Portland to Host 2009 Ecotourism Conference
Monday, December 22nd, 2008
Portland, Oregon will be hosting the 2009 Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference. The 2008 conference wrapped up recently (on October 29th) in Vancouver, British Columbia. The goal of the conferences, currently attended by members of the US and Canadian tourism industry, is to find methods to implement strategies to build sustainable and environmentally friendly industry. Representatives from 26 countries around the world were also present in Vancouver.
Portland is recognized as the most eco-friendly city in the US. They lead the country in recycling, bicycle commuting and municipal initiatives focused on green living.
The 2009 event will be held on November 1-3, 2009 at the Hilton Portland, the first of the hotel chain’s buildings to be Green Seal certified.
But what happens at these events? Is this a bunch of ecotourism and cultural conservation wonks patting each other on the back? It depends on how you look at it. The conference in Vancouver was filled with presentations on green technologies and discussions about which certification programs were the most relevant to the goals of environmentally friendly tourism.
But perhaps the best example will come next fall in Portland. It is known as one of the greenest cities in the world, but has not sacrificed quality of life to earn its eco-friendly tag. There are plenty of examples of workable green solutions found within the city limits.
Where did Portland’s green, user-friendly characteristics come from? The city has experienced tremendous growth over the past few years. But progressive strategies, like tearing up a downtown freeway to make room for a waterfront public park, have kept the quality of life high despite the growth. In addition, the TriMet, public transit system, has kept the transportation of the city up to par with any other in the US. Portland is very much on the radar as far as green travel is concerned.