As 2018 begins, I am setting forth on one of the greatest and most exciting expeditions of my life - to share the wondrous world I have discovered with you. I am launching my travel resource site for the Responsible Traveller: Re-CreationWORLD. My guiding word, as this is uncharted territory for me, will be INSPIRATION. I hope that I will be able to inspire you - to travel responsibly and get you excited about really experiencing the essence and character of the destinations you visit. I hope I can provide you with ideas that will transform your adventures into life-changing experiences and where your mindfulness can positively impact the people and environs that you touch.
I cannot yet bring the whole world of curated purposeful tourism opportunities to you. That will evolve as we journey together. For that, I will need your assistance in showing the world how to travel by making every adventure a meaningful one and sharing your enthusiasm and recommendations. I must now choose a beginning then nurture the site's evolution....so I will begin where my transformational journey and my inspiration for Re-CreationWORLD began - ECUADOR. This curious, compelling, captivating little country embodies a huge spirit filled with beauty, wonder, possibility and transformation. Its people and places will connect deeply and profoundly with your soul. I do not know of anyone that has travelled to this magical place that has not been moved and changed by the experience. Most, including myself, have decided to change their approach to life and business to one more supportive of personal well being and a vibrant healthy planet. Many find some way to help preserve Ecuador's uniqueness and continue to support initiatives which provide local economic benefits and cultural rejuvenation. Perhaps it is realizing the fragility of everything that makes Ecuador so special: the unique ecosystem of the Galapagos, the biodiversity of the Cloud Forest and Amazon, the connection and respect the people have for Pachamama - here Mother Earth holds Constitutional Rights - or the artistic cultural traditions of the Peoples of the Andes that have survived for centuries, that inspires this heightened sense of concern and responsibility.
Ecuador offers a wealth of opportunities for sustainable tourism and participation in all varieties of activities. It is tiny yet filled with diversity. For a county its size it has more than its share of World Heritage Sites both cultural and natural. Quito, the Capital, is one of the best-preserved Colonial Cities in South America, but is also one of the most cosmopolitan. The government's tourism mandate is one that fully appreciates the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the country and the critical importance of sustaining this resource. This encouraging environment has produced a variety of excellent eco-tourism exploration and cultural exchange initiatives - especially collaborations with the Indigenous peoples of the Amazon Region.
Because the country has such a unique and protected environment and there is much publicity about experiencing it in its natural state, the common belief is that any tourism experience here will be sustainable, eco- friendly and responsible. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Ecuador and especially the Galapagos is now an extremely popular tourism destination, featuring prominently in glossy brochures and on trendy traveller bucket lists. Because tourism is such a key driver in the economy it is susceptible to everything that can be wrong with tourism - destruction of the environment and cultural heritage, exploitation of cultures, communities and children, unfair treatment of employees, profits generated or directed out of country, misuse of funds collected in the name of sustainability, false advertising and companies generally providing substandard experiences because the uninformed tourist does not know any better.
How you chose to spend your time and money in Ecuador and who you chose to provide and guide your experience can make a huge difference, both to the quality of your experience and to the future of tourism in Ecuador. Re-CreationWORLD will show you Ecuador with a local flavour and introduce you to activities that you will not find in a typical guide. The Portal will provide opportunity and encouragement for you to select and support the local, authentic, socially and environmentally responsible tourism providers. We hope that you will find the selection of locally owned and operated facilities and experience providers more enticing and rewarding than a trip booked with a "big box" travel agency or in the case of the Galapagos, an internationally renowned cruise line. We are excited that we can support local entrepreneurs and Indigenous communities and set the stage for positively influencing the direction of tourism in Ecuador. Please choose wisely. Travel with curiosity, an open mind and great respect. Here's to "Ama la Vida" - "Loving Life"- and beginning our inspired journey together in this delightful country brimming with the natural essence of a wonderful life.
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