveler

Please do not hesitate to contact me:

Ethan GelberChief Communications Officer

+1 718 395 9537ethan@whl.travel@thetravelword

Need More Information?

Thank you!