International Ecotourism Society

What International Ecotourism Society does

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) is a Washington, DC-headquartered nonprofit membership association founded in 1990 to define, promote, and professionalize ecotourism globally. TIES authored the original definition of ecotourism as 'responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people' and developed the widely cited set of ecotourism principles (most recently revised in 2015), which form the de facto reference framework used by 90+ national ecotourism initiatives and underpin the majority of published ecotourism definitions worldwide.

TIES operates four primary membership tiers — Professional (from $80/year), Organization (from $185/year), Student ($50/year), and EcoTraveler — alongside an annual Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC), a Certificate in Sustainable Tourism Management, an Ecotourism Master Class Series hosted on Teachable, the travel.ecotourism.org destination portal, the TIES-EXCHANGE member networking platform, an Ecotourism Awards program, an Indigenous Knowledge Program, and a paid Internship Program. Underlying technology is a conventional web stack (WordPress plus CiviCRM for membership and event registration) supplemented by the Teachable LMS for course delivery and a member-only networking tool.

The organization generates revenue through membership dues, conference registrations, course and certification fees, and limited technical assistance contracts, serving a global member base of approximately 1,200 professional members and 15,000+ network participants spanning 190+ countries. Strategic partnerships with IUCN, WWF, EUROPARC Federation, and government tourism ministries anchor TIES as a convening body for the international sustainable tourism community, while its digital properties attract over 2 million unique visitors and 100,000+ active followers annually.

Name

International Ecotourism Society

Legal name

The International Ecotourism Society

Website

https://ecotourism.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) is a 1990-founded Washington, DC nonprofit that defines and promotes ecotourism globally through tiered memberships, annual conferences, certification programs, and digital resources serving 15,000+ professionals across 190+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Tourism Services

NAICS

Travel Agencies (561510), Tour Operators (561520), Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Eco-Certification, Auditing & Standards (Green Lodging, Tour Operator Certification) (THAAANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Travel Booking & Distribution (Green Filters, Eco-Labels, Verified Listings) (THAAANAM), Sustainability Training, Consulting & ESG Advisory (Operational Playbooks, Staff Training) (THAAANAL), Eco-Tours & Sustainable Nature Travel (THAJAIAD)

Keywords

• Sustainable tourism
• Ecotourism standards
• Conservation education
• Responsible travel
• Ecotourism certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from professional, organization, and student members provide recurring revenue. Individual memberships start at US$80/year, organizational memberships at US$185/year, and student memberships at US$50/year.
2. Educational Programs: Revenue from the Certificate in Sustainable Tourism Management program and Ecotourism Master Class Series offered through online learning platforms. Members receive discounts on courses and publications.
3. Conference Fees: Registration fees for the annual Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC) and other events. Member rates are offered for the annual conference.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) is a nonprofit membership-based organization that advances responsible travel to natural areas. It sells tiered memberships (Professional, Organization, Student, EcoTraveler), delivers paid educational programs (Certificate in Sustainable Tourism Management and Ecotourism Master Class Series), and runs the annual Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC). It also publishes the industry's foundational ecotourism definition and principles and operates the EcoDestinations travel portal.

Product overview

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) operates as a nonprofit membership-based organization offering multiple interconnected programs and services. The core offerings include various membership tiers (Professional, Organization, Student, and EcoTraveler) providing networking, educational resources, and discounts on TIES programs. Educational products include the Certificate in Sustainable Tourism Management and the Ecotourism Master Class Series (via Teachable). The flagship annual event is the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC). Additional resources include the EcoDestinations platform, TIES-EXCHANGE member network, the Ecotourism Definition and Principles framework, the Indigenous Knowledge Program, and the Ecotourism Awards. TIES also offers an Internship Program for career development in ecotourism fields.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ESTC (Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference): A leading annual industry conference and ongoing platform for learning and networking year-round.
• Ecotourism Master Class Series
• Certificate in Sustainable Tourism Management

Products and services

• Professional Membership Annual membership tier for ecotourism professionals and industry experts that provides networking access, profile customization, newsletter features, discounts on courses/conferences/publications, educational webinars, and entry into TIES' global network of over 15,000 professionals across 190+ countries.
• Organization Membership Annual membership tier for tour operators, lodgings, destinations, NGOs, associations, and ecotourism businesses that provides a custom URL profile, sustainability practices showcase, team member profiles, social media links, multimedia posting, publication opportunities, and discounts on TIES programs.
• Student Membership Annual discounted membership at US$50/year for full-time students pursuing careers in ecotourism, providing access to educational resources, networking, and career-focused benefits.
• EcoTraveler Membership Traveler membership available to individuals interested in supporting ecotourism and accessing information about responsible travel experiences.
• Certificate in Sustainable Tourism Management Professional certification course for tourism business leaders, conservation and development professionals, and industry stakeholders engaged in tourism and community development.
• Ecotourism Master Class Series Online learning series on sustainable tourism covering marketing, development, interpretation, education and management criteria, delivered as concise expert talks via the Teachable platform.
• Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC) TIES' leading annual industry conference and year-round networking platform connecting ecotourism professionals to discuss trends, share research, and address sustainability challenges.
• EcoDestinations Travel Portal Travel portal (travel.ecotourism.org) that provides destination management resources and recommended eco-certified tour operators and sustainable travel experiences worldwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90 nations now have an ecotourism or sustainable tourism initiative nationally or at a regional level, achieved in the last 30 years
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020WWF consulted with founders of the Azerbaijan Ecotourism Association (AETA) during its formation, providing expertise on sustainable tourism development in Azerbaijan.
• REM Caucasus Regional Eco CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Consulted with founders of Azerbaijan Ecotourism Association to implement and foster ecological culture and ecotourism in Azerbaijan.
• Government of Azerbaijan (State Tourism Agency and Ministry of Ecology)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Government stakeholders including the Azerbaijan State Tourism Agency and Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources consulted during AETA formation to implement sustainable reforms.
• DAIR Hotels and Restaurants AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnered with Azerbaijan Ecotourism Association formation, led by Samir Dubendi who is Chairman of DAIR Hotels and Restaurants Association.
• AUA Acopian Center for the EnvironmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2019Co-organized the Fourth Annual Armenia Ecotourism Conference with TIES as a key partner. The AUA Acopian Center for the Environment hosted the conference focusing on the role of protected areas in ecotourism and sustainable tourism development.
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2019IUCN experts, including Dr. Thiago Souza from the IUCN Commission on Protected Areas' Tourism Specialists Group, served as key speakers at TIES co-organized conferences. TIES partners with IUCN on research and protected area economic analysis.
• EUROPARC FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2019Partnership with EUROPARC Federation, the network for Europe's natural and cultural heritage, to improve management of protected areas through international cooperation. Carol Richie, executive director, and Paulo Castro, council member served as key speakers.
• WWF ArmeniaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2019Partnered with WWF Armenia for the Fourth Annual Armenia Ecotourism Conference, contributing to discussions on sustainable tourism connected with protected areas.
• Tourism Committee of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of ArmeniaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2019Government ministry partnered with TIES and others to co-organize the Fourth Annual Armenia Ecotourism Conference focused on protected areas.
• RA Ministry of EnvironmentminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2019Government ministry partnered with TIES and others to co-organize the Fourth Annual Armenia Ecotourism Conference.
• Booking.comminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTIES cited Booking.com survey data showing rapid growth in sustainable tourism, indicating partnership in research and industry trend analysis.
• IUCN Commission on Protected Areas' Tourism Specialists GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Thiago Souza from this IUCN specialist group provided expertise on global experience with investing in protected areas and economic returns to national/regional economies at TIES conferences.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Intrepid Travel: Intrepid Travel is a leading tour operator with a strong focus on responsible and sustainable tourism, including its own training programs and partnerships — an operator-side emerging player whose standards and education initiatives partially overlap TIES' member offerings.
• Kind Traveler: Kind Traveler is a curated sustainable-hotel booking platform with a give-back model; it competes in the curated eco-booking space analogous to TIES' EcoDestinations portal.

Direct peers

• Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA): ATTA is a membership-based trade association serving adventure and nature-based travel operators with events (Adventure Travel World Summit), education, and research — directly comparable to TIES' trade-association model for adjacent niche travel.
• Tourism Cares: Tourism Cares is a nonprofit that unites the travel industry around social impact and sustainable tourism through programs, grants, and events — closely mirroring TIES' mission, membership model, and conference-driven engagement.
• Responsible Travel: Responsible Travel is an online marketplace of vetted sustainable holidays from small tour operators, comparable to TIES' EcoDestinations platform as a curated sustainable-travel booking resource.
• Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC): GSTC sets the global baseline standards for sustainable tourism and runs the certification programs for hotels, tour operators, and destinations. It is the closest direct peer to TIES, competing for the role of authoritative standard-setter in the same industry.
• Sustainable Travel International: Sustainable Travel International is a nonprofit focused on sustainable tourism education, carbon offsetting, and traveler programs — closely overlapping TIES' mission, membership offerings, and educational programming.
• Travelife: Travelife is a sustainability certification and training system for hotels and tour operators, with online learning modules — directly comparable to TIES' certificate programs and sustainability standards work.

Broad incumbents

• World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC): WTTC is the global umbrella body for the travel and tourism industry, covering sustainability among many other topics — a broader incumbent operating in the same advocacy and standards space as TIES.
• UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO): UNWTO is the United Nations specialized agency setting international tourism policy and standards, including sustainability guidelines — a much larger institutional counterpart that overlaps with TIES' policy and standards-setting remit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ecotravel
• YouTubeyoutube.com/embed/OfV3VNgjpvw
• Facebookfacebook.com/ecotravelpage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-international-ecotourism-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Ecotourism Society