Sustainable travel expert Costas Christ to speak at Morrison Lecture
Biennial lecture on advances in historic preservation presented by VCPORA, Vieux Carré Commission Foundation, and THNOC
Globetrotting journalist Costas Christ will explore the topic of sustainable tourism at the biennial Jacob Haight and Mary Meek Morrison Memorial Lecture at The Historic New Orleans Collection on Saturday, June 30. The talk, “How Sustainable Tourism is Transforming the Global Travel Industry and What that Means for New Orleans” will take place at 2 p.m. at THNOC’s Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres St. Admission is free, but reservations are required. Registration is open on the event page at hnoc.org or by calling (504) 598-7146.
The World Travel and Tourism Council labeled sustainable tourism one of the most significant transformations in the history of modern travel. Calling for travelers to create a positive impact on local populations, sustainable tourism advocates emphasize the protection of cultural and natural heritage, social and economic well-being of local people and environmentally-friendly practices. In this presentation, Christ will provide a window into this development and how it is changing the landscape of the modern tourism industry.
Costas Christ has traveled to more than 130 countries across six continents. He is an award-winning writer and editor for National Geographic Traveler, and serves as National Geographic’s senior advisor for sustainable tourism. His articles and essays have appeared in national and international publications including the New York Times, Boston Globe and Sunday Times of London, and he has garnered numerous awards and nominations.
The lecture is presented by Vieux Carré Property Owners, Residents and Associates Inc., the Vieux Carré Commission Foundation and The Historic New Orleans Collection as part of an ongoing series that addresses topics in historic preservation and honors two longtime residents of the Vieux Carré, Jacob Haight Morrison, and Mary Meek Morrison.
The Jacob Haight and Mary Meek Morrison Memorial Lecture
The Jacob Haight and Mary Meek Morrison Memorial Lecture addresses topics in historic preservation and honors two longtime Vieux Carré residents, who were also ardent and tireless advocates for its preservation. Beginning in the 1930s and for decades following, the couple was in the vanguard of advancing preservation legislation and raising public awareness of issues in historic preservation. Previous Morrison lectures have included presentations from Pratt W. Cassity Jr. (2002 and 2014), Ed McMahon (2003), Anthony M. Tung (2006), Gregory B. Free (2008), Stanley A. Lowe (2010), Kirk Cordell (2012) and Calder Loth (2016). The Historic New Orleans Collection houses the Mary Meek Morrison and Jacob H. Morrison Papers, which consist of nearly 94,000 items.
The Historic New Orleans Collection
Founded in 1966, The Historic New Orleans Collection is a museum, research center and publisher dedicated to the study and preservation of the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South region. THNOC is the official archive of Vieux Carré Property Owners, Residents and Associates Inc. The papers of VCPORA dating from 1950 to 1995 include assorted records, reports, studies, newsletters, board meeting minutes, files and ephemera related to diverse issues confronting the French Quarter and VCPORA’s membership. For more information about THNOC, visit www.hnoc.org or call (504) 523-4662.
Vieux Carré Property Owners, Residents and Associates Inc.
First organized in the 1920s, VCPORA’s mission is to preserve the Vieux Carré as a national treasure, to maintain its quaint and distinctive character and to achieve in that historic, living neighborhood a quality of life which can be enjoyed by residents, fellow citizens, businesses and visitors. For more information about VCPORA, visit www.vcpora.org or call (504) 581-7200.
Vieux Carré Commission Foundation
The Vieux Carré Commission Foundation was organized to support and further the cause and constitutional charge of the Vieux Carré Commission—to preserve and to protect not only the French Quarter’s invaluable historic architectural heritage, but also its “tout ensemble,” or the sum total effect of its architecture on its quaint and distinctive character and ambiance. For more information about the VCC Foundation, visit www.vccfoundation.org or call (504) 342-4760.
