Good news in tourism November 1 – 7, 2020
Because “they’ll never take our freedom” …
Published every Sunday, “Good news in tourism” is the perfect pick-me-up for the start of a new week in travel & tourism … everyone’s business.
This week’s good travel & tourism news menu:
(Click / touch an item to go straight to it.)
- “Good Tourism” news
- COVID ops
- Ecotourism & the great outdoors
- Tourism & cultural heritage
- Odds & ends
It’s “Good Tourism”. And go!
“Good Tourism” news
In a fresh “GT” Insight published Tuesday, VisitScotland chief Malcolm Roughead shares how his organisation has worked with host communities and other travel & tourism stakeholders to plot a responsible and sustainable route out of the COVID crisis. Enjoy “Scottish tourism plans transformational path to post-COVID recovery”.
“GT” Destination Partner WeAreLao reports that a new tourism and hospitality training facility, The Academy Training Hotel & Restaurant, has opened in Vang Vieng, Laos. Co-financed by the governments of Laos, Luxembourg, and Switzerland, and implemented by Laos’ Ministry of Education & Sports and the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency (LuxDev), The Academy offers six guestrooms and a 32-seat restaurant.
Geoffrey Lipman of “GT” Partner SUNx — Strong Universal Network reports that Chumbe Island Coral Park is the first African organisation to sign up to the Climate Friendly Travel Registry. Chumbe Island is a privately-owned nature reserve in Tanzania’s Zanzibar Archipelago. Keynoting at the t‑Forum 2020 event in Portugal, Friday, Prof Lipman said climate-friendly travel was an appropriate response to United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres’ recognition of “the importance of tourism in a post-COVID-19 global socioeconomic recovery”.
The importance of good partnerships
Many commentators would like to see destinations recover from the COVID-19 depression focused on quality rather than quantity. That would be nice, of course, particularly if host communities want that. However, some or many extant tourism stakeholders will likely go out of business. Don’t let one of those be you.
Seek out good partnerships with those who make you their priority.
“GT” is a good partner. Please verify that with a “GT” Partner and then ask about partnership opportunities. There’s a “GT” partnership opportunity for everyone — big or small; public or private; commercial or not-for-profit — because travel & tourism is everyone’s business. All “GT” Partners not only get a “Good Partner” banner and listing but also the outstanding opportunity every week to contribute positive news & comments to these almost-famous weekly “Good news in tourism” posts.
COVID ops
To keep prices down for locals, Zimbabwe’s government has scrapped value added tax (VAT) on tourism products. It is pinning hopes on domestic tourism to revive an industry that has been reliant (>80%) on international visitors.
The Macao Government Tourism Office is using events and vouchers to attract tourists from mainland China. Mainland Chinese can enter the Macau Special Administrative Region without a 14-day medical observation period.
Samar province, Philippines will reopen four major tourism attractions next week. They have been closed since March.
Indonesia’s tourism authorities have learned from the COVID spike in Bali that resulted from opening up to domestic travellers without health and hygiene protocols in place.
The Melbourne Regional Chamber’s Visitors Bureau, in Florida, USA has relaunched its Space Coast StayCation campaign after a pandemic-induced pause. The campaign encourages Space Coast residents to create and share staycation itineraries.
The Maine Tourism Association is helping to fight hunger in the Hampden community of the northeastern US state.
Friends indeed
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Ecotourism & the great outdoors
The Sundarbans in Bangladesh reopened to tourists on November 1. Tour operators reported that up to 800 people entered the “world’s largest mangrove forest” on that first day effectively reviving the visitor economy. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Sundarbans extend westward from Bangladesh into West Bengal state in India.
An 11th-hour donation has saved a community group’s bid to take over more than 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) of moorland valued at GBP 3.8 million (USD 5 million). The Langholm Initiative will create a new nature reserve in the Scottish Borders region of Scotland.
In India, Telangana state government officials “have finally come to the rescue of” the Devunoor forest, an “800-hectare green lung, which is home to several rare birds and animals”. District administrators and officials from the state forest and tourism departments have “designed an ecotourism project” for the area.
Selangor state, Malaysia is sorting out the legal status of “ecotourism” operations.
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Tourism & cultural heritage
The Guniyan Binba Conservation Park north of Broome, Western Australia, has a new joint land management plan involving a local Indigenous organisation. The plan aims to “protect unique wildlife, celebrate cultural values and landmarks, and deliver sustainable nature-based tourism opportunities” in the intertidal reserve.
According to The Art Newspaper, new luxury tourism initiatives in the AlUla desert and the Red Sea are part of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to promote its “cultural credentials”, diversify its economy, and present a more “open” image of itself.
In Iran, a budget of IRR 20 billion (~ USD 476,000) will boost tourism infrastructure and restore monuments in the ancient city of Belad Shapur, now known as Dehdasht, in the southwestern province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad. Meanwhile, Iran’s minister of cultural heritage, tourism and handicrafts Ali-Asghar Mounesan reckons handicrafts can help boost the international profile of Iranian cities.
The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) is “building a national brand for cultural tourism”.
Alexandria in Egypt is restoring old trams to “stimulate tourism and revive the governorate’s heritage”.
Sustainable tourism & responsible travel is everyone’s business
Freedom of movement is a basic human right. And the travel & tourism industry is everyone’s business. “Everyone” includes not only those who earn a living from the travel & tourism industry, but also people who travel, and people who live in places travelled to and through. EVERYONE. Please share “Good news in tourism” with your friends and colleagues. And dive deeper into “Good Tourism” Insights for ideas on how to make sustainable tourism and responsible travel better … for you, for your people, and for your place. For they are your people. And it is your place.
Odds & ends
Bits ‘n pieces that don’t easily fit into this week’s arbitrary clusters:
Palau wants to become the world’s second carbon-neutral destination. Bhutan presumably had to transition through carbon-neutrality first on the way to becoming the world’s only carbon-negative country … although perhaps Bhutan was always carbon-negative …? In any case, good luck and all power to both of them!
The Netherlands is funding a project to “stimulate tourism and diversify tour offerings” in Jordan. The project will map and assess extant and potential experiences, develop and promote new products, and build the capacities of local communities.
Thailand’s National Village & Urban Community Office will allocate THB 200,000 (~ USD 6,540) each to 79,604 Village Funds for “community business development, local product upgrades, and tourism community development”.
Without Borders has created an accessible tourism map and guide to the Belgorod region of Russia.
To raise awareness of responsible tourism (and responsible citizenship), youth and student organisations spearheaded a litter pick-up and clean-up campaign in Sohra town, Meghalaya state, northeastern India.
In Springfield, Illinois, USA, a community project called The Next 10 is urging residents to share their ideas on economic development and tourism.
Stay healthy, smile, have a good week … And when you can travel again, remember:
It’s not ‘no’. It’s ‘know’.
Featured image (top of post): Loch Lamond. Image courtesy VisitScotland.
Donations, diversity, disclaimers
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Disclaimer 1: It is “GT’s” policy to fully disclose partner/sponsor content. If an item is not disclosed as partner or sponsor-related then it will have caught “GT’s” attention by some other more organic means. Partner with “GT”. You know you want to.
Disclaimer 2: None of the stories linked from this week’s post have been fact-checked by “GT”. All terminology used here is as the linked sources used it according to the knowledge and assumptions they have about it. Please comment below if you know there has been buzzword-washing or blatant nonsense relayed here, but be nice about it. As for “GT” bringing it to your attention for you to set the record straight, you’re welcome! 🙂
