I want to share a short message that call for presentations for European Ecotourism Conference to be held 26th - 30rd of September 2010 is now open, please submit yours http://www.european-ecotourism.com/conference-2010/call-for-presentations/

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Thanassis Lerounis, a greek teacher and lone volunteer, selflessly and tirelessly working for over 15 years with the famous Kalash people in the Chitral area of Northern Pakistan (2,500 m. asl),  was abducted, allegedly by Afghan Taliban in September 2009, and is still being held captive in Nooristan. His captors are reported to demand an exchange with a number of captive leaders imprisoned by Pakistani authorities. The last report I have seen on Thanassis was in January 12 2010 in the local Chitral Times  website after a delegation from Chitral went to hold talks with his captors, and includes a photo where he sports a long beard and even smiles.

As a teacher he had read about the Kalash tribe, of whom just 4,200 remain, and was fascinated by their traditional belief that they are descendants of soldiers of Alexander the Great, a belief supported by their unique language, customs, and polytheistic religion (with 12 gods like the ancient greek one) and looks, so Thanassis first visited the remote mountainous area as a tourist in 1994. He was instantly hooked and when he returned to Greece he started lecturing across the country, raising funds and generating awareness. He would return each year with a volunteer team since then to spend 6 months with the Kalash, undeterred by the constantly worsening security situation in the area. Since 2001 he managed to secure some funding from HellenicAid, the greek national aid agency, with which he built various infrastructure improvements as well as a school, a clinic and a 2,000 sq. mtr cultural centre and library for the Kalash. It was from there that Thanassis was violently taken with one of the two guards who had been lately provided to him by the state of Pakistan, Zafar Ahmad having a fatal heart attack.

To the Kalash, "Atanasi" is one of them, so they spontaneously organised a protest march for his release and even offered to sell their houses to raise cash for the ransom. An online petition is also active if you would like to sign. It is always decent, ordinary people that suffer and pay for the injustices of men of violence, chieftains but also imperialists, whose leaders are elected on tickets of peace, only to continue war. They are to be blamed as much, as the abductors.

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Two-day capacity building workshop for Kalash tour guides was arranged by District Administration through the support of Ministry of Culture Federal Government of Pakistan was implemented by CAMAT [Chitral Association for Mountain Area Tourism]. The purpose of the workshop was to improve the service quality of the guides in view of the fact that many national and international tourists come to the valleys who are less likely to be provided with information showcasing the true aspects of the indigenous Kalash culture. This is because of lack of capacity on the part of the local guides.

The workshop was attended by 37 guides from Birir, Bumborate and Rumbor was conducted in participatory method through group works, using of flash cards aside from open discussion by the forum. Mr Dawood Khan, the experienced Kalash guides was the key facilitator in the workshop.

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A cartoon by leading greek political cartoonist Yiannis Ioannou, alluding to the latest austerity package introduced by the newly-elected "socialist" government, who before the elections promised green development and social spending, at the request of the guardians of the Euro and to the joy of speculators. Green as in putting green? There is also fear that the government may use the current crisis as an excuse to rush through tourism mega-projects involving holiday homes and golf communities, vigorously opposed by social movements.

CAMAT’s new Board of Directors was elected on March 9, 2010 at Mountain Inn, Chitral, where the Board members cast their vote in favor of the candidates as follows:

1. Chairman: Sikander ul Mulk
2. Vice Chairman: Dr Inayatullah Faizi
3. General Secretary: Israruddin
4. Finance Secretary: Meherban Khan
5. Press Sectetary: Taj Muhammad Figr

After the election, Prince Sikander ul Mulk, the newly elected chairman thanked the members for reposing trust in the new honorary set up. He also emphasized on the need to further strengthen CAMAT’s cause of protection of Chitral’s indigenous cultures and to highlight it worldwide. He added that the traditional cultures of Chitral with its festivals besides free style polo are remarkable tourism products. The peace of Chitral is intertwined with the rich cultural heritage of the region which needs to be protected at all cost.

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High up in the Hindu Kush Mountains, CAMAT is working for the promotion of culture-rooted and environmentally-friendly tourism. It is a not-for-profit company working for poverty reduction in the field of tourism-- a relatively new sector of community development. 

Tourism is a potential sector likely to provide off-farm job opportunities for the indigenous communities—Kalash, Kho and Wakhi—in the mountains of northern Pakistan. This is desperately needed as the ever growing population is causing major natural resource depletion, which results in the degradation of natural biodiversity.  

 Areas of Intervention:

1.       Protection of Natural Environment

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To protect the culture and natural environment of the indigenous Kalash community, please follow the code of ethics as under:

1) Before you visit the Kalash educate yourself about local customs and culture

2) The Kalash are friendly, hospitable and gentle. Unlike other villages in Pakistan, the womenfolk in the Kalash valley are more visible. Their traditional values must be respected by visitors.

3) Do not gawk at the Kalash at the Kalash, consider how you feel when you are stared at during your travel.

4) Always ask permission before photographing people. Do not pay to take photographs.

5) Do not disturb the Kalash working in fields or in the privacy of the Bashali [the women house of seclusion].

6) Do not walk into houses and temples or participate in dances or festivals without being invited.

7) Buying local products benefits the local economy, but buying antiques and artifacts robs the local culture.

8) All meadows are preserved for animal fodder. Avoid trampling them, and do not camp without permission. Avoid parking vehicles in fields.

9) Do not use streams for washing or cleaning. Keep all pollutants, even biodegradable ones, away from streams. Use toilets whenever available. Where do not available, stay at least 30 meters from streams.

10) Do not preach any religion or seek to convert.

11) The Kalash get very little economic benefit from tourism, use Kalash guides, hotels and pay for any space that you utilize.

12) Remember, as you leave this area you leave behind an image of yourself. Make the welcoming for future visitors by not leaving any litter behind.

Crete's Culinary Sanctuaries was noted for best practices by the Association of Greek Tourist Enterprises (SETE) in their presentation on marketing gastronomy tourism. I haven't found info about plans to protect cultural-culinary heritage and support the people that actually provide these experiences (or would like to if they earned a good living) -- our farmers, fishers, chefs, rural lodgers, et al. I will keep looking.

http://www.sete.gr/default.php?pname=NewsA...s&show=164&la=1

There is no doubt that 2009 was a tough year for the travel industry. Consumers negotiated every purchase like a kid lobbying for an advance on their allowance. Operators have watched their competitors slash prices with the enthusiasm of pine bettles facing a fresh stand of forest. Companies have cut corporate budgets, culling travel businesses in their wake as luxury markets evaporate. So what will 2010 look like? I've shared a few predictions in my latest newsletter and we've asked you to weigh in.

I'm pretty sure 2010 will continue to be tough, especially at airport security as staff take liberties usually reserved for dating couples. I think tourism businesses will find some of their best opportunities in regional driving-distance markets and by offering value packages.

To help you weather the next year, I've made a New Year's resolution to offer small businesses any support I can. This will mean sharing even more examples of innovative strategies from other businesses facing the same shark-infested waters. Kalahari Management will also be offering FREE advertising space to three businesses in each of our summer and fall issues. For more details check out the newsletter at http://www.kalahari-online.com/spring2010.pdf.

This is one way I can help during what we euphemistically call 'challenging times'. I'm expecting space to go fast, so reserve quickly.

All the best for 2010!

Carol

The Kalash Cultural Troupe participated in Sarhad Cultural Festival organised at Lok Virsa, Shakarparian, Islamabad. The event, which was participated by large number of artists and artisan from the entire North West Frontier Province was sponsored by Sarhad Tourism Corporation through the faciliation of CAMAT [Chitral Association for Mountain Area Tourism] continued from January 28 to 30, 2010.