95) Reconnecting with ancient wisdom and using eco-tourism to support conservation with Marco Bollinger

How may looking at advancement in a linear way (underdeveloped, developing, and developed) limit our ability to learn with an open mind and experience life to the fullest? Why is supporting environmentally and socially conscious tourism so important to sustainable development and the conservation of vital ecosystems, like our rainforests?

 

Sharing his wisdom with us here is Marco Bollinger, Co-Founder of Lokal Travel, a marketplace for booking eco adventures around the world that support local communities. He's also an award-winning filmmaker and photographer who's photographed Beyoncé and Barack Obama, spent years documenting Lebanon's refugee camps, and danced for 107 hours in a full costume to raise awareness for rainforest conservation. Let's dive in.

 

HIGHLIGHTS

[5:32] Kaméa: "What does what you learned about happiness [in "developing" nations] tell us about these types of categorizations we often put on different countries?" 

[8:44] Marco shares a powerful story about listening to two little girls in a refugee camp sing a song and what it taught him about resilience and the human spirit.

[12:00] What led Marco from photography to social entrepreneurship.

[17:16] Marco on modern day issues with traveling and even eco-tourism that he wanted to help address.

[23:42] What we can do or look for as mindful travelers to make sure more of our traveling dollars go towards local communities.

[27:17] Marco explains the problem of land speculation when it comes to sustainable tourism.

 

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