Asia is one of the continents with the most developed tourism markets in the world. However, precisely because of this, the environmental consequences of tourism in this region are also extremely severe. Ecotourism and the AEN organization have emerged to address this critical situation while promoting the development of a more sustainable tourism environment that is more responsible to both the community and society.
History of AEN
AEN (Asian Ecotourism Network) – The Asian Ecotourism Network was established in 2015 in Bangkok, Thailand, at the same time as the founding of the Global Ecotourism Network (GEN). It is a non-profit, non-governmental organization founded by core experts from TIES (The International Ecotourism Society) with Masaru Takayama as its main leader.
Throughout its operation, AEN has successfully recruited many experts from Thailand, Malaysia, etc., creating a network of members from many countries in the Asian region while proposing standards for defining and evaluating the ecological context appropriate to the region. However, this non-profit organization does not stop there. It also organizes online training to support businesses of all sizes in pursuing sustainable standards and promoting the identity of Asian ecotourism.
AEN Members
As an international organization, AEN has virtually no restrictions on who can join its network. This leads to a relatively diverse classification of membership types, applicable to almost all entities, including:
- Organizational members: National tourism associations, non-governmental organizations, research institutes, and government agencies.
- Business members: Eco-resorts, tour operators, and companies providing sustainable tourism services.
- Individual members: Scholars, consultants, or individuals interested in ecotourism in general.
- Web members: Individuals who become members by registering for free on the website.
Alternatively, we can also divide AEN membership based on territory. Currently, the organization has members from most regions across Asia, including the following countries:
- Southeast Asia: Thailand (headquarters), Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar.
- East Asia: Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong.
- South Asia & Central Asia: India, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Mongolia.
- Oceania: Australia, Papua New Guinea.
Mission and objectives
Like GEN, AEN’s mission is to connect members across Asia, including communities, governments, businesses, non-governmental organizations, and individuals such as scholars and experts. The main purpose of this connection is to transfer knowledge related to ecotourism while creating conditions for members to develop sustainably.
By building a network among its members, AEN can also promote standard ecotourism in Asia. This brings profits to businesses and economic income to local communities while preserving the environment and regional ethnic identities.
Why is AEN important?
Preventing greenwashing
The rapid growth of ecotourism, alongside its many benefits, has also led to numerous consequences such as misinformation and distorted standards. We can see “ecotourism” advertisements everywhere, even though they do not fully meet international standards. At this point, the existence of AEN plays a crucial role in helping tourists distinguish between genuine eco-tourism destinations and minimizing greenwashing to profit from tourists.
Protecting Asian identity
Asian tourism is always associated with magnificent natural landscapes and local ethnic identities as well as unique cultural heritage. Instead of traditional tours that may impact the preservation of these identities, the form of ecotourism promoted by AEN focuses more on the process of sharing, exploring, and then learning how to protect and maintain them.
Expanding the Ecotourism Market
In the context of ecotourism being sought after globally, a business that meets AEN’s strict standards will easily make a name for itself in the international market. This helps businesses expand their market, reach higher-end tourists, and even large companies and government organizations.
Conclusion
Ecotourism is a meaningful form of tourism because it not only benefits businesses but also contributes to the economic development of society and local communities. And most importantly, it benefits the environment. Therefore, let’s join AEN in sharing and promoting the use of this form of tourism.