WASHINGTON, D.C.—The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) will present its Lifetime Achievement Award to ecotourism pioneer Stanley Selengut, known by many in the tourism industry as “the father of sustainable resort development,” at the September 19 to 21 Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC), on Hilton Head Island, S.C. The TIES Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes the distinguished achievements of those who have demonstrated a lifetime commitment to promoting ecotourism.
The ESTC will host an award ceremony and reception with honoree Selengut from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. September 19 at the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa. Selengut will also address the conference as a guest presenter during the general session from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. September 20. He will share his insights into ecotourism as a tool for conservation and successful ecotourism business strategies.
Selengut, founder of Maho Bay Camps and sister resort Estate Concordia Preserve (St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands), has pioneered the sustainable lodging industry and has helped create a model for authentic ecotourism experiences that celebrate sense of place. Maho Bay Camps was created in 1976 as an economically viable resort compatible with National Park mandates. The resort, one of the most profitable businesses on the island, is a textbook case study for eco-construction and sustainability.
Proved That Low-Impact Model Works
“Stanley, through his lifetime of work in ecotourism, has made significant contributions to the advancement of sustainability within the tourism industry,” says Dr. Kelly Bricker, a member of the board of directors of TIES. “As one of the early leaders of ecotourism, Stanley developed creative solutions over the past 20 years to challenging issues in tourism, especially on small islands, demonstrating that a low-impact model for sustainable lodging is also financially viable.”
Maho Bay Camps, described by its supporters as “a piece of ecotourism history,” will find itself at the mercy of new landlords when its 36-year lease expires in July 2012. A two-year attempt by The Trust for Public Lands to negotiate a purchase price recently fell through, and the current owners have listed the property for $23 million. The land has been approved for general beachfront development.
“Whatever happens, I am proud that during the past 35 years Maho has gained a worldwide reputation as one of the first and leading eco-resorts,” owner Selengut wrote in a letter. “Those of you who have repeatedly chosen Maho as your prime vacation site will be as sad as I am that this great run ends.”
Maho Bay fans have come together to create the “Save Maho Bay Camps” campaign, an independent movement by guests not associated with or endorsed by Maho Bay. The campaign leader Julia Glad (savemahobaycamps@gmail.com) calls for “individuals, contacts, and ideas towards preserving Maho Bay Camps as an ecotourism destination open to the public forever.”
