Planeta.com Celebrates World Environment Day
As part of the global celebration of the 2005 World Environment Day, Planeta.com presents the fifth annual Colibri Ecotourism Achievement Award. First presented in 2001, the Colibri is presented to a leading catalyst working toward ecotourism in Mexico.
(PRWEB) May 19, 2005 -- As part of the global celebration of the 2005 World
Environment Day, Planeta.com presents the fifth annual Colibri Ecotourism
Achievement Award. First presented in 2001, the Colibri is presented to a
leading catalyst working toward ecotourism in Mexico.
Colibri means
"Hummingbird" in Spanish and the the winner of the annual award receives a
trophy, diploma and a $1,000 cash award from Emilio Kifuri, president of Canyon
Travel.
The winner of the Colibri Award is selected by Planeta.com
founder Ron Mader with consultation from members of the Mexico Ecotourism
Network.
"Ecotourism depends on the leadership of individuals who are
resourceful and innovative and who are bold enough to bridge the traditional
divisions between tourism and the environment," said Mader.
"Mexico is
one of the world's mega diverse countries with one of the most successful
tourism industries," said Emilio Kifuri. "If ecotourism is ever to overtake the
senseless destruction of the world's natural areas, it certainly has to develop
at a much faster pace. We feel fortunate to be in a position to demonstrate to
the tourism industry that ecotourism can be more profitable than mainstream
tourism. It is this potential for profit that has the greatest ability to cause
the most profound changes."
Planeta.com will participate in several
environmental events in Mexico City during the World Environment Day weekend and
will present the award on the waters of the Xochimilco Gardens.
"If we
desire to make our cities greener, making tourism greener is a great step
forward," said Mader, adding that urban ecotourism is a reality in Mexico City
with such pioneering projects as the ciclovia (bike path) and the hiking and
biking trails in the Ajusco Mountains.
Planeta.com is no stranger to
city-based nature tourism, having hosted the 2004 Conference on Urban
Ecotourism. Participants at that event agreed upon the Urban Ecotourism
Declaration, a collective response to a common challenge: making urban spaces
more livable while protecting biodiversity.
Refrences:
Colibri
Award
http://www.planeta.com/colibri.html
Urban Ecotourism
Conference
http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/tour/urban.html
Urban
Ecotourism Presentation (powerpoint)
http://www.imacmexico.org/ev_en.php?ID=18170_201&ID2=DO_TOPIC
Xochimilco
Gardens
http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/mexico/df/xochimilco.html
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/5/prweb241761.htm