In this episode, I speak with James Ellsmoor, an award-winning serial entrepreneur, writer, and influential advocate for island sustainable development. He is the CEO of the sustainable impact consultancy Island Innovation – a global network helping advance innovation and drive sustainable change across island communities worldwide.
In the episode, we talk about the Island Innovation project and the Virtual Island Summit that brings representatives from island nations together to discuss pressing challenges and create solutions for them, while learning sustainable development techniques that ripple across oceans. We talk about the influence of tourism on island nations and how we, as travellers, can practice sustainable tourism when visiting nations more vulnerable to the effects of climate change and mass tourism.
The Virtual Island Summit serves as a platform for knowledge-sharing and problem-solving. It not only addresses immediate concerns but also imparts techniques for sustainable development that have far-reaching effects, extending beyond the individual islands and affecting the broader global community.
The Virtual Island Summit will be held on September 25. Register here.
Listen to the full episode:
Call to Action for Sustainable Tourism: At The Altruistic Traveller, we encourage you to adopt practices of sustainable tourism when visiting islands, particularly those that are more vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change and excessive tourist activity. This implies being mindful of one’s environmental impact, supporting local communities, and respecting the natural and cultural heritage of the places visited.
Find more sustainable tourism tips here.