The Tourism RESET

Welcome back to The Tourism RESET with me, your host, Rebecca Woolford. Today is special, as we've reached our 20th episode! A special thanks to everyone who's joined me for this wild ride so far, I've loved every minute. Awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution to tourism, my guest today, Anna Pollock, has over 50 years of experience. An acclaimed thought leader in the emerging f...

Welcome back to The Tourism RESET with me, your host, Rebecca Woolford. My guest today is Fernando Polanco, general manager and co-owner of Hacienda Zuleta in Ecuador. From a ground-breaking conservation programme to bring back Condors from the edge of extinction, to a rich family history spanning 140 years; there is no place on earth quite like Zuleta in Ecuador. In this conversation, Fernando sh...

My guest today is Fabrizio Ghilardi, founder of Socompa Adventure Travel. Fabrizio shares his journey from his home in Italy to Argentina in search of adventure and how he built Socompa into a premier travel company focused on responsible tourism. The conversation delves into the transformative power of travel, the importance of sustainability, and the challenges and successes of running a sociall...

Today's guest is the author of a bestselling travel memoir, is the founder of Climate Conscious Travel and the sustainable travel blog, The Shooting Star. In 2011, at the age of 23, Shivya Nath waved goodbye to a corporate job, sold her possessions and embarked on an adventure of a lifetime, sparked by her curious nature. For the next 7 years Shivya lived out of her bag, immersing herself in local...

My guest today has worked across 4 continents with local communities, their governments, and the tourism industry at large. Dr. Harold Goodwin is the Managing Director of the Responsible Tourism Partnership, chairs the panels of judges for the Global Responsible Tourism Awards and is the Director of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism. In this episode we talk about over tourism, real-...

My guest today, Paula Christensen, is one of 7 brothers and sisters who run a remote eco-lodge which overlooks the impossibly blue waters of Lake General Carrera in Patagonia, Chile. In this conversation, Paula discusses her family's fierce commitment to Mallín Colorado, how it all started with a camping trip, and their exciting reforestation project. Paula also shares insights on the impact of cl...

My guest today is Jonah Chaffee, an ecological educator and owner of Valle Escondido Nature Reserve Hotel and Farm in Costa Rica. In this episode we unpack the principles of permaculture. We also explore the connections between soil health and human health. As well as how multi-generational education at his eco-lodge in Costa Rica is creating a ripple effect. I hope you enjoy this episode! Enjoyed...

My guest today is Elisa Spampinato, founder of Traveller Storyteller. Elisa is a community tourism consultant, community connector, and storyteller. She is fiercely passionate about involving local communities in the development of tourism, be it in rural communities, or urban settings. In this episode we talk about elevating the invisible narratives within tourism and the intangible benefits that...

My guest today is Thomas Armitt, global manager of Planeterra, a non-profit which uses community tourism to change lives. In this episode Tom talks about community tourism, where travel experiences are owned, led and run by communities and social enterprises. We discuss nuances between community-based, community-led, and community tourism and Tom highlights the interconnectedness of climate change...

My guest today is the founder of Equality in Tourism NGO. In this episode Tricia shares the realities of gender inequality in tourism including: unequal pay, limited access to training, and the lack of work-life balance. We uncover why sustainability in tourism can NEVER be achieved without gender equality and hear about the incredible 'Farm for Future' project in Tanzania which is empowering fema...

In this special episode, I talk about Costa Rica's green paradox. Tune in to hear how to vote with your wallet when travelling to this biodiverse region, as well as the number ONE trust signal to help you source a hotel or lodge, full of soul and heart. What you'll learn in this episode: 3 tips for navigating greenwashing on a trip to Costa Rica Why tropical fruits like bananas and pineapples are...

My guest today is Ronald Jacobs, general manager of Finca La Donaira in Spain. Working for some of the world’s most ‘luxurious’ hotel brands Ronald's experience left him feeling unfulfilled. In his pursuit of happiness, he finally found what he’d been looking for in the rolling hills of Andalusia. An organic farm and eco-retreat like nothing I've seen before... 'Luxury' in travel has long been def...

Despite its small size (0.03% of the world’s landmass) Costa Rica hosts an incredible 6% of the world’s biodiversity, but it wasn’t always headed in this direction. At one point Costa Rica had one of the highest deforestation rates in the world! To better understand how Costa Rica became a success story, returning its ravaged land back to health, we go back in time with the help of my knowledgeabl...

This episode was recorded on location, expect to hear rainforest sounds ;) A destination which often conjures up images of cloud forests, pristine jungle, and gorgeous beaches, not everything is ' pura vida' here. Did you know? Costa Rica is the country that uses the most pesticides per hectare, according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Specifically,...

When my guest started to plant trees on his land, as part of a reforestation effort, the land dropped dramatically in value. In order to not only survive but thrive, the reserve transformed into a socio-environmental project which welcomes guests from around the world. My guest is the incredible Renato Machado, founder and visionary of Ibiti project in Brazil. A blueprint for ecotourism, a conserv...

My guest today is Roberto Klabin, founder of Caiman and SOS Pantanal. Roberto is an incredible force of nature, for nature in the Pantanal. Ranchers and jaguars have clashed for more than 300 years in the Pantanal. Roberto's ongoing struggle to safeguard the incredible biodiversity in a place he loves is both moving and inspiring. What you'll learn in this episode: From carbon credits to biodivers...

Today's guest is Lili Rampim, also known as the mother of the Jaguars. Lili is both Oncafari's lead field biologist and Caiman’s operations coordinator. Her work lies at the intersection between ecotourism, conservation and biology. Featured in the TV series Planet Earth, Onçafari's conservation efforts are recognised around the world. What you'll learn in this episode: Lili's work with jaguars &a...

Join me and Katheryn Wise, UK campaign manager at World Animal Protection, a global voice for animals for more than 70 years. Today, an estimated 550,000 wild animals are being exploited to entertain holidaymakers. What you'll learn in this episode: Why some household travel brand are still failing wildlife Why captivity is bad for both dolphins and the tourists that visit the venues Where Europe'...

Join me for this episode with JoAnna Haugen, award-winning writer, public speaker and founder of Rooted. One of the biggest challenges and opportunities for tourism is to rethink the goal and shift its purpose from simply growing in size to becoming better in outcome. But where do we start? Well, by changing the narrative. Today we need better, more accurate and less harmful storytelling in touris...

Join me for an episode with the inspiring Holly Budge, founder of NGO How Many Elephants and World Female Ranger Week. What you'll learn in this episode: Why walking with women on the frontlines made Everest feel like child's play How a necklace is connecting global audiences to the daily elephant poaching rate Who Africa's first all-female anti-poaching unit are and what they have achieved Only 1...