Norbert Trehoux is an international consultant specialized in ecotourism, community-based development and environmental management, with a Masters in “Innovation, Quality and Environmental management”. 

He has been working with multiple international agencies like the UN and World Bank, as well as with national and regional governments, international NGOs, international operators and local communities in developing countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and in the Indian Ocean.

With 17 years spent as a consultant providing technical assistance to multi-sized projects, with over 25 years of experience in the tourism sector, his objective is to combine at the different decision-making levels, conservation and tourism development. Speaking English, French and Spanish, he is used to working in sensitive situations, remote locations and with multicultural partners and stakeholders. 

In this episode, Norbert explains the difficult process of finding the balance between profits, conservation, and opportunity sharing when implementing a project in the field. He takes us through the intricate process of building trust with the local communities, stakeholders, and decision makers. As well as the role of education in helping build genuine buy-in from project stakeholders, and the constant process of monitoring and evaluation to ensure the projects unfold as planned and unintended consequences are mitigated. We also delve into the role of Covid-19 in reshaping our attitudes towards sustainable or community based tourism in the future.