(Standford, Calif.) -- Over one hundred innovators in coastal and marine tourism development will gather at Stanford University from January 20-22, 2010 for a first-ever Executive Symposium. They include the ‘thought-leaders’ and pioneers who are breaking the mold of cookie-cutter hotels and vacation homes, and forging new, sustainable, approaches to coastal tourism development. The Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) and the Center for Global Business at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business will bring together the executives behind the development of responsible resorts, vacation homes, marinas, golf courses, and other tourism facilities and activities. Together with Stanford faculty and a range of other experts, they will explore ways to overcome the barriers that are preventing sustainable design from becoming standard practice. Particular attention will be paid to the impacts of both climate change and the global economic crisis on coastal tourism projects.
Over the last decade, the rapid pace of resort and vacation home developments, particularly along coastlines and on islands within a day’s reach of the North American market, has contributed to a variety of environmental and social problems. With a geographic focus of coastal areas in the Americas, the Symposium will facilitate dialogue among ‘green’ developers and financiers. They will discuss the main obstacles and challenges they are facing, give a voice to leading experts in social and environmental sustainability, and help solidify the participating innovators into a more cohesive network.
“Through our research and field projects on coastal and cruise tourism, CREST has identified a growing number of developers, hoteliers, financiers, architects, and others tourism executives who are on the cutting edge of green design and social responsibility. This Symposium seeks to bring them together in an intimate professional setting, designed to facilitate frank dialogue and cross-pollination of ideas,” explains Dr. William H. Durham, CREST Co-Director and Bing Professor in Human Biology at Stanford University.
Registration for the Symposium is now open. For more information and to register, please visit www.crestconference.org.
About the organizers:
Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) is a policy-oriented research institute affiliated with Stanford University. It is committed to using tourism as a tool for poverty reduction and biodiversity conservation. CREST’s network of experts provides interdisciplinary analysis and innovative solutions through consultancies, research and field projects, publications, conferences and courses. Core programs include Coastal and Marine Tourism, market Research, Travelers’ Philanthropy, Ecotourism and Certification.
An official invitation committee is organizing speakers and participants for the Innovator’s Symposium. The committee includes: David Sklar, CEO and visionary behind Star Island, The Bahamas; Antonio Pares, designer and principal, Mithun Architecture, San Francisco and Seattle; Mark Spalding, President, Ocean Foundation and its Resort Partnership Funds; Roger Lang, President Sun Ranch Group, and Founder, Sun Ranch Institute; William Barnett, the Siebel Professor in Business Leadership, Strategy, & Organizations, Stanford GSB.
###
Contact: David Krantz
Phone: +1 (202) 347-9203 ext 417
Email: [email protected]