Eco-Directory: A unique destination guide designed to help consumers make responsible travel choices. The guide can also be a useful tool for tour operators interested in industry Best Practices.

PR Services and Media Kits: Tourism suppliers - get the attention of media professions and travel writers through email press releases, feature story promotions, and on-line media.

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As the holiday season approaches, we all tend to get caught up in the end-of-the-year madness. We rush to finish up our work obligations while finding the perfect gifts for loved ones. And then, all of a sudden something magical happens. We begin to slow down, and we stop thinking about work and start thinking about the things in our lives that matter to us, such as friends, family, community.

Here at STI, we would like to take this opportunity to reflect upon the act of giving to others. We feel that it is important for us to make the connection between our own lives and the lives of others. After all, nothing exists in a vacuum. Our own decisions, and specifically our purchasing decisions, affect people and natural resources across our shrinking planet. So consider making a positive contribution to humanity this holiday season.

Imagine a world with safe drinking water for the 1.5 billion without it. Shelter for the 1.2 billion who are homeless. Education for the 1 billion who can't read and economic opportunity for all. As our friends at Sustainable Village say, "It's not a dream. It's a world within our grasp. Together we can make it happen."

These are our reflections as we explore our featured theme this month - what we can do to positively impact the places and people we visit. This is what sustainability is all about. And this is what the true spirit of the holiday season is really about.

Happy Holidays,

Brian T. Mullis & Peter D. Krahenbuhl
Cofounders

In this issue you will find:
1. Tips for Responsible Travelers
2. Featured Tourism Supplier
3. Complimentary Membership
4. Feedback and Contact Information

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What does it really mean to be a responsible traveler? Responsible travelers are individuals that make a conscious effort to maximize benefits to local people and host communities and minimize their social and environmental impacts. The traveler benefits by learning from others and seeing a different way of life through their eyes. Host communities and local people gain greater economic benefits and a better quality of life. And local cultures and the environment are preserved in their natural state.

In a world of perfect knowledge, virtually no one would consciously make a purchasing decision that hurts another person or is harmful to nature. Yet people do each and every day, because they usually don't have access to information on the triple bottom line of economic profitability, respect for the environment and social responsibility for the products or services they purchase. Oftentimes, this information is not readily available, so consumers have to be proactive and seek out information in order to make responsible purchasing decisions.

This leads us to another distinguishing characteristic of responsible travelers - they ask questions. They determine the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How? These are the questions that must be considered by conscientious consumers. Understanding the ways in which we can minimize negative environmental, economic and socio-cultural impacts and enhance positive ones is the key to getting the most out of our vacations and giving back to the places and people we visit.

One of the great things about our work at STI is that we do ask these questions. That way, you as consumers can feel confident that your choices align with your values without spending all of your time researching these issues. Of course, we still encourage you to find out on your own.

To view STI's "Tips for Responsible Travelers", please click here. To review our members' sustainable business practices, visit our Eco-Directory.

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14 years ago, Bruce Poon Tip made a trip to Thailand and survived on under $10 a day using local transportation and staying at small hotels. This trip changed his life forever. Upon his return, the 22-year-old had a dream. He wanted to help others experience travel the way he did - up close and personal - while directly benefiting the communities visited.

Today, G.A.P. Adventures is a world leader in sustainable tourism, and one of the most successful adventure travel companies worldwide. G.A.P sells tours in 21 countries and offers more than 600 adventures. And they've done this by operating with integrity and good will. In addition, Bruce has been honored as one of Canada's top 5 entrepreneurs by Canadian Business, as well as one of Canada's 100 Leaders of Tomorrow.

When we asked G.A.P., the Great Adventure People, about their history as it relates to this success, their Sustainable Travel Coordinator, Danielle Weiss said their main accomplishment has been leading environmentally, culturally, and socially responsible tours, and setting a precedent for sustainable tourism that they hope will be pursued industry wide.

In order to minimize their impacts, most adventure travel companies travel in small groups, but G.A.P. goes well above and beyond in their commitment to sustainability. They stay in small-scale and locally owned hotels, work with local operators, and use local and public transportation. Where possible, they incorporate environmental and community development projects into their tours. G.A.P. even has its own sustainable tourism department that implements low-impact policies at all levels of the company and ensures that they uphold stringent standards for sustainability. This includes encouraging their suppliers to improve their own environmental and socio-cultural standards.

In addition, each year the company allocates funds to support environmental and community development organizations such as Conservation International, The Charles Darwin Foundation and PLAN International. And recently, G.A.P. created the Planeterra Foundation, a non-profit organization allowing them, and their guests to give back directly to the people and places they visit.

When asked if they have been able to quantify benefits from incorporating sustainability into their operations, G.A.P. cited obvious benefits that we hope other tour operators take note of: Environmentally, they minimize impacts on forests by utilizing 20% post-consumer recycled paper. They hire locally and utilize local businesses whenever possible, ensuring that host communities receive direct economic benefits from their operations. The company also cites increased market positioning from advertising their sustainability policies, which they are now beginning to track.

Overall, G.A.P. Adventures is well on its way to becoming a global leader in sustainable tourism, in addition to offering an amazing set of tours! For more information, visit STI's Eco-Directory or G.A.P.'s web site.

Also, for those of you that have traveled with G.A.P., we invite you to provide us with feedback about your experience.

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