Irene Lane, of ATTA Member Greenloons, was recently featured in an interview by Everett Potter, who met Lane at the Adventure Travel World Summit in Chiapas last year. An excerpt:
EP: What led you to start the company?
IL: I started Greenloons in May 2010 while completing my Certificate in Sustainable Tourism Management and after I realized that there was a lot of misinformation about ecotourism and very little transparency about the industry. I wanted to help travelers work with tour operators and accommodation providers that have gone the extra mile in terms of environmental accountability, social responsibility, and economic transparency. Greenloons does this by educating travelers about eco-certifications, providing practical tips and information about eco-travel, and offering eco-certified vacations around the world. Travelers can share their stories and concerns about ecotourism on our forum boards and we are in the unique position to be able to share this feedback with international organizations, such as the Rainforest Alliance and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, which are responsible for strengthening international eco-standards. With Greenloons, you have an effective ecosystem of customers, suppliers, regulators and non-governmental organizations all working toward authentic ecotourism.
Read the entire article here.