Planeta Forum

[planeta]

Belize Responsible Tourism Conference
http://www.icrtbelize.org
http://planeta.wikispaces.com/belizertc

[goodwinhj]

The third International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations takes place in Belmopan, Belize 18-22 May 2009 The conference website is www.icrtbelize.org

The full conference programme, fees and details of travel arrangements will be published there on January 5th

The programme in Belize is expected to be preceded by a separate but related workshop in Cancun/Tulum organised with Mexican government on “Making Mass Tourism More Responsible” on May 17th. On May 18th there will be coach transfers to the opening ceremonies for the Third International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations in Belize in the afternoon.

Third International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations

Monday May 18th Opening Reception

Tuesday May 19th
Session I Opening of the Conference and National Presentations on Responsible Tourism
Session II Local Economic Development
Session III Second Home Ownership

Wednesday May 20th
Session IV Marine & Coastal Zone Tourism
Session V Cruising
Session VI Working Groups preparing declarations on
1. Local Economic Development
2. Second Home Ownership
3. Marine & Coastal Zone Tourism
4. Cruising

Thursday May 21st
Session VII Climate Change and Tourism
Session VIII Finalisation and Debate on the resolutions of the conference

Friday May 22nd Academic Papers on the five themes of the conference
1. Local Economic Development
2. Second Home Ownership
3. Marine & Coastal Zone Tourism
4. Cruising
5. Tourism in Belize and the Region

There will be a programme of pre and post- conference tours including the Toledo Cacao Festival May 23/24

[goodwinhj]

The ICRT Belize has been working away to develop the agenda of the 3rd International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations which runs in Belize from Tuesday May 19th until Friday May 22nd. The Conference will be opened by the prime Minister of Belize.

The themes for this year’s Responsible Tourism in Destinations Conference are
1. Tourism and Local Economic Development
2. Second Homes, Condominiums and their Impacts on Local Communities
3. Impacts of Tourism in the Marine and Coastal Zones
4. Impacts of Cruise Tourism in Belize and Around the World
5. Climate Change and Tourism

For full details of the conference programme, speakers (local and international) and registration go to http://www.icrtbelize.org/PDF/conference_prog.pdf

To enable participants to secure cheaper flights arrangements have been made to permit access through Cancun on a 7 day itinerary. . The ICRT Belize has organised an opportunity to visit Cancun on a guided torus and then to debate the responsibility of mass tourism in Cancun on Sunday May 17th and then to transfer on a conference coach to Belize, for the return journey you can return by sleeper coach to Cancun.

If you have queries about your registration or the organisation of the conference please use the contacts for ICRT Belize which is organising the conference http://icrtbelize.org/Contact.htm

If you would like to present a paper please email me at harold@haroldgoodwin.info

Please pass this information on and circulate as widely as possible.

I hope that I might see you in Belize

Harold Goodwin
Co-chair
www.haroldgoodwin.info
[b][/b]

[icrtbelize]

The International Centre for Responsible Tourism-Belize (ICRT-Belize) was formed in April 2008 and from day one has been working to have Belize play host to the Responsible Tourism in Destinations (RTD-III) Conference.

As another part of developing Responsible Tourism in Belize, ICRT-Belize is working to have both Green Globe and Green Deal Certification criteria applied to responsible hotels as they work towards certification in the short term.

Green Deal hails from Guatemala and serves as a regional body working towards best management practices in Hotels and eventual certification through monitoring, training, planning and corrective measures.

ICRT-Belize is proud that Belize will host RTD-III and the spin off effects of projects such as hotel certification that this conference brings to Belize.

Kindly visit the RTD-III website at www.icrtbelize.org

Belize extends an open welcome to delegates to come and be a part of RTD-III. Kindly visit the site and book to attend RTD-III.

Contacts:

Kenrick Theus
kenrick@icrtbelize.org

Yashin Dujon
yashin@icrtbelize.org

[icrtbelize]

The ICRT-Belize Team has been using the past week to send invitations to other tourism organizations, groups, tourism authorities and individuals all over to world to inform them about RTD-III in May, the Third International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations.

The response has been good and we would like to ask everyone to book early. It is our hope to have most of the logistics sorted out as early as possible for all the attendees and early booking always helps.

Kindly visit the site to see the agenda and decide if you would like to come in and do the Cancun leg of the Conference as well by flying directly to Cancun or you would prefer to come into Belize directly for the main of RTD-III.

Again, the booking can be done online at the www,icrtbelize.org website or by emailing info@cruzobtravel.com directly and having Roceli handle your logistics personally.

We look forward to hosting you in Belize in May 2009.

Website: www.icrtbelize.org

Contacts: info@icrtbelize.org for all general enquiries
reservations@icrtbelize.org to book rooms, flights, tours, etc

Organizers: kenrick@icrtbelize.org
yashin@icrtbelize.org

[icrtbelize]

We are in the process of updating the agenda for RTD-III and will have the new agenda up on the www.icrtbelize.org website by April 15, 2009. More international experts have signed on to present at RTD-III and we are presently making it all possible for them to do so.

The planning and logistics going into RTD-III is phenomenal. The University of Belize is assisting ICRT-Belize with students attending RTD-III and assisting with the day to day meet and greet matters of RTD-III.

Kindly visit www.icrtbelize.org to see the details and kindly revisit us again closer to the show. We ask that every responsible tourism advocate makes every effort to attend as well.

Contact me directly at kenrick@icrtbelize.org or at info@icrtbelize.org for any additional information

Regards,

Kenrick Theus
ICRT-Belize

[planeta]

I recommend we use the hashmark #rtbelize09 to tag pages about the event and in our twittering!

Example:
http://delicious.com/search?p=%23rtbelize09

[icrtbelize]

April 5, 2009

Dear Tourism Partners & Friends,

We wrote to you on May 1st expressing concern that the Third International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations (RTD-III) might have to be postponed.

Today it is clear that with many countries having banned all but essential travel to Mexico and the government of Belize having banned public meetings we have no choice but to postpone the conference to a date later in the year. No confirmed cases have been detected in Belize to date however regional authorities, the local government and the Belize Ministry of Health are currently engaged in precautionary measures to abate the spread of virus.

However, as a consequence of the ban on public gatherings and the travel advisories against travel to Mexico we have no choice but to postpone. We shall consult with you about alternative dates and we’ll be back in touch as soon as we have caught our breath.

I hope that you will understand what a difficult decision this has been but in the current situation we are unable to go ahead and have no alternative but to postpone.

We look forward to your continued support and understanding in these difficult times as we try to find a date after some relief from the issue of the H1N1

RTD-III will be held at a date to be announced shortly.

Sincerest Regards,




Kenrick Theus, Director
International Centre for Responsible Tourism-Belize

[planeta]

I am looking forward to this conference. In many ways the delay works in our favor of building a stronger event and more engaged online participation. Please post the dates for the rescheduled event along with any information you would like to share with the forum's readers.

[abil]

After the unfortunate postponement of the conference in May, ICRT Belize has been working diligently towards the realization of the Third International Conference on Responsible Tourism to be held in Belize on October 19th to the 23rd, 2009.

We have reorganized our agenda of presentations and added new elements to the conference that would further integrate the global spectrum of tourism and its impacts. Our new website, further makes justice to the push toward a responsible management and development of our countries via tourism and we invite you all to visit it at www.icrtbelize.org. ICRT Belize, would like to extend our invitation to all readers and participants of this forum and also to make contact with us at info@icrtbelize.org/abiL@icrtbelize.org

We would also like to extend our appreciation to PLANETA.COM, and Ron Mader for his continuous support of the conference and of ICRT Belize.

We will keep you posted.

[planeta]

See you in Belize at the 2009 Responsible Tourism Conference
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir0dzOeoRCg

[abil]

On October 19th to the 23rd, 2009 the Third International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations will be carried out in Belmopan City, Belize. Delegates from all around the world will convene to witness, discuss, and share presentations and their professional hindsight on some pressing issues of the Global Tourism Industry.

Our list of presenters includes Dr. Harold Goodwin, ICRT-UK; Adama Bah ICRT-West Africa; Ron Mader, Planeta.com; Sharon Pererra, Protected Areas Conservation Trust; Guido Bauer, Green Globe International; Andrea Gough, World Heritage Alliance; Dr. Bill Eishbaum, World Wildlife Fund; Dr. Martha Honey, CESD; Dr. Robert Richardson, Michigan State University, and the list of respected experts in the Tourism and Sustainable Development field continues.

These panelists will be expounding on topics that include Tourism and Local Economic Development; Tourism Impacts on Climate Change; The Impacts of Cruise Tourism; Second Homes and Condominiums and their impact on local communities; Tourism Impacts on Marine and Coastal Zones; and Tourism Planning for Natural Disaster and Pandemics.

The Co-directors and team at ICRT-Belize and the country of Belize, invites all to visit and participate in this grand one-week event. For more information, please feel free to contact info@icrtbelize.org or abil@icrtbelize.org.

We hope to see you there.



Best Regards,





Kenrick Theus,
Co-director, ICRT-Belize

[planeta]

The conference begins Monday!
http://planeta.wikispaces.com/belizertc

Hashtag: #rtbelize09

[planeta]

Updating the wiki
http://planeta.wikispaces.com/belizertc