Yes, it is! Don't be fooled by pictures that show cataclysmic conditions around the volcano. While mother nature has put on a spectacular show and disrupted travel around the country, most Icelanders are going about their normal business.Gunnar Jóhannesson, a travel professional in Iceland, commented recently on reports that the current Icelandic eruption could be followed by another from a nearby mountain (Katla), "From the history, from settlement time around the year of 900, there have been around 20 (said 21 or 22) eruption in the volcano Katla. The last one was 1918. These are two times when Eyjafjallajokull (the one which is active now) erupted and then Katla just after. Some experts say that from the story, Katla has always erupted together with Eyjafjallafjokull. We can consider if two times of twenty is enough reason to “decide” that Iceland will have continuous volcano activity for awhile now." Gunnar also thinks...

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...

People find my story of how I went from accountant to tourism destination planner interesting, usually over a drink. The Society of Management Accountants has taken it to another level and tells my story in their latest issue (I even made the cover). To read more, check outhttp://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/CMA/december09/2009121501/Carol

I recently had the opportunity to visit Bhutan. This Himalayan country did not open their doors until 1974 and I feel fortunate to have been one of the less than 30,000 people who visit each year. And if you’re still wondering where the heck Bhutan is, I’ve got your answer athttp://www.14dd5266c70789bdc806364df4586335-gdprlock/user/Reinventure#p/a/u/2/tUuZWCeWCBM. Although I ended up with an unexpected souvenir (I broke my ankle hiking), I learned this country is very committed to sustainability. The constitution mandates that a large portion of the country remain forested, tourists must travel with a guide and prices are set to give tourism companies a reasonable living.While I’ve been resting my ankle, I’ve edited my hours of Bhutan video to a length that people might actually watch. For a few highlights check out http://www.14dd5266c70789bdc806364df4586335-gdprlock/user/Reinventure#p/a/u/0/4y_JTjaDQc0Or for a ring-side view of the amazing flight into the country see http://www.14dd5266c70789bdc806364df4586335-gdprlock/user/Reinventure#p/a/u/1/wGeyuZE2GoYIt doesn't compare to a real trip, but then again,...

If you’ve ever been witness to a LooLu (Lookers Lucky to live), you know how badly humans can behave around wild animals. Is it because more and more of us live in big cities? Do we watch too much reality shows? Regardless, it is amazing the lengths people will go for that perfect shot. A few weeks ago, a young child was sent to hospital after his parents placed him on the back of an elk for a photograph. When the elk lifted his antlers, probably wondering what had landed on his back, he cracked the ribs of his uninvited passenger.I thought people had learned how to behave in the woods, but I may be wrong. As I mention in my latest newsletter story titled Little Bears and Little Sense at www.kalahari-online.com/summer09.pdf , there is no end to the antics people get up to when watching wildlife badly. Send us your...

I find the environmental news overwhelming at times. It is balm to my soul to retreat to nature and witness one of its greatest spectacles.This footage was taken at my cabin in the Kootenay mountains. Early each May we see this kind of competition by the hummingbirds for food. I think it occurs as the birds have just finished a long migration, the weather is still cool with few bugs or flowers, and they are HUNGRY!Check it out athttp://www.14dd5266c70789bdc806364df4586335-gdprlock/watch?v=iwg92ocHCXMCarol

I had the opportunity recently to see the documentary, Milking The Rhino. The film provides an interesting and hopeful look at community-based conservation and tourism in Kenya and Namibia.The film will air today on PBS so tune in if you can.There will be a teacher's edition of the film available shortly. I think it would be a great addition for teacher's of ecotourism and I plan to include it in my spring Adventure Tourism class.To learn more, visit www.milkingtherhino.org.CarolP.S. My spring newsletter is now online. To read about other ecotourism news and events, please go to www.kalahari-online.com/spr09.pdf

It's been a long winter in North America. To help ease people into spring, Kalahari Management is launching a contest that will have you remembering happier (and possibly warmer) times.Readers are invited to share their travel stories on our forum at www.reinventuretravel.com/forum They can be funny, heart-warming, quirky or thought-provoking.Our illustrious panel of judges (bribed by free beer and pizza ) will pick the best story posted during April and May.The winner will receive a complementary copy of Reinventure: How Travel Adventure Can Change Your Life by Carol Patterson and Saving Paradise: The Story of Sukau Rainforest Lodge by Albert Teo and Carol Patterson.I look forward to reading your travel talesCarol

If you are lucky enough to have visited the Faroe Islands you know it is one of the world’s most unique tourism destinations. Located between Iceland and Denmark, the islands can be hard to reach, it is worth the effort. The Faroe Islands were voted the National Geographic’s #1 Island Ecotourism destination in 2007. You can get a sense of the island’s natural and cultural beauty on my video athttp://www.14dd5266c70789bdc806364df4586335-gdprlock/watch?v=a4NuIq6r8D4...re=channel_pageNow the Islands want you. With a small population and an even smaller tourism budget, the Trade and Tourism Council is turning to grassroots marketing strategies. They want people who have been to the Faroe Islands to talk about their experience and encourage others to visit. To support this objective, the Faroe Island Trade and Tourism Council has created a Facebook group called Faroe Enthusiasts and Ambassadors which swelled to 100 members within 48 hours of its launch.If you’ve been to the...

Travel has created big changes in my life, including the creation of Kalahari Management 19 years ago. I've just released a new book Reinventure: How Travel Adventure Can Change Your Life, and share a few of my travel stories and those of the people I've met along the way.One of the wonderful things about being a tourism consultant is visiting places before they are 'discovered' by tourists and getting behind-the-scenes tours. I think people will find these stories entertaining and get them thinking about a possible reinventure in their lives.People can take the Reinventure Quiz at my new website www.loseyourluggagefindyourself.com, find some suggestions for their next trip and share their own stories of transformation.They also make wonderful Christmas presents! Carol