Out with a local fishermen in Sarteneja, Belize. Photo courtesy of Travel Off the Radar

“For a long time most of the villagers have made a living from fishing… they have always fished the entire coast of Belize…even those who don’t take part in the traditional lifestyle still make their income from the sea. With their close relationship to the reefs, Sartenejans quickly notice changes to the reef and fish,” says the narrator on an informative video put out by the Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development (SACD).

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System is impressive, covering 560 miles from Cancun to Honduras. In Belize, where the reef stretches for a remarkable 186 miles, Blue Ventures has taken a creative and effective approach to conservation.

Beginning in January of 2010, Blue Ventures, already in its eighth year of operation, began its project with the Belizean community of Sarteneja, the SACD and other organizations to understand the impact the local coastal communities have on the nearby reef.

Fishing and marine environments provide a huge source of income and nourishment for nearby residents, and while some are tempted to take extreme conservation measures, SACD clarifies in a video on the Blue Ventures website, “In this community, when people hear the word conservation, they think, ‘no fishing,’ that’s not what SACD wants. Conservation can allow fishing to continue but there are always better ways to do it, there are best practices to ensure the sustainable use of these natural resources.”

Manatee Rehab at Wildtracks Photo courtesy of Travel Off the Radar

For six weeks, volunteers with the Belize project are able to conduct research with Blue Ventures and their partner organization, the SACD. The mission behind the research is to eventually develop a sustainable environmental management plan for the region that not only increases the quality of life for the residents of Sarteneja, but also increases and sustains a healthy level of marine biodiversity.

Depending on schedules, volunteers undergo 7 – 15 days of their science training program, learning techniques of monitoring and identifying species. If you have not received your PADI certification, courses for PADI Advanced Open Water certification are given within two weeks of arrival.

Sign up for a spot on one of the five trips they have coming up in May, June, August, September, or November. Blue Ventures also has training and volunteer programs for their research sites in Malaysia and Madagascar. If you aren’t sure which would be the best fit for you, read about each one on their website.

About Off The Radar

By connecting passionate travelers with unusual travel opportunities, Off the Radar and Xola Consulting support adventure travel companies who provide guests with a genuine, personal experience; who believe in sustainable, environmentally sensitive travel and incorporate the local people and traditions of the destinations where they operate.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to our friends at The Travel Word, who introduced us to this article.

The wisdom of Guugu Yimithirr elder Willie Gordon is what distinguishes his Guurrbi Aboriginal tours from others; rather than entertainment for tourists, Willie offers ancient stories oriented toward the human soul. (Photo courtesy of Guurrbi Tours)

By Karolyn Wrightson

I was sitting with a friend while he read The Wall Street Journal. “Here is an article about an Aboriginal tour in Australia run by an elder named Willie Gordon. I guess you know all about it,” he said. I grabbed his paper and started reading.

As a travel agent who plans custom itineraries to Australia and New Zealand, I search for tours that help travellers really experience what they see, particularly regarding native culture. I’ve attended Aboriginal dance festivals, camped with Aborigines in deserts and ranges, and hiked to dozens of rock art sites. In contrast, most tourists have just a dose of Aboriginal contact in a tour – a show, really – that is more entertainment than education. My dilemma has been finding tours for travellers with limited time that leave them with a powerful, lasting impression of Aboriginal culture that is also relevant to the past and present.

It may be entertaining to see how animals were killed with boomerangs, but no Aborigine hunts that way today.

So I put Willie Gordon’s Rainbow Serpent tour on my list for the next trip. Now a few months later, I was following him on a hillcrest path overlooking broad escarpments at Wangaar-Wuri to see the rock art sites in his country.

Cultural Tourism Near Cooktown

Willie’s country is near Cooktown, a place in the state of Queensland I’ve described as “the end of the paved road” in northeast Australia. It is the sort of small and friendly remote town people describe as “the real Australia” and one of the country’s most historic townships.

Cooktown is where Lt. James Cook found safe harbour after his ship, the HMB Endeavour, struck coral on the Great Barrier Reef and was seriously damaged. It was also the first place that Willie’s people, the Guugu Yimithirr, saw white people. The James Cook Museum here is a fine regional museum that has thoughtfully crafted displays describing those historic encounters from the viewpoints of Cook’s crew and the Aboriginal people.

Ancient Aboriginal Origin Stories

In Cooktown, after meeting Willie, our small group walked with him. Along the way, Willie began telling the story of his people – a story that starts in a time that can only be measured in other stories, the so-called Dreamtime. “In the Beginning was The Word,” says the Bible in the New Testament Book of John. “In the beginning were the Mimi Spirits,” an Aboriginal guide said to me at a rock art site in Arnhem Land. “We have been here since The Beginning,” says an Aboriginal elder in the Flinders Ranges.

Willie is far more likely simply to ask a traveller “When was the Beginning for you?” I’ve yet to hear someone able to answer him. It is quite humbling to be in the presence of someone who is still in touch with his Beginning.

I’ve seen rock paintings of animals that have been extinct for thousands of years, and paintings of one clan’s first sighting of ships and men on horseback. But in far too many magnificent rock art sites, the full story has been lost. Present-day Aborigines in Australia are the grandchildren of men and women whose children were stolen from them and put in ‘schools’ to become ‘civilised.’ Consistent with that, Aboriginal guides sometimes merely tell visitors a version of a story that an academic rock art scholar told them to say. The lucky ones – like Willie – learned what they know directly from elders and grandparents.

Aboriginal elder Willie Gordon of Guurrbi Tours meets travellers at the beginning of the Rainbow Serpent tour in Cooktown, Queensland, Australia, the “end of the paved road” and gateway to “the real Australia.” (Photo courtesy of flickr.com/buymyday)

Teaching Valuable Lessons

Willie tells the story of a painting rather briefly. It is not so much ‘art’ as it is instruction. To ensure that he bridges the gap between his culture and ours, he begins with his family’s story, then relates that to the story the visitor has (or lacks). And this is what makes Willie different: his remarkable sense of what each visitor brings to the moment. Once I witnessed him use the presence of a child to make a story relevant. Another time, he sensed a traveller’s indifference and crafted his questions in such a way that the man clearly left the tour wondering why he had never considered the need for a spiritual life.

Willie does not confuse organised religion with spirituality. There are no sermons here, but each time I take the tour I am left pondering things for weeks. My clients come back speaking of his ancient wisdom, his powerful presence. They marvel that in two hours his tour had a bigger impact on them than anything else they did in Australia.

Listening to the Land

As far as the eye can see, the landscape of the Aborigines is filled with stories that tell them how to live. Since the land instructs them, they understand that we are not here to conquer land but to care for it so that life can be handed down to the next generation. Their success at this has earned them the distinction of being the world’s oldest continuing culture.

On his tours near Cooktown, Australia, Aboriginal elder Willie Gordon puts people in touch with the landscape of his country. (Photo courtesy of Guurrbi Tours)

Like most Westerners, I have lost the footprints of my ancestors. To even begin to understand ancient Aboriginal culture and its survival, you must leave the city and go into the bush on a walkabout with an elder. How fortunate we are that there are elders like Willie Gordon who have dedicated their lives to enriching ours immeasurably.

About the Author: Karolyn Wrightson

Karolyn Wrightson owns Essential Downunder Travel in Asheville, North Carolina, which specialises in custom itineraries to Australia and New Zealand. She is particularly knowledgeable about Aboriginal and Maori culture. Her work has won many awards, including five Opal Awards from Tourism Australia. One of her outback itineraries was selected by National Geographic Traveler’s Tours of a Lifetime in 2009. Before starting her agency, she was a writer/journalist in New York. She has been a guest lecturer for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She expects soon to publish a book, The Great Australian Spirit: One Woman’s Journey Inside the Outback.

By Victoria Okoye

Mole National Park, located in Northern Ghana, is a remarkable natural landscape. This grand expanse of nature is the country’s largest national park and its largest protected ecosystem. As a wildlife reserve, it is refuge to nearly 100 different mammal species, more than 300 types of birds and in excess of 30 kinds of reptiles. It is understandably also a major tourism destination for travellers to Ghana.

Diverse Natural Features and Communities

In addition to the rich biodiversity within its borders, Mole National Park is surrounded by nearly 30 indigenous rural communities, all of which rely on the land for their livelihood.

The farming eco-village of Mognori is located in Gonjaland, in Ghana’s northern region, 15 kilometres from Mole National Park. M&J Travel and Tours works in the local community to teach and train women about shea-butter production methods, a way to promote sustainable incomes for the women and their families. Photo courtesy of M&J Travel and Tours

The land for the park was initially set aside as a wildlife refuge in 1958, but in 1971, the government relocated the human populations and designated the land as a national park. The government also annexed a sizable chunk of indigenous land, thereby compromising the welfare of families and communities that earned their income directly from the land. Unfortunately, the line between community lands and park property – between accessible commons and nature preserve – has blurred over time as a result and the actions of the communities have been at odds with efforts to preserve the national park and Ghana’s natural savannah.

Today, the relocated indigenous communities continue to struggle to survive, and their traditional subsistence activities, including hunting and woodcutting for fuel, have over the past decades degraded the parkland and resulted in substantial loss of the park’s biodiversity.

Marian Thompson (in yellow skirt), the whl.travel local connection in Northern Ghana, is welcomed by the Magazaya (elected leader and spokeswoman) of a woman’s group of shea-nut pickers. Marian and her tour agency, M&J Travel and Tours, work to empower these women in fringe communities near Mole National Park. Photo courtesy of M&J Travel and Tours

Identifying an Ecotourism Opportunity

When M&J Travel and Tours, a local Ghanaian tour operator and the whl.travel local partner in Northern Ghana, opened an office in Mole in 2010, addressing the issues raised by the park’s fringe communities fit perfectly with the organisation’s commitment to ecotourism and sustainability. Since its launch 20 years ago, M&J has consistently sought to make a positive impact on local communities through tourism.

In June 2010, M&J Travel and Tours therefore launched a shea-butter income-generating project that targeted women’s groups as they’re the main harvesters of the abundant shea trees’ oily nuts from which they then produce a buttery byproduct that is used as a key ingredient in moisturiser creams and cosmetics, hair conditioners, cooking oil, medicinal ointments and soap. Shea-butter production is already a major economic industry in Ghana and the rest of the West African region, where Ghana is now also the leading producer.

Shea-butter production in Ghana is a multi-step process that begins with harvesting the shea in fruit nut form. The shea are washed and rinsed to remove dirt and other impurities. The clean fruit nuts are then sun dried, making it possible to sort out any bad ones. Photo courtesy of M&J Travel and Tours

“The main idea is that when the government took over Mole Park, they took over a huge chunk of [local communities'] land, compromising the women’s ability to pursue their traditional activities, such as hunting and farming,” commented Arnold Asafu-Adjaye, Head of Sales and Marketing at M&J. “What was left were the shea butter trees. So, we saw the need to develop this industry.” This community issue is now at the heart of the M&J’s corporate social responsibility initiative in Mole.

Women Shea-Butter Producers

Before this project, while local women were already organized to produce Shea butter, it was only at a small scale. Now, numbers have grown, and approximately 30 percent of all economic activity for the national park fringe communities results from some aspect of Shea-butter production.

In shea-butter production in Ghana, boiling the fruit nuts softens the outer flesh so that it can be removed, revealing the nut’s shell. Photo courtesy of M&J Travel and Tours

Women continue to be the primary producers, while the men serve as hunters and search for other work alternatives. The women, who mostly stay in the home, are located in close proximity to the shea trees. Although the women now work longer hours now than they used to – farming and tending to the shea trees, harvesting and processing the nuts – their work provides vital additional income to support their families. In total, M&J estimates that some 10,000 women are actively engaged in shea-butter production for commercial trade in northern Ghana, although M&J works directly with only about 350 of them.

Developing a Viable, Local Industry

Of course, introducing Shea butter as a sustainable industry is only the one part of what needs to be accomplished; working with the women to strengthen their rate and quality of production is just as key to ensuring that the women and their families improve their output and reap the full benefits of their efforts. Therefore, in partnership with a nongovernmental organization called TechnoServe, M&J is working to provide technical training for the women in quality nut picking, quality butter processing and marketing.

There is also hope of collaboration with other agencies and nongovernmental organizations, all involving strong partnerships with financial institutions so as to provide credit facilities to help the women launch viable small-scale businesses. The women must also overcome existing challenges in the production of Shea products, including quality controls, finding consistent buyers for their products and producing at a level that meets customers’ demand, thus ensuring a good return on their time and investments.

In shea-butter production in Ghana, the shells of the shea nut are cracked open to reveal the inner nut. Photo courtesy of M&J Travel and Tours

Building a Customer Base

According to Mr. Asafu-Adjaye, what the women are now predominantly looking for is buyers, especially those that can ensure their product reaches external markets. At present, sales are more locally based and focus on attracting tourists who visit the Mole National Park. Their Shea butter is not yet available even in the capital city of Accra or other major urban centers such as Kumasi and Takoradi, although M&J is in discussion with local companies that support Ghana-made products.

M&J is also looking partnerships with other potential customers, such as tourism and hospitality services.
“Shea for us is very important in the tourism supply, since products such as soap can be supplied to [those in the] hospitality industry and also become attraction sites to tourists who want to participate in alternative tourism,” explained Marian Thompson, Managing Director of M&J.

Promoting Local Sustainability

In parallel with the support of the women in Mole, the experts at M&J Travel & Tours are actively pursuing other areas of socially responsible engagement with the communities in which it works, from supporting reforestation in northern Ghana to alleviating the effects of climate change and providing local employment opportunities. Another community project with which the company is presently involved will upgrade the quality of stoves used in local homes to reduce smoke, improve the environment and promote family health in the region.

In shea-butter production in Ghana, the inner nuts are fried in large pans to soften them. The nuts are then converted into a fine paste through a process of kneading, adding water, heating, filtration and then solidification into Shea butter as we know it. Photo courtesy of M&J Travel and Tours

For M&J Travel, the Shea-butter initiative is targeted at ensuring local communities share in the gains that local tourism brings to the national economy.

“The main thing is that we think about the communities that we work in,” says Mr. Asafu-Adaye. “It’s not just about bringing tourists; it’s about being a part of the community as well. When the tourists do come in to see what they want and are satisfied with everything, how is the local community affected? We need to be a part of the local community, to make sure they are self-sustainable. And in doing that, we’re working with them on Shea butter production, making sure they aren’t left out.”

About the Author: Victoria Okoye

Victoria is a freelance community-development and communications consultant based in Accra, Ghana, where she works on local cultural promotion, tourism and environment projects. She also writes a blog, where she explores her interest in West African cities and the people that make them work. She has a bachelors degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri and masters degrees in International Affairs and Urban Planning from Columbia University, in New York City.

Ecotourism for people in wheelchairs? You may wonder what that looks like, how it’s done.  You’d be pleasantly surprised to learn that in many destinations there are efforts in place to improve tourism infrastructure to better serve people with disabilities. Brazil is one such example.

Accessible Tourism

Travel and Tourism is recognized as the largest service sector industry, and as such it is imperative that people of all ages and abilities are allowed access to its activities. Accessible Tourism is a movement that has evolved to represent this important concept, as well as to represent a group which is too often denied desired travel experiences due to inaccessibility and a lack of knowledge at many destinations worldwide. Groups such as the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) promote extended travel opportunities for people with disabilities by establishing partnerships, networks, educational material and certifications/guidelines pertaining to the accessibility of service sector facilities and operations.

Accessible Tourism recognizes the universal right to participate in tourism by having access to “independent travel, accessible facilities, trained staff, reliable information and inclusive marketing,” and notes its wide-spread benefits. “Accessible tourism benefits everyone. More individuals enjoy the opportunity to travel; the tourism industry gets more visitors, longer seasons and new incomes. Society as a whole benefits from new job opportunities, more tax revenue and an accessible environment for both inhabitants and visitors.” (ENAT, 2011)

Virtual Accessible Tourism Project

Thankfully, these days one can find many accommodations and operators in Brazil that have adapted their facilities to receive individuals with decreased or limited mobility. Recently the Brazilian company Acessivel – Turismo Adaptado (Accessible – Adapted Tourism) has developed a new project featuring an online tour guide for travelers with reduced mobility.

This unique guide, only in Portuguese yet, is posted online through oviajanteespecial.blogspot.com and will soon become a website with information about Brazilian accessible tourism destinations. The aim of this guide is to enable people with disability and reduced mobility to travel throughout Brazil. Adriana Braun, who uses a wheelchair herself, is responsible for coordinating this project.

Adriana Braun: Active Adventurer on a Wheelchair

In 2001, Adriana was the first person in a wheelchair to travel to the Fernando de Noronha islands, a popular ecotourism destination in Brazil. Adriana realized that with a little guidance and specific training for local guides and service sector employees, accommodations could improve their offerings so that people in wheelchairs may travel more. Thus began her instrumental work in accessible ecotourism.  For Adriana, ecotourism and responsible travel experiences represent an excellent tool for rehabilitation to people in wheelchairs.

Accessible Ecotourism in Brazil

Fortunately there are many ecotourism destinations in Brazil that can be visited by people in wheelchairs, yet there is one that deserves special mention: the beach settlement of Itacaré, in the region of Bahia on the eastern coast of Brazil.

Itacaré is revered as one of the most beautiful places on the coast of Bahia. It is synonymous with beautiful beaches and relatively few people, protected Atlantic forests, pristine rivers, amazing waterfalls, and a very lively town during the summer. Nowadays this small town of Bahia is very popular with visitors, and especially surfers, who are attracted to the local beaches and their famously rough waves.

If you are a traveler in a wheelchair and want to visit Itacaré, you can be assured that there are many opportunities for accessible tourism and recreation in the area. Many local service operators have met with trained ecotourism guides and consultants in order to enable them to better cater to the needs of travelers with special needs. Because of this, it is possible for people in wheelchairs to go hiking in the local forests, to visit the beautiful beaches, to walk in the mangroves, to visit stunning waterfalls, and even to enjoy adventure sports such as rafting.

To learn more about Itacaré, please contact ITACARÉ ECOTOURISM at:
e-mail: itacareturismo@gmail.com and iecotur@uol.com.br.
Maria Farinha Guest House: http://www.mariafarinhapousada.com.br

Great Tohoku Kanto Earthquake and Tsunami

It may be true that Japan was as prepared as any country could have been for a disaster of this magnitude. It may be true that the Japanese people have managed to respond to the crisis in an orderly and “stoic” manner. The fact remains, however, a large area of the country has been devastated. Towns wiped out. People’s livelihoods destroyed. The March 11 earthquake that hit the Northeast regions of Japan was not only the largest in the country’s recorded history, but it also resulted in damage spread throughout the Northeastern coast, including many rural communities now semi-isolated due to limited road access and a severe lack of relief supplies across the region.

In many parts of the country, people are still dealing with aftershocks, some larger than the size of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Despite the official death toll (currently estimated to be around 3,500-4,000), the number is expected to climb to over 10,000. Tens of thousands of evacuees have spent the last five days in the 2,000+ officially designated emergency shelters. Hundreds of thousands more people have been made homeless and are living in unconfirmed number of temporary shelters and camps, often without basic necessities.

Japan Ecolodge Association: Disaster Relief Fund

On March 11th, shortly after the first earthquake, Japan Ecolodge Association, in collaboration with local experts, mobilized a relief team to collect and deliver basic necessities to the victims of what is now being called the Great Tohoku Kanto Earthquake and Tsunami. The Association has set up Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund and is accepting donations both online and via wire transfer.

“Japan’s Eastern Pacific Coast and other regions affected by the earthquake and tsunami are in dire need of your generosity. Right now, many in the affected area are struggling to survive the extreme cold without shelter or food. We need your support now.” – Mr. Masaru Takayama, Japan Ecolodge Association’s Executive Director and Vice Chair of TIES Board of Directors.

Mr. Masaru Takayama is a native of Awaji, Japan, and a survivor of the 1995 Kobe Earthquake (Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake). He and his colleagues will personally purchase relief packages with donations collected through the Fund, and deliver the packages to Sendai (Miyagi Prefecture) on Friday, March 19th. This first trip will focus on ensuring the emergency supplies will get to evacuees in the Sendai area. The Association plans another delivery, rescue and relief trip in April.

People Are Determined to Stay United and Strong

A well-known singer who is from Hokkaido, Japan, had this to say to his fellow countrymen during a radio interview on Tuesday: “If you have knowledge, share your knowledge. If you have strength, share your strength. If you have money, donate. If you can’t give anything, stay strong, for the future of our country.”

Despite the current crisis, the people of Japan are committed to staying strong, supporting each other and doing everything needed, with everyone playing their part no matter how small or large, to help the affected regions get back on their feet. The grassroots networks of local tour operators, lodges, outdoor shops, nature schools and NGOs are among the most efficient ways to support the earthquake and tsunami victims now, and if there’s anyone in Japan who can bring these groups together and organize effective on-the-ground relief rescue, it’s out long-time member and friend Masaru.

What YOU Can Do to Help: DONATE

As we all know, recovery will be a long journey. It will be years before local economies in hardest hit areas – Aomori, Ibaraki, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima – will once again flourish and prosper, but when they do, “however long it may take, we will be there,” vowed the members of Japan Ecotourism network. “We’ll be there for the victims now, and we will be there for them along the way as those in the affected regions work together to rebuild their communities.”

Right now, the best way those in and outside Japan wanting to help the quake and tsunami victims can contribute is to donate money to credible rescue and relief efforts. Donate now to support organizations and projects that will reach people in need, donate in the coming weeks and months to continue supporting long-term recovery efforts.

Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund

Donate to the Fund via Paypal
Please follow the above link, enter your name in the field “I hereby agree to donate”, click on “Add to Cart”, and you’ll be redirected to the payment page. Once there, you can click on the small link at the top right corner of the page to select English.

Join Facebook Group and Spread the Word
The more people know about this effort, the more chance we have of reaching those in need. Please invite your friends and share the link through our websites, blogs and newsletters.

For additional instructions on how to donate, see PAYMENT INSTRUCTION for Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund (PDF) or contact TIES (info@ecotourism.org) for information.

The first delivery of relief supplies will take place this Friday, March 18th. All donations collected through the Fund this week will directly go to purchase necessary goods for this first trip, and will make a tremendous difference for the lives of evacuees.

March 8th is the International Women’s Day (IWD), a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future – which started 100 years ago! To celebrate IWD, and to recognize the importance of addressing existing challenges and opportunities for women all over the world, we would like to share the voices of our members and supporters about women and tourism.

Dr. Kelly Bricker, Chair, TIES Board of Directors

If you were to choose one woman whose achievements you would like to celebrate and honor on IWD, who would it be and why?

There is no way to choose just one… Women all over the world are strong beings, they sacrifice their own well-being for the good of the family, community, and world—they are empathetic and recognize needs, they give of themselves every day to make the world a better place. There are countless women in my life that model courage, strength, creativity, knowledge, caring, love, friendship, persistence, honesty, and integrity! In honor of IWD, thank you for those that have raised the bar for me and so many others!

According to UN Women, “Women lag far behind men in access to land, credit and decent jobs, even though a growing body of research shows that enhancing women’s economic options boosts national economies.” In your experience, how does tourism help empower women economically?

I have seen women’s groups in Fijian villages really enhanced through fundraising opportunities in rural villages with limited economic development opportunities. Through crafts markets, small resort developments, and supporting enterprises that are utilized by the tourism industry in these rural communities (i.e., food, handicrafts, meke, village tours), women have been empowered to earn money and organize community benefits such as health care. In addition, tourism activities have also supported training opportunities for women.

I would add, however, that in terms of tourism’s full potential of supporting and empowering women, we are really not there yet. In addition to employment and other activities, women still carry the primary responsibility for raising children and providing meals to their families—they have a complex and multifaceted responsibilities in their respective communities.

How do YOU, in your professional field, contribute to the efforts to empower women and promote gender equality?

With my colleague Dr. Kerstetter from Penn State, we study quality-of-life issues, perceived community well-being, and sense of place within these communities, and hope to address some of these issues through presentations and publications. In addition, I look for opportunities to promote tourism as a way to empower women, provide education, and support better health care – through my engagement in research work, our ecotourism business in Fiji, and working with TIES and the GSTC in areas such as education, training, outreach, and information sharing at conferences.

What gender-related challenges have you – directly or indirectly – experienced for your business or organization?

In the United States, it is estimated that women nationwide earn .75 to the dollar of what men earn in this country. I know we have come a long way in addressing this issue, but also hope that we continually promote advancement of women in higher education, and in fair salary and wages. I feel that in my own professional development I have been extremely fortunate to have men and women who believe in equality, and who have shown that hard work and persistence does pay off. For those of us that have positive experiences, I believe there is even more of a responsibility to help others on this issue. We have to come to a place where fairness prevails and opportunities exist for all, regardless of gender.

Dr. Kelly Bricker

Dr. Bricker is an Associate Professor at the University of Utah in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. She also works as a Senior Research Scientist – Recreation with HDR|DTA part-time. She completed her Ph.D. research with the Pennsylvania State University, where she specialized in sustainable tourism and natural resource management. She has special research and teaching interest in ecotourism, sense of place, natural resource management, and the environmental and social impacts of tourism. She serves as the Chair of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) and on the board of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

TIES’ global network is made up of members from over 90 countries who are individuals and organizations dedicated to the principles of ecotourism, and are leading the vital efforts to make travel and tourism more sustainable. A number of our business and professional members have recently received much-deserved recognition and awards, highlighting their key achievements and leadership in sustainability practices.

We are pleased to share the good news, and would like to share our admiration and gratitude for these ecotourism pioneers and sustainability leaders – Congratulations, and THANK YOU for all you do to support ecotourism and make a difference in the world!

Travel + Leisure Magazine “Best Life-Changing Trips”

A number of TIES business members have been recognized in Travel + Leisure Magazine’s “Best Life-Changing Trips” for their unique, extraordinary and inspiring travel experiences: Elevate Destinations, WildChina, Tropic Journeys in Nature, Myths and Mountains, &Beyond, Country Walkers.

Elevate Destinations – Haiti: Help Heal a Nation

Assist in the earthquake recovery by rebuilding a boys’ home in Port-au-Prince or a school computer lab in Jacmel. Besides volunteering, you’ll visit waterfalls and white-sand beaches, hear musical performances, and meet metalworkers transforming oil drums into sculptures.

Tropic Journeys in Nature – Ecuador: Travel to the Heart of the Amazon

Stay in an eco-lodge situated at the headwaters of the Amazon and run by the Huaorani, one of the most isolated ethnic groups on earth: first contacted by the outside world only 55 years ago, they speak a language that is unrelated to any other. You’ll learn to use a blowgun, hear their leader relate the tribe’s fight against oil exploration, and take a two-day meander down the Shiripuno River in kayaks, watching for tropical birds and monkeys.

Country Walkers – Italy: Walking Through Piedmont

Get to know the birthplace of the Slow Food movement on foot (average three to six miles per day). Participate in a tasting at the historic Marchesi di Barolo winery, visit with a local cheese maker, and go hunting for white truffles in Neive.

Learn to cook traditional Piedmontese dishes such as truffle ravioli and vitello tonnato at a family-run restaurant, and then dine on your own creations.

>> Read descriptions of all 24 life-changing trips!

Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2010

The 2010 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards were presented at at World Travel Market (WTM) in London as part of World Responsible Tourism Day (November 10th, 2010). Justin Francis, founder of the Responsible Tourism Awards and Managing Director of responsibletravel.com said, “I have been heartened by the depth of commitment and connection our winners have shown to the local communities in their destinations. Their successes and pioneering spirits are remarkable and the very real and authentic experiences they have created, set responsible tourism apart.”

TIES business members Hotel Mockingbird Hill (Best Accommodation for the Environment) and Matava (Best in a Marine Environment) were honored among a dozen of the world’s leading industry leaders, and TIES professional member Sam Raphael of Jungle Bay Resort & Spa, received distinction as the winner of the “Best Personal Contribution” category.

Here are the accolades these winners have received from the judges of the Responsible Tourism Awards.

Hotel Mocking Bird Hill, Jamaica – “Proof that indulgence doesn’t have to be at the expense of the environment, Mockingbird Hill is a small locally-owned luxury hotel that drives innovation, ensures that good practices are identified and monitored and add value to the local community. The judges were impressed by the scale and depth of their ability to measure impacts – including energy consumption, economic impact for local partners, and recording biodiversity. They list the short distance from their local suppliers down to the last kilometre – impressive in Jamaica where the reliance is typically on imports. They have driven innovation – conducting in-house recycling in an area without the infrastructure for it, and encouraging their suppliers to improve environmental performance.”

Matava, Fiji – “Matava is a beacon for responsible tourism and an example to other dive sites. They maintain a strong commitment to both the conservation of the marine environment and the development of the local Fijian community. All staff and dive guides are from local villages, they have signed an agreement with local villages designating three established marine reserves as 100% no-take zones, across large geographic areas, and even succeeded in getting marine conservation on to the Fijian National Curriculum.”

Sam Raphael – “Sam Raphael’s vision was to use tourism to revitalize a community facing poverty after the demise of the banana industry. In an area devoid of tourism his Jungle Bay resort in Dominica was constructed, opened and is now almost entirely operated by the local community. The trickle-down effect of his efforts are felt far and wide from the farmers who supply the resort with produce to the disabled children cared for at his House of Hope, and the youth supported by Sam’s initiative to mentor and promote young entrepreneurs. The philosophy that underpins Jungle Bay is wholly down to the passion and commitment of Sam.”

World Travel Awards 2010

Named the “Oscars of the Travel Business” by the Wall Street Journal, the World Travel Awards serves to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry.

• Morgan’s Rock Hacienda & Ecolodge – Nicaragua’s Leading Boutique Hotel
• Sadie Cove Wilderness Lodge Alaska – US Leading Green Resort
• Hotel Oro Verde Guavaquil – Ecuador’s Leading Business Hotel and Leading Hotel
• &Beyond – Africa’s Leading River Cruise Company and Africa’s Responsible Tourism Award
• Carlson Wagonlit Travel – Kenya’s Leading Travel Management Company

Randi Iverson, Co-owner, Sadie Cove Wilderness Lodge Alaska (center) – Sadie Cove has received the World Travel Award as “Leading Green Resort in the US” in 2009 and 2010.

TIES Association member Ecotourism Society Pakistan (ESP) announced The Region project in May 2010 with the aim of building and strengthening relationships among intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, tour operators and other stakeholders from across South Asia, Central Asia and Eastern Europe.

Why The Region?

“Fauna, flora and cultures do not understand political boundaries,” says Mr. Agha Iqrar Haroon, President of ESP.

Nations and cultures in South Asia, Central Asia and Eastern Europe have historically had strong links with each other, connected by the Silk Road, which even today – despite the interruption by the Communist Regime when many Silk Road countries were kept behind the Iron Curtain – play a significant role as the common cultural lifeline of this geographically diverse region.

The shared cultural texture that can be found in many old cities along the Silk Road – Bokhara (Uzbekistan), Old Delhi (India), Isfahan (Iran), Baku (Azerbaijan) or the old city of Lahore (Pakistan) – tells the stories of past glories and thriving cultures with common heritage. While these countries have been disintegrated by political forces, various evidence of their shared cultural heritage remains in traditional architectural designs, carving patterns and embroidery colors seen across the region, from the markets of India to the streets of Western Ukraine.

By taking advantage of the shared heritage and cultural and historical perspectives, The Region focuses on working together to expand and strengthen practical tourism marketing opportunities. By being part of this cross-border network, and by collaborating with operators and service providers from other parts of the region, member companies and organizations gain increased access to potential travelers, and improve their off-season offerings.

The Region network also represents extraordinary efforts by stakeholders such as the ESP to harness the power of travel to promote peace, harmony and tolerance in countries and destinations where geographical, conceptual, political and religious conflicts have prevented many communities from enjoying prosperity and sustainable growth. At the core of The Region initiatives, therefore, is the belief that tourism, by facilitating intercultural encounters and encouraging greater understanding among people, can be a powerful tool for bringing peace and harmony.

Faces of The Region

Following organizations have joined hands for the promotion of sustainable tourism, community based tourism and cross cultural tourism through The Region.

• Geographic Travel Club (Armenia)
• Karaganda Ecological Museum (Kazakhstan)
• Kyrgyz Community Based Tourism Association (Kyrgyzstan)
• Al-Shayan Travel Agency (Uzbekistan)
• Silk Road Tourism Association (Kyrgyzstan)
• Discover Nepal (Nepal)
• Sri Lank Ecotourism Foundation (Sri Lanka)
• RUSSMARKET Network (Russia)
• Raikot Sarai (Pakistan)

*Membership application to The Region is currently. Applications will be accepted again in 2011. For more information, please contact Mr. Agha Iqrar Haroon at esp@comsats.net.pk.

>> Ecotourism Society Pakistan on Ecotourism Explorer
>> Ecotourism Society Pakistan on Facebook

UNWTO Silk Road Project

Since 1991, coinciding with the independence of the former Soviet States, there has been a revival of the Silk Road interests – for cultural exchange, trade and tourism. Encouraged by this development, UNWTO decided, at its General Assembly in Indonesia in 1993, to create a long-term tourism project that would promote a special Silk Road tourism concept. ESP has worked with the UNWTO Silk Road Action Plan Committee to incorporate The Region into the Silk Road Projects.

Mr. Ravshan Turakulov, Head of UNWTO Silk Road Tourism Office in Uzbekistan (left) and Mr. Agha Iqrar Haroon (right) at a meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan to discuss The Region working paper

ANSWERS: The countries represented by the national flags shown above are (click on the name to learn more about each country) -

(Top row, from left to right) Armenia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan.
(Bottom row, from left to right) Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Ukraine, Nepal.

The average length of stay for a traveller to Cambodia is less than three days – Angkor Wat, Phnom Penh, and move on. What about the rest of this amazing country? What about cycling the back roads through rice paddies, navigating the Mekong by boat before visiting a river dolphin conservation project, discovering beautiful waterfalls, remote temples, and learning about development issues while visiting a range of Cambodia’s non-governmental organizations (NGOs)?

That pretty much sums up what happens on one of PEPY Tours‘ various cycle-based tours of Cambodia and Laos.

PEPY Tours – Cycling in Cambodia

For adventure-seekers looking to discover the real Cambodia, a bike tour with PEPY Tours is about as real as it gets. No one goes to Cambodia without visiting Angkor Wat, but PEPY’s eye-opening cycle tours around Laos and Cambodia will also explore places well off the ‘tourist’ trail, getting you up close and personal with the real heart of Cambodia, interacting with communities and learning about inspiring solutions to local problems.

Proceeds from PEPY Tours fund education programs operated by PEPY, which is a US and Cambodian registered not-for-profit. PEPY has been working closely with communities in rural parts of Cambodia on literacy, leadership, and capacity building initiatives to improve access to quality education in rural areas.

PEPY works to help students access quality education

A portion of the fee from all PEPY Tours trips goes directly to these education programs and helps sustain their work. The success of these people focused and holistic programs has won them plenty of acclaim, including the 2009 National Geographic Geotourism Challenge Award.

While the increased number of visitors to Angkor each year is good for the nation’s tourism industry, the benefits do not always reach a broad range of people. The influx of tourists can also have negative consequences for Cambodia’s environment, society, and culture.

For that reason, taking your holiday in Cambodia with an organisation like PEPY Tours will ensure your money goes so much further. Proceeds from running these trips not only provide substantial funding for educational programs in rural Cambodia, but are also known for inspiring life changes in the travelers who join them.

PEPY adventure packages are perfect for cycling enthusiasts and local travel lovers!

The legendary PEPY Ride, now in its 6th year, is fast becoming a must-do. Throughout the year PEPY also runs customised cycling and non-cycling tours, tailoring an itinerary and arranging the logistics to match your ambitions, as well as 16 day explorations of the Laos and Cambodia Mekong River regions.

More About PEPY Tours

PEPY Tours offers edu-ventures, from bike tours to service learning experiences in rural Cambodia. By traveling with PEPY, your funds and time are channeled into on-going educational programs operated by PEPY’s local staff members. PEPY Tours are designed share lessons about development and responsible travel and influence how we all live, travel, and give in the future. This is highlighted by PEPY’s tag line: Adventurous Living. Responsible Giving.TM The team at PEPY Tours worked with a range of industry professionals to create internal monitoring guidelines for voluntourism published on Voluntourism101.com.

More About Much Better Adventures

Much Better Adventures are searching for the world’s local, sustainable and harder to find travel choices for adventure seekers, collecting them in one place. This is a community you can’t buy your way into – those that meet the criteria are offered free membership, so travelers can get in direct contact. Their mission? A wide, fair and independent collection to quench your thirst for adventure, while supporting not-for-profit, community and innovative ecotourism projects who often cannot afford to appear on mainstream travel resources.

Related Article

Considering Voluntour-ing? Tips for Travelers – Daniela Ruby Papi, PEPY Tours
Daniela Ruby Papi, PEPY Tours – Our goal is that people who join us on a trip will be inspired to live, travel and give differently after their trip to Cambodia. We aim to expose travelers to the people and ideas that are having the most impact on the issues we are looking to effect change in: education, the environment, and health. We focus less on service and more on learning, and like to look at our trips as edu-ventures: educational adventures which allow travelers to support projects, programs, and people we believe in.

Photos by PEPY Tours

The minds behind The Resort at Isla Palenque have outlined an impressive vision for what is possible through collaboration that develops a model for sustainable island planning, while challenging existing governmental regulations and redefining regional development and conservation standards. The project also sets a benchmark for how ecotourism can promote a virtuous circle whereby tourism revenues provide a local incentive to protect what tourists are coming to see, but extends the principle beyond nature and ecology to incorporate all characteristics that contribute to sense of place, such as historic structures, living and traditional culture, landscapes, cuisine, arts and artisans, as well as local flora and fauna.

The resort is slated to open in 2012.

Award-Winning Eco-Resort Master Plan

The master plan for The Resort at Isla Palenque focuses on preserving and sustaining the land, wildlife and local culture, while emphasizing style and luxury in a unique, natural setting.

Some key highlights of the award-winning master plan include:

• The project preserves 85% of the island’s 434 acres into a nature sanctuary that consists of fragile forests, lagoons and mangroves. Panamanian law requires 15% of all zoned land to be designated for park and open space purposes. The proposed plan exceeds this requirement by more than 2300%.
• It explores methods of agrotourism through elements such as an organic production orchard, an edible forest garden and the scattered plantings of fruit trees, all designed to decrease imports.
• It develops water and energy management plans that reduce dependency on non-renewable resources, with the goal of having 95% of the planned development’s energy needs generated by on-site solar and wind power.
• The architectural heritage of Panama is highlighted through the site planning of residential casitas, designed as a cluster of small buildings, imitating the form of nearby villages.
• Upon complete build-out, a greenway will circumnavigate the island, buffering views, and more than six miles of nature trails will extend into the island’s interior, where bird-watching towers, interpretative trails and play areas created from natural materials found on the island will be found.
• A fleet of smaller, electric cars would serve as the island’s primary mode of transportation. Typical roadway widths will be reduced by 50%, decreasing site disturbance, emissions, construction cost and infrastructure needs.
• It fosters socially-conscious educational development to three user groups: local citizens, island guests and international academic institutions.

Environmentally-Focused Resort Design

The Resort at Isla Palenque is the result of a partnership between Amble Resorts and Design Workshop, international landscape architecture and planning firm. Amble Resorts and Design Workshop share the award with the rest of the development team, including architects 4240, environmental advisers Panama Environmental Services, and engineering firm East Bay Group (Learn more about the development team).

The resort’s design embodies a stylish, contemporary interpretation of traditional local architecture that respects local customs and celebrates the incomparable natural setting. Making intelligent use of the terrain and the beauty of the island itself, most of the resort buildings are placed in the few areas that were previously cleared for farming.

“The idea behind the master plan has always been to retain natural resources while accommodating low-density development; synthesizing aspects of sustainability, conservation, and ecotourism for a result that will really create unprecedented character” – Richard Shaw, FASLA, a Principal and Partner at Design Workshop

“We want to create sustainability that is not only good for the land, but good for the people that will live on it.” – Ben Loomis, President, Amble Resorts

>> The Resort at Isla Palenque Facebook page
>> Project description on the ASLA award page