User:Ronmader

Ron Mader founded Planeta.com, the award-winning website, in 1994 as the Web's first website focusing on ecotourism and responsible travel and conscious travel.

Based in Oaxaca, México, Ron hosts a discussion series and an annual tourism fair held since 2001. Working with friends and colleagues in Mexico, Ron has developed a number of innovative events including free Web workshops for artesanos, chocolate treasure hunts, photo safaris, guided tree walks and rugby tournaments.

Ron earned a bachelor's degree in communication (1987) from Indiana University and a master's degree (1990) from the Institute of Latin American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.

Ron is active on the lecture/conference circuit, having been a presenter at the World Ecotourism Summit (2002), the Mexico Ecotourism Conference (2003), the Aboriginal Australia Tourism Conference (2007) Ecotourism New Zealand Conference (2007), Belize Responsible Tourism Conference (2009), Estonia's European Ecotourism Conference (2010), Responsible Tourism in Cities (South Africa, 2011) and the COP11 Biodiversity Summit (India, 2012)

Ron is a member of the World Commission on Protected Areas and currently serves in the executive committee of the Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist Group (TAPAS).