Bachelet and UNESCO sign ecotourism initiative for Easter Island

PARIS.- While on an official visit to France, President Michelle Bachelet and the General Director of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, signed a document today to promote sustainable ecotourism on Easter Island.

According to the Mayor of Easter Island, Luz Zasso, the primary objective of the initiative is to "foster human capital in ecotourism" in an effort to preserve the heritage of the island.

"To create the skills so that local people can maintain the heritage, become experts in ecotourism and preserve the tangible and intangible commodities of Easter Island", added the mayor.

Management plans were also made to study how Easter Island can grow within a period of 30 years.

"Improving our tourism and managing the island's resources in a sustainable fashion", continued Zasso, who also mentioned the need to implement renewable energy, since currently all of the energy used on the island comes from petrol.