The ecoDestinations US Wild West online auction closed yesterday, Thursday, April 30. We are grateful for the generous contributions by the following partners and trip sponsors this month, whose support has made this initiative possible. TIES is proud to collaborate with these foremost industry partners. If you were a successful bidder this month, congratulations, and thank you for your active participation. All proceeds raised from your purchase through the ecoDestinations auction will go directly to TIES to support our numerous projects in support of responsible travel worldwide.

Go Native America’s responsible travel policy is “Mitakuye Oyasin” – the final phrase in Lakota prayer which translates to: “We are all related in the Circle of Life – the two-legged, four legged, winged, and all living and growing things upon the Earth.” GNA operates in an environmentally-friendly fashion with the utmost respect for the Native American community, employing only Indigenous people as guides, and using tribally owned accommodations for tour members.

For Bardessono Inn and Spa, one of this month’s featured businesses, being a green hotel is a conscious choice that does not interfere with the commitment to providing a fully luxurious guest experience. The hotel, designed to achieve the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’s (LEED) Platinum certification, the highest standard for environmental design, strives to be as transparent as possible in communicating its environmental initiatives.

A magical mosaic of cultures and ecosystems, the Western region of the United States is impossible to summarize. Here, Native Americans, Latinos, Asians, Mormons, Polynesians, Inuits, hippies, Hollywood stars, ski bums, computer geeks, and green revolutionaries are just a few of the intermingling cultures that will make your visit to the region an unforgettable experience. Of course, the Wild West offers unparalleled opportunities for nature loves and adventure enthusiasts: deserts, mountains, volcanoes, plains, beaches…