Honduras, Nat Geo Announce "Geotourism" Partnership

Partnering with the National Geographic Society, the Honduran government recently announced its plan to become the first country with an official "geotourism" strategy. The concept was developed by the National Geographic Society to build a form of tourism that "sustains or enhances the geographic character of a place-its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents."

The agreement includes the following "tenets":

• following international codes for sustainable tourism,
• establishing policies and practices based on cultural and natural preservation, and
• building community-based tourism partnerships that emphasize economic and social benefits to locals.

A pretty fine idea, although one has to wonder whether such a plan is viable in a place like Honduras which is hardly known for its stability or eco-friendly national nature. But lots of countries would love to emulate the Costa Rican tourism model which has been a big boon for the Costa Rican economy (but not, too, without its problems).

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