That is literally what I’m talking about below: On Friday 20 August, in my capacity as one of the initiators of the Local Travel Movement, I had a chance to chat about Local Travel with Ron Mader of Planeta.com, a global journal of practical ecotourism and an active Local Travel Movement partner.

This online get-together was in anticipation of two special real-world workshops to be held in conjunction with The International Ecotourism Society’s (TIES) upcoming Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC). The two workshops are:

• Global Perspective Workshop “Biodiversity and Our Lives” on Wednesday, September 8th
• the Indigenous Tourism and Biodiversity Website Award Web 2.0 Workshop on Saturday, September 11th.

The Global Perspective Workshop: Biodiversity and Our Lives will be held on Wednesday, September 8th, 2010, from 12:30-2:00pm at Hilton Portland (Galleria South). Highlighting various global initiatives around the International Year of Biodiversity and the roles of biodiversity in our lives, this free workshop (open to the public) will feature key examples of wildlife conservation, environmental education and awareness-raising efforts relevant to travelers and the tourism industry alike.

The one-day Biodiversity Workshop: New Information and Web-based Technologies takes place September 11 from 9am-5pm at the Hilton Portland, Cabinet Suite. Upgrade your core skills and join the conversation about the conservation of cultural and environmental diversity with trusted colleagues around the world. Participants will get a hand’s-on experience using Web 2.0 channels for immediate and inexpensive communication with a focus on small- and medium-sized operators in specialised long-tail markets including ecotourism, indigenous tourism, responsible tourism and the growing Local Travel Movement. This workshop is facilitated by communication catalyst Ron Mader (founder of Planeta.com), who will create a series of training modules and games to help bring participants together online and in the natural world.