Travelography #135: Responsible Travel and Tourism around the Globe

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Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 10 November 2008. This podcast is also available at Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info.

• Air New Zealand Schedules First Commercial Biofuel Flight

  On December 3rd, Air New Zealand will be the first commercial airline to power one of its jets with a second generation non-food biofuel made from the Jatropha plant. Jatropha is viewed as having a huge potential as a major source of oil for sustainable biofuel production.

• The Responsible Tourism Awards organised by responsibletravel.com

  The judges declared New Zealand the overall winner for proving that it is possible to develop a national strategy which uses tourism to help make better places to live and to visit.

• China’s First Carbon Neutral Hotel wins Accolade

  “By renovating an existing downtown factory, focusing on using recycled and locally sourced materials such as reclaimed hardwoods and old Shanghai bricks, and introducing eco-friendly solutions like passive solar shades, and water based AC systems, URBN hopes to set an example for other businesses and industries in China and around the world,” Mr Krauss said. “We track the total amount of energy (gas, water and electricity) the hotel consumes, including staff commutes, in order to calculate the carbon footprint.

• Ivory trade thriving in China but signs of decline

  Ivory continues to be smuggled into China despite a ban on imports that dates back to 1991, with the tusks mainly being sourced from Africa, according to the report released by TRAFFIC, a wildlife monitoring organisation. Nevertheless, it said increased enforcement of regulations in China had led to some improvements, with surveys of markets showing that fewer illegal products were on sale.

• United environmental flight reduces carbon emissions by nearly 33,000 pounds

  ASPIRE United’ reduced fuel burn and emissions by using up-to-the-minute fuel data, priority takeoff clearance, normally restricted airspace around Sydney’s airport, and new arrival procedures – all of which are possible with new technology.
• Maldives seek to buy a new homeland

  The Maldives will begin to divert a portion of the country's billion-dollar annual tourist revenue into buying a new homeland - as an insurance policy against climate change that threatens to turn the 300,000 islanders into environmental refugees,...

Travelography #126: Tourism Challenges All Over the Globe

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Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 8 September 2008. This podcast is also available at Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info.

Thousands stranded by XL collapse

Chairman Phil Wyatt said he was "totally devastated" by the failure which has grounded XL's 21 planes. The company flies to about 50 destinations. There are 67,000 stranded who booked directly with XL, and another 23,000 who booked via other companies.

XL Leisure Group Plc [including XL Airways] goes into administration [bankruptcy]

My kids are sat at the TV crying -- Taking a holiday to Greece this weekend and I have just told them them that we will not be now.

Caribbean Islands Assess Damage From Hurricane Ike

According to The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, thousands of pink flamingos on the island of Great Inagua were unharmed when their breeding colony — the world's largest — took a direct hit from Ike. All the country's hotels and other tourist facilities are open.

BEIJING 2008: TOURIST NUMBERS FELL DURING OLYMPIC GAMES

Far from causing a tourist boom, the Beijing Olympic Games actually caused a drastic fall in the numbers of visitors to the Chinese capital. ... In August, hotels in Beijing welcomed a total of 708,000 guests from other areas in China, 47% less than last year.

Rain washes away £200m on tourism [in SW England]

Britain had its wettest August since 2004 with Devon and Cornwall getting 179% of the 1971-2000 average and Cornwall 157% say the Met Office. Malcolm Bell, chief executive of South West Tourism, said: "Tourism is a massive industry for Cornwall, it's worth about £1.5bn.

Tourism Authority of Thailand issues situation update

TAT has also participated in several online travel forums such as Tripadvisor.com, Lonely planet.com and VirtualTourist.com. ... As part of Thailand’s tourism recovery plans, TAT will be hosting a “Thailand Invitation” mega familiarization trip (‘fam’ trip) for over 800 media representatives and travel operators from around the world.

Infamous Abu Ghraib prison gets a museum makeover

Abu Ghraib, which housed about 2,000 inmates, of which the prison's U.S. commander estimated 90 per cent were innocent, was closed in 2006. There's no mention in the announcement whether the abuses by U.S. soldiers will be covered in the museum's exhibitions.

Italy's Tourism Hits Defining Moment

Though plenty of visitors flock to Italy's cities, beaches and countryside all year round, over the past three decades the country has lost its primacy as a tourist destination to France, Spain, the U.S. and -- more recently -- China.

Spanish tourism feels pinch of economic downturn

After 50 years of uninterrupted growth, Spain's overbuilt and relatively expensive resorts seem ill-placed to cope with a downturn, at a time of increasing competition from cheaper, less-crowded destinations like Croatia and Turkey.

The ice melts quickly, generating polar disputes that may fester for decades

Among the trends that concern them are reports that fishing fleets are venturing farther north in search of new grounds as stocks become depleted at traditional fishing sites. Cruise ships are also making headway into Antarctica and the European and Canadian Arctic, raising concerns over the negative ecological impacts of ship discharge and solid waste disposal.

Travelography #101: Ski Resorts in the Alps Prepare for Global Warming

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Spas and shopping malls are replacing replacing skiing as glaciers and snow melt in the Alps.

Resorts prepare for a future without skis

Travelography News on Twitter

Travelography News on Ning

Travelography 2.0 podcast

Geography for Travelers

Listen to Travelography on you phone +1 (360) 227-5594

With this Travelography #101 podcast I am changing to a more informal format -- mostly because it is easier for me, but also because I enjoy it more. I hope you like it, as well.

NaPodPoMo - Travelography 2.0 - Daily Podcast Challenge - Week 2

Week 2 of National Podcast Post Month (NaPodPoMo)

I joined a few days late, but you can find my posts from last week (Nov 7-9) here. Nov 10 was my regular weekly Travelography podcast.

For 18 November 2007:

• Travelography 2.0: Getting Older... -
  

For 17 November 2007:

• Travelography 2.0: China's Golden Weeks Explained - I just finished an essay on Domestic Tourism for the Encyclopedia of Modern China (due out sometime next year) -- so in today's podcast I talk about China's Golden Weeks -- what they are and how they are changing.

For 16 November 2007:

• My Travel Podcast Susbscriptions - Only a fraction of the 100 podcasts that I subscribe to are related to travel and tourism. I talk about those in today's podcast. And OOPS - I forgot to mention the Home Based Travel Agent podcast -- sorry Barry ...

For 15 November 2007:

• Traveler Resilience - Record numbers of Americans will hit the roads next week despite gas prices being $1 more than last year.

For 14 November 2007:

• 60 MPG Downhill - for NaPodPoMo

For 13 November 2007:

• EU Upsets US Airlines with New Emssions Rules
• related link: Original story from the International Herald Tribune

For 12 November 2007:

• Two PR Emails - a right and a wrong way to contact bloggers
• relate link: Web 2.0 Travel Tools

For 11 November 2007:

• NaPodPoMo for Sunday - Interview with my Son

Travelography #95: Global Warming Challenges for Travel and Tourism

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Stories in Today's Podcast:
- Global warming to alter when and where we travel.
- Honolulu's Waikiki will be under water within 100 years.
- UN and travel industry executives look for ways to reduce tourism's carbon footprint.
- Environmentalists protest the enlargement of London's Heathrow Airport.

UN: Climate will alter travel patterns

The Drowning of Hawaii

Tourism industry leaders pledge to 'rapidly respond to climate change'

Environmentalists protest bigger Heathrow

Geography for Travelers (this website)

Travelography News on Twitter

Listen to Travelography on you phone +1 (360) 227-5594

Travelography #78: Gas Prices, Travel Trends, and Climate Concerns

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US automobile travelers will change summer vacation plans if gas prices reach $3.50+. Australia is developing a tourism action plan on climate change, but is it enough. Travel and tourism industry leaders identify key trends affecting their industry this year, and stress over climate change perceptions.

Listen to the podcast and click on the links below for these stories.

Survey: Tipping Point For Travel Is $3.50

Tourism hurt by climate inaction (Australia)

Airlines are defending their record over pollution

Tourism execs encounter guilt trip on green issues

Geography for Travelers (this blog)

Travelography News on Ning

Carbon Neutral Travel Blog

Travelography #50: Airlines Warm Planet, New Airport Security, + Vomit Comets

(click on the title above to go to the PCN TRAVELOGRAPHY web page)

Find out why airline growth could be disasterous for the planet! Innovations in airport security include 3-D baggage x-ray machines and RFID passenger tracking. And, you can now experience true weightlessness for under $4000 -- far less than a flight to the International Space Station or on Virgin Galactic. The "vomit comet", however, might not be for everyone!

New 'green' attack on airlines

Environmental Change Institute - Oxford University

TSA plan: X-ray for liquid bombs

New RFID tech would track airport passengers

More tourists weigh zero gravity flights