Preparing and organizing ahead of time for on-site consulting is important. But more important is to prepare to be flexible as things never go exactly according to plan. —Taylor Ruoff
The most surprising part of our findings was just seeing in person how overly-developed the destination has become. Areas that had once been known for their natural authentic beauty have now become incredibly filled with both garbage and people. It truly is a waste crisis. —Taylor Ruoff
Because the project had so many moving parts, we were able to really apply what we were learning as we went along to each new task. Being instructed on the theory of consulting introduced me to the work we did, but actively meeting stakeholders, collecting data, and working alongside our Indonesian counterparts helped commit what I learned to memory. — Shelby Luzzi
For many people in these communities, tourism is a new concept that they have never been exposed to. I remember during our final presentation, one village leader stated that his biggest concern was the outcome and potential impact for our research in his village. He advised that there have previously been many researchers that have come and gone, but none of them have ever provided their findings or a report. None have given back to the community. — Mary Cruz
We hope that our recommendations provide some helpful and actionable steps to help promote and restore more sustainable tourism practices on the island. — Taylor Ruoff
