Travelography #83: Passport Cards + Errors - and - Cruise Deaths + Taxes

This is a PCN Travelography Podcast related post. Use the players on this page, or click the title above to listen to this podcast.

A passport card will soon to be tested for US citizens traveling in North America. With the flood of new applications, about 1% of new US passports are found to contain errors. Along with a rise in passengers, cruise ship deaths are also increasing. And Alaska struggles to tax gaming revenues on cruise ships.

U.S. to test passport card for border crossings

Got your passport? You sure it's OK?

Number of Cruise Ship Jumpers Appears Headed for Record

missing link to AK cruise tax story - sorry

Geography for Travelers

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G4T #56: A Soundseeing Trip to China's Danxiashan World Geopark

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

Danxiashan is a sandstone mountain region adjacent to the city of Shaoguan in northern Guangdong Province in China (north of Hong Kong). The landform is similar to the sandstone regions of northern Arizona (Sedona) and southern Utah, but in a subtropical vegetation zone.

I was at the Danxiashan World Geopark last week and recorded this week's Geography for Travelers Podcast while hiking around on the top of one of the more visited peaks.

My photos of Danxiashan and the surrounding area can be found here:
- http://flickr.com/photos/alew/tags/danxiashan/



Notes:

1. Due to time constraints we did not go to Danxiashan's two most famous rock formations -- the male rock and female rock. A search on those terms will find photos of these two less-than-family-suitable stone formations.
2. This soundseeing tour was recorded on my Zoom H4 stereo recorder. Wear earphones for the best experience.

The Geography for Travelers Podcast is found at http://travelgeography.info

Travelography #82: Return of the Travel Agent, Family Travel, and Gladiators

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Frustrated with the Internet, a growing number of travelers are returning to travel agencies. A poll of American Express travel agents found Family Travel to be one of the hottest growth areas this year. And a Roman Gladiator attacks a American Tourist in Rome.

Happy Returns for Travel Agents

Caribbean Family Travel

Fake Roman soldier snaps over size of tourists’ tip

Geography for Travelers

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Travelography #81: Private vs Commercial Jets - and - Airlines Banned in EU

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Commercial airlines accuse private jets of not paying their fair share of the cost of upgrading air traffic controls in the US. The European Union bans all Indonesian airlines from Europe. And US airlines get and "F" for corporate responsibility.

Let's Fix ATC (air traffic control)

Get on Board - ATC reform

Airlines Seek Small-Jet Limits in New York for July 4 Holiday

EU extends airline ban to all Indonesian operations in latest blacklist

Big Six airlines fail crisis management 101

Geography for Travelers

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ADDENDUM: Correction to my comments on US Airlines and Crisis Management: American Airlines gave $500 vouchers (with limitations) to customers who they left stranded at the DFW airport last December to compensate for the trouble they caused.

Travelography #80: Africa Tourism Growth; China & Singapore Open Their Doors

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Despite major challenges, Kenya's tourism revenues increase and Mozambique sees a rise in tourism numbers. China will fully open its domestic market to foreign travel agencies for the first time this year. And young tourists from selected developed countries can seek employment in Singapore during their holiday visits.

Kenya records increased earnings in tourism

Hunting tourism revenues in Mozambique rise 27.6 pct in 2006

China opens domestic travel market to foreign travel agencies

Singapore to encourage tourists to look for jobs

Geography for Travelers

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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)

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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

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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