In today’s world, global changes have forced Governments to downsize and funding for non-profit organization projects are elusive, and both lack dedicated or available human resources for affecting the monitoring & guidance of developmental efforts. These factors have crippled the effectiveness of development under institutional ownership. This concept of sustainability cannot be successful without the participation of communities in its development and management. People in Action have established a relationship with National Geographic Society, Center for Sustainable Destinations for the purpose of adopting Geotourism for Grenada as a community development strategy.

People in Action embraces Geotourism as a catalyst for sustainable development, through tourism that sustains and enhances the holistic development of the destination’s; its ecology, heritage, culture and way of life of a community and its people. It is a rediscovery of the country's assets; it is about new levels of relationships between the host Community and the visitor. Through visitor/community interaction, respective cultures are explored, ideas and information are exchanged and new alliances are made. PIA believes that Geotourism strategy will instigate and affect community ownership of development and Fair Trade Tourism. For an understanding of the concept click on Fair Trade Tourism 

Perpetuation of Geotourism is greatly hinged on Community development; in fact the Geotourism promotes Community Tourism which can be adopted as a sustaining mechanism for community development itself. It fosters the growth  of tourism enterprises by local entrepreneurship; these may range from establishing bed and breakfast accommodation in a rural community homes to local restaurants to eco/adventure tour guides; creating income-generating opportunities for an entire village. PIA has also adopted the Ground-up Participatory approach as a method of implementing the Geotourism Strategy to achieve community stewardship of their resources. PIA seeks to employ the development of the following supportive strategies:

 

·         eParticipatory Community website as a management platform,

·         The development of a Community Development Education Program to provide access to information, assistance, training and community planning 

·         Volunteer tourism as a means of sustaining and supporting community and community development

People in Action's development is the collaborative effort of the following:

·         Dr Jan Loubser on the development of our Ground-up Participatory Approach to Geotourism Development

·        National Geographic Society, Center for Sustainable Destinations on our Geotourism Strategy development

·     George Washington University, National Geographic Society, Center for Sustainable Destinations  and Solimar International on the implementation of volunteer tourism and the development of Community Development Education Centers Project. 

About National Geographic Society and Center for Sustainable Destinations

Founded in 1888, the National Geographic Society (NGS) is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific andeducational organizations. Its mission is to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge while promoting conservation of the world’s cultural, historical, and natural resources.. National Geographic magazine, the Society’s official journal, published in English and 27 local-language editions, is read by 40 million people each month in every country in the world. The National Geographic Channel reaches more than 230 million households in 27 languages in 153 countries. Nationalgeographic.com averages around 50 million page views per month. National Geographic has funded more than 8,000 scientific research projects and supports an education program combating geography illiteracy. National Geographic reflects the world through its five magazines, television programs, films, radio, books, videos, maps, interactive media and merchandise

 The National Geographic Society through the Center for Sustainable Destinations (CSD) has the opportunity to use its global stature, recognition and trustworthiness to change the world by changing tourism in a comprehensive, holistic way. The Center advances destination stewardship through a strategic approach centered around Geotourism