My Best World Atlas

---

This list of map and map-related sources had gotten old, so I deleted it.

For a current list of map things that I use for teaching, please visit: 

http://www.wrgeography.com/world-atlas.html.

Worldmapper: Travel and Tourism (and more) Map

(this is a blog, not a podcast)

Worldmapper: The world as you've never seen it before

The WorldMapper site shows a wide range of social and demographic data, including a whole series of tourism and travel related maps.

The example below the relative number of international tourists that each country received in 2003. If you click on the title above, you will go to this map. Click on next and you will go to many more tourism-related maps.



The maps are really cool. And this one also shows a particular pet peeve of mine. It is obvious that the countries of Europe receive more international tourists than any of the others. Only the US and China outside of Europe have any significant size comparisons. However, are the borders within Europe really international borders? Personally, I do not think so. Passing from one country to another in Europe is no different from passing from one state to another in the US or Australia, or from one province to another in Canada or China. As such, the international arrival numbers are considerably over-inflated in Europe, in comparison to the rest of the world.

Anyway, these are the numbers that we have to live with today thanks to the World Tourism Organization (aka UNWTO) -- a bogus United Nations affiliated organization that charges for most of the data it collects and the services it provides to developing countries -- unlike other true UN bodies.

NEW: Another great source of Thematic Maps (as well as traditional political, street and physical maps) is National Geographic's Map Machine.

Tags: maps,map making,geography,cartography,tourism,travel,statistics,data,unwto,worldmapper

G4T #9:Travel and Tourism Statistics

(click on the title above to download the .mp3 file)

In this week's podcast I discuss international travel arrivals statistics, including which countries get the most visitors and just how trustworthy such statistics are. I also mention a few news items related to geography and travel.

There is some microphone noise for about 10 minutes of this 25 minute podcast -- my apolgies. I finally figured out how to place my microphone to minimize the an excessive 's' noise when I speak. I pushed the mict down below might chin (this is a headset side mic). However, that position tends to get rubbed up against my shirt collar which, I believe, caused the intrusive noise in the podcast. Next week I will reach number 10 in my podcast he life, which some say is the magic number for getting this medium down. No promises, but hopefully that will work for me as well!

---

Here are the web sites that I mentioned in today's podcast:

Infoplease.com - Travel and Transportation
- Travel Statistics: Most-visited countries, U.S. states, and U.S. cities;top destinations for American travelers, and more
- Travel Resources: Travel warnings, tipping, passport and customs info, state tourism offices, and other resources for travelers
- (Infoplease.com - World Atlas - not mentioned, but worth visiting)

Travel News Wire:
- Exec says Las Vegas's tourism model should be emulated elsewhere
- Singapore tourism figures see a 20% boost, but minister warns of increasing global competition
- Billions drop off tourism forecast
- Lonely Planet - Hot Spots: LP Staffers' Top Destinations for 2005

---

- Click on the title above to download this podcast
- Podcast Homepage
- To subscribe to the RSS Feed - use this URL in your podcather: http://travelgeography.libsyn.com/rss
- .MP3 File was updated on 9/24/06

---

My Odeo Channel (odeo/c999d1834d25cb33)
- just claiming my odeo channel, please ignore this link

---