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Africa
Angola:
A Conference on Tourism, Peace and Sustainable Development, was
held in Luanda at the end of May in conjunction with the World Tourism
Organisation's Commission for Africa. Mr. Dawid DeVilliers, WTO Deputy
Secretary-General, said that "passion for Africa and a belief in
the power of tourism as a change agent can be a major factor in
responding to the challenges of poverty and inequity".
"Africa is the most promising ecotourism product in the world, we
must develop it with passion, profitably, through partnerships at all
levels and above all with a strategic vision and the commitment from
the governments of Africa," said the Tourism Minister of
Mauritius, Mr. Nandcoomar Bodha.
Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com
Botswana:
Debswana,
the diamond conglomerate jointly owned by De Beers and the Botswana
government is reported to be contemplating developing various sites as luxury lodges in a quest to break into the
"ecotourism industry". Debswana is getting into tourism because it is the
"next engine of growth after diamonds", according to its
corporate communications manager Jacob Sesinyi.
Source: http://allafrica.com
Kenya:
A UK travel ban in May, to Kenya for fear of "imminent" terrorism
attacks (that later took place in Morocco) cost Kenya about USD 2
million each day in lost revenues. International conferences were cancelled and
tour operators warned of mass redundancies in a sector that
employs 500,000 and produces nearly 20 per cent of GDP. Until this month, tourism had been showing signs of recovery
from setbacks which saw visitors dwindle from a peak in 1994 of 1.3m
to 985,000 in 2001.
Source: http://news.ft.com
Namibia:
Two British tourists wrote a letter to The Namibian, a
newspaper, to protest what they perceived to be a "staged lion
kill", of a donkey by three lions, at a lodge near Mariental. The
managing director of the lodge maintains the incident was an accident
and was not staged. He told the Namibian that the three lions kept at
the lodge are in the process of being rehabilitated to be eventually
released into the wild at the Africa Kalahari Game Reserve - a 12 000
hectare area adjacent to the lodge, their rehabilitation process
includes teaching the animals to hunt and kill. The lodge admitted that
besides feeding them game such as oryx and zebra, donkeys and
ostriches are also used in the hunting training. The Hospitality
Association of Namibia says this situation does not reflect well on
Namibia's ecotourism sector and they had told the lodge that they should be more
considerate towards their guests.
Source: http://allafrica.com
Senegal:
Six West-African countries and fifty conservation, research and
development organisations have agreed to work together on marine and
coastal conservation at a high-level conference in Dakar, Senegal last
Friday. Ten Ministers of Environment and Fisheries from Cape Verde,
Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Senegal approved the new
'Regional Strategy for Marine Protected Areas in West Africa', which
will lead to a wide array of actions at a cost of EUR30 million over
five years. "Our regional marine biodiversity is extremely
threatened, particularly so given the current overexploitation of our
fisheries. This Strategy will allow everyone in the region to address
this issue and implement urgently-needed remedial measures", said
HE Ahmedou Ould Ahmedou, Minister of Fisheries for Mauritania and
current President of the Subregional Fisheries Commission (SRFC).
Source: http://www.iucn.org
South Africa:
South African conservation experts have teamed up
with some of the world's richest business people in a bid to export a
"rescue plan" for national parks to other African countries.
A private company was recently registered to execute the ambitious
plan. The company, called African Parks
Management and Finance Company (Pty) Ltd, aims to provide financial
and management assistance to governments to ensure the long-term
sustainability of game reserves that in many respects are little more
than "paper parks".
Source: http://allafrica.com
South Africa:
Eastern Cape region is experiencing a strong demand for game farms
from both overseas and SA investors, following the extension of the Greater Addo Elephant
Park. An
increasing number of local farmers are converting their land from
cattle sheep and other agricultural uses to game farming. According to
a local real-estate agent "Lower priced farms are now
hard to find, with those in the R1000/ha to R1500/ha price bracket
either sold or selling rapidly. Meanwhile the final seal on a
multimillion dollar Australian mining deal is imminent along the pristine Xolobeni
area abutting the Mkimbati Nature Reserve. The only obstacle is an
environment impact assessment report, which has met with resistance by
various environmental and tourism stakeholders and pitted the minerals
& energy department against the environmental affairs &
tourism department.
Source:
http://allafrica.com
Americas
Costa Rica:
Officials recently announced they have collected what they believe is
enough money to buy all the land that makes up Manuel Antonio National
Park, blocking the possibility that the reserve could be developed or
fall into the hands of private owners who would carve it up to make
condos. The park, located 175 kilometres southeast of San Jose, the
capital, is Costa Rica's smallest reserve but also its most
popular. Government officials have struggled for three
decades to keep all of Manuel Antonio National Park public. Nearly
half of the park's 1,680 acres are in private hands.
Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com
Panama:
Under a bill
submitted to Congress by Finance Minister Norberto Delgado, Coiba
Island National Park, logging, hunting and fishing
on the island will be allowed with appropriate permits, going against a proposal
vetoed by President Mireya Moscoso a year ago that banned commercial
activities on the Pacific island. "The way to allow Coiba to
survive is to promote low impact ecotourism, not big hotels or allow
logging of tropical hardwoods," said a spokesman of the Smithsonian Institution in Panama City.
Source: http://www.planetark.org
USA:
Call for Nominations for the 2003 ASTA Environmental Awards: Deadline 1
July 2003. Criteria for Selection of 2003 Winners: The Nominee may be
an individual, an organization (either commercial or not-for-profit),
a corporation, or a government/governmental entity. The Nominee shall
have made a significant and lasting contribution to the preservation
and/or protection of the environment, especially as it relates to
improved tourism. More Details: http://www.astanet.com
USA:
The National Conference of State Legislatures says bird
watching is the fastest growing outdoor activity in America today.
Seven states, including Vermont and New Hampshire, bring in more
revenue from birdwatching than from hunting and fishing combined. Maine officials are hoping to cash in on bird-watching tourists as
well. Elements of an ecotourism bill proposed this legislative session
will be studied by a 20-member committee of the Maine Office of
Tourism. The Commission to Promote Jobs and Economic Development
though Ecotourism will be asked to chart Maine's ecotourism future and
to design a promotion plan.
Source: http://www.wmtw.com
USA:
Florida officials announced that the first phase of The Everglades
Trail, a self-guided educational tour of America's River of Grass, is
ready for visitors just in time for the summer travel season. The
Everglades Trail, reaching from the Kissimmee River to Florida Bay,
includes 20 sites ranging across central and southern Florida. At each
of the sites, a kiosk will provide visitors with information about the
natural features of the area and restoration efforts. A brochure and a
CD featuring stories, sounds and music will also be available on the
trail.
Details: http://www.evergladestrail.com
Asia
India:
Rules and guidelines at tiger sightings and during elephant
rides should be set, recommended a committee for assessing tourism
carrying capacity of protected areas in Madhya Pradesh, during a
workshop held in Bandhavgarh. Jeeps should be changed towards small
vans and predetermined site specific ratio of jeeps and vans should be
maintained, advance booking system should be set rather than
controlling numbers by turning away visitors at the gate. The
committee opined that general tourists should be converted into
better-informed ecotourists. The committee asserted that stricter
tourist management at tiger sightings should be done. There should be
a system for determining the carrying capacity of an area on
site-specific basis, Predetermined zone wise distribution of vehicles
in tourism zone should be done.
Source: http://www.centralchronicle.com
India:
A Rs 55 lakh project drawn up by the Maharashtra forest
department will focus on ecotourism and environmental education in the
park. This includes the development of new trails to introduce people
to the wealth of diversity in the park. Senior citizens and the
handicapped can look forward to a more disabled-friendly experience,
with electronic vehicles to transport them around. And an upgraded
eco-education centre will have slide shows and film screenings for
nature lovers. The project, funded by British Gas India Pvt Ltd, will
kick off in the next six months and is scheduled to be completed in
the next three years. It seeks to involve the private sector and NGOs in the
conservation of the park's resources. Source: http://web.mid-day.com
India:
Indigenous rights group Survival International, has accused the
administration in India's Andaman Islands of defying an Indian supreme
court order to close a road running through the reserve of the
isolated Jarawa tribe, nomadic rainforest hunter-gatherers, who have
resisted contact with settlers on the Andaman Islands for nearly 150
years. The group claims that until the road is closed, the Jarawa are
at great risk of catching fatal diseases. In 2002 the Indian
supreme court ordered the removal of all settlers from Jarawa land and
the closure of the road running through their reserve. One year on,
Survival International alleges that the road still open and the
Andaman authorities risk destroying one of the last remaining tribes
of the Andaman Islands.
Source: http://www.survival-international.org/enews.htm
India:
The West Bengal state forest department, in collaboration with IIT,
Kharagpur, will start a certificate course on ecotourism and wildlife
management soon. The course, the first of its kind in the country to
be run by an IIT, was launched on 26 May, Mr Atanu Raha, chief
conservator of forests, said today. The classes will be held at IIT,
Kharagpur. The students will have to reside in the campus during the
course, a senior state official said. Various ecotourism industries
will nominate twenty persons for enrolment into the course. NGOs
working in this field will nominate their representatives as well, and
the state government will send professionals for training. The course
fee will be Rs 5000 for an individual and Rs 10,000 for sponsored
candidates.
Source: http://www.thestatesman.net
Pakistan:
The Ministry of Tourism, has decided to reduce by 50% the royalty fee
for climbing mountains above 6000 m. during the Calendar Year 2003
which has been declared as Year of the Nanga Parbat. Pakistan is
celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the first climb on Nanga Parbat.
2004 has also been declared as Year of the K-2. as Pakistan is
celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the first ascent on K-2. On the
other hand, The Ecotourism Society of Pakistan has criticised the
standards used by the Pakistan Ministry of Tourism to classify someone
as a tourist since these standards give Afghanistan as the second
highest tourist source country for Pakistan, as the Ministry
classifies refugees as tourists. ESP claims that tourism has actually
fallen by 30% during the last two years and not more than 120,000
genuine tourists arrived in year 2002. ESP also expressed deep sorrow
about the passing of Marjan Kersic, famed Slovenian mountaineer &
photographer, and winner of a 2002 life-time award from the Society.
More Details: http://www.ecotourism.org.pk
Japan:
Mikurajima, a small island known as a sanctuary for dolphins, unique
plants and towering trees, part of the Izu island chain and sits about
200 kilometres south of Tokyo is about to restrict tourist numbers.
The Mikurajima village assembly in March decided to adopt guidelines
to restrict visitors from entering certain areas of the island to
prevent further devastation caused by tourists, such as the alleged
stealing of prized orchids called Calanthe izu-insularis from the
island. There is also growing concern that the tours may be damaging
the breeding areas of the Streaked Shearwater sea bird and dolphins.
Mikurajima's economy and the 290 islanders depend largely on tourism.
Source: http://www.asahi.com
Japan:
The Ministry of Environment and the National Forestry Agency are
proposing that the whole Ryukyu Archipelago - consisting of Okinawa and
all smaller islands in the prefecture, together with Ogasawara
Islands, located about 1,000 km south of Tokyo and Shiretogo
Archipelago in Hokkaido - be designated World Heritage Nature Sites.
Okinawa is best known as the base of about 26,000 U.S. Soldiers since
the end of WW2.
Source: http://www.japanupdate.com
Philippines:
Kalakbay Awards - Environmental Tourism (Best Business
Practice) Deadline for submission of entries: 30 June 2003.
More
Details: http://www.dotpcvc.gov.ph
Thailand:
600 divers were involved in a record-breaking attempt to
replant coral reefs off Koh Sor in Sattahip district, Chon Buri. The
aim was to return balance to the underwater ecology of coral reefs
around Koh Sor, which were largely destroyed by unregulated
shallow-water fishing. Participants would include navy personnel and
local students, who would snorkel and scuba dive to reach the
replanting spots. Stems needed to regrow the coral would be obtained
from nurseries at the Ratchabhat Rambaibannee Institute, Plutaluang
Vitthaya school and the diving club for environmental preservation.
The navy also plans to open Koh Pai in Bang Lamung district for
ecotourism.
Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com
Europe
Germany:
Call for Nominations: DRV International Environment Award 2003 - Deadline 30
June 2003. The International environmental prize "Tourism and
Environment" of the Association of the German Travel Agents and
Tour Operators (DRV) exists since 1987 and is awarded to outstanding
conservation projects which are closely related to tourism.
Application is open for the Award for individuals, companies and
organizations that have achieved notable success with conservation
projects in tourism. The final date of entries is 30 June 2003. For
further information contact: Mr. Leonhard Reed, managing director
email: pfaff@drv.de
Spain:
The newly elected Balearic Islands government has announced
it will scrap a controversial "eco-tax". The centre-right
Popular Party (PP), which took power in the Mediterranean archipelago
on 25 May, pledged last week to eradicate the euros 1 (70p) per night
tax levied on tourists in hotels 'as soon as possible' - which is
expected to be immediately after the new administration's swearing in
on 17 June. The Association of British Travel Agents said: 'We are
very pleased to see that the new Balearic government will be scrapping
the so-called eco-tax. 'It was always an unfair burden, in particular
for families on a tight budget, and we hope the government will look
to better sources of revenue to continue improving the environment.'
However, UK arrivals to Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera were
up 8 per cent last year.
Source: Various
Switzerland:
Ecotourism is being proposed as the potential saviour
of economically depressed alpine regions. At a recent meeting in
Willisau, various federal offices and public organisations announced
new measures to promote sustainable development in rural mountain
areas. Jurg Schmid of Switzerland Tourism told the gathering
of tourism, agriculture and economics experts that his organisation was finalising plans to launch a campaign in
2004 to promote ecotourism and warned
against the building of new ski-related infrastructure which would infringe on
sensitive ecosystems. The packages must focus on promoting
environmental awareness, making better use of public transport,
investing in the local economy and integrating the local population in
the process. Other
participants at the meeting criticised the government for often
supplying the start-up capital to get new ventures off the ground, but
not the funding necessary to see them through the first critical
years.
Source: http://www.swissinfo.org
UK:
Call for Nominations: British Airways - Tourism for Tomorrow Awards. Deadline 1 July
2003. Awards are non-financial and consist of a trophy and framed
certificate, plus publicity generated by the prestige associated with
the award. Any organisation involved in tourism is eligible to apply,
including tour operators, hotels, national parks, heritage sites and
associated activities.
More Details: www.britishairways.com/tourism
Oceania
& Pacific
Australia:
The fox threat in Tasmania is an impending disaster comparable to an
outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, an independent review of the
Fox-Free Tasmania task force's efforts has found, and recommends that
the program be given top priority by both the state and federal
governments. The
government-commissioned report also calls for an expansion of the
existing baiting program as the impact of an established fox population on Tasmania's
biodiversity would be catastrophic and irreversible.
Source: http://www.news.com.au
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