G4T #55: Mike Pesses on Authentic Spaces of Bicycle Tourism

This is a Geography for Travelers Podcast related post (click on the title above to download the .mp3 file)

This is another presentation from the Association of American Geographers annual meeting in San Francisco, California, April 12-21, 2007. Here is the abstract from the AAG.org website:

Author: Michael W. Pesses - California State University, Northridge

Abstract:
In the past thirty years, bicycle touring has become a legitimate form of tourism. This paper serves as an attempt to examine bicycle touring as an "authentic" form of tourism as well as to examine how the trip affects the bicycle tourist's sense of identity. Through a qualitative analysis of the journals of bicycle tourists, this paper will look into how authentic space and authentic experiences affect the individual's concept of identity and self. The authenticity of the toured space is in constant tension with existential authenticity; one cannot exist without the other in bicycle touring. To find meaning in one's travels, and consequently in one's life, both forms of authenticity are constantly being challenged by the experience and the landscape.
Keywords: Tourism-bicycle, authenticity, landscape, produced spaces

Also mentioned in the podcast intro:

• B.E.S.T. Eduction Network Think Tank/Conference
• Photos from my Alaska cruise
• This original blog post (for sploggers)
  

Travelography #79: Can Islam be Re-Branded? How about Fiji + Cuba?

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Turkmenistan welcome tourists -- and cell phones. Pakistan's tourism minister resigns after death sentence is is issued for hugging her elderly male teacher. Can Islam be re-branded for the better? Fiji hoteliers call on their military government to lighten-up. And Cuban tourism declines due to new US restrictions and higher air prices from Europe.

Turkmenistan opens door to foreign tourists

Pakistan Tourism Minister resigns

Can the Muslim world be re-branded?

Fiji hoteliers: Tourism low continues

Cuba tourism industry sagging

Geography for Travelers (this website)

Travelography News on Ning

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 #77: Worlds Best/Worst Tourists + Top of the World Destination

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Japanese tourists were ranked the best, but who was the worst? Record numbers of people are climbing Mt. Everest this year. An American tourist streaks nude through Nuremburg, and is caught with lame excuse. Madrid Spain Airport holds its biannual Lost and Found Auction.

And the best tourists in the world are ...

Top of the World? It's Crowded Up There

American tourist streaks through Nuremberg to pay EUR200

Travel orphans claimed at Madrid airport auction

Geography for Travelers (this website)

Travelography News on Ning

NEW: Chris Christensen of the Amateur Traveler podcast sent me links to two US-based airport auctions. These are a bit dated, but it is my guess that these happen all the time, for those who are in the know:

• http://www.dfwairport.com/mediasite/pdf/04/04/auction-042204.pdf
• http://www.miami-airport.com/html/archieved_press_release_15.html

Travelography #76: Airline News: FAA, Virgin USA, Greenland, North Pole, China

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1. The US FAA will give airlines the option to either wait a storm out or fly around it.
   
2. Richard Branson has received approval to start his Virgin America budget airline this summer 2007.
   
3. Air Greenland launches first direct flight between the US and Greenland.
   
4. LTU starts the first scenic flights to the North Pole.
   
5. Direct US-China flights are set to more than double within the next five years.

Links to these five stories can be found at Travelography on PodcasterNews.com on Monday, 4 June 2007.

G4T #54: Student Podcasts: Maui, New York's Hudson Valley, Tourism News, and Yosemite NP

This is a Geography for Travelers Podcast related post (click on the title above to download the .mp3 file)

Three NAU students podcast on Maui, New York's Hudson Valley, Tourism News, and Yosemite National Park.

This come out of my Spring 2007 semester class on Sustainable Tourism, and was part of the students' final project. A description of this class can be found here:

http://www.geog.nau.edu/courses/alew/pl376/schedule.html

Travelography #75: Flying Backward, Yotels, and Renting Cars by the Hour

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A proposed airline seat design (the Economy Freedom Seat) would turn the middle seats around to give economy passengers more elbow room. Yotels, or micro hotel rooms, are coming to London's two airports, for rent by the hour. And hourly car rentals are gradually growing in availability in some US cities.

Back to the future of seats on a plane?

Airport Check-in: London fliers can rest easy

More companies rent cars by the hour

Geography for Travelers

Travel News on Ning

Travelography #74: Daily Travel Dangers, South Pole Road Trip, and Kilomanjaro

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Traffic accidents are the top cause of death for American tourists abroad and both the US and UN are trying to make travelers aware of this issue. A group is organizing a world first road trip on an ice road to the South Pole. Global warming is melting Mt. Kilamanjaro's snow cap at a slower rate that scientists originally thought.

Travelers warned about traffic safety overseas

South Pole trip raises concern about commercializing Antarctica

Zero South Expedition to the South Pole

Research gives new light on Mount Kilimanjaro snows

Travel News on Ning

Return to this blog: http://TravelGeography.info

G4T #53: Ecotourism Concerns in Russia's Altay - with Kathleen Braden

This is a Geography for Travelers Podcast related post (click on the title above to download the .mp3 file)

Today's Geography for Travelers Podcast is a recording of a presentation made at April's Association of American Geographers Conference in San Francisco. Dr. Braden points out the pressures to develop ecotourism for economic purposes, challenges of corruption, and concern over policies of international organizations such as WWF. Below is the abstract from her paper as posted in the conference program.

(Length: 26min 33sec)

The Impact of Nature Tourism on Biodiversity Change in the Russian Federation
scheduled on Tuesday, 4/17/07 at 16:00 PM.

Author: Kathleen E. Braden, Ph.D. Geography - Seattle Pacific University

Abstract:
With more than twelve percent of the earth's land area, the Russian Federation's situation for species conservation will inevitably impact the biodiversity of the planet. Since the devolution of the Soviet state, biodiversity has been poorly maintained in Russia, with an increasing number of species under threat of extinction. The Russian Ministry of Natural Resources, international environmental NGOs, the United Nations Development Programme, and the World Bank Global Environmental Facility have all earmarked the tourism sector to provide alternative incomes and alleviate some of the stress on biological resources. These plans are examined, particularly related to nature tourism, the Russian system of zapovedniki (reserves), the ability of the Russian state to attract foreign tourists, and the role of the wealthy tourist class emerging within the Russian elite.
Keywords: tourism, Russia, biodiversity, nature reserve

FYI - I state in the podcast that it is Tuesday, May 15th, which is when I planned to post this. Life got in the way, however, and so it is actually May 17th that this is going up.

Cheers, Alan
http://TravelGeography.info

Travelography #73: US Pow-Wow Border Troubles, and Airport Wifi Resource

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This year's Travel Industry Association's International Pow Wow in Los Angeles highlighted the problems that foreign visitors have in coming to the US, at the same time that the US government is trying to fix its problems. And I talk about a good source of information on wifi availability at airports -- mostly in the US, but also worldwide. (Geography for Travelers)

Visitors say U.S. is no vacation

Travelpost.com's Airport Wireless Internet Access Guide

Travel New on Ning

Travelography #72: Gender-based Travel and Vacations Growing in Popularity

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American Airlines, Iran and Afghanistan have all announced special efforts to market to female travelers. At the same time, "Mancations" (male bonding vacations) may becoming even more popular than female versions of the same.

UPDATE: Female versions of Mancations are called "Girlfriend Getaways" -- and there is even a new magazine with that title.

Here are links to today's stories:

Airline is first to tap women's travel market

Race on for first women’s only destination

Great getaways for guys - Active Travel Girlfriend Getaways

Geography for Travelers

Travelography on Ning

Travelography #71: Dangerous Planes, Sleepy Crews, $10 Skybus, Cruise Dumps

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The US government warns of the dangers of flying on Indonesia-based airlines. A sleepy British Airlines flight crew delays a flight from India to the UK by 13 hours. Super-budget Skybus Airlines will offer $10 tickets on all flights starting May 22. And Florida tries to limit sewage dumping by cruises to nowhere.

USA warns against flying Indonesian airlines following crashes

British Air fliers delayed 13 hours after crew refuses to fly, citing sleepiness

Skybus starts with $10 air fares on May 22

Law would crack down on cruise ships

Geography for Travelers

Travelography on Ning

G4T #52: Geography and Tourism Road Trip, with Victor Teye & Dallen Timothy

This is a Geography for Travelers Podcast related post (click on the title above to download the .mp3 file)

Today's Geography for Travelers podcast is a recording that I made a few days ago when I was driving back to Arizona after the annual meeting of the Association of American Geographers in San Francisco. My two travel companions were Prof. Victor Teye and Prof. Dallen Timothy, both of who are geographers who teach tourism classes at Arizona State University.

This is a follow-up to last month's podcast in which I summarized the 115 papers at the conference that had Tourism as a keyword. The three of us discuss how we personally perceive the relationship between Tourism and the discipline of Geography. I removed some of the background noise using Soundsoap, and while not perfect, it is listenable.

Length: 35min, 5sec

Full show notes are at http://TravelGeography.info

Released under a Creative Commons Copyright: non-commercial, no derivatives, attribution.

Travelography #70: Asia Cruises, Mega Cruise Ports, and a Mini Potala Palace

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The cruise industry is hoping to expand cruising in Asia. Ports in the Caribbean, including Miami, are needing major upgrades to handle the new crop of mega cruise ships. And China is building a scaled version of the Potala Palace to divert some of the large numbers of visitors traveling to Tibet from the real palace.

Travelography: World Travel News

Asian nations begin push for more exposure in cruise market

Supersize me: Caribbean ports struggle to cope with mega-cruiseships

Lhasa to build mini Potala Palace amid tourist boom

Geography for Travelers

Travelography on Ning

Travelography #69: Europe's Fast Trains and Cars, and Long Tunnels

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Four travel news stories today: France unveils the world's fastest train. Germany debates putting speed limits on its autobahns to protect the environment. The Swiss are building the worlds longest tunnel under the Alps. And China shows off the world's longest bus.

Train à Grande Vitesse: France Christens High-Speed Rail Link

Talk of speed limits on autobahn revs up Germans

Swiss dig world's longest tunnel

'World's largest' bus debuts in Shanghai

Blubrry.com