This recent interview with my friend Hitesh provides a fascinating glimpse into the life and work of a unique travel professional who has written a compelling new book (which he refers to not as a “coffee table” book but as a “chai table” book). It is a perfect gift for anyone of any age who loves to read about the sustainable designs of exotic, eco-friendly lodgings and see state-of-the-art photography of amazing architectural spaces from all over the world. The product of a 2 ½ year, 46-country, six-continent journey to document and illustrate what truly makes an ecolodge an ecolodge, Authentic Ecolodges was published in September 2010 and launched worldwide in November, with an array of book signings and other events scheduled for the next few months on several continents.
Hitesh Mehta, world-renowned landscape architect, environmental planner and architect, is one of the world’s leading authorities, practitioners, and researchers when it comes to ecolodge planning and design from both the architectural and landscape architectural perspectives. Through his design work with indigenous communities, HItesh has developed a portfolio of projects in Madagascar, Egypt, China, Saudi Arabia, India, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, DR Congo, Turks and Caicos, Galapagos, Gabon, Fiji, Bahamas, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Puerto Rico and the United States. A professional photographer and Hall of Fame cricket player from Kenya, Hitesh was named one of the “25 Most Powerful People in Adventure” by Men’s Journal. He is an adjunct professor at several universities in southern Florida, sits on the board of The International Ecotourism Society, is a member of the advisory board of BIOSFERA (Brazilian Environmental Society), is a founding member of The Ecotourism Society of Kenya, and has been the international advisor for the Japan Ecolodge Association. He has also been a judge and on-site inspector for the Tourism for Tomorrow awards, World Legacy Awards on Heritage Tourism and Ecotourism (National Geographic/Conservation International) and Ecotourism Awards (Conde Nast Traveler).
Frances: You are obviously overjoyed to have reached the milestone of having your amazingly beautiful and immensely educational book published by Harper Collins. Tell us more about your vision for the book and why you undertook such a vast and awe-inspiring project.
Hitesh: There are two main reasons I have done this book: to create both environmental and social awareness amongst people around the world and to celebrate the fantastic and altruistic work of people on the ground – such as craftspersons and lodge owners. As you know, I created my own rating system for ecolodges, which is explained in the book, and I sifted through 24,000 of my own professional photographs to pick just over 300 for this book. The feedback I am getting from people in-the-know is that it is the most all encompassing and holistic book ever created in the hospitality industry. In addition to stunning photos, there are professional illustrations, site plans and text that has substance for the lay person and industry professional alike. And it is printed on environmentally friendly FSC certified paper. Harper Collins is so excited that they want to submit the book for an award!
Frances: You have been involved in ecotourism for a very long time. The book’s foreword is contributed by your good friend and ecotourism pioneer Costas Christ, who explains how ecotourism has “given rise to what may be the most significant transformation in the history of modern travel—the emergence of sustainable tourism.” How did ecotourism open the door for sustainable tourism? And how does Authentic Ecolodges bear witness to and promote not just ecotourism, but also sustainable tourism?
Hitesh: Philosophically speaking, ecotourism is the most authentic of all forms of tourism. When well implemented, it is low-impact, sustains local livelihoods, protects sensitive ecosystems and provides visitors with lasting interpretive experiences. These important tenets are what the other forms of tourism are borrowing from in moving toward more sustainable practices. Similarly, authentic ecolodges are opening the doors for traditional lodges and hotels in other forms of tourism to become more sustainable through cutting-edge practices in water conservation, alternative energy resourcing, solid and liquid waste management, use of environmentally friendly materials, etc.
Frances: What new trends do you see influencing decision makers and stakeholders in ecolodge development?
Hitesh: One new direction is the idea of community owned and operated ecolodges. This concept started in Kenya but now has spread all over the world. These are projects which are entirely owned and operated by the local communities, such as Maasai and Native Americans in the Bolivian Amazon. A second interesting trend is that more and more ecotourism enterprises are adding “wellness centers” to their program of offerings. Yet another is the expansion into higher quality lodges. The upgrading of facilities is a response to the growing upper middle-class ‘experience seekers’ and ‘metro-spirituals’ market.
Frances: Why did you choose to study ecotourism and why do you love it?
Hitesh: Ecotourism is low-impact, practices non-violence principles and, as a sector of the tourism industry, has played a role in alleviating poverty in several rural parts of the world. It is the one sector of the tourism industry that has the greatest respect for both faunal and floral species as well as the welfare of the local people. Everything in the landscape is inter-connected and dependent on each other. The flowers are dependent on the butterflies and bees, the fruit dependent on the flowers getting pollinated, the birds and monkeys dependent on the fruit, the eagles and leopards dependent on the monkeys etc. Every single species is connected in this web of life. As humans, we are dependent on so many things—not only those that are man-made but those things that come from nature. If the natural web-link is destroyed by humans then our own existence will be in peril. In fact, it already is!
Frances: This touches on the concept you have talked to me about before, that of ecopsychology. Could you explain this for our readers?
Hitesh: In very simple terms, ecopsychology connects psychology and ecology. The basic idea of ecopsychology is that while the human mind is shaped by the modern social and technological world, it can be readily inspired and comforted by the wider natural world, because that is the arena in which it originally evolved. The political and practical implications are to show humans ways of healing alienation and to build a sane society and a sustainable culture. Mental health or unhealth cannot be understood simply in the narrow context of only intrapsychic phenomena or social relations. One also has to include the relationship of humans to other species and ecosystems. The destruction of ecosystems means that something in humans also dies. Humans, whether they know it or not, whether they like it or not, are part of this web and linked intrinsically with all species of nature. If they destroy nature, they will eventually destroy themselves.
Frances: Of the 36 ecolodges featured in the book, can you give us just a glimpse into one that perhaps stands out as a model ecolodge based on your 11 criteria?
Hitesh: There are no ecolodges to date which have met ALL the criteria including the ones that I have personally worked on. Kenya’s Basecamp Maasai Mara was one of few ecolodges in the world that met 10 out of 11 criteria. It is located just outside the Maasai Mara Game Reserve area of southwestern Kenya, which is home to one the most diverse and greatest concentration of large mammals in the world, and adjoins Serengeti National Park. Guests stay in one of fifteen environmentally and socially friendly rustic, thatched-roof “tented” villas, each with its own private veranda overlooking the reserve and the Talek River. Those who visit in July and August are privy to the “Greatest Show on Earth,” a huge migration of wildebeest, zebra and their accompanying predators: lions, cheetahs, crocodiles, leopards, jackals and hyenas. Also making their home here are species such as the endangered black rhino, elephant, hippo and Cape buffalo. Activities include Maasai-guided village tours, medicinal plant walks, bird watching, game drives, wildlife safaris, and animal tracking excursions. As part of their incredible interpretive program, all trees are identified by both their Latin and Maa (Maasai language) names and a community-based arts program allows 75 percent of sales to return directly to the Maasai women, the other 25 going toward their art supplies. This is all in the book – and to learn the rest, you have to read it!
Frances: What can we as professionals in the hospitality and tourism industry do to help spread the word about ‘Authentic Ecolodges’?
Hitesh: Since no man can be an island, I look for your support to hand over this book as a gift to as many people as you feel will benefit. The more books you buy, the more we will all collectively be able to make a difference on this planet!
Order Authentic Ecolodges here:
Where you can find Hitesh doing book launches:
March 2 - Kuala Lampur
March 4 - Hong Kong
March 7 - Shanghai
April 1 - Manila
April, 15 - Austin, Texas
June 10 - Florence, Italy
October 29 - San Diego
An earlier version of this interview appeared on my blog, here:
STI News 
