From interviews in publications such as National Geographic to speaking at events such as The World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, Megan has spoken about actionable strategies around sustainable tourism to audiences worldwide.
Book Feature on the Switzerland Business School’s Sustainability Management School Blog
August 7, 2020
Titled, “5 Sustainable Tourism Books For The Conscious Traveller.”
Book Feature on the Sustainability Leaders Project
Titled, “Recommended Books on Sustainable Tourism and Sustainability for Professionals.”
Speaking Engagement at the Svenskt Kulturarv Conference, Stockholm, Sweden
October 21, 2019
Megan visited Stockholm, Sweden to give a keynote address for the Svenskt Kulturarv annual meeting. She reviewed the role of cultural institutions in the value of the tourism economy; and discussed the history of destination management of tourism and the rising pressures tourism places on precious natural and cultural assets worldwide.
Speaking Engagement at The Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity, Alberta, Canada
April 25, 2019
Banff & Tourism’s Role in the Conservation of Earth’s Most Valued Assets: Megan presented on Sustainable Tourism on a Finite Planet. She provided insights into the challenges facing global destinations with a goal of attaining a policy pathway to a balanced set of sustainable outcomes via dialog among Canadian tourism thought leaders in Banff.
Quoted in Yale Environment 360
April 19, 2019
Title: “The Toll of Tourism: Can Southeast Asia Save Its Prized Natural Areas?”
Keynote Speech at the Edinburgh Tourism Action Group 2019 Conference, Edinburgh, Scotland
January 31, 2019
Megan delivered a keynote speech, titled “Managing and Monitoring the Value of Destinations” at the ETAG 2019 Conference. The event was held in McEwan Hall at The University of Edinburgh.
Watch a recording of the presentation here
Speaking Engagement at Strömma Turism & Sjöfart AB, Copenhagen, Denmark
October 10, 2018
Stromma Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark: Megan spoke on the topic of “Local is key to the challenge of overtourism and sustainability.” The focus of the Stromma conference was to discuss present and future challenges in the business environment, of which overtourism and sustainability are very pressing ones, and to develop strategies to handle them going forward.
Speaking Engagement at Tomorrow’s Urban Travel, hosted by Wonderful Copenhagen, Denmark
October 9, 2018
At Copenhagen’s international conference on the future of travel, Megan painted the picture of the potential consequences of rapid tourism growth and brought light to how localhood can be a way to address issues like over tourism and sustainability in the industry. The 2018 conference focused on localhood as a catalyst for development of the travel industry as well as urban life.
Speaking Engagement at the Tourism Commission of the State of Rhode Island, Providence, Rhode Island
September 28, 2018
Megan spoke at the Rhode Island State House on policy options for Rhode Island to manage tourism sustainably.
Speaking Engagement at the HBS Understanding and Overcoming Roadblocks to Sustainability Conference, Boston, Massachusetts
June 14, 2018
Megan spoke on the sustainability metrics for the international tourism industry at this Harvard Business School conference, which focused on the roadblocks to sustainability since the 1960s and developed a research agenda for scholars seeking to overcome those roadblocks.
Speaking Engagement at the Sustainable Tourism Laboratory, Pawtucket, Rhode Island
April 20, 2018
The Sustainable Tourism Laboratory (STL) hosted Megan to present a perspective on the United Nations Environmental Program’s “Green Economy Tourism Report”. Following the presentation, participants engaged in a 60-minute Cafe Workshop with Megan led by Robert Leaver of New Commons Inc., long time Laboratory collaborator. The Cafe Workshop developed ways that Rhode Island could benefit from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Green Economy Tourism Report.
Speaker at The Harvard Coop Author Events, Cambridge, Massachusetts
April 19, 2018
Megan spoke at The Harvard Coop during its April 2018 Author Events. At this Cambridge landmark, Megan spoke about her research in the tourism industry, holding a discussion followed by a Q&A and book signing.
Speaking Engagement at The Colombia Bird Fair, Cali, Colombia
February 17, 2018
Megan was the main speaker at the 2018 Colombia Bird Fair. The event was held in Zoológico de Cali in Colombia.
Speaking Engagement at the Outlook Responsible Tourism Summit 2018, New Delhi, India
February 10, 2018
Megan spoke on the Future of Responsible Tourism at the 2018 Outlook Responsible Tourism Summit, held in Maurya, New Delhi. Her lecture, based on her 2017 book Sustainable Tourism on a Finite Planet, reflected on the growing pressures on gateway destinations worldwide, the consequences of inaction, and the need for a new paradigm in tourism management. She shared her vision that policy change is required to ensure there is substantial investment in destinations to maintain local health and well being. Epler Wood concluded her talk by discussing new science based systems to measure impacts from tourism growth, how mapping and the latest IT technology can advance management, and suggesting that a global effort is needed to martial resources to manage tourism responsibly in the decade to follow.
Interview on El Espectador
February 7, 2018
Consejos desde Harvard sobre turismo sostenible para el próximo presidente por Camila Taborda en El Espectador (Advice from Harvard on sustainable tourism for the next president by Camila Taborda on El Espectador)
Keynote Address at the Sustainable Tourism Conference at Humber College, Toronto, Canada
December 6, 2017
Megan gave the Keynote Address at the Sustainable Tourism Conference at Humber College. Her speech focused on content from her book “Sustainable Tourism on a Finite Planet.” The goal of the event was to shed light on the best practices in sustainability within our industry, from a wide range of players and sectors.
Podcast Guest on the Skift Podcast
November 29, 2017
Titled: “Finding Solutions for the Overtourism Dilemma.” On this episode, Skift tourism experts Andrew Sheivachman & Dan Peltier and news editor Hannah Sampson talk to Megan about the issue of overtourism with some ideas for addressing the problem.
Speaking Engagement at the Global Conference on Jobs and Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism, Montego Bay, Jamaica
November 27, 2017
Megan spoke at the Resource Efficiency, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change Session at this Conference, sponsored by the UNWTO, the Government of Jamaica, the World Bank Group and the Inter-American Development Bank, in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The conference focused on practical plans to guide future development initiatives building on the United Nations 2017 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, including specific development proposals and opportunities related to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (MDG) 17, which called for revitalizing the global partnership for sustainable development.
Keynote Speech at the Tunisia Hospitality Symposium, Tunis, Tunisia
November 16, 2017
Megan gave the keynote speech, “Overtourism: Environmental and Social Limitations of Tourism,” at the 2017 Tunisia Hospitality Symposium. The symposium, titled ‘Beyond the crisis – Sustainable innovation in Tunisian Hospitality,’ was held in the High Commercial Studies Institute (IHEC) Carthage, Tunisia.
Book Feature on Sustainability Leaders Project
November 7, 2017
Titled, “Why You Should Read Sustainable Tourism on a Finite Planet by Megan Epler Wood.”
Speaking Engagement at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
November 2, 2017
Megan spoke on the results of her new book, Sustainable Tourism on a Finite Planet , which reviews the cascading economic, social, and environmental impacts — from local to global — of the growing tourism industry, which accounts for 10% of the global economy. This talk was sponsored by ASU’s Center for Sustainable Tourism.
Rountable at the Cornell University Center for Hospitality Research (CHR), Ithaca, New York
September 25, 2017
Megan spoke with Dr. Mark Milstein on the Sustainable Tourism Asset Management Program at Cornell. The Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) roundtables provide an opportunity for a small number (approximately 25-30) of invited senior-level executives and educators, Cornell faculty members, and scholars affiliated with CHR to share experiences and exchange ideas.
Interview on National Geographic
August 8, 2017
On Ecotourism in Colombia with Megan Epler Wood by Kiki Calvo
Podcast Guest on the Skift Podcast
July 27, 2017
Megan Epler Wood discusses her new book in Spanish and its implications for managing sustainable tourism in Colombia for tour operators, hotels, and emerging destinations together with ProColombia’s content.
Speaking Engagement at the VCWA Speaker Series, Burlington, Vermont
June 8, 2017
The Vermont Council on World Affairs held a Q&A session—moderated by Peter Clavelle, Former Mayor of Burlington, Vermont—to discuss skills, tools, and investment strategies required to protect global resources in the tourism sector. Megan discussed how Vermont’s locally driven economy is a model for international tourism development and the perils of the rapid growth of tourism in destinations worldwide.
Interview with Reinvent
May 24, 2017
Using Tourism Revenue to Strengthen Local Communities
Speaking Engagement at the GWU’s Annual Tourism Alumni Network Spring Colloquium, Washington, D.C.
May 1, 2017
Centered around the topic Leadership & Governance in Tourism: Defining Success for a Sustainable Future, GWU’s Annual Tourism Alumni Network Spring Colloquium delved into this topic with real-world examples and practical solutions. Megan joined industry leaders to discuss the questions: “What are qualities of good leadership? How can this multifaceted and complex sector be governed?” and more through the lens of hotels, events, sports, and destination management.
Speaking Engagements at NYU, New York, NY
March 23-24, 2017
Megan screened excerpts from her landmark 1991 PBS documentary “The Environmental Tourist,” during NYU’s three-day media showcase, “Green Screens: Environmental Ethics On and Off Screen.” She also gave a public lecture for the class Emerging Trends and Issues In International Tourism, entitled “Ecotourism is Not the Answer to Sustainable Tourism.”
Open Lectures at MIT’s D-Lab, Cambridge, Massachusetts
March 21, 2017
Megan held two public lecutres: One on Ecotourism & Sustainable Development for the class “Earth,” and another on Sustainable Tourism, Climate & Water Management for the class “Water and Climate Change.” MIT D-Lab develops and advances collaborative approaches and practical solutions to global poverty challenges.
Speaking Engagement at the 2017 World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, Bogota, Colombia
March 21, 2017
Megan participated as a panelist in the 2017 World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates. Within the framework of the Summit, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism, together with ProColombia, organized a forum about the relationship between Peace and Tourism. The discussion centered around the way in which peace-sensitive tourism can contribute to reconciliation, community development, sustainability, and economic growth.
Guest Post on Toronto Sustainability Speaker Series
February 22, 2017
Titled, “Ecotourism is Not the Answer to Sustainable Tourism.”
Interview with Peter Greenberg, Travel Editor for CBS News
January 28, 2017
Peter Greenberg, the travel editor for CBS News, interviewed Megan Epler Wood, Program Director of our International Sustainable Tourism Initiative, to tackle tough issues facing destinations around the world, including Greece, Italy, and Cuba.
To listen online, jump to 1:16 or 76:00 for the segment with Megan
Lecture at Harvard Museum of Natural History, Cambridge, Massachusetts
November 30, 2016
Megan gave her inaugural speech on the release of her book, Sustainable Tourism on a Finite Planet, at the historic Harvard Museum of Natural History. This public lecture is part of an annual series which explores the beauty and marvels of our planet with expert investigations on the natural world, scientific innovation, and human cultural history.
Lecture at COP22, Marrakech, Morocco
November 11, 2016
Megan spoke at COP 22 in Marrakech, Morocco on the Carbon Reporting Framework at the International Sustainable Tourism Symposium titled “Advancing Sustainable Tourism in Climate Change.” Her speech was titled, “Carbon Management for Tourism Destinations: Policies and Investment Strategies for Local Authorities.”
