Tony Juniper, one of the world’s best known ecologists and forthright campaigner, is opening this year’s World Travel Market(WTM) World Responsible Tourism Day on Wednesday, November 10 at ExCeL, London.

Juniper is the former director of Friends of the Earth UK, campaigning and rallying public opinion, and vice chair of the 70-strong network of national organizations of Friends of the Earth International.

Fiona Jeffery, chairman of World Travel Market, said that Tony Juniper would bring a different perspective to WTM World Responsible Tourism Day.

“He is frank and honest about how we need to use the planet to ensure travel and tourism has a tomorrow,” she said.

“Over the past 25 years, Tony has campaigned for a more sustainable society at local, national, and international levels. WTM World Responsible Tourism Day is beginning to earn a reputation as straight talking and honest, stripping away the propaganda and the hype.

“In opening WTM World Responsible Tourism Day 2010, Tony Juniper will bring fresh ideas, extensive knowledge, and boundless enthusiasm to the cause of responsible tourism.”

A major contributor to many of Friends of the Earth’s most important worldwide achievements, he is also a prolific writer.

CO-WRITER OF PRINCE'S BOOK

Juniper is currently helping HRH Prince of Wales to write a book called “Harmony" about how man has become dangerously disconnected from nature.

As humanity faces the multiple challenges of climate change, ecological destruction, economic instability, and continuing human poverty, “Harmony" encourages the world to restore the lost balance between man and nature and to follow a more philosophical path, which reconnects humankind with ancient wisdom and intuition.

He also writes for two leading UK newspapers - Sunday Times and The Guardian - and is editor-in-chief of National Geographic’s “Green" magazine.

He advises several international companies on their sustainability strategies and frequently speaks and lectures on environmental and sustainability questions throughout the world.

He is an advisory panel member with the UK’s Science Museum, the National Trust, and the British Council, and is a board member of Climate for Ideas, an environmental research organization.

A former professional ornithologist, Juniper spearheaded a program with Birdlife International to prevent the extinction of critically-endangered parrots.

He wrote the companion volume to the BBC series “Saving Planet Earth" (2007), “How Many Lightbulbs Does It Take To Change A Planet?" (2007), and “Spix’s Macaw: The Race To Save The World’s Rarest Bird" (2002).

The WTM World Responsible Tourism Day opening ceremony will be held at 10:30 am on Wednesday, November 10 at Platinum Suite 4, ExCeL London.