Ron Mader

Ron Mader is a communication catalyst, working toward ecotourism, responsible travel and the local travel movement on the ground AND online via Planeta.com, the award-winning website he founded in 1994. On request, Ron offers workshops and special presentations. One of his specialties is encouraging the use of Web 2.0 so that locals can tell their own story to the world. Ron’s a fan and strong proponent of indigenous tourism around the world.

Ron earned a bachelor’s degree in communication (1987) from Indiana University and a master’s degree (1990) from the Institute of Latin American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.

Ron has received many awards, including recognition from the Mexican government for exemplary tourism coverage. Presidents Fox and Zedillo presented Ron with the Lente de Plata Award in 1999 and 2002. American Environmental Leaders (2008) includes a profile of Ron for his work in environmental journalism and community activism.

Ron is active on the lecture/conference circuit, having been a presenter at the World Ecotourism Summit (2002), the Mexico Ecotourism Conference (2003), the Aboriginal Australia Tourism Conference (2007) and the Ecotourism New Zealand Conference (2007).

Ron works with tourism and conservation pros. He has led workshops for indigenous tourism leaders to share lessons learned on using the Web to communicate points of view that are often left out of mass media.

Ron developed the award-winning Planeta.com in 1994 as a reporter’s notebook. Planeta pioneered online reporting focusing on practical ecotourism around the globe. The award-winning site provides free access to articles and resource guides for travelers, researchers and policy-makers. The site has won awards from major magazines and national governments.

Ron’s work catalyzes action toward environmental conservation, responsible travel and peacemaking. His presentations use Web 2.0 and he documents his trips on Planeta.com as well as Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and YouTube.

Ron is also the ecotourism and Latin America contributing editor for the U.S.-based Transitions Abroad. For the past eight years he has served as a judge for Conde Nast Traveler’s World Savers Awards.

Based in Oaxaca, Mexico, Ron hosts a discussion series and an annual Rural Tourism Fair held since 2001. Working with friends and colleagues in rural Mexico, Ron has developed a number of innovative events including Web workshops for artesanos, chocolate treasure hunts, photo safaris, tree walks and rugby tournaments.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

Since 2007 Ron has collaborated with the UN Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity in launching the Indigenous Tourism and Biodiversity Website Award.

Ron has led online webinars for members of Aboriginal Tourism Australia and Indigenous Tourism Rights Association. After consulting with members of Aboriginal Tourism Australia, Ron launched the online World Forum on Tourism and Indigenous People.

ONLINE INNOVATION

Prior to the 2002 Ecotourism World Summit, Ron Mader hosted tourism’s largest online e-conference, a virtual gathering of more than 900 people around the world.

AWARDS

Ron is no stranger to awards. Since 2001 Ron has judged the the World Savers Awards for Conde Nast Traveler.

Ron also has created several awards, including the Ecotourism Spotlight Award given to government websites and the Colibri Ecotourism Award given to a leader working in Mexico.

Since 2007 Ron has worked with the Convention for Biological Diversity in the creation of the Indigenous Tourism and Biodiversity Website Award. Ron is currently directing the second year of this award with winners to be announced in September 2010.

Lately, on the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC) in Portland, Oregon, USA, Ron Mader received the Innovation Award.

TIES Innovation Leadership in Sustainable Tourism Awards recognizes individuals and organizations who have demonstrated leadership in innovative actions that effectively promote sustainable tourism and bring tangible benefits to communities and conservation.

Ron will talk on European Ecotourism Conference about “Upgrade your world: How to integrate Web 2.0 tools in promoting European Ecotourism”