Travelography #157: Fighting the Image War for Tourism

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This podcast is available at PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info. And also check out Travelography on Twitter.com. Click Here for ALL of the News Stories discussed in this podcast. The Two Highlighted Stories for today are: Political Instability, Violence Threat to Asia's Tourism Industry   Political violence has done considerable damage to tourism in Asia and the Pacific over the past few years. But industry experts say the damage is not necessarily permanent. Governments and industry leaders say much can be done to rebuild tattered tourism reputations. Wish you were here? Asian war zones battle for tourists   Across a swath of south and south-east Asia previously wracked by war or strife, officials are carrying out a rebranding exercise to lure back tourists who have long been scared of visiting. In places such as Nepal, it is more like fine-tuning. In others, such as Kashmir, it means a complete overhaul.

Travelography #152: Green Skeptics, and a Week of Bizarre Travel News

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Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 14 to 20 April 2009. This podcast is also available at PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info.

Polish travel agency takes tourists to Afghanistan [Extreme Tourism]

It said the 12 places, costing up to $3,700 apiece, have all been booked. However, reports of the offer spurred Poland's Foreign Ministry to warn Poles against unnecessary travel to Afghanistan, where NATO forces are struggling to tame a relentless Taliban insurgency. The ministry said the country "remains a zone especially susceptible to terrorist attacks" and said Poles could be targets for kidnappers due to the presence of some 1,600 Polish troops in the NATO force. #tnt

Four Corners misses mark by 2.5 miles

Oh No! ... the Four Corners marker showing the intersection of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah is about 2.5 miles west of where it should be, According to readings by the National Geodetic Survey... #geog #travel

Zimbabwe dumps own currency

Trade in goods across Zimbabwe will now be conducted in US dollars, euros, British pounds, and probably South African rand, besides accepting currencies of neighboring countries. Ordinary people, however, in villages across the country will find it hard to get hold of foreign money making it arguably even more difficult to access goods and services.

Pets-only airline says it plans to serve Denver, New York, Washington, Chicago and Los Angeles

Pet Airways, a startup based in Delray Beach, Fla., said in an announcement Thursday it will carry pets (but not their human friends) in the main cabin. The budding airline said it will carry "pawsengers" ...

Travel firm plans cruise to mark anniversary of Titanic disaster (example of Dark Tourism)

The sailing will follow the Titanic's original route westward and include a memorial service on the morning of April 15, 2012 in the exact location where the Titanic went down. The Titanic sank on April 15, 1912.

Police delete London tourists' photos 'to prevent terrorism'

He described his horror as he and his 15-year-old son were forced to delete all transport-related pictures on their cameras, including images of Vauxhall underground station. "Google Street View is allowed to show any details of our cities on the world wide web," he said. "But a father and his son are not allowed to take pictures of famous London landmarks."

72% Question Hotel "Green" Practices; 44% Say Green Travel Options Hard to Find

Seventy-six percent of travelers sometimes incorporate green choices in their travel plans and 27 percent of respondents intentionally made environmentally-friendly travel choices in the past year. Fifty-two percent regularly find it challenging to incorporate "green" choices into their travel plans and 44 percent of travelers find that environmentally-friendly options are not readily available when traveling.

Travelography #137: Bummer Week of Travel News

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Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 24 November 2008. This podcast is also available at Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info.

• Budgets Shrink, and Holiday Airfares Follow Suit

  The travel industry is bracing for a painful holiday season as people scale back their discretionary spending. But that is good news for anyone who has yet to book a winter getaway, with hotels, airlines and cruise operators introducing last-minute deals to entice vacationers.

• Tourism Situation in Thailand - as of November 27, 20:30 hrs. (Bangkok Time)

  TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand) is cooperating with the Thai Hotels Association (THA), Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), AoT, and Thai Airways (TG) to set up a Crisis Networking Center on the fourth floor of the Departure Terminal in Suvarnabhumi International Airport in order to facilitate the stranded passengers and tourists until the airport resumes normal operations.

• Terrorists Strike in Mumbai (ABC New Photos)

• Commandos battle room by room to save tourists - Mumbai

  Helicopters buzzed overhead as the commandos, faces blackened, moved into one of the hotels, the Oberoi, where 20 to 30 people were thought to have been taken hostage and more than 100 others were trapped in their rooms. A 15-strong Air France team was among those unable to get out.

• Thai PM declares emergency at two airports

  Thailand's tourism minister says authorities plan to begin flying thousands of stranded travellers out of one or two military bases in the next 48 hours. Meanwhile, it's the hour of reckoning for thousands of anti-government protesters in Thailand who are trying to force Prime Minister Somchai to resign.

• In Pictures - Bangkok airport disruption

  Passengers queue in front of check-in desk inside Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok, Thailand. Thousands of passengers are stranded after Suvarnabhumi Airport had been ordered closed because of a blockade by anti-government protesters.

• Nearly 80 killed in multiple Mumbai, India shootings, blasts against tourists

  A group calling itself the "Deccan Mujahedeen" claimed responsibility for the assaults on the landmark Taj Mahal and Trident hotels in the south of the city and a number of shooting and bombing incidents elsewhere, the Press Trust of India said. One report spoke of militants taking hostages and demanding US and British passports.

• Airport Travelers Caught In Thailand Protests

  The takeover "damaged Thailand's reputation and its economy beyond repair." The airport, the 18th-busiest in the world, handled over 40 million passengers in 2007.

• Crisis in paradise: Economic meltdown creates ghost resorts in the Caribbean

  ...the sprawling Atlantis resort in the Bahamas laid off about 800 workers, citing low occupancy rates. Baha Mar Resorts Ltd. laid off about 40 employees at its Sheraton Resort in the Bahamas and 40 more at the Wyndham Nassau Resort. The Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union has called a demonstration Thursday to demand government aid.

Travelography #99: T-Day Travel, HI Superferry, and Japan Whales and Fingers

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Today's Stories:

- Weather, among other factors, help make for smooth traveling during the Thanksgiving weekend in the US.
- Hawaii's Superferry to re-start on December 1st between Honolulu and Maui.
- Travel boycott called against Japan as it dramatically increases its whale catch.
- Japan starts fingerprinting all foreign visitors to prevent terrorist attacks.

Story Links:

Fearing worst, U.S. air travelers find smooth going

Hawaii Superferry Employees Heading Back to Work

Boycott Japan - Save the Whales

Tourists given the finger

Geography for Travelers

Travelography News on Ning

Travelography News on Twitter

Travelography 2.0 on Utterz.com

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

Travelography #64: Thailand, Tanzania, Las Vegas, Cuba, and PCNTravel

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

Terrorism and crime hits tourist destinations in Thailand and Tanzania. Las Vegas had a record year in tourist arrivals in 2006, and expects more growth in 2007. US citizens may soon be vacationing in Cuba. Virginia offers customized song to promote its music road. And checkout "PCNTravel" on Del.icio.us.

Surge of terror acts along Thai border towns dampen celebrations

Somali bandits attack, rob tourists in northern Tanzania

Las Vegas hosted record number of visitors in 2006

American Travel to Cuba On the Horizon

Virginia tourism site enables visitors to write personalized song

The Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail

Del.icio.us - PCNTravel tag

Travelography Travel News on Ning.com

G4T #2: Sharm El Sheik News & Comments

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In this posting, my second attempt at podcasting, I reviews a couple of news and commentary items related to the Sharm El Sheik (Egypt) terrorist attack on July 23, 2005. Here are links to the the articles discussed in the podcast:

Filling the Flights out of Egypt
http://www.travelwirenews.com/cgi-script/csArticles/articles/000048/004892.htm

Attackers had Aimed at Tourists, Egypt says
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/07/25/news/egypt.php

Scared Out of Our Minds
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/07/25/opinion/edtaleb.php

There were a couple of other articles that I wanted to discuss that were related to perceptions of tourism threats, but not related to Sharm El Sheik. However, the length of the podcast was getting much longer than I had thought it would, so I will hold those off for the time being. Hopefully I will get back to them soon, and to topics that more specifically geography-related.

Cheers - Alan