Terror Hits Tourism Industry--Eco-And Other

Tourism is touted as a panacea for small nations and resource-dependent areas looking to green up their act. While the industry has grown exponentially in recent years, it plummeted in the wake of Sept. 11 -- evidence of tourism's vulnerability.

Worldwatch Institute is releasing a new paper on the subject --Traveling Light: New Paths for International Tourism. The organization will hold a press briefing in Washington D.C. at noon on Dec. 13, 2001. Author Lisa Mastny says the current crisis is an opportunity to make tourism more environmentally sustainable.

An audio file of the press conference will be available at the Worldwatch website shortly after the event. A 4-minute video interview with Mastny is available online now. For more information or to attend the press briefing, contact Leanne Mitchell, 202-452-1992 ext. 527.