What Does It Really Mean?

Hosted by: David Shukman

Featuring:

Daniel Pawlyn, Intrepid Travel

Daniel Turner, Born Free Foundation

Hannah Rooley, Earthwatch

Justin Francis, responsibletravel.com

Date: Friday 1st February

Time: 2.00pm

Location: Theatre 2

About the Session:

Eco-tourism seems to be the new buzz word in travel. In a world that has decided to tackle Climate Change head on, BBC Environment & Science corespondent, David Shukman, along with expert panellists give you a chance to really get to the bottom of this new found terminology. But, what does it really mean? Can you really be an eco-friendly tourist? And will what we do as individuals make any difference at all? Your chance to voice your opinions and get some answers.

About the Speakers:

David Shukman, one of the BBC's most widely travelled correspondents, has visited more than 70 countries and territories worldwide. In his current role as Environment & Science Correspondent he has become one of the few journalists to report from both the Antarctic and the Arctic including Greenland, Siberia and even a massive iceberg the size of Manhattan drifting near the North Pole. He has reported from inside a deep crevasse on the Antarctic Peninsular and he was once stuck for a week in a blizzard in a NASA ice-camp.

Daniel Turner, from the Born Free Foundation has been inspired by the challenges that face the natural world and how the human race can both impede and benefit the environment and its wildlife. An environmental biologist, he has extensive knowledge of both living and working with local communities in Central and South America and India. Currently employed by the international wildlife charity, the Born Free Foundation, Daniel has been working with the travel industry to influence and encourage responsible travel in relation to animal welfare and conservation.

Justin Francis co-founded online travel agent responsibletravel.com in 2001. Prior to that Justin was Head of Worldwide Marketing at The Body Shop. responsibletravel.com markets more authentic holidays that maximise the positive impacts of tourism whilst minimising the negative impacts. We also founded and organise the worlds’ biggest Award scheme for responsible/eco holidays - the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards www.responsibletourismawards.com. responsibletravel.com is the largest travel agent of its kind in the world, and one of the fastest growing travel agencies in the UK selling £20m of holidays in 2007. Justin is also a Trustee of The Travel Foundation and writes for The Times and The Guardian Travel.

Daniel Pawlyn is Sales & Marketing Manager at Intrepid Travel. Intrepid have picked up numerous awards over the past year for their environmentally and culturally responsible trips, including Best Tour Operator at the Responsible Tourism Awards 2006 and recently at the British Travel Awards 2007.

Hannah Rooley manages the Expedition Recruitment Department at Earthwatch – the team responsible for getting volunteers out into the field, ensuring they make the most of their experience, and getting them safely back home again! She has a personal love of travel too, having travelled extensively in India, Africa, western and eastern Europe and in the US. Hannah strongly believes that travel and tourism, if done responsibly, can be an important positive force, both close to home and in more exotic destinations.

For environmentally conscious travellers, an Earthwatch expedition offers the rare opportunity to spend time learning from the experts in some of the most beautiful parts of the world while directly contributing to conservation. Expeditions last from 2 days to 3 weeks and there are opportunities for everyone, including teenagers, families and the over 60s. Earthwatch is an international environmental charity and we have been supporting field research for over 35 years in order to help find solutions to some of the planet’s most pressing environmental problems. We do this by providing scientists with funds and volunteers. Earthwatch expeditions aim to gather more information about the impacts of climate change, monitor the habitat needs of endangered species, and find solutions to land conflicts between wildlife and local communities. The aim is to better understand critical environmental issues in order to inform and influence conservation decisions.