Join me, in collaboration with InterContinental, to explore
The Future of Local.
Daniel Raven-Ellison
National Geographic
Emerging Explorer
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How will travel change local places in the future?
We travel to discover the different and new. Different people, cultures, environments and places. But as globalization connects isolated and populated places in new ways, how is it changing what we discover and explore?
In an ideally interconnected world, the tension between local and global can be a positive force that protects what is uniquely local but celebrates what is globally common. Can we find that balance? What does that balance look like to you?
“The Future of Local” is our quest to understand how complex interdependencies between people, countries and global brands are changing destinations -- including those that we call home. This conversation is created by InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, which has 170 hotels in over 60 countries. Explore this topic with Daniel Raven-Ellison, guerrilla geographer and National Geographic Explorer.
Closing Statement from Daniel Raven-Ellison
Thank you TED community for taking the time to join our conversation. I have been fascinated by the diverse range of contributions that have been made. The stories that have been shared are particularly powerful, with examples of how globalisation is impacting on the communities that we live in, visit and influence.
What is clear is that many of us are working from very different definitions of what 'local' means. Ronald Estrada describes local as "minimal, ecological, and symbiotic" while Iain Ellwood says it is more of "a state of mind not a geographic destination". This idea links well to Dustin Smith's suggestion that technology "changes who we spend time with, and allows us to choose "our own local".
The diversity of definitions of 'local' goes a long way to explain why we have so many different predictions about the future. Steve Knight had the most radical prediction, suggesting that personal air travel "will allow people to re-populate currently remote and unpopulated areas of the world". Pabitra Mukhopadhyay, Dorian Knus and many others share our concern that global forces are damaging local places and raise valid concerns for the future. These worries are met by many points that express the advantages of globalisation, including one by David Rogers who asks "Is the advantage of globalisation the ability to start a conversation anywhere in the world around common experiences?"
There have been a number of engaging solutions, including ways for tourists, travel companies and host communities to act more responsibly and sustainably. The common areas here appear to be high quality research, learning, education, empowerment and participation. Scan through to find some real gems.
Finally, thank you to InterContinental Hotels & Resorts for sponsoring this conversation. This specific discussion is closed, but you can follow the "Future of Local" project via Twitter on #FutureOfLocal. And we'll begin a new conversation on TED.com in the coming weeks.
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Daniel Raven-Ellison 20+
What is clear is that many of us are working from very different definitions of what 'local' means. Ronald Estrada describes local as "minimal, ecological, and symbiotic" while Iain Ellwood says it is more of "a state of mind not a geographic destination". This idea links well to Dustin Smith's suggestion that technology "changes who we spend time with, and allows us to choose "our own local".
The diversity of definitions of what 'local' means goes a long way to explain why we have so many different predictions about what the future may hold. Steve Knight had the most radical prediction, suggesting that personal air travel "will allow people to re-populate currently remote and unpopulated areas of the world". Pabitra Mukhopadhyay, Dorian Knus and many others share our concern that global forces are damaging local places and raise valid concerns for the future. These worries are met by many points that express the advantages of globalisation, including one by David Rogers who asks "Is the advantage of globalisation the ability to start a conversation anywhere in the world around common experiences?"
There have been a number engaging solutions suggested that tackle many of the problems that have been raised. These have included ways for tourists, travel companies and host communities to act more responsibly and sustainably. From my point of view the common areas here are in high quality research, learning, education, empowerment and participation. Scan through and you will find some real gems.
This specific conversation is now closing on TED, but it has not come to an end. You can follow the progress of the "Future of Local" project via Twitter on #FutureOfLocal.
Thank you all!