Dear Friends and Colleagues,

On behalf of the staff and Board of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), I am pleased to present the Oslo Statement on Ecotourism. Reflecting the outcomes of the Global Ecotourism Conference 2007 (GEC07), which was held in Oslo, Norway, 14-16 May, this Statement is a tool for ecotourism stakeholders both in the public and private sectors to assess the current state of the global ecotourism community, to evaluate the challenges facing ecotourism today, and to establish goals and benchmarks for the coming years.

GEC07 marked an important step forward in the global ecotourism community’s efforts to strengthen its voice, and to put sustainability on the agenda of all sectors of the tourism industry. This Statement serves both as a summary of the discussions that took place during GEC07 and a practical tool for those seeking to improve their sustainability practices and those interested in learning more about ecotourism and its challenges.

I encourage you to use the recommendations put forth in this Statement to enhance your operations and to raise awareness of key issues in ecotourism. Please forward the Statement widely to your friends and colleagues, local government representatives and ecotourism businesses, to spread the word about ecotourism’s roles in safeguarding our natural and cultural heritage and influencing the travel industry to become more sustainable.

The Oslo Statement on Ecotourism comprises of the following sections:

• Background – The United Nations declared the International Year of Ecotourism (IYE) in 2002, and the Quebec Declaration on Ecotourism was issued as a concrete outcome of IYE. GEC07 marked 5 years since IYE.
  
  
• Ecotourism: Current Status and Challenges – The global ecotourism community has experienced significant growth since 2002, and is continuously evolving. In light of the various changes in the tourism industry in recent years, ecotourism today faces many new opportunities and challenges.
  
  
• Recommendations from GEC07 – Based on the results of the workshops and meetings during the conference, TIES has developed sets of recommendations around four key areas (local sustainable development, conservation, education and communication, and critical issues in ecotourism).

As the world’s oldest and largest ecotourism organization, TIES is committed to promoting the principles of ecotourism and responsible practices in travel and tourism. With the goal of uniting conservation, communities and sustainable travel, TIES serves its members in over 90 countries, and strives to act as the global source of knowledge and advocacy in ecotourism.

Thank you for taking the time to read the Oslo Statement on Ecotourism, and I hope that you will help transform the recommendations of the Statement into real action that will lead to positive changes.

David Sollitt
Executive Director, The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)