Good news in tourism March 1 – 7, 2021
Because: “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” _ Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr Seuss)
Published most Sundays, “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.)
- “GT” Insights & “GT” Partner news
- Tourism policy & governance
- Ecotourism & nature-based tourism
- Climate-friendly travel & tourism
- Cruise & maritime tourism
- Cultural heritage tourism
- Odds & ends
It’s “Good Tourism”. And go!
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“GT” Insights & “GT” Partner news
“Good news in tourism” had a two-week break so there is a lot to catch up on in terms of “GT” Insights and “GT” Partner news:
Tanner C Knorr picks up themes discussed in a webinar by the US-based Center for Responsible Travel and maps them onto five core tenets of the Future of Tourism Coalition. Published on Tuesday, “Climate change, COVID-19, and the need for global systemic change” is Mr Knorr’s fourth “Good Tourism” Insight. Tanner is the founder of two “GT” Partners: Second Look Worldwide and Off Season Adventures.
Not to be confused with dogging, WWOOFing is a rural tourism concept that combines voluntourism with organic farming and cultural exchange. In her “GT” Insight published on Thursday, former WWOOFer and current academic Yana Wengel explains why WWOOF and other alternative forms of tourism could be just what we need. “WWOOF! An alternative tourism in times of turmoil”
Travel & tourism’s host communities need alternative visions for development and the power to choose between them, according to lecturer and writer Jim Butcher in “Tourism’s democratic deficit” published February 25; his second “GT” Insight.
Sonia Beckwith’s tiny Australian ecotourism operation Live Ningaloo faced an existential crisis in 2020, like so many travel & tourism businesses globally did (and still do). In her second “GT” Insight, published February 23, Sonia shares the value of caring — a lot! — and how she has harnessed and sustained it in “What to keep, change, do in a crisis (and why we should give a sh*t)”.
For the sake of growing well-being and sharing the tourism commons with the greater majority, circular economic approaches to travel & tourism must replace neoliberal capitalist growth models. To make that argument, academic researcher Phoebe Everingham takes a critical theoretical approach. It’s a “Good Tourism” Insight published February 18. “Travel & tourism’s ‘critical’ rethink and its imperative shift to circular economics”
We have an opportunity now to reflect on values that matter to the travel & tourism industry even after the pandemic ends, according to Raki Phillips of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority. In his “GT” Insight published February 16, Mr Phillips explained how the Emirate is embedding sustainability into everything it does. “Sustainable tourism’s endless balancing act: Preserving, promoting Ras Al Khaimah”
Herman Hoven, CEO of “GT” Partner Khiri Travel, is a founding signatory on an industry-led petition to open Thailand safely to travel & tourism from July 1 this year. It is thought that by July 1, vaccination rollouts in major inbound tourism markets will be well advanced and Thailand itself will have had time to administer jabs to all its frontline health, transport, hospitality, and tourism workers, as well as its most vulnerable populations. And a firm date gives everyone something to plan for and aim at.
Registrations are now open for the Strong Earth Youth Summit by “Good Tourism” Partner SUNx — Strong Universal Network. To take place April 29 & 30, the event is the first to be “designed by and for the youth to take action and build a community around Climate Friendly Travel”.
Not only has he written two “GT” Insights, Kevin Phun of “GT” Partner The Centre for Responsible Tourism Singapore (CRTS) also has plenty to say in podcast form. This week, “GT” recommends listening to Mr Phun’s podcast episode on: “What does it mean for travel and tourism to be carbon neutral? (6 mins 31 secs). Last week in the e‑newsletter, “GT” recommended “Environmental injustice and climate change adaptation” (6 mins 3 secs); the week before, “Environmental injustice and responsible tourism” (6 mins 26 secs). Kevin is also keen for you to join him on his upcoming virtual networking tours of Edinburgh, Scotland and a few cities in Switzerland.
“Good Tourism” Insight Partner Work for Wild Life International has launched a new fundraising campaign called “HUNGER HURTS ELEPHANTS”. Hollis Burbank-Hammarlund said: “The pandemic is grinding on into year two. And the dry season is officially upon Thailand’s Chiang Mai region, limiting the availability of vegetative forage for elephants. Now, we are receiving disturbing reports from our Thai vets that many elephants are going hungry. This is especially true for lactating moms and their babies.” Read more about it here. The new fundraiser is part of W4WL’s ongoing Elephant Healthcare & Welfare Emergency Lifeline Fund, which has kept 16 elephant veterinarians on the job in Thailand since April 2020.
In other W4WL news, 105 elephants living in the Chitwan region of Nepal (PDF, hosted offsite) will receive “much-needed veterinary care, including a health check-up, body condition evaluation, foot care, deworming, and more” thanks, again, to the Lifeline Fund.
“GT” Insight Partner Planet Happiness has a new logo. It’s very nice too. See it below.
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 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 enjoy: a 125 x 125 “Good Partner” button; input into “GT’s” curated list of worthy charitable causes “Friends indeed”; and the outstanding opportunity every week to contribute positive news items to these almost-famous “Good news in tourism” posts and/or the “GT” newsletter.
Tourism policy & governance
Canada: BC has funded 54 “community-based” infrastructure projects to help the tourism industry recover after COVID. Approved projects include campgrounds, recreational vehicle sites, hiking and mountain bike trails, boat ramps, visitor amenities, and Indigenous interpretive centres.
Dominica: The newly re-elected president of the Dominica Community Tourism Association Josephine Dublin-Prince wants community tourism to be taken seriously. Minister for tourism Denise Charles reaffirmed the government’s commitment to it.
Ireland: The Shannon river has a new EUR 76.5 million (USD 92 million) masterplan that “envisages a future where ‘slow travel’ can attract more visitors and increase dwell-time in Ireland’s hidden heartlands”.
Philippines: Siquijor province will reopen its tourism industry this month with the “full support” of the Philippines Department of Tourism.
Thailand: Herman Hoven, CEO of “GT” Partner Khiri Travel, is a founding signatory on an industry-led petition to open Thailand safely to travel & tourism from July 1.
USA: The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA) has published the Maui Nui Destination Management Action Plan 2021 – 2023 (PDF, hosted offsite), which was developed by multi-stakeholder steering committees that included residents. The plan focuses on acting on the four pillars of HTA’s Strategic Plan 2020 – 2025 (PDF, hosted offsite): nature, culture, community, and brand.
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Ecotourism & nature-based tourism
India: Union tourism secretary Arvind Singh has reportedly said that sustainability is the only way forward for the tourism industry in Jammu and Kashmir. Adventure tourism will serve as the main attraction he reckons.
India: Tamil Nadu’s state forest department has formed the Tamil Nadu Wilderness Experiences Corporation to create and facilitate ecotourism experiences.
Iran: Deputy tourism minister Vali Teymouri reckons Iran’s western province of Kordestan (Kurdistan) could be a nature-based tourism hub.
Ireland: Tourism minister Catherine Martin reckons her destination needs “policies that will support the development of eco-tourism, so as to build a greener, cleaner, healthier and more environmentally friendly tourism”.
Mexico: Kuxatur (“living tourism” in Mayan), an “environmentally-friendly” initiative in Quintana Roo that seeks to give visitors an “authentic cultural experience”, now has US$1.4 million from the United Nations Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Rwanda: President Paul Kagame is the sixth African head of state to have joined the Giants Club, “further strengthening Rwanda’s commitment to protect wildlife habitat while unlocking greater value from nature-based businesses”.
Vietnam: Kien Giang province in the Mekong Delta is planning to further develop ecotourism in the U Minh Thuong National Park.
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.
Climate-friendly travel & tourism
Costa Rica: The National Forest Financing Fund and the Costa Rican Tourism Institute are encouraging visitors to work out their carbon footprints and contribute to a local reforestation effort or other sustainability initiative.
Singapore: The Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) says it will work towards carbon-neutrality by 2030 in cooperation with some 200 businesses on the resort island. Priorities will be energy, food waste, and “green travel options”. SDC and state investor Temasek have signed a MOU to “test solutions” to lower the island’s carbon footprint.
UAE: In partnerships with Siemens Energy, Abu Dhabi-based clean energy firm Masdar, and Japan’s Marubeni Corporation, Etihad Airways is exploring the use of synthetic fuel; hydrogen mixed with carbon.
UK: Rolls-Royce’s all-electric ‘Spirit of Innovation’ aircraft has moved around on the ground a bit. That doesn’t sound too exciting, but taxiing is only a take-off away from a first flight and a shot at the all-electric aviation speed record.
USA: Airline chiefs have their hands out for American taxpayer funds. At least it’s for something decent; green(er) aviation fuel. The CEOs of American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines met virtually with White House officials. Delta, meanwhile, announced that it would spend more than USD 30 million to offset most of its 2020 emissions.
USA: Google cofounder Sergey Brin’s venture, Lighter Than Air, is developing airships; “a family of aircraft with zero emissions that, when used for shipping goods and moving people, would substantially reduce the global carbon footprint of aviation”.
Friends indeed
“Friends indeed” are worthy travel & tourism industry fundraisers and charitable causes. Please help if you can. Share the page with your social networks. And link to it from your website or email signature.
Cruise & maritime tourism
Canada: Cruise the Saint Lawrence approves the Québec government’s action plan for promoting “responsible and sustainable tourism” because the main points are reportedly in keeping with the trade association’s sustainable development strategy.
India: Visitors may soon be able to hop along Karnataka’s 320-km coast by seaplane if a proposal is approved. This may help extend cruise passengers’ time spent in the state.
Indonesia: The folk song “Nenek Moyangku Seorang Pelaut” (or “Our ancestors are seafarers) refers to the maritime wealth of the world’s largest archipelago. According to a column in The Jakarta Post, tapping this natural bounty responsibly is key to tourism “becoming a source of new economic growth that is more equitable and sustainable”.
Iran: Cultural heritage, tourism, & handicrafts minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan will work with transport & urban development minister Mohammad Eslami on developing maritime tourism off Iran’s southern and northern coasts.
USA: Petersburg, Alaska has a new plan for managing more tourists and cruise ships. A “working group of residents, business owners, representatives from local government and the Petersburg Chamber of Commerce” drafted the plan.
Cultural heritage tourism
Egypt: The Committee for the Promotion of Cultural Tourism in Luxor has launched a campaign based on archaeologists’ testimonies that will last until October 2021.
Oman & Qatar: Qatar Museums, Oman’s Ministry of Heritage & Tourism, and the National Museum of the Sultanate of Oman have agreed to collaborate. They will organise activities and exhibitions together, exchange collections and exhibits, and provide “training, qualifications, and loan programmes” for employees.
USA: Owensboro, Kentucky is building its reputation as the world’s bluegrass music capital. This is helped along by Visit Owensboro producing its own content; “a series of exclusive interviews with guests ranging from high-profile bluegrass artists, to directors of major events coming to town, to locals who will provide heartfelt stories”.
Odds & ends
Bits ‘n pieces that don’t necessarily fit into this week’s arbitrary clusters:
China: State news media expects “red tourism” to boom this year as young people travel to “pay respects to the founding fathers of New China, as part of the celebrations to mark the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China”.
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): Calmness calls out the clouds. Sunset reflected on Nornalup Inlet from The Knoll, Walpole, Western Australia. By David Gillbanks (CC BY 4.0).
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! 🙂