Kashmir holds workshop on eco-tourism

Image via Wikipedia

On World Tourism Day, September 26th, 2011, the Kashmir Minister for Tourism, Nawang Rigzan Jora, inaugurated a two-day workshop on ‘Practising Responsible Tourism’ at a local hotel in the region.
Addressing the workshop, the Minister said the workshop was aimed at sensitizing the private functionaries about the need to conserve nature and implement environmentally responsible and sustainable tourism practices.
“The workshop will pave way for adopting eco-friendly practices in tourism projects.”
He said it will convince the tourism players to devise products and manage tourist activities in such a manner that will ensure perennial sustenance of the tourism industry.
The workshop organized by the Ecotourism Society of India (ESOI) in partnership with J&K Tourism and WWF India, was attended by over a hundred delegates from tourism industry and government on first day.
“The workshop aims at setting corrective and curative measures with regard to tourism practices with ecological sensitivity and conservation of nature and community development in the region of Jammu and Kashmir. These practices will not only create a lighter footprint but will support the local communities and environment,” president, ESOI Mandip Singh Sain said.
Commissioner Secretary Tourism, Atul Dulloo emphasized for having responsible tourism as “it stimulates various sectors of economy of the state.”
“Tourism has a lot of potential for generating employment”, he added.
Director Tourism, Farooq Ahmed Shah also addressed the function and said the state government had setup Khadinyar Eco park, Nigeen Nandpora and Zabarwan Park. “More steps are being taken to ensure eco-friendly tourism in the state,” he said.
During the technical session, the speakers deliberated upon some key topics like environment, wildlife law for tourism, international best practices and the global sustainable tourism criteria movement, PPP in ecotourism initiatives, conserving built heritage, eco-friendly architecture for tourism destinations.
Mandeep Singh informed the audience that a panel discussion would be held on ‘Houseboat- A unique tourism opportunity’ on the second day of the workshop.
“It will be attended by representatives from Tourism Department, J&K State Pollution Control Board, LAWDA, Houseboat owners Association and Nigeen Lake conservation organization.
He said a similar 2-day workshop will be held at Leh on September 30.
Others who spoke in the workshops included Secretary Tourism, Kerala Dr Venu V, CEO of Madhya Pradesh Ecotourism Development Board, Ajoy Bhattacharya, MD, CGH Earth Hotels, Jose Dominic, Cherian Ramapuram, Director, Orange County.

Related articles

• The Phillipines declares six villages as “ecotourism” zones (ecoadventuretravel.wordpress.com)
• How to travel eco-friendly (ecoadventuretravel.wordpress.com)
• Uganda tourism destinations receive US funding | British Airways – Travel Industry News (travelnews.britishairways.com)

Image via Wikipedia

The San Francisco Gate newspaper recently featured an article from Jeanne Cooper about companies that have won the “gold medal” for being green, or eco-friendly.

“It’s not always easy being green on vacation in Hawaii. After all, any tour company can call itself “eco-friendly,” especially if it thinks it will lure environmentally minded clients. But simply telling snorkelers not to touch the turtles or recycling the water bottles of hikers doesn’t make them green (although it certainly doesn’t hurt).

Thankfully, the Hawai’i Ecotourism Association has started certifying tour operators through a program designed to educate them on “the responsible use of natural and cultural resources”—and to raise visitors’ awareness as well. By encouraging conservation and sustainability, the association also hopes to increase community support for the visitor industry. And why shouldn’t those who make the most money from the islands’ unique environment be expected to do the most to protect it?

Volunteers from the Nature Conservancy of Hawai’i, University of Hawai’i at Manoa and the state’s Department of Land and Natural Resources, among others, helped create the protocol for certification. Among other requirements, the tour companies must provide a “direct, personal experience of nature”; have a written sustainability plan that shows commitment to “ecotourism principles” and contribute to statewide or local “environmental conservation initiatives” as well as to the communities in which they operate.

The first 14 companies to be certified were announced this week, with three achieving “Gold” status, valid for three years; those designated as “Silver” or “Bronze” are allowed to reapply next year for Gold certification after making changes in their operations. Many are already well known for being leaders in traveling lightly on the land — or water; in fact, representatives of the Silver-certified Pacific Whale Foundation (Maui) and Kualoa Ranch (Oahu) served on the volunteer advisory board that developed the certification program.

I’ve explored Hawaii — both as a paying customer and a member of the press — with several of the operators, including Gold-certified Atlantis Adventures, which offers submarine excursions off Oahu, Maui and the island of Hawaii, and Trilogy Excursions, which operates snorkeling trips off Maui and Lanai, plus the Silver-certified Kayak Kauai, which also leads guided hikes from its base in Hanalei. I was already impressed with their general approach to sustainability, environment and the host culture (as it’s called in the biz), but it’s even better to know others have scrutinized the details and found them worthy—or at least worthy-ish. Kualoa Ranch does host ATV rides in its lush valley on the Windward Side of Oahu, and Wild Side Specialty Tours, another Silver-certified company, promotes swimming with wild dolphins on Oahu’s Leeward Side, neither of which rates exceptionally green in my book.

The new list has also introduced me to organizations such as the Pacific Island Institute, which puts together programs for groups on Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, Kauai and Molokai, and is “dedicated to providing positive cultural interactions; to ensuring our programs are culturally and environmentally sensitive; to involving local people in decision making; and to protecting, sustaining and respecting indigenous cultures and environments.” Unfortunately for me, its market is group travel, not individuals, but conference and incentive trip planners may want to take note. Fortunately, there are plenty of other newly certified operators on the list to check out.

The complete list of newly certified ecotour operators, with descriptions and links for those not already mentioned above:

GOLD

• Atlantis Adventures
• Trilogy Excursions
• Volcano Discovery — custom and scheduled day trips and multi-day tours in and around Kilauea and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

SILVER

• Hawaiian Paddle Sports — outrigger canoe and kayak tours of Maui; also offers surf and stand-up paddle lessons
• Hike Maui — East Maui (including Hana) and Haleakala hikes, plus a combination kayak/snorkel/hike with partner Kelli’s Kayaks
• Jack’s Diving Locker — Scuba and snorkeling trips on the Big Island
• Kayak Kauai
• Kualoa Ranch
• Pacific Islands Institute
• Pacific Whale Foundation
• Wild Side Specialty Tours

BRONZE

• Annette’s Adventures —personalized vacations using locally owned, environmentally conscious lodgings and tour operators
• Bike Hawaii — Biking (road and mountain), hiking and snorkeling on Oahu’s Windward Side
• Hawai’i Forest & Trail — Guided volcano, waterfall, Mauna Kea and birdwatching hikes on the Big Island.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/09/23/hawaii_ecotourism_green.DTL#ixzz1ZT4f6r9E

Related articles

• October in Hawaii (hawaiilogue.com)
• Sponsored Post: Perfect Moments in the Islands of Hawai’i (seattlest.com)
• Hawaii tour companies go green, awarded gold (sfgate.com)
• Flags Ordered to Fly at Half-Staff in Honor of Former Legislator and Swimming Legend Keo Nakama (damontucker.com)
• Hawaii for Beginners (foxnews.com)

Cuba holds an Eco-Tourism Conference, starting Monday

Image via Wikipedia

With more than 250 participants, the 8th Eco-Tourism Conference, Turnat 2011, begins Monday in Cuba’s central region, which includes also Sancti Spiritus province. The event is to be held in some of the island’s natural riches.

According to Turnat’s official site, the event opens on September 26th, in the Hanabanilla Hotel, in Villa Clara and will close on September 30th. The main products and potentialities of nature tourism in the destination Cuba are to be exposed.

Participants from Canada, USA, France, Italy, Spain and Germany will arrive in Sancti Spiritus the upcoming 28th.

Sancti Spiritus Natural Protected Landscape Topes de Collantes, the World Heritage Site Valle de los Ingenios (Valley of the Sugar Mills), the Caguanes National Park and the Jobo Rosado Protected Area will be venue of TURNAT 2011, also to be present in some other places of central Cuba.

Tour operators, travel agents, journalists and nature researchers are attending the meeting whose program includes round tables, conferences, experts’ rendezvous and visits to observation spots and some other interesting places

Related articles

• Turnat 2011, 8th International Congress of Nature Tourism in Cuba (repeatingislands.com)
• American Congress moves to lift ban on Cuba travel | British Airways – Travel Industry News (travelnews.britishairways.com)
• Cuba does away with emblematic Ministry of Sugar (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Eastern Visayas in the Phillipines sets regional eco-tourism conference

TACLOBAN CITY — Members of the tourism industry and environment advocates in Eastern Visayas will gather here this week to draft a five-year road map for eco-tourism development.

Karina Rosa S. Tiopes, regional director of the Department of Tourism, said the road map will be the outcome of a two-day regional eco-tourism conference set for Sept. 26-27 as part of the Eastern Visayas Regional Development Council week celebration.

“Compared to neighboring regions, Eastern Visayas may lag behind. But it does not mean that we have to stay that way. We have to catch up in the…tourism value chain,” Ms. Tiopes said in a press statement.

The conference is expected to draw together local chief executives, heads of local governments’ legislative committees for tourism, local tourism officers, representatives of local tourism councils and of nongovernment organizations, as well as school, military and police officials. Speakers during the conference include national and regional officials of the departments of Tourism and of Environment and Natural Resources.

Eco-tourism is a thrust under the 2011-2016 Eastern Visayas development plan, besides agribusiness and information and communication technology. “This is one of the major strategies that will serve as driving force for poverty alleviation, job creation and social harmony, without compromising sustainability and preservation,” Ms. Tiopes said

Related articles

• Next Post (sorsogoncity.wordpress.com)
• The Phillipines declares six villages as “ecotourism” zones (ecoadventuretravel.wordpress.com)
• Disaster and hazard-prone areas studied (tuklasinnatin.wordpress.com)