Solimar is a managing partner of the GSTA, a Leader with Associates Award that is a partnership of leading international organizations working together with USAID Missions to apply a holistic and market-driven approach to development of sustainable tourism projects. The GSTA is currently working in Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Mali, and Ethiopia with a goal to promote, implement, and support sustainable tourism interventions with emphasis on fragile and transformational states as well as high biodiversity areas. The international and local alliance members are innovators and leaders in a range of disciplines, combining resources and expertise to develop sustainable tourism with the greatest potential for attracting international visitors. For more information visit www.gstalliance.org

Now in its third year, the World Heritage Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (WHA) is an industry-led, membership-based initiative with 50 members and partners working to contribute to World Heritage site conservation in 7 countries. The partners believe conscientious efforts by the travel industry and its customers can contribute directly to nature conservation, historic preservation, and poverty reduction through responsible tourism. The UN Foundation and Expedia, Inc. created the World Heritage Alliance in the fall of 2005 with the agreement of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
The World Heritage Alliance for Sustainable Tourism engages the travel industry to promote environmentally and economically sustainable business practices around World Heritage sites, educate travelers about the importance of responsible tourism around the sites, and support sustainable development of local communities around the sites. The goal of WHA is to continue to engage new partners, especially in the travel industry, to join their initiative as a part of the World Heritage Alliance and catalyze a collective commitment to supporting World Heritage conservation, sustainable tourism, and local economic development for communities in and around World Heritage sites. For more information visit www.worldheritagealliance.org

The PLACE ICQ addresses biophysical, economic growth and governance issues related to effective management and conservation of critical resources. PLACE provides USAID Missions and Operating Units technical assistance in carrying out activities that meet USAID's Biodiversity Conservation Code. On the PLACE ICQ Solimar has partnered with Chemonics International, Rainforest Alliance, Winrock International, Wildlife Conservation Society, Pact, University of Rhode Island, Colorado State University, AIS Development, International Land Systems, and International Projects Consultancy.

SAVE stands for Scientific, Academic, Volunteer and Educational Travel. The SAVE Alliance is non-profit “network of networks” that facilitates linkages between potential or developing tourism destinations and attractions, and the appropriate SAVE markets. This is a fast growing group market segment, which was identified and conceptualized by The George Washington University in 2003. Subsequently, Honduras became the first country to establish SAVE as a national tourism priority. Other countries are now considering SAVE as a tourism marketing strategy and development approach. The SAVE market includes travelers who engage in activities which can create significant positive contributions to the sustainability of a destination.

The Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC Partnership) is a coalition of 32 organizations working together to foster increased understanding of sustainable tourism practices and the adoption of universal sustainable tourism principles. The Partnership, which was initiated by Rainforest Alliance, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Foundation, and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), launched the Sustainable Tourism Criteria at the World Conservation Congress in October 2008. These criteria will be the minimum standard that any tourism business should aspire to reach in order to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural resources while ensuring tourism meets its potential as a tool for poverty alleviation.