National Geographic - Center for Sustainable Destinations: Working to protect the worlds distinctive places through wisely managed tourism and enlightened destination stewardship.

Programs for Places

The Center for Sustainable Destinations (CSD) seeks to help individual places to use the geotourism approach to improve stewardship and attract the most beneficial and least disruptive forms of tourism.

What We Do

Networking

In this Resource Directory for Communities CSD provides links that could help you build alliances for better destination stewardship.

Geotourism Charter

CSD offers governments and partner organizations the opportunity to sign this statement of principles (PDF) as a first step in adopting a geotourism strategy.

Geotourism Strategy

CSD can provide information to help destination stakeholders develop a strategy (PDF) that 1) identifies, 2) sustains, 3) develops, and 4) markets the geotourism assets unique to the locale.

Geotourism MapGuides

CSD will work with a community-based local geotourism alliance to create a co-branded National Geographic map that highlights the natural, historic, and cultural assets unique to a destination. Read "How to develop a Geotourism MapGuide (PDF)."

Where We Do It

New Geotourism MapGuides

Photo: Sierra Nevada region

Sierra Nevada

National Geographic Society has partnered with the Sierra Nevada Conservancy and Sierra Business Council to capture the history and heritage of the Sierra Nevada Region in order to create an interactive Web site and print map. Lassen National Park, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are jewels in this 400-mile-long region. The project Web site collects worthy nominations by locals to be included in the mapguide. The resulting printed mapguide is slated for November 2010.

Read the Press Release (PDF).

Visit:
www.sierranevadageotourism.org

Photo: Northern California coast

North California Coast

A community-based nomination process will be used to capture the highlights in coastal living and the rugged beauty of the North California Coast to create a National Geographic Geotourism MapGuide for the region. Stretching from West Marin to Del Norte counties, the area includes both private and public lands. The web-based North Coast MapGuide is schedule to be available in November 2009. Read the Press Release (PDF).

Visit:
www.northcoastgeotourism.com

Photo: Mount Hood

Central Cascades

The Central Cascades Stewardship Council partners with CSD to create a MapGuide capturing the spectacular beauty and abundant recreational opportunities of the Central Cascades. These world-class natural attractions span Oregon and Washington states. Read the Press Release (PDF).

Visit:
www.thecentralcascades.com
www.traveloregon.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=65&cat=15

Photo: Montreal at night

Montreal

The first city in the world to sign the Geotourism Charter, this urban center adheres to the 13 principles of geotourism.

Read the Press Release in English (PDF)
Read the Press Release in French (PDF)

Montreal unveiled the first urban MapGuide in June 2009. Residents chose the places, attractions, activities, events, local businesses and experiences that best represent Montreal's distinctive character for a National Geographic MapGuide.

Montreal MapGuide Press Release in English (PDF)
Montreal MapGuide Press Release in French (PDF)

Visit:
www.montrealgeo.com

Photo: Appalachian trail

Appalachian Geotourism MapGuide

CSD partnered with the Appalachian Regional Commission and the people of Appalachia to create the first Geotourism MapGuide, published in the April 2005 National Geographic Traveler magazine. NGS also produced an online version.

Photo: Saguaro cactus in Arizona

Arizona/Sonora

In an alliance with the Sonoran Institute, CSD has helped the region's communities to create the first transborder Geotourism MapGuide, for southern Arizona, U.S.A., and northern Sonora, Mexico.

View MapGuide in English (PDF)

View MapGuide in Spanish (PDF)

Visit:
www.sonorandesertgeotourism.org
www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/natgeo/
www.arizonaguide.com

Photo: Baja mountains

Baja California

Partnering with Lindblad Expeditions, Fondo Mexicano Para la Conservacion de la Naturaleza, and local communities, CSD has completed a MapGuide for the Mexican states of Baja California and Baja California Sur.

View MapGuide (PDF)

Photo: View of Glacier National Park

Crown of the Continent

Alberta and British Columbia, Canada, have teamed up with Montana, U.S.A., to launch a transboundary geotourism program for the region centered on the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. Read the Press Release (PDF)

View MapGuide (PDF)

Visit:
www.crownofthecontinent.net

Photo: Buffalo grazing

Greater Yellowstone

National Geographic and the Greater Yellowstone community have created a new Geotourism MapGuide on which local citizens and experts showcase the region's natural, historic, and cultural assets.

Visit:
www.yellowstonegeotourism.net

Photo: Mayan mask

Guatemala

In a ceremony presided by President Oscar Berger, Guatemala signed the Geotourism Charter in April 2007, launching a program to create a community-based national Geotourism Stewardship Council, a Geotourism MapGuide, and other elements. Read the Press Release (PDF).

Visit:
www.visitguatemala.com
www.geoturismoguatemala.com

Photo: Dancers in Honduras

Honduras

In the world's first country to sign the Geotourism Charter (PDF), CSD is supplying a Geotourism for Communities booklet in Spanish (PDF). Read News.

Read Traveler Magazine's Geotourism Opportunities in Honduras

Photo: Norwegian fjord

Norway

Innovation Norway signed the Geotourism Charter (PDF) on August 31, 2005, making Norway the first European country to adopt a national geotourism platform. Read the Press Release (PDF).

Read Traveler Magazine's Geotourism Opportunities in Norway

Photo: Ruins in Peru

Peru

CSD is working with Peruvian authorities and the World Bank on tourism aspects of a project for rehabilitating the valley of the Rio Vilcanota from Machu Picchu almost to Cuzco, an area that includes the "Sacred Valley." A MapGuide for the region is in the works.

Visit:
www.geoturismovallesagrado.org

Photo: The Breakers

Rhode Island

Governor Donald Carcieri signed the Geotourism Charter in May 2007, demonstrating the state's commitment to exemplary destination stewardship. The Rhode Island Geotourism Collaborative, a new multi-sector task force, will hold a statewide series of workshops. Read the Press Release.

Visit:
www.visitrhodeisland.com

Photo: Village of Biertan, Romania

Romania

Romania signed the Geotourism Charter in 2005. Transylvania's beautiful Brasov County will be the first to launch geotourism project.

Visit:
www.brasovtourism.com

Read Traveler Magazine's Geotourism Opportunities in Romania

Photo: Schoolhouse in Vermont

Vermont

CSD and the Northeast Kingdom Geotourism Alliance have completed a MapGuide of the most rural and, some say, authentic corner of Vermont. View "Geotourism Grows in Vermont" (PDF).

View MapGuide (PDF)

Visit:
www.travelthekingdom.com/geotourism

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Image: Geotourism Challenge 2009

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Photograph by Peter Marbach (Mount Hood)