Gastro-tourism in Peru?

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There are already quite a number of theme tours in the category of cultural tourism; eco-tourism is a popular example.

The Peruvians, however, have come up with an unusual variation: gastronomical tourism. Gastronomical tourism will boost the country’s tourism sector, which is well-known for its archaeological and historical interest.

“The gastronomical tourism will be consolidated this year,” Peru’s Tourism Minister Martin Perez declared. “We could magnify it by linking archaeological (tourism) and historical tourism to gastronomy.”

Peru, whose cuisine is considered one of the most diverse in the world, is to invite tourists to taste the various Peruvian dishes apart from visiting the museums.

Though the Peruvian cuisine is acclaimed as being on a par with the French, Chinese and Indian cuisines, foreign visitors normally do not come to Peru to sample its cuisine.

The minister said that gourmet tourists increased by 25 percent in the past year despite the global economic crisis and the swine flu. In the past year, most foreign gourmets came from Chile, Ecuador and Colombia.

So the country is working out new strategies to benefit from this increased interest in food tourism.

Thanks to its pre-Inca and Inca heritages and its Spanish, African, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, French and British immigrants, Peru’s cuisine combines the flavors of four continents.

The country now boasts more than 2,000 types of soups and more than 250 traditional desserts, apart from thousands of dishes.

Typical Peruvian dishes of anticuchos, ceviche, humitas and pachamanca are sure to eventually top taste lists of foreign gourmets.

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Brazil gets the Olympics – but what does it mean for biodiversity?

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Note:  Our blog’s contest, for a chance to win photographs of Brazil, starts November 15th.

You don’t normally associate biodiversity and conservation with cities, but Rio de Janeiro is an exception. Its extraordinary topography means steep hill slopes and mountainsides are still forested: not the least of the issues associated with the growth of favelas, Rio’s hillside slums, is that their expansion corrodes this green mantle.

Rio’s forests are a remnant of the Atlantic Forest that once covered most of coastal Brazil and stretched as far inland as Paraguay. Only 7 percent is left, making it much more threatened than the Amazon and even more biodiverse, since the surviving fragments act as refuge areas for species that once had much wider ranges. This makes what survives of the Atlantic Forest extraordinarily important. One of Latin America‘s oldest national parks, Tijuca National Forest, sits entirely within the city’s boundaries, a natural treasure greater than any of its beaches. What does the Olympics mean to all this? In short, a mixed bag.

There will be big environmental benefits. The thing that first strikes visitors arriving at Rio’s international airport, after the dilapidation of the airport itself, is the stench when you step outside the terminal. This toxic olfactory cocktail comes from the chemical plants and oil refineries that line Guanabara Bay, together with the sewage produced by the 5 million inhabitants of the Zona Norte, where tourists never go but half of Rio’s population lives. Gagging on your way into town is an appropriate introduction to the contradictions produced by our glamorous international profile.

With the eyes – and, more to the point, the noses – of the world upon us, something will finally be done: serious sewage treatment and pollution control is coming. Maybe by 2016, for the first time in generations, it will even be possible to swim in the bay. One shudders to think what will happen to the yachting crews otherwise.

But beyond the bay, things are more ambiguous. The coming construction boom will provide alternative employment to the young men in the favelas who would otherwise move into our biggest growth industry after oil: narcotrafico. This boom will tamp down violence from criminals and the police (there’s a big overlap between the two). The easy headlines about the risks posed by violence in Rio are misleading: nobody, from the drug lords down, has any interest in choking off the multidimensional bonanza the Olympics promises to be.

And therein lies a problem: after having been stable for 20 years, the city’s population is likely to jump again as the boom attracts migrants from all over Brazil, which means expanding favelas and more human pressure on that precious Atlantic Forest.

This will be most acute in the southern beachside neighborhoods of Barra, Recreio and Vargem Grande, which were booming for years even before the Olympics. Many of the new sporting facilities in Rio’s bid, including the Olympic village, will be built here. As recently as the 1970s this area was still largely undeveloped, the stupendous beach of Barra fringing an unspoiled expanse of mangroves, coves and headlands ending in Barra da Sepetiba, a scalloped and shifting promontory of dunes and beaches pointing 12 miles into the Atlantic and the glorious (now rapidly overdeveloping) coastline south of Rio.

This oasis of nature so close to a megacity couldn’t last. From the late 1970s, a gigantic real estate boom saw Barra transformed into a depressingly Americanized complex of malls, highways, condominiums and apartment blocks. As the only reasonably flat area with land available anywhere in the city, it was inevitable this area would be earmarked for Olympic development, but the key issue is what impact this will have on the coast’s surprisingly strong zoning and development controls.

Rio’s governments, appalling as they often are, occasionally get some things spectacularly right – the 40 percent drop in driving deaths since a well-enforced ban on alcohol and driving began last year is a current example. In the late 1990s, in the nick of time, a municipal park called Prainha put the coast immediately south of the real estate boom off limits to developers, preserving the two stunning beaches of Prainha and Grumari and linking them up to the still pristine coastline around and including Barra da Sepetiba, long preserved by the Brazilian Navy, to whom the promontory belongs. Ironically, a few months before the success of the Olympic bid, the developers had managed to get the zoning laws in Prainha relaxed. Now, with blood already in the water, the level of development is about to spiral. It could well spiral out of control – and if it does, the last piece of properly preserved coastline within the city’s boundaries will go.

Those of us who know and love Rio feel torn. On the one hand, there’s no denying this is a great city with a great talent for spectacle, and it has all the potential to stage a great world event like the Olympics, perhaps more memorably than has ever been done before. But Rio is a memorable place in other, less positive ways. Many local politicians would shock even Tony Soprano, and their corruption and incompetence has mismanaged the city into the ground. Many of its well-known problems are directly traceable to the city’s dreadful politics. With Brazil’s international image on the line, the federal government may have to step in.

The stakes for Rio’s environment are even higher. An image taking a hit is, in the final analysis, a trivial thing – but once a coast or a forest goes, it almost never comes back. Fingers crossed.

Full disclosure – I was asked to participate in our Brazil contest by the public relations firm for the Brazilian Tourism Board.  No compensation was made to me.

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It’s here – the Brazil Contest

A few months ago, as some of the more loyal readers know, I was contacted on behalf of EMBRATUR, the Brazilian Tourism Board, about a potential contest or giveaway on the Eco Tourism Blog, based on my prior posts about destinations and sustainable activities, so I thought this may be of interest.

To spread the word about Brazil’s natural beauty, I partnered with the public relations firm representing EMBRATUR, to give away signed and framed photographs of the Brazilian Amazon by award-winning photojournalist Peter Guttman to my readers. A magazine reviewer recently proclaimed, “View the world through Peter Guttman’s eyes once and chances are you’ll want to wear those glasses for the rest of your life.”  The photos available were displayed as part of the annual meetings at the United Nations last year.

Here’s photos I took of the beautifully (and solidly) framed, heavy, high gloss photo:

Here are the contest rules:

The contest starts November 15th, 2009.  I am asking readers to write in with their best adventure or outdoor vacation memory, experiences with South American travel or the one place they’ve always wanted to travel to in the world.

I only accept submissions on the blog itself, which means you’ll need to register.  (Registration is free, and I take your privacy seriously.  Your email will never be used for any other purpose than to contact you, and will never, ever, be sold to anyone).

The contest ends at midnight PST on December 15, 2009, and I’ll promptly ship the photographs out immediately.

For your reference, the value of each photo is about $800, and they are professionally framed, 16- by 24-inch photos.

Facts about the Amazon

-          Sixty percent of the Amazon rainforest is contained within Brazil.

-          The Amazon welcomed nearly 500,000 tourists in 2008

-          The Amazon represents more than half of the planet’s remaining rainforests and comprises the largest and most species-rich tract of tropical rainforest in the world.

-          The Amazon boasts 324 mammals, 2,500 species of fish and 1,800 different species of birds.

-          The Amazon is in the running to be one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature and can be voted for online at http://www.new7wonders.com/.

Good luck to you!

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Changes in Guyana

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GEORGETOWN, Guyana — From October 1-12, Guyana played host to an esteemed group of tourism professionals – tour operators, researchers, journalists, and conservationists – on a product familiarization trip spotlighting the South American country’s nature and cultural tourism activities. The participants were all seasoned world travelers and their feedback places Guyana on par with other top nature destinations.

The trip featured birding, wildlife watching and cultural activities in Georgetown, Kaieteur Falls, Karanambu Lodge, Caiman House at Yupukari Village, Rock View Lodge, Aranaputa Village, Surama Village and Eco-Lodge, Fair View Village, Iwokrama River Lodge, Atta Rainforest Lodge and Iwokrama Canopy Walkway, and Baganara Island Resort.

Highlights of the trip included several “life birds” for the participants and a confirmed sighting of the White Woodpecker along the Abary River – a new species for Guyana. The trip also showcased some new tourism developments in Guyana, including eight new rooms that were recently completed in the beautiful jungle clearing at Atta Rainforest Lodge and Iwokrama Canopy Walkway; Surama’s new cultural group that performed in full regalia; and a new tour at Fair View interpreting the preparation of cassava, from ground to edible food. Guyana’s unspoiled nature also amazed the group.

According to Cari Gray, who organizes and designs high-end, individually crafted trips through her company, Gray&Co., “Guyana offers the rare opportunity to witness up close a pristine rainforest ecosystem brimming with diversity combined with authentic cultural interactions with remote Amerindian tribes.” Gray continued, “Guyana deserves to be high on the list of savvy travelers who want to experience the ‘undiscovered’, easily compared in global environmental significance to the Galapagos or Ngorongoro Crater.”

Avid birder, writer and owner of the European tour operator Probirder, Gerard Gorman said, “Guyana is a great destination for wildlife watching.” Gerard was impressed by his time at Iwokrama, saying that the million-acre rainforest reserve “is a wonderful example of how science, conservation, ecotourism and a local community can work together to protect an endangered habitat.”

Photographer and videographer John Canning viewed much of Guyana through a lens while capturing footage for his company, Media Sherpa Consulting and Productions. Having filmed in 55 countries did nothing to lessen the effect that Guyana had on John. He declared, “Guyana was a delightful surprise! As a professional media producer, I found the amazing abundance of animals, beautiful landscapes and the delightful and friendly people providing a rich environment to shoot and tell stories. As an adventure traveler, the untamed rainforests and research projects visited provided marvelous discoveries and challenge. I feel I have just started exploring Guyana and will be back!”

Two travel journalists on the trip found Guyana to offer up plenty of writing fodder. Theresa Storm said, “Guyana is one of the world’s very few remaining almost untouched wildernesses – from an aircraft, virgin rainforest stretches as far as you can see and more. The bounty of flora and fauna is almost overwhelming. Guyana offers adventure and nature lovers a lifetime experience, one that will always be remembered as top of the list.”

For journalist Laurie Gough, the trip was an honor. “I feel so completely privileged to have had the chance to see this astoundingly beautiful country so untouched in its secret jungled interior that when a flock of macaws rainbows the sky above you, howler monkeys unleash their unearthly roar, or a blue morpho butterfly flits by on electric-blue wings, you truly feel you’ve entered another world – one that must have existed eons ago.”

The conservationists and birdwatchers on the trip were equally awed. Chris Sharpe, Director of the tour operator Birding Venezuela, found that “Guyana is home to a host of birds that are not easily seen elsewhere.” Chris, also a conservation biologist, was equally impressed by Guyana’s ecosystem. “Guyana’s vast extension of pristine tropical forest forms part of the world’s largest tropical wilderness and is an almost unique natural resource,” he said. “For a conservationist, it is tremendously exhilarating to fly for an hour over the canopy, unbroken by agricultural plots, roads or towns.”

Mike Braun has been to Guyana many times for the Smithsonian Institution, but was pleased to find new growth in the tourism industry. “I’ve been traveling and birding in Guyana for 15 years,” Mike reported. “Travel used to be slow and complicated, but things have changed. This trip was smooth, comfortable and a lot of fun. The pristine forests and abundant wildlife are matched by few countries in the New World, and Guyana’s system of ecotourism lodges made it easy to see both.”

Greg Butcher, Director of Bird Conservation for the National Audubon Society, found great potential in Guyana’s forests, saying he would “heartily recommend [Guyana] to all birders.” Greg added, “It was fun seeing an ecotourism industry in development. Not all the comforts of home were available, but then home doesn’t offer the spectacle of Guyana and its natural wonders.” And speaking as a conservationist, Greg noted Guyana’s importance for the world. “Guyana is poised to be a poster-child for sustainable development. The government is very interested in ecotourism and in sustainable forestry. The unbroken forests of Guyana are a fabulous carbon sink, preventing untold amounts of greenhouse gas emissions that would cause a lot of global warming…Now is the time for the world to offer Guyana suitable rewards for maintaining its natural treasures.”

Some participants have already begun writing about their trip. Gerard has written about his experience on two blogs. Greg wrote several blog postings from Guyana on the blog for Audubon Magazine, and he will also be writing a feature article about Guyana for Audubon Magazine Online. Mike Braun has also already received interest for a birdwatching trip to Guyana for 2011.

The familiarization trip was organized by the Guyana Sustainable Tourism Initiative (GSTI), a joint project of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the United States Agency for International Development / Guyana Trade and Investment Support (USAID/GTIS) project. For more information on the GSTI and tourism in Guyana, visit http://www.guyanabirding.com.

The GSTI familiarization tours would not be possible if local tourism suppliers were not pledging their full support. For this program, GTA-USAID/GTIS is grateful for the generous contributions from Wilderness Explorers, Cara Lodge, Grand Coastal Inn, Guyana Pegasus, Baganara Island Resort, Surama Eco-Lodge, Iwokrama International Centre, Atta Rainforest Lodge, Rock View Lodge, Karanambu Ranch, Community and Tourism Services (CATS), Caiman House at Yupukari village, and Fair View and Aranaputa villages.

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Facts about the Amazon

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I thought it might be fun to visit some facts about an amazing river — The Amazon.

Facts about the Amazon

- Sixty percent of the Amazon rainforest is contained within Brazil.

- The Amazon welcomed nearly 500,000 tourists in 2008

- The Amazon represents more than half of the planet’s remaining rainforests and comprises the largest and most species-rich tract of tropical rainforest in the world.

- The Amazon boasts 324 mammals, 2,500 species of fish and 1,800 different species of birds.

- The Amazon is in the running to be one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature and can be voted for online at http://www.new7wonders.com/.

Look for some exciting news in our blog coming up soon…!

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List of Ecotourism sites

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If you share a love of both the environment and travel, then an ecotourism vacation could be a way to combine the best of both into one great adventure. You’ll get to see some of the most remote and beautiful locations on earth, all while making sure you preserve them for those who follow. Whether you’re new to ecotourism or an old pro, these sites can help you get some basic information, book a trip, and even contribute to making sure that the world’s most spectacular sites stay that way.

Organizations and Associations

There are numerous organizations worldwide that are dedicated to preserving and protecting the environment while promoting tourism. Here are a few you can get some great information from or even use to get involved.

1. VISIT: VISIT stands for “Voluntary Initiative for Sustainability in Tourism” and this site was created to help tourists and tourist destination countries work together to protect the environment while still making it accessible for everyone.
2. Tourism Concern: This organization focuses on issues related to tourism and the environment. You can read up on campaigns and get helpful information for your next trip.
3. The Travel Foundation: This charity website can be a great place to find information on how you can better learn to travel without harming the environment. Even if you can’t take a trip, you can also get involved and give back through the site.
4. EcoClub.com: This international tourism club is a great place to meet up with others interested in ecotourism, find environmentally friendly hotels, and even get links to jobs in ecotourism. Join the site or sign up to receive emails with loads of useful ecotourism information.
5. International Ecotourism Society: This worldwide community can help you to learn more about ecotourism, support programs, find ecotourism experts, and locate exciting destinations and environmentally friendly accommodations for your next vacation.
6. The Blue Flag Organization: This Foundation for Environmental Education-run site can help you plan your next beach getaway. Blue Flag rates and certifies thousands of beaches in Europe, South Africa, Morocco, New Zealand, Canada and the Caribbean on water quality, environmental management as well as a number of other factors.
7. The Nature Conservancy: It’s only natural that one of the largest organizations dedicated to preserving nature would have a whole portion of its site dedicated to ecotourism. Learn how to reduce your impact, take trips through the Nature Conservancy, or check out their list of resources to learn more.
8. The Rainforest Alliance: Rainforest lovers will find numerous resources on this site about preserving the rainforest, rainforest friendly tours, and even a place where you can adopt a little piece of the rainforest for yourself.
9. South American Explorers: This non-profit organization can help you to book your next trip to South America. Whether you want to try out your Spanish in Lima or travel down the Amazon in Brazil, you’ll find help on this site to do so all while being ecologically responsible.
10. World Tourism Organization: Find out everything you ever wanted to know about tourism on this site. The sustainable tourism section has articles on the latest developments and important issues in ecotourism.
11. Green Cross International: According to the mission statement on this site, Green Cross “provides unbiased environmental analysis and expertise, information dissemination, education, objective evaluations for public debate, scientific studies, and social and medical support.” This site can be a great way to learn the real statistics of any place you choose to visit.

Travel Booking

Whether you want to book an exotic rainforest vacation or a camel ride across the Sahara, these sites can help you find a trip that will be both environmentally friendly and fun.

1. Sustainable Travel International: On this comprehensive site, you’ll find all kinds of ecotourism resources including trip bookings, eco-certification, newsletters and even advice on how to carbon-offset your trip.
2. ResponsibleTravel.com: At this site, you’ll find loads of great ecologically friendly holiday getaways as well as travel tips, an ecotourism blog, and even an ezine to help keep you informed.
3. MesoAmerican Ecotourism Alliance: Recognized for their ecotourism trips by National Geographic, the MEA offers numerous exciting vacations that will help inspire your love for the environment and nurture your adventurous spirit.
4. GreenStop.net: GreenStop.net contains a directory of accredited green hotels and travel companies to help make finding and booking your next ecotour easier than ever. With destinations on every continent, you can find sustainable vacations just about anywhere.
5. EcoTour: If you want to book an earth-friendly vacation, EcoTour is a great place to start your planning. With hundreds of ecotour providers, you’ll find tours to everywhere in the world from the Congo to Sahara. Additionally, you’ll find travel guides and articles to help you learn more about your destination of choice.
6. EcoTourism at Conservation International: Whether you’re looking for an African safari or a trip to the Galapagos, you can find information on how to do so responsibly and even find some very special destinations the organization has helped set up in Brazil, Bolivia, Ghana, Venezuela and more.
7. EarthFoot: This small company can help you create a fun and personalized environmentally conscious vacation. See the bright avian residents of Guatemala on a birding getaway or swim with the dolphins in beautiful Hawaii.
8. GAP Adventures: Ecotourism doesn’t have to be boring. Turn your trip into an unforgettable adventure with this booking site. You can visit the new seven wonders of the world or get up close and personal with the mountain gorillas of Uganda.
9. Global Exchange: Global exchange offers what are referred to as “reality tours”. Travel to Cambodia to learn about and how you can help stop child prostitution or get informed on protecting the coastal environment of Costa Rica.
10. Intrepid Travel: This award winning company specializes in environmentally responsible tourism and can help you arrange your next eco-friendly vacation. With trips to just about every corner of the globe, you’ll undoubtedly find something that interests you and won’t leave you feeling guilty.
11. Journeys International: You’ll find a wide variety of small group tours on this family-owned site. Whether your interests lie in trekking through the Andes or exploring the wildlife from the icy decks of an Antarctic cruise, this site has something for you.
12. Blue Ventures: Combine education, research and conservation with the trip of a lifetime. This site’s tour of Madagascar was named one of the top 50 tours of a lifetime by National Geographic Traveler.
13. Tribes Travel: This fair trade travel company offers expeditions to Africa, South America and Asia that can allow you to watch lions sleeping away the day or enjoy an eco-friendly honeymoon in a posh hotel in Marrakech.
14. Wildland Adventures: Make your next trip an adventure by booking a safari or trip down the Nile with this small ecotourism company.
15. Peregrine Adventures: This Australian based company offers small group adventure tours to destinations worldwide including far-flung locales like the Himalayas and Antarctica.
16. World Expeditions: Get adventurous without hurting the environment with this ecotourism company. Book trips to volcanic landscapes, the lemur filled jungles of Madagascar or follow in the steps of Genghis Khan on the Mongolian Steppes.
17. Earth Routes: Find your next earth-friendly vacation through this site. You’ll find tours to the Caribbean, Switzerland and even a few small ship cruises as well as travel tips and green travel information.
18. Orbitz.com: Orbitz isn’t one of the biggest travel sites without a reason: they offer travel tailored to just about any need, even ecotourism. You’ll find a list of destinations, information about ecotourism, travel tips and more on this part of Orbitz’s site.

Blogs

Blogs are becoming and ever more popular source of information for Internet users, and these ecotourism blogs can be a great way to learn about everything eco-friendly.

1. Ecotourism Blog: This blog covers some of the most beautiful destinations in the world in regard to protecting and preserving them as well as reporting on various news stories that apply to ecotourism.
2. EcoTravelLogue: This blog provides all kinds of information for the potential ecotraveler with posts on destinations, planning a trip, accommodation, things to do, and more.
3. Development Crossing: Whether you’re looking for information on global warming or issues concerning ecotourism, this environmentally conscious blog addresses it all.
4. Beautiful Oceans: If your ecotourism dreams lie in the coral reefs or kelp forests of the world’s oceans, then you’ll find plenty to read about here. Learn about reef conservation, eco-diving, and even a little bit about underwater photography.
5. Low Impact Living: Focusing on all aspects of low impact living, this blog contains some great information on vacations that won’t take a toll on the environment. Learn about organic eating, green spas, hybrid car rentals, environmentally friendly hotels, and more.

Information and Guides

Before you ever leave your home, read up on all kinds of ecotourism tips, facts and other information on these great sites.

1. EcoHoliday Guide: Find tons of resources for planning your next eco-trip on this site. You’ll find information on environmentally conscious vacation rentals, travel agents, activities, transport, and even places to eat.
2. World Surface: This online travel magazine was created to promote sustainable tourism and is contributed to by writers and photographers from all over the globe. Visitors to the site will find information on tons of destinations and can create their own travel diaries and photo albums to share with other travelers.
3. Planeta: Find resources on ecotourism, recommendations on books, and guides on everything from bird watching to local crafts on this site.
4. GreenTraveller: Get some great tips on how to have a greener and more environmentally friendly holiday at GreenTraveller. You’ll find directories of green hotels, tours, and low impact ways to travel to them.
5. Eco-Index: Sustainable Tourism: Here you’ll find a list of businesses in Latin America and the Caribbean that have been certified to be environmentally friendly. It can be a great way to protect the beautiful rainforests and beaches of these destinations while making sure they stay that way.
6. EcoTravel.com: This online magazine features stories from all over the world about the most exciting ecotourist destinations. It also features a directory of tour companies and agents to help you book your next trip.
7. Transitions Abroad: This site addresses a wide variety of travel issues, but it does contain a valuable section on ecotourism. You’ll find responsible travel programs and article archives, as well as links to important websites and organizations.
8. NewConsumer: This UK based magazine is dedicated to stories about how you can live a more ethically, vacations included. Check out the travel section for articles on environmentally friendly vacation ideas all over the world.
9. Big Volcano Ecotourism Resource Center: Find information on the history of ecotourism, codes of conduct, and loads of other ecotourism articles and resources on this site.
10. Best Ecotourism Vacations: Not sure where you want to head to? Get some ideas of the best and most popular ecotourism destinations in this article from SmarterTravel.

Volunteering

Take ecotourism to the next level with these sites that allow you to get your hands dirty working on various humanitarian and environmental projects all over the world.

1. GoEco: This organization arranges volunteer trips to South Africa, Kenya, Nepal and much more to help improve the welfare of the local people and the environment.
2. EcoVolunteer: Just like the name suggests, this site helps set travelers up on various volunteering vacations, and users can choose their trips based on preferred destinations or particular animals they are interested in helping.
3. Global Vision: Make a difference in some of the world’s locations that are in most desperate need of conservation help. Work at preserving marine environments, do wildlife research or even help teach others about conservation and wildlife.
4. Voluntourists Without Borders: Use your volunteer power and vacation time to work on issues involving rural poverty, conservation and environmentally friendly tourism. Work to help preserve the Pang Soong Nature Trails or the village of Ban Mae Lai.
5. People and Places: On this site, you’ll find a diverse assortment of volunteer projects that range from wildlife conservation in India to building Habitat for Humanity houses in Madagascar.
6. Green Volunteers: With one of the largest collections of conservation volunteering opportunities, this site is be a valuable resource for those who want to provode a little environmental help on their vacation. Just purchase the guide and choose your exciting vacation from hundreds of options.

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