New York tourism goes green
New York state officials this month released a new online guide to sustainable travel in the state that invites visitors to its home page to “discover the bigger, greener apple.”
Complete with bookable itineraries, The Responsible Travel Guide to New York State makes New York one of the only destinations in the U.S. to promote sustainable tourism on such a large scale, offcials said. It aims to draw tourists out of the shadows of Manhattan”™s skyscrapers and into the open spaces of natural wonders like the Adirondack Park ”” the nation”™s largest park outside of Alaska – and the grape-growing Finger Lakes region.
The guide and itineraries were produced in partnership with responsibletravel.com, an international travel organization based in the United Kingdom and a pioneer in sustainable and responsible tourism. The guide was written by Catherine Mack, an ecotourism expert and writer who has contributed to several ecotourism guidebooks as well as articles on responsible travel for the National Geographic Traveler UK, The Irish Times and other publications.
A separate section of the responsible travel website features a still-growing catalog of easily booked ecotourism activities in every region of New York. Tourists who prefer bed and breakfast accommodations, for example, can book a Catskills farm stay at Handsome Brook Farm, an organic blueberry and livestock farm in Franklin, Delaware County.
The listings of click-to-book itineraries do not yet include tourist spots in Westchester County. Mack”™s cycling guide to the state does describe and map the Bronx River Pathway in the county. The guide also includes separate sections on hiking, kayaking and other leisure pursuits in the Hudson Valley and Catskills regions.
The travel guide gives an overview of the culture, history and ecology of each of New York”™s regions and practical information on public transportation, eco-friendly activities and accommodations with numerous links to other useful sites.
Justin Francis, co-founder of responsibletravel.com, in a press release announcing the new guide, said he “was staggered by the diversity of experiences we found within the state, and by the contribution these make to conservation and communities. I think our clients will be too. We are thrilled that New York state has decided to turn perhaps the most powerful tourism branding in the world, I Love NY, green to help us launch this guide.”
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the web initiative continues the state”™s “history of pioneering environmentally responsible tourism. From our millions of acres of protected wilderness where New Yorkers can hike or kayak, to our vast network of parklands, New York is truly unmatched when it comes to opportunities for sustainable tourism. On top of all that, these assets support eco-friendly jobs and growth in local communities, and ultimately reinforce the value of preservation.”