UMF Sustainable Tourism Symposium
Friday, April 8 at 11:45: Sustainable Tourism from Maine to Moshi, Tanzania
Sustainable Tourism operator Simon Mtuy will discuss with Russell Walters of the Adventure Travel Trade Association the origins of sustainable tourism, how they attempt to promote the principles of sustainability in the tourism industry in Tanzania and the US, and their hopes and expectations for sustainable tourism in the future. Friday, April 8 during Common Time (11:45-1pm) in Roberts 023, also available via zoom.
Simon Mtuy, Summit Expeditions & Nomadic Experiences (Tanzania)
The impetus for the multiple-day Sustainable Tourism Symposium is the presence on UMF’s campus of Libra Scholar Simon Mtuy who is a sustainable tourism operator in Tanzania as well as an activist on climate change. Simon has worked with organizations like National Geographic to capture data about climate change as evident from the changing Kilimanjaro ecosystem. Simon is also an extreme runner who held the world’s record for the fastest unsupported ascent/descent of Kilimanjaro in just over 9 hours! Here’s a trailer from a movie about his marathon around Kilimanjaro entitled “Mountain of Greatness.”
Russell Walters, Adventure Travel Trade Association (Maine)
Born in the United Kingdom, Russell Walters has been involved in Maine’s outdoor industry since the early 1980′s. A registered Maine Guide, Russell has extensive experience on the east and west coasts of the U.S. In 2000, he became president of Northern Outdoors, a four-season Adventure Resort located in The Forks. Russell serves on the boards of a number of local organizations including Maine Huts & Trails, and is the North America regional director of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA). His work for the ATTA takes him the length and breadth of the U.S. and abroad, working with destinations, tour operators, agents and guides to promote the economic and conservation benefits of adventure based travel through the ATTA’s network of trade events and educational programs.
Monday, April 11 at 6pm: Promoting Sustainable Tourism: Storytelling through Film
Marketing and communication is critical to the promotion of sustainable forms of tourism. Rob Holmes of GLP Films will discuss how he became involved in telling the story of sustainable tourism in destinations around the world, sharing with us a set of short films that promote sustainable tourism in Maine, the US and around the world. Monday, April 11 at 6pm in Roberts 023.
Rob Holmes, GLP Films (Maine)
With over 30 years of experience in the sustainability and travel industries, Rob has a diverse background in multimedia content, sustainable tourism, strategic marketing and global business. Rob is the Founder & Chief Strategist of GLP Films, the award-winning full-service content marketing agency that specializes in authentic storytelling and ROI-based distribution campaigns to support sustainable tourism. Since 2008, GLP’s work has spanned five continents and 50+ countries, creating 250+ films. In line with his dedication to sustainable tourism, Rob has a B.A. degree in Wildlife Management and Conservation Biology, and an M.B.A. in International Business, Marketing and Environmental Management.
Wednesday, April 13 at 11:45am: Roundtable on Sustainable Tourism Around the World
The final event of the UMF Sustainable Tourism Symposium will be a roundtable of panelists representing tourism industries from Chile, Iceland, Tanzania, and Maine. The roundtable will take place Wednesday, April 13 during Common Time (11:45-1pm) via zoom.
CHILE: Trace Gale, Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia | CIEP · Human-nature interactions Group
Trace Gale is a social scientist with R&D experience in the United States and Chile, involving consumer/visitor use planning and management, recreation and tourism experiences, authenticity, risk and change planning and management, and endogenous development of rural and mountainous tourism destinations. Trace has an MBA and PhD in Forest and Natural Resource Sciences.
ICELAND: Ásta Kristín Sigurjónsdóttir, Iceland Tourism Cluster
Ásta Kristín Sigurjónsdóttir is CEO of the Iceland Tourism Cluster, a business-driven organization that promotes the Icelandic tourism industry. Asta has worked with companies of all sizes for the last 15 years focusing on business development and innovation. She also sits on the board of TCI network, the global cluster organization, and works with various cluster managers in all kinds of industries all over the world. Ásta Kristin has a BS in International Business and Marketing from the University of Reykjavík, and an IMPA certificate in project management, various training in strategy implementation, sustainability, circular economy, management, marketing, and leadership.
MAINE: Lucas St Clair, Elliotsville Foundation
Lucas was born and raised into a subsistence living family in the North Woods of Maine, with no running water or electricity for most of his childhood. In 2011, Lucas took over his family’s operating foundation, Elliotsville Foundation, Inc. The Foundation owns 125,000 acres of timberland in Northern and central Maine that they have been purchasing since 1998. They have been managing the land and adding infrastructure for recreation over the last several years. To celebrate the 100 anniversary of the National Park Service, President Barack Obama accepted the gift of 89,000 acres of land from Elliotsville Foundation and created the newest unit of the National Park Service, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument on Aug 24th, 2016. Lucas and the Foundation continue to play a role in the development of the region and enhancing the community’s ability to capitalize on the newly realized asset.
TANZANIA: Simon Mtuy, Summit Expeditions & Nomadic Experiences
The impetus for the multiple-day Sustainable Tourism Symposium is the presence on campus of our Libra Scholar Simon Mtuy who is a sustainable tourism operator in Tanzania as well as an activist on climate change. Simon has worked with organizations like National Geographic to capture data about climate change as evident from the changing Kilimanjaro ecosystem. Simon is also an extreme runner who held the world’s record for the fastest unsupported ascent/descent of Kilimanjaro in just over 9 hours! Here’s a trailer from a movie about his marathon around Kilimanjaro entitled “Mountain of Greatness.”
Organizations Promoting Sustainable Tourism
Sustainable Travel International
Global Sustainable Tourism Council
The International Ecotourism Society
Alliance for Responsible Tourism
Other Resources on Sustainable Tourism
Matthew Allen, “The Future of Tourism: Can the Pandemic change how we visit popular sites for the better?” Harvard University-Graduate School of Design, December 14, 2021.
Gulf Business, “How Singapore became a beacon for sustainable tourism” Gulf Business”, February 23, 2022
For Additional Information
Office of Experiential & Global Education
University of Maine at Farmington
106 Fusion Space
117 South Street
Farmington, Maine 04938
tel 207-778-7122
umfglobaled@maine.edu