New York Travel Festival 2015

Responsible and sustainable approaches in the tourism industry are fundamental to its future growth. Managing and assessing our impact on livelihoods, communities, and the environment both at home and abroad is essential. Ethan Gelber, a responsible-travel expert and writer, will provide opening remarks with a global perspective on responsible travel practices in the tourism industry. This will be followed by a case study and discussion facilitated by Cindy VandenBosch, Founder of Turnstile Tours, a Certified B Corporation and one of New York State's first benefit corporations. Cindy will introduce a business case for a stakeholder-based approach and will highlight specific measurement and tracking tools that can be used to assist companies in making informed decisions that ensure ongoing accountability and sustainability as prime considerations in all of their operations.