Investing in Communities and Conservation The Geotourism Investment Fund is a financing mechanism established to fund community-based sustainable tourism enterprises — focused primarily on accommodations development — identified and supported by the Global Sustainable Tourism Alliance. The fund intends to bridge the gap between communities lacking access to financial services and global capital by linking social investors with opportunities to better the lives of local communities around the world. The opportunities offer triple bottom line returns on investment (ROI): competitive financial returns, environmental conservation and socio-cultural benefits.

Why tourism …

When done well, tourism can alleviate poverty, educate the public, and motivate preservation and conservation of precious cultural, natural, and historic resources.  But when done poorly, as often happens, tourism destroys environmental and cultural distinctiveness, promotes great disparities in wealth, and educates few. Projects developed by the Geotourism Investment Fund adhere strictly to the geotourism approach, as defined by National Geographic’s Center for Sustainable Destinations (CSD).

… And what exactly is Geotourism?

Geotourism is the future of global tourism development.  It incorporates the concept of sustainable tourism—that destinations should remain unspoiled for future generations—while allowing for enhancement that protects the character of the locale. Geotourism also adopts a principle from ecotourism—that tourism revenue can promote conservation—and extends that principle beyond nature travel to encompass culture and history as well: all distinctive assets of a place.