When we’re not traveling, travel magazines can fill that void. Last year, we were on a Budget Travel kick but in the past few... »
Places
Not Keen on Vancouver? Try Montreal for a Change of Pace and No Olympic-Sized Crowds
Getting sick of the Olympics already? The Games have become so corporate-driven that sometimes it’s difficult to wade through the media overkill and the host city hard sell to remember that the Olympics is at its core, a way to bring countries together, sharing culture, friendly competition, and happiness. That said, if Vancouver is not... »
The Best Eco-Friendly Beach Destinations
With a record snowfall already in our little corner of the world and more than a month of winter to go, we can think only of the sun’s rays beating down on our bathing suited bodies. (Yes, a few more weeks on the elliptical will help that fantasy be a little more appealing.) Here... »
Fake Cultural Tourism in Guam?
Dave Davis writes a thought-provoking column about Guam’s cultural tourism (or lack thereof) in this week’s Pacific Daily News. He argues that while Guam’s history and indigenous people can claim authentic and unique cultural cultural aspects, these are not the ones presently shown to tourists. He writes: “… nearly everything purported to be culturally indigenous almost certainly... »
Ecotourism and Cultural Tourism in Cyprus – Opa!
Cyprus is a small island country in the Mediterranean Sea south of Turkey. Though a small country both in land and population, because of its location, Cyprus has been occupied by major powers throughout history: Hittites, Assyrians, Phoenicians, Egyptians, Persians, Byzantines, Arabs, and Ottomans. These occupations have led to Cyprus now being able to... »
Help for Haiti
No doubt you are following the horrible and devastating tragedy that the people of Haiti have experienced this week. The first images of the earthquake’s devastation came through on Twitter, followed quickly by other social network sites, television, and newspapers. It’s impossible to get away from and while the images and thoughts are disturbing,... »
Building from Scratch the Best Eco-Tourism Project in the History of the Universe
After a particularly inspiring trip to Chile this holiday season, we are embarking on a plan to fulfill a long-awaiting dream of opening and operating our own ecotourism facility and program. Yes, unless we get financial backing (dream on, sistah), this plan and its implementation may be many years in the making. But, we... »
Middle Eastern Tourism Gets a Book-Based Boost
We are excited about two new books out focusing on Middle Eastern tourism. Just by reading the book review by Ted Swedenburg of University of Arkansas, it makes us want to run out and get them. We’ve included a few excerpts from his excellent and comprehensive review: “Waleed Hazbun’s Beaches, Ruins, Resorts: The Politics of... »
A Vegan Tourist’s Guide to Portland, Oregon
Our cheese-loving selves have a hard time thinking about ever going vegan. But we do appreciate and admire our friends who jump on the Soy Train Express. One challenge that many vegan travelers share is knowing where to get good grub when in a new place. The great thing about eating vegan (and also vegetarian) is that... »
Are New Mexico Safaris in Your Future?
The state of New Mexico (yes, Sarah Palin, that’s located in the United States of America and on a related note, why are we so obsessed with La Palin?) has awarded a new grant to a group called EcoNewMexico, LLC to head up its new ecotourism project, “taking inventory of ecotourism assets throughout the... »
Galapagos: People or Eco-System and Do We Have to Choose?
Simon Romero of the New York Times writes about the Galapagos Islands’ problem of overpopulation and increased immigration, a trend that is affecting the islands’ eco-system and contributing to the decision to place the islands on the United Nations’ list of endangered heritage sites in 2007. Increased tourism over the past two decades has also... »
