This Slate story and the accompanying video are pretty interesting. They tell of a remote village in Peru whose people had been living in... »
Places
What Up, Buddhists?
This is interesting. Akon, no, not a city in Ohio, but a singer that some of those young whippersnappers seem to enjoy, was slated to have a concert in Sri Lanka, but, alas, no more. Apparently, much of the 70% Buddhist population was offended at one of Akon’s recent videos featuring a Buddhist statue behind... »
What is a Trip of a Lifetime? If Yours Includes a 10-day Adventure in the Galapagos Islands, Check This Out
“Trip of a Lifetime” – what does this phrase mean to you? We’ve never given it much thought but only because we hope and plan to travel so much to many unique and fun places that we hope all our travels would be considered a trip of a lifetime. Does it mean: Your one chance to... »
Saving Birds and Trees in Cambodia Through Ecotourism
We’re happy to report on this Phnom Phen Post story on how the village of Tmatboey in Cambodia is working with conservation groups to establish a model of ecotourism. Excerpts and some thoughts below: “As biodiversity in Southeast Asia suffers from an onslaught of habitat loss, climate change and overexploitation, a few organisations are determined... »
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... »
