The Vermont Geotourism Initiative
Jenne Farm, Reading, VT. Credit: Vermont Magazine
Vermont is a leading geotourism destination, both nationally and internationally. It has long been a leader in the stewardship of natural, cultural, and heritage resources upon which the quality of the destination depends, and it is poised to be a leader in geotourism practice.
Vermont's leadership position is reflected in its ethic of community-based stewardship of natural, cultural, and heritage resources, rooted both in its tradition of vibrant small-scale local government and in its statewide environmental and land-use planning with broad citizen involvement. The results of these are reflected in Vermont's distinctive unspoiled countryside of working landscapes, towns, and small cities, and it is fundamental to Vermont's identity and brand as an authentic place of strong human-natural relationships, of hard work and creativity, and of environmental and social responsibility. Early in 2007, the World Travel & Tourism Council selected Vermont as a finalist for its prestigious International Tourism for Tomorrow Award.
In 2004 the National Geographic Society (NGS) rated Vermont as tied for sixth place among the best, unspoiled destinations in the world (a higher ranking than any other place in the United States). The same year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation warned that the Vermont countryside was among the highly significant and endangered places in America. A year later, working in partnership with the Woodstock Foundation (WF), Governor James Douglas convened a Governor's Summit on the Vermont Destination to explore the challenges and opportunities suggested by these designations. The Summit found that “the potential of the Vermont destination as an economic driver is tightly linked to the stewardship of Vermont's natural, cultural, and historic distinctiveness….” Vermont's cultural and economic wellbeing depends on recognizing that its unspoiled distinctiveness and its economy are completely interdependent.
The Vermont Geotourism Initiative (the Initiative) outlined below represents an array of projects to create a statewide geotourism program with three key components:
Recognize Vermont as an international model for destination stewardship;
Increase economic impact from geotourists by encouraging visitors to stay longer and spend more, and encouraging residents to explore their region more deeply, thereby enhancing tax revenues and sustaining local businesses; and
Continue and enhance landmark stewardship practices through innovative programs and education.
Its goal is to increase participation by Vermont citizens and visitors in protecting and enhancing the unique assets that make the state a special place to live, work, and tour.
The Initiative will advance Vermont's effectiveness and sustainability as a geotourism destination, addressing the following objectives:
Recognition
Position Vermont internationally as a destination that protects and enhances its cultural heritage and environment, thereby offering a quality visitor experience.
Position Vermont as a national and global resource for technical expertise on geotourism.
Increased economic benefit from visitors
Increase geotourism product offerings to increase visitor spending in Vermont.
Educate and inform the domestic and international traveling public on how to make better, more sustainable, locally beneficial, and experience rewarding, decisions when visiting Vermont.
Enhanced stewardship
Increase awareness in Vermont of the geotourism approach to destination stewardship.
Strengthen the statewide network and constituency embracing geotourism as a sustainable tourism approach.
Continue to elevate geotourism and destination stewardship into state policy and planning.
Incorporate geography, using geotourism as a catalyst, into the state education system and institutes of higher education.
