World Tourism Forum

Property listing portal Reveal Real Estate has been studying the international real estate and tourism markets in Central America for the last decade. “Our key learning” says co-founder Jane Bakerson, “Is that tourism and residential real estate markets are closely linked. Not only do growing tourism numbers bode well for the real estate market, but the prime tourism spots also quickly emerge as the top purchasing hotspots.

It’s a cycle that is playing out clearly here in Nicaragua. The two main tourism towns, Granada and San Juan del Sur are also the two most important real estate investment areas. In fact there are more real estate developments catering to international buyers located in Nicaragua’s tourism heartland area (the south west of the country on the pacific side that also includes Ometepe, Crater Lake Apoyo, Lake Nicaragua, the “islets” and Mombacho volcano) than the rest of the country combined. A recent study revealed for example that over 70% of beach-side real estate communities are located between El Astillero and the Costa Rican border – an area that only makes us around 1/8 of the entire coastline – (and of course and even smaller fraction if one were to include the Caribbean coastline in the calculation.)

Seeking Nicaragua real estate listings in tourism areas not only caters to “speculator investors” who purchase in the hope that tourism and infrastructure will arrive in a location, but also to the so-called “lifestyle investors” looking for an existing community and an opportunity to rent out their property to visitors. This whole relationship is further boosted by the fact that tourism areas are often the most attractive parts of the country – places with the kind of inherent value that real estate investors are attracted to.

This concentration of real estate and tourism activity in Nicaragua and other Central American countries has important social and environmental implications which need to be monitored closely. I have listed three of them below:

• Lax real estate developers can undermine the environmental integrity of key tourism areas if their projects don’t take into account sustainability principles.
• Infrastructure provision can be severely tested in the more remote tourism areas that are getting the attention of real estate investors.
• Without an overall water management plan there may simply not be enough water to fill all the swimming pools and golf courses that are being planned by ambitious real estate developers.

The trends are clear, now the development community needs to come together with the tourism ministry to seek a sustainable way forward that balanced economic capital with social and environmental concerns.  I have no doubt that bodies such as the WTO and this site have best practice case studies available that could serve as a good starting point.

If you are considering traveling, then you should know that world tourism is a critical issue. As a tourist, you need to be aware of various environmental issues that threaten to destroy natural habitats and wildlife sanctuaries. Although you cannot change certain things alone, such as the big companies that pollute our oceans, rivers, lakes and other ecosystems with industrial oil production and fracking, what you can do is to become aware of basic environmental issues and to make sure that you strictly keep to these values to protect the planet we live on.

Shrinking coral reefs

Coral reefs are beautiful to behold, and I’m sure you have felt at some time that you would like to have some decorative coral in your bathroom. Many people who go traveling to exotic tropical locations and also go scuba diving in coral reefs will break off parts of the coral to dry and take back to their houses. But did you know that coral is actually alive? Did you know that this can start a process that kills much of the reef? What if everyone did this, would there be any coral left in the sea? You should consider some decorative plastic coral for your bathroom and leave the coral where it belongs — in the ocean.

Hiking and mountaineering

There’s a reason why park rangers are always going on about staying on the trails and it’s because there are many flora and fauna which are endangered. You could inadvertently destroy a rare plant or crush a rare insect or reptile. In addition to this, the hiking trails go through areas that have a minimal impact on erosion, whereas if you would just go anywhere you wanted, then you might erode significant parts of the natural habitat you are in. If everyone did this, the effect would be cumulative and after a while top soil would disappear, underbrush would become damaged and that can cause landslides and flooding in the spring. It’s very important that as a world tourist, you stay on the marked trails.

Cultural heritage

As a world tourist, when you visit historical and cultural treasures, you should be very careful to leave them intact. If you are visiting castle ruins in Europe, do not break parts of the walls off as souvenirs. Be careful when you are in museums and make sure you do not damage anything. Also, many countries prohibit their cultural treasures being removed, so be careful you do not bring any rare paintings or coins with you as there are serious consequences if this is discovered.

The greenhouse effect

The greenhouse effect is a bit like garden greenhouses. The sun shines in the top and the plants wither and die inside if they are not taken care of and the temperature is not regulated inside. That’s what our planet is like too. Carbon dioxide emissions are slowly destroying the atmosphere and also heating up the temperature at the same time, which means the earth warms up globally. Our planet is not like greenhouses for sale — we can’t just get up and go to a new one when it’s used up. We have to take care of it now, while we still can.

So do your part!

Description: The greenhouse effect is like a garden greenhouse whose temperature is not maintained properly. Read on to find out what you can do to help save our planet.

Many people travel the world all the time. They go to different destinations by all sorts of transport. The top 5 destinations for people to travel to in 2011 were France, United States, China, Italy and Spain. These are very popular because of many things landmarks, food, accommodation, for example china has the great wall of china which attracts thousands of visitors a year to see how far across the ancient wall they can get. Italy and France have fantastic skiing. Not to mention the Eiffel tower and the lining tower of Pisa.

People travel for different reasons such as weather, family, a break, an experience. Booking a holiday can be a stress for some, as there is a lot to do from deciding where to go to how much it is going to cost. Greece has very cheap accommodation compared to Thailand. Yet they are both very popualr country to visit. The cost of small thing can build up and add to the overall cost to a holiday. for example eating out, this is why many people decide that the hotel restraint could be the best and cheapest option for them.

The choice of travailing abroad than staying in the UK for your holiday is narrowing, this may because of the economy or the fact that people are more aware of  environment and how travailing is one of the major factors effecting it.

Some people own numerous houses in country’s miles away from there home land.  These house are often available for anyone to rent, this has its benefits as it usually cheaper, you have more freedom, more space, possibility for pets, feel more comfortable/at home.  Houses to rent can be very convenient as there is more flexibility for you renting homes abroad is a great way of seeing the world.

If you are looking for an excuse to travel, then visiting the world’s top tourism destinations is an excellent reason to hit the road. While there is some discrepancy as to what makes that list from one source to the next, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) actually maintains world tourism rankings based on the number of international visitors to each country. The list of rankings is updated each year based on the previous year’s tourism numbers. The top country, by more than 18 million annual visitors in 2011, is currently France. In fact, France has held the title since 2006.

France has a lot to offer travelers, from the sunny beaches of Nice to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Paris is the most visited city not just in France, but in the world. The French Alps also attracts a lot of tourists who are looking to ski. Other popular cities in France include Marseille, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Lyon and Strasbourg. Of course, travelers can go off the beaten path as well. Some travelers may prefer spending the evening around the glow of fire pits at small campground outside of Giverny as opposed to strolling along the Seine.

The country that ranks second on UNWTO’s list is the United States. Popular places to visit in the U.S. include New York City, Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. According to a USA Today article from September 2011, Times Square in New York City is the most visited tourist attraction in the U.S., followed by Central Park. Rounding out the list is Union Station in Washington, D.C., the Las Vegas Strip, Grand Central Terminal in New York City, Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston, Walt Disney World in Orlando and Disneyland in California. Like France, the U.S. has a wide variety of experience to offer travelers from luxury vacations to camping in the wilderness.

Rounding out the top five world tourism destinations are China, Spain and Italy.

There are many environmental hazards when you are trying to travel the world. So traveling in eco-friendly places can be quite a challenge. However, you can find quite a large range of eco-friendly places to go if you know where to look. The first thing that you would need to do is to get a good tour guide.

With a good tour program, they will show you the best places go to while avoiding any environmental hazards. But not all tour programs can provide you with this option, so you must ask them before you plan on traveling.

Another way is to ask fellow travelers who have traveled to the place you want to go before. Most likely, they will tell you if an area is environmentally friendly or not because they have been there before. You can also ask the locals that live there for further advice on eco-friendly traveling. But that might mean you might have to take a flight there before knowing if the area is environmentally stable.

Of course, you can also travel without leaving your home. What does that mean? Well with a program like the pro flight simulator you can literally fly to different parts of the world from your computer. This program comes with realistic views as well as google maps to make it even more realistic. With the pro flight simulator you can definitely travel the world without the worry of environmental hazards and without even leaving your home.

Other then flying and using flight simulator programs, you can also travel to places of nature. What I mean by this is that you can travel to anywhere that isn’t man made. An example could be traveling to national parks, mountains, the ocean or any other country with a nice scenery.

Some good places to go, could be to the tropics, the beaches of any Caribbean islands, or maybe to any mountain-like terrains such as the Grand Canyon. You can find plenty of environmentally friendly places if you just use a little creativity and look where people aren’t looking.

I’ll explain some  tips for organizing your planning. First of all, you should make sure that you pack lightly. I know that many people will disagree with this, but it is better if you go with a free pack and also a free mind than if you go with a heavy load. You can always buy the things you need there, and most of the times, you don’t even need all that much. So, only bring what you really need and leave everything else at home.

Secondly, you should make a calendar of events and also a list of what you want to do when you arrive at your destination. And even though you have a list, the whole point of traveling is to relax, so don’t stress out if you end up not doing everything on the list. Just take things slow and enjoy your travel.

You can also talk to some of the locals to get to know the place better and also to find out where the best places to go are. Make sure to do a lot of adventuring and have some fun. It’s not everyday that you can travel to an environmentally friendly place.

In many countries jeep safaris have long been a way for tourists to get off the beaten track and experience parts of a country that would not normally be inaccessible. Many people swear by these excursions and will make a point of going on one of these trips every time they visit a country.

Due to the popularity of jeep safaris there have, in recent years, been real concerns about the impact they are having on the local environment. One place in particular is Marmaris in Turkey where these safaris are one of the main attractions in the area. Environmentalists have been calling for a ban on these trips but as it stands the governors of Marmaris are reluctant to do so as they bring  much needed tourist cash into the region.

There have also been calls to ban tourists from smoking cigarettes on these trips as there is a real chance of starting bush fires from cigarette stubs. This is proving difficult to enforce though and one of the best solutions could be to promote the use of e cigarettes. This may not be realistic at the moment but taking a look at a some e cigarette reviews to get an idea of what is on offer could go a long way to helping, there are even cost cutting measures that can be taken, for example this E-Lites discount code will help smokers save more.

Other steps they are looking to take are with the vehicles that are used,  minimum requirements could be brought in with vehicle emission testing topping the list as to whether the jeeps are passed ok for road use. It also goes without saying the general upkeep of the vehicles and the way in which they are driven will also be addressed.

Making tourism sustainable is a challenge both for local communities and the world as a whole.  Promoters aim to market certain destinations and adventures as eco-friendly tourism, touting housing built from recycled goods, and the low carbon footprint of the destination; however, many of the environmental benefits of these types of destinations are easily outweighed by the mammoth amounts of energy spent flying tourists hallway around the world to visit!

For those of us who are truly interested in sustainable tourism, it pays to think of thinks on a larger scale.  Rather than flying thousands of miles back and forth to spend a week in a rainforest lodge, we should explore vacation opportunities closer to home.

RV travel is one type of touring that truly is sustainable.  Living in a RV is a lot more environmental friendly than living in a traditional brick house.  Recreational vehicles are small, and do not require a lot of resources when used for day to day living.  Getting away in an RV for a week – provided you only drive a couple of hundred miles – can be very eco-friendly.  One tank of gas for driving, maybe a little propane for the refrigerator and heat, and that is about the extent of your carbon footprint.

The great thing about RV living is that not only is it a great vacation alternative, but it is also a viable full time lifestyle.  Full time RV living allows you to periodically move your home – once a week, perhaps once a month – from one scenic location to another whenever the urge strikes you.

Not only are you living a sustainable lifestyle, but you are also living a life of unparalleled freedom.  Tired of the rat race?  Find an RV park in the country for a few weeks.  Miss the hustle and bustle of city life?  Stop at an RV campground close to a big city and enjoy all it has to offer.

Also, by RV living fulltime, you can do away with the requirement of keeping a stick house full time.  Imagine the reduction in your environmental footprint if you did not have to keep house.  No furnace, no central air, vastly reduced water and electricity usage, the savings are endless.

It is very clear to me that if you are seriously interested in sustainable travel, and are willing to take bold steps and change your life to accommodate that type of lifestyle, that fulltime living in an RV is one of the best things you can do to fully embrace your beliefs!

During the 2012 Partnership Summit organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) a lot of eco friendly tourism projects were signed and promoted with much fanfare. Unfortunately soon after it already looking as some of these are in doubt.

It was very successfull and the Indian Government attracted initial investment worth many millions of Rupees.There wre 12 projects including five extremely large projects which were outlined during the summit. One of the biggest was an Eco Tourism project near Vikarabad, being run by Malaxmi Industries Ltd.Other similar sized projects are being run by a variety of Indian and Internation companies.For example one project was the setting up of a mythological theme park at Tirupati.

It all sounds really encouraging for the communities involved. However some apprehension exists over whether they woudl happen at all. The major problem is that funding is dependent on the grant of Infrastructure status to these Tourism projects.It is a crucial stage, as once granted the projects will have much easier access to loans from various financial insititutions. One commentator who wished to remain anonymous suggested that without this status the projects would simply collapse with insufficient funding. The status would also enable other entrepreneurs to get involved due to the tax advantages that are applied to infrastructure projects.

It is interesting that many of  the commentators and critics of this situation were so concerned about maintaining their anonymity.   Few people were prepared to speak on the record and others used various anonymity devices including encrypting voice and data when communicating.   Whether this points to something more sinister it is unclear, it certainly doesn’t inspire confidence in the transparency of the projects.

There have been several assurances given that this status would be applied but there seems to be little activity in making it happen.

The problem is that it is difficult currently to raise money for eco tourism and hotel projects because of the way they are viewed alongside tradition real estate projects.Simply put – Banks are unwilling to give loans and support to an Eco Tourism project without some sort of assurances.In order for these eco tourism projects to proceed, the Indian Government needs to show it’s support of these tourist projects particularly the ones with a strong environmental bias.

Tourism is actually a huge employer in India and these projects are essential to develop a sustainable sector. The growth of eco travel and tourism is set to grow and India is currently poorly placed to benefit from this sector despite having huge natural advantages in this area.

Tags: anonymity, eco projects, eco tourism

If there’s one thing that’s likely to put many people off living a more environmentally friendly life then it’s stopping them having a decent holiday.  Most of us nowadays work pretty hard and I for one look forward to spending my holidays in some far distant location where I can learn about new cultures, visit interesting sites and try new food.

So if any Eco warrior tells me to swap it for two weeks in a tent twenty miles down the road, then frankly they can just count me out of this green revolution.  In fact as I have two bases I’m already onto a loser with many people – spending some my winters working in Turkey and the rest of the time in  the UK.   Of course your attitude to these situations is also important,  last year I was watching BBC Iplayer abroad  (by using my computer and a proxy server if you’re interested) and I happen to chance on an interview of Sting by Jeremy Paxman.  Now I don’t know if you’ve seen it but after Sting waffling on about using less resources and stuff – Paxman leveled this question at the eco pop star.

‘Do you feel uncomfortable travelling between various homes in various continents at enormous carbon cost?’

Ouch, you could feel it hit home and the hypocrisy of the pop star sat over his head like a huge neon sign.  Which is of course the problem, you must practice what you preach to have any sort of moral authority on this matter.  Sting’s environmental credentials took a huge hit simply because it was pointed out  that he lives a life with a much higher carbon footprint than the rest of us.

So back to the issue the simple fact is that I can’t criticize people going on holidays as I’m not giving mine up for anyone.  So what can we do to make sure that our trips have as little environmental impact as possible?  Well here’s some starting ideas -

1) Learn about your destination.   Get a feel of where you are going to from guidebooks, travel guides and the internet.  Learn about local customs and be sensitive to them.

2) Try if possible to use a eco friendly tour operator.  There are many who try and minimize their holiday impact on both the environment overall and the local culture.

3) Try and seek out locally owned business and use them.  Using local guides and services minimizes greatly your impact.  Using local transport instead of hire cars and imported coaches for instance.

There are many who would suggest that anyone who cared about the environment simply wouldn’t travel but I suggest that there are many who do care because they have travelled.

People all over the world always listen to what globetrotters have to say about the rising trend of eco-tourism. In a report by the Scottish government’s seminar notes, 80% of UK travelers pay an extra 40 – 80 pounds for a night of stay at environment-friendly hotels. On the other hand, 90% says that it is the hotel’s accountability to support eco-tourism. The support of the budding interest in green tourism paved the way for many hotels, inns, apartments and resorts to provide entry level jobs.

• Tour Guides – The venues of eco-tourism can be a great source of employment for tour guides possessing a comprehensive understanding of the environment. The job of a tour guide is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for people to see the world while receiving their paycheck and other benefits. Although it does not count on specific qualifications, those with bachelor’s degrees in hospitality and natural sciences are the perfect fit for this type of job.
• Wildlife Preservation Coordinators – This is among few of the eco-tourism jobs that encourages the protection of animals, particularly endangered species, in their habitat. The Project Protection of Gorillas is one of the wildlife preservation centers dedicated in supporting the fortification of endangered species from commercial exposure. The job of a wildlife preservation coordinator is to develop eco-tourism plans such as where the tourists will stay and how much of the preserve they’ll have access to.
• Hotel Staff – If you’re interested in travelling to a new location, working in an eco-friendly hotel is a great way to get involved in the green tourism industry. Unlike many eco-tourism careers today, hotel staff comprises of different positions to choose from. Some of these positions include guest services, housekeeping, hotel management and sales & marketing. To become part of the hotel staff, you must earn a degree in hospitality management (some positions do not necessarily require hospitality degree holders). An experience in attending seminars on eco-friendly tourism is an advantage.

Tags: eco tourism, entry level jobs

I love to travel to warm exotic places like Costa Rica, it also happens to be one of the most popular Eco-tourist destinations in the world. With the exception of the high season November through December you’ll want to make sure to bring a waterproof backpack to stow your essentials so they don’t get wet.  Waterproof bags are also more difficult to open so security is an added benefit.

Some of the best times of my life were had while traveling light on the fly without a set schedule. A cool place I discovered  in Costa Rica is a mountain resort developed around the environment. It’s purpose is to use the latest methods of sustainable living in a resort community. They are only developing a small percentage of their land while preserving the rest.

One of my favorite things to do is the Canopy tour. It’s a great way to get a unique view of the rain forest. I can’t think of a better place to visit and experience the environment around you.

Tags: backpacking, gear, green, travel

For many keen travelers and young people today, travel is less about the two-week vacation and more about a solid stint of living and working overseas. This kind of travel has been taking off in recent years, with more and more students and college graduates taking a ‘gap’ year to gain experience and seek opportunities overseas.This is a great choice for many young people, giving them the chance to deeply experience new cultures without the unrealistic financial burden of a long, finance-draining holiday- a young student on a pharmacy technician salary could hardly afford to save several months’ expenses in advance, let alone the travel costs. However, there are logistics to be dealt with that the typical vacationer would not expect.

Firstly there is the matter of visa types. For most tourists, a short-term visitors visa will suffice and is relatively cheap and easy to come by in many countries. However, when you add work and a long stay into the equation, the matter of visas becomes more complicated. For example, visitors from most countries are able to obtain a $30USD tourist visa on arrival in Indonesia. This would allow them to stay 30 days, extendable on application to 60, with no paid work of any kind permitted. This is a very easy and uncomplicated process.

However, add a little paid work into the equation, and it becomes very complicated. One would have to apply for a work visa, which means first obtaining a “sponsorship” from an Indonesian company which typically costs hundreds of dollars. The work visa itself costs around $1200USD per year. When you take into account the low wages in this continent, it becomes apparent that Indonesia may not be a suitable choice for your working holiday, except in circumstances where you have actually been offered a job in advance so your employer can arrange your visa.

Luckily there are many other options and opportunities available all over the world. Those aspiring to live the working holiday dream simply have to be meticulous about their research before leaving home.

Tags: salary, savings, travel, visas

If you haven’t visited Denmark yet you should consider giving it a chance. There is a lot more to this little country beside the little mermaid, Jomfru Anegade and Carlsberg. Denmark is one of the leading countries in green energy and has some of the largest windturbine factories in the world. They are also among the leading countries in solar power with companies like Solceller also trying to improve the way the suns energy is used to heat our homes or provide us with cheap green electricity. Especially solceller is worth visiting if you are near Denmark as they offer guided tours where you can learn the basics about solar energy and see how some of the many solar collections are made in the Solceller production halls. To find out more on how you can go on one of these tours take a look here at their website on Solceller.

At Solceller you can also see a small museum where they various old types of solar collectors and you can easily see how they go from a huge 25×25 feet solar collection which can barely power a single light bulb to a 5×5 inch solar collection which can power 50. It’s a fashinating trip through time if you are into green energy or just want to see future of electric before everybody else, then Solceller is a great place to visit.

You should also give tivoly in Copenhagen a try if you are near there, you can find better rides other places but in no other amusement parks do you eat this well or find this level of ideal happiness just by walking around in this park which is over a hundred years old.

If you are in Jutland consider the Foråp Summerland theme park with a forest theme, which is great for both adults and kids alike or the Randers Rainforest if you want to study exotic animals up close.

If the weather is great and it’s the middle of the summer then they got some fantastic beaches around northern Jutland with fine white sand and shallow waters which are ideal for most children.

Should you be visiting Fyn, do check out the home of H.C Andersen which is still preserved as it was when he lived there, and of course a visit to Solceller should not be forgotten either if you are near Fyn or wants to experience something a little different.

Tags: green energy, solar energy, solceller

Smokers have been having a hard time of it over the last decade or so as the number of places they can light up has decreased by the year. Most public places and modes of transport used in the developed world now have no smoking rules in place which means nicotine addicts are relegated to the street corner to get their fix. Those of us who like to travel to far off lands now feel we have a difficult choice to make if we want to enjoy our annual holidays to the max. We can either visit those less developed countries who have yet to introduce anti-smoking measures, or we can spend the majority of our trip looking for places where we are allowed to sneak a smoke.

This dilemma for smokers has encouraged forward thinking travel companies to come up with a tourism product aimed solely at smokers who are fed up with governments measures which seem to exist to make our lives a misery. The only problem is with these sorts of packages you’ll have to spend your trip doing things organized by someone else. I don’t know about you but when I go away for a holiday I like to make my own decision about how I’m going to spend my time.

Some Options For Smokers Looking To Travel

1. Las Vegas – If you are fan of gambling as well as nicotine, and don’t want to leave the States for a break, then you won’t find a better destination than this. The bright lights of Vegas opens it’s arms to tobacco users, and offers an exciting place to take a break from the real world.
2. Croatia – This increasingly popular European destination has all the charm and character of Italy with cheaper prices and spectacular scenery. Smoking is still something of a national sport here so you have the freedom light up whenever the urge takes you.
3. Egypt - The land of the Pharaohs is a smokers paradise. You can smoke to your hearts content, visit the Pyramids, and pick up a pack of 20 for around $5.

Another Option For Smokers

If you can’t be bothered to make your travel plans based specifically around you nicotine needs then you might want to try using an electronic cigarette for the time you are away from home. These products allow you to “smoke” without lighting up so they can be used in most places with a smoking ban.

The best e cigarette products are easily available online and although they aren’t quite as satisfying as the real thing they do offer an alternative for those times when you are in a strange land and can’t find a smoking friendly area.

There is no better way to document and highlight your travel than through pictures.  Thankfully the affordability and continuing evolution of low cost digital cameras has resulted in more amateur photographers snapping photos worldwide than ever before.  The challenge with using a digital camera is that professionally printing pictures can be extremely expensive and time consuming.  However, with declining printer prices, and availability of compatible printer ink cartridges, more than 45% of digital photographers now print their photos at home, with professional results.

Printing your photos at home used to mean that you needed a darkroom and special paper and chemicals.  Now it simply means having a photo printer at your disposal.  Today’s photo printers offer unparalleled image quality, on par with what you’d find a professional studios.  In addition to cost savings, the other main advantage of printing your own photos is that you can manipulate your photos until you feel that they are just right. Whether it’s cropping, removing red eye, or adding a border, most home photo printers and software give you the tools you need to effectively alter any photo to meet your needs. ators) can never match the prints you make yourself.

It’s very important that you focus on the quality of the paper when going to print your photos from around the world.  Photo paper is a must as it will ensure that the ink is absorbed correctly.  Also consider using glossy paper for that smooth, glossy, long lasting finish.  The investment is good quality paper will likely bring your total cost per picture to just $.25!

Tags: photos, printer ink cartridges, printers, printing pcitures

Prior to my daughter being born my wife and I loved to travel.  From Tibet to Thailand and Baghdad to Bulgaria, we visited numerous countries both near and far from our home in the UK. 

However after my daughter was born we took a couple of more ‘gentle’ breaks in the UK.  With many horror stories floating around from friends and associates about nightmare foreign holidays with children, we were reluctant to venture abroad.

When we finally went to Israel we quickly discovered that planning days around exploring the local culture and play activities for our daughter, we were able to experience a much happier, more harmonious holiday.

Playgrounds were plentiful in Israel and we found as long as we checked to ensure there were adequate playground surfaces, such as wet pour or Notts Sport ChildsPlay, then we were comfortable letting our daughter enjoy herself.  It was also a great way for her to meet other youngsters and watching them play games without speaking was a joy.

So if you are reticent about taking your young child on holiday, simply make sure you allow a little time for them to do the things they like and I’m sure you’ll all enjoy your travels.

Seeing the World is a part of many people’s bucket lists. However, if you aren’t able to travel visiting local places can be just as fun. In this article we will help you discover local places to visit that should be on your bucket list. Whether you are in the St George Real Estate or live in Australia this is the article for.

The first tip to finding fun new places in your local area is to check the internet. There are many blogs where people have extensively explored your local area and give great ideas. One way I would find these websites is by first Googling thing to do in [insert city]. When looking through websites make sure you look for reputable sites that know what they are talking about. Check for site reviews and try to discover what others are saying.

Next when trying to discover your own city you should consult travel magazines and books. You would be surprised at how much you are missing out on that can be found in books. I would start with buying a book about restaurant reviews. For example in Austin Texas they have a wonderful book called The Fearless Critic. This book is full of real restaurant reviews. This book has helped me explore some of the greatest unseen local spots I would have never visited. Lastly when exploring new areas keep an open mind. Remember that you may love what you thought you would never try.

There are growing numbers of people following a fruitarian diet today. If you have never heard of this lifestyle choice before then you may feel that it is an extreme kind of diet. You’ve probably guessed that a frutarian eats fruit. That’s about it. If all a person is going to eat is fruit, it’s imperative that they get enough calories from their food sources. Even though fruits are sent all around the world from where they are grown, to get the best quality produce, you really want to go to the regions where your fruits of choice originate.

In fact fruit holidays are a real and many people choose their holiday destinations based upon the types of fruits that can be found. It is the tropical countries that offer bountiful harvests whether it be in the Americas, e.g. Costa Rica or in Asia, e.g. Thailand. There are a wide range of options as to the countries that offer great fruit harvests. At home, many of us spend time searching for the best juicer in our efforts to stay healthy. But when we go on holiday we can enjoy eating some of the tastiest fruits on the planet.

Tropical fruits include bananas, mangoes, durian, guava, jack fruit, longan, lychees, mangosteen, pineapple and many others. For Americans and Europeans, some of these fruits can be hard to find at home while others are impossible to purchase. Even when we do find somewhere at home that sells these fruits, the quality may be questionable and the price fairly high. When we visit regions of the world where these fruits are grown, we can expect to pay low prices for delicious sweet fruit.

We all know traveling is amazing; I myself have been to over three different continents in just the past two years. But unfortunately most international traveling is quite pricey. Plane tickets themselves will cost more than most people are able to afford, my plane ticket to South Africa cost me 2k and my flight to Thailand cost me $1,300.

Then you have traveling to places such as Europe, which right now for the American traveler is extremely expensive seeing how the dollar converts. For people who are trapped deep in credit card debt traveling outside the country may seem like an impossibility. Those who fork over thousands a month just to stay current with credit card bills would stand a lot better chance at achieving their travel goals is they were to get themselves out of debt.

Thankfully there are debt relief plans that can really help people to save money on what they owe and get out of debt quickly. Then it is just a matter of saving up a few months worth of money that was previously going to the creditors and you have enough to go explore the world. Don’t let debt stand in your way of becoming the adventurer you always imagined yourself to be.

Tags: debt relief, traveling

As the idea of sustainable tourism heats up, so does the desire for eco-friendly travel products.  Consumers who wish to travel while causing minimal environmental damage frequently want to travel with eco-friendly products to further their environmental stance.  Here are a few eco-friendly travel products that you might enjoy:

Recycled travel bags:  Eco-friendly travel bags breathe new life into old trash, like bike inner tubes and scraps of velcro.  Check out the Flat Bags brand with bags starting at $45.

Corn plastic luggage tags:  Biodegradable luggage tags made from, you guessed it, corn!  These tags only run about $1.50 each — an inexpensive and eco-friendly solution.

E-readers:  You don’t need to kill trees to travel with your favorite books.  Look into buying a Kindle or a Nook so that you can read all of the books you want without wasting paper.

All-natural hair and skin products:  There are many all-natural products available that won’t damage the environment but will still make you look beautiful.  (One of our current favorites is a hair oil called mira hair oil — look up mira hair oil reviews to see what we’re so excited about!)

The next time you travel, consider the environmental impact of not only your mode of travel, but of the products you carry with you.

The “Spirit of Man” is a gas-fired beacon figure. It is 320 feet high, (Base included). To give you some idea of the scale. “The Angel of the North” at 65ft high. “The Colossus of Rhodes” 120ft. “The Statue of Liberty” 151ft. “Big Ben” 320ft.

This impressive at free standing structure is part sculpture, part building. Ideally it would be sited next to the Thames, facing the rising sun. This beacon figure is a universal symbol of hope. Its aesthetic appeal and symbolic content captures the spirit of this millennium and will prove to be a mighty icon for London and the UK.

The internal frame (skeleton) is composed of steel girders, supporting an outer skin of interwoven copper tubing. Natural gas would be pumped through some of the tubing on the outer structure and ignited. The flames would be automatically controlled for effect and safety. The emanating flames signify the “incandescent spirit of man” (1984 George Orwell). George Orwell was a terribly heavy smoker & admired strong loose tea, he had Fortnum& Mason’s tea purchased for him in Catalonia & in 1946 he published a work about brewing the perfect cup “A Nice Cup of Tea”. He died due to health conditions.

At certain agreed national festivals, gatherings and commemorations, the Spirit of Man would be ‘fired up’ and be a spectacular sight for miles around! During more everyday use, conventional lighting would be used to highlight the structure.

The face of the figure will be gold, with bronze hands and the feet made of limestone or granite blocks. The steel frame will be painted with an industrial yellow primer. Because of the angles involved, the lifts will be rack & pinion operated.

Its internal structure will contain several floors, with viewing lobbies, a lounge, photo/art gallery, museum, gift shop and cafes.
Inspiration for the Spirit of Man came from a variety of sources, prehistoric, classical and modern.

Colossal sculptures of the past and present were a particular influence. Initial inspiration being the legend of the “Wicker Man.”

The photo is of a 3 feet high scale model of the structure. Proportions are based on a 6 foot tall man. The model is shown without its outer woven copper piping, is to be completed.

I am pleased you had the opportunity this afternoon to experience the magic of Viejo San Juan and El Morro. This World Heritage Site is a major source of pride for Puerto Ricans and a major selling point for our island as a tourism destination. We are very fortunate to have the asset of a rich, authentic Latin culture steeped in over 500 years of history. The area you toured today, built between the 15th and 19th centuries, represents our legacy from the past and an irreplaceable source of inspiration for the future. We recognize that this is a draw for tourism, especially as heritage and culture become increasingly important to today’s travelers. We celebrate all that is our culture and are very proud to share it with you and anyone who steps on our shores.

Old San Juan is only a small example of what our island offers. We have 78 municipalities on our island, all of which have an equally rich city center with a plaza and examples of 15 century Spanish and European tradition. For example, our second oldest city, San German, is home to Porta Coeli, one of the oldest churches in the Western Hemisphere. Now, more than ever, as competition is growing from far flung destinations worldwide and Mexico and Latin America nearby, the Caribbean as a whole must find new ways to remain competitive. As travelers become more adventurous, we must give them easy access to experiences they crave. As the “experience” of a vacation grows as a priority for travelers, we need to continue to develop products that give visitors the conveniences they expect while enabling them to feel a strong sense of the place they are visiting. Cultural tourism is increasingly popular among travelers. In the U.S., our main feeder market and a major source of visitors for much of the Caribbean, 75% of adult travelers attended a cultural activity or event while on a trip, according to a recent TIA survey. This translates to an estimated 109.8 million U.S. adults. Additionally, although historical places and museums have seen a decline in visitor numbers and are not a major driver of travel, they are still an important part of any travel itinerary. A majority (58%) of U.S. adult travelers included an historic activity or event on a trip according to the same TIA survey. This translates to an estimated 84.7 million U.S. adults.

With these numbers from the U.S. in mind, it is obvious why we must work to preserve our cultural and historical assets while making them accessible to visitors. We benefit from our weather and the various physical attributes of our islands and hotels, which give the Caribbean as a whole an advantage. We also benefit from the stability of our region, proximity to the US mainland, airlift and affordability relative to Europe. However, we cannot assume the competition won’t catch up. Especially as more affordable and exotic places such as Central and South America and Asian countries become increasingly aggressive in their efforts to develop their products. Increased support from our communities and visitors, as well as private and government investment are keys to success because we need to make preserving our heritage a priority. Heritage is a broad concept and includes the natural as well as the cultural environment. It encompasses historic places, natural environments, cultural practices and experiences. To experience heritage is to gain an understanding of the long process of how a culture came to be, based on historic development rooted in the identities of those who create history, from the indigenous people to colonists and settlers. In Puerto Rico, this is evident in all aspects of our culture. You see Taino, African and European influences in our cuisine, dance, art, crafts and our people. As an archivist and passionate historian, I understand the risk at which our treasures are put by the cost of preservation, natural disasters, instability of governments and other dangers to structures, traditions and biodiversity. We look up to organizations such as UNESCO, ICROM, OAS and FIAF that aim to set standards and challenge us all to play a role in protecting our natural and cultural heritage. We must follow their leadership and live by the examples they are setting worldwide.

Tourism continues to be the foremost vehicle for cultural exchange, providing a personal experience, not only of that which has survived from the past, but of the contemporary life and society of others. Tourism can be an immensely positive force for natural and cultural conservation by generating funding, educating the community and influencing policy. Tourism itself has become an increasingly complex phenomenon. We must take into account so many issues, including the political, economic, social, cultural, educational, ecological and aesthetic dimensions that are inherent to tourism development. The achievement of balance among these areas presents many challenges and opportunities.

The challenges exist in creating sustainable tourism models that take into account preserving our assets. Excessive or poorly-managed tourism and tourism related development can threaten the very nature of what we are trying to promote. Although it is important to create conveniences for visitors via infrastructure and development, we must be wise about how we proceed to ensure the wellbeing of our communities, heritage and natural environment. Better & healthier natural environment attracts people who have health issues or who want a break from unhealthy city environments. Unhealthy environments with dirty air contribute to developing heart disease & higher cholesterol, particularly higher LDL levels, and many other health issues that people in large cities are trying to escape from.  Tourism should bring benefits to our communities and provide an important means and motivation for them to care for and maintain their heritage and cultural practices. The involvement and co-operation of lawmakers, community representatives, conservationists, tour operators, property owners, hoteliers, and anyone who has a direct or indirect involvement with tourism is essential to achieve a sustainable tourism industry and enhance the protection of heritage resources for future generations.

If tourism is to remain successful in the Caribbean we must work as one to develop unified models for this type of development. We must also partner to emphasize the natural, cultural and historic attributes of our region and position ourselves as a broader offering than just one island. We all stand to benefit from a shared mission that positions the Caribbean as more than just beaches and resorts, but also a region with a wealth of enriching experiences. Against the backdrop of major competition in our industry, we must be supportive of each other and show a united front as a region that has a broad appeal. I understand this is difficult to do while maintaining what is unique about each of our islands, but we must seriously focus on working together to maintain what the consumer desires and make sure we are ahead of trends as a region. Tourism can provide an significant means of communication and dialogue between individuals and countries, as well as an economic activity and a means of presenting and enhancing our heritage. The Caribbean can serve as an example by taking a leadership role in demonstrating the power of the combination of history, culture and tourism.

One of the great problems with the wine industry, wine tourism and specifically most wine of the month club offerings is that they are not even close to environmentally sustainable or efficient.

The average wine tourist flies thousands of miles and then drives even further, often in a small group.  Most of us that study the issue can tell you that the average wine consumer enjoys themselves much more when they have a small group instead of a tour bus, so it isn’t like filling larger vehicles is even going to be helpful.

So how can we make wine tourism sustainable?  Let’s start by working with airlines to give back to environmental causes based on these, often small flights.  Secondly, let’s make sure that every winery (not just the extremely high end) has some type of soil and land preservation system in place.  Without these types of changes, there really isn’t any good way to make sure that wine, wine tourism and a wine club shipping bottles across the country every month…..are being good members of the environmental community.

No matter how hard the environmentalists try to limit man’s development and progress towards a better way of life, I think they will fail. People want to be free to travel and to enjoy their lives and they are finding that all the new technological breakthroughs in recent years help them attain that lifestyle.

There will always be people who want to go back to the way things were. There will always be people who say that we are killing ourselves by destroying the earth. And there will always be people who want to take away other people’s freedoms in the name of preserving the environment. But there will always be more people that just don’t care. At least that is what I think to be the case.

Yes, technology can create waste, byproducts, and harm us in ways we probably haven’t even determined yet. An example of this is the effects of cell phones on the brain. Cell phones are new enough that it is impossible to really know whether there will be long term negative effects by all the electromagnetic fields that are created from cell phones. The World Health Organization believes that cell phones might be found to be very dangerous years from now. But are the warnings about cell phones a real concern to most people? Absolutely not because people LOVE the convenience of them. In fact cell phones for kids are more popular than ever as even children are asking for them at increasingly younger ages. It is a trend that just can’t be stopped!

The fact is that people WANT to fly on planes, drive cars, travel on trains, and do all the things that traveling around the world requires. They want to take part in all the modern conveniences that have become available to them in the last 50 to 100 years and most really don’t care that much about pollution. I think the largest segment of people on Earth will always be those that are living for today and are not concerned about tomorrow. Perhaps that is a sad commentary but we are at heart a selfish people.

Tourism is a bigger world industry today than it has ever been and that is due to the modern inventions that make travel easier. Many countries are seeing first hand how helpful tourism can be to their economies and it is unlikely that many of them will willingly do things that will harm this new trend. Yes, some may create Eco-friendly beaches, forests, or whatever but most will do anything to bring in the dollars. More money today is just too tempting.

Tags: environment

The only way, in my humble opinion, to reduce the negative effect on the environment by people travelling to far off holiday resorts is to stop them travelling in the first place. Although the tourist will inadvertentally damage the environment whilst travelling, he does bring economic benefits to the country he visits and, as many of the more exotic holiday resorts have little industry to boost their economies, any planned reduction of tourism would really hurt the people of these countries.

Travelling on holiday and business will damage the environment, as will international trade with the resulting movement of goods. I have a business selling gifts with the customer’s coat of arms and I send these all over the world. The packages containing the coat of arms gifts travel by ‘plane, which damages the ozone during the flight. However, to stop me sending my coats of arms in order to minimise the damage to the ozone layer will instead damage my business.

I suggest that a better way to minimise damage to the environment is to concentrate on other ways to reduce environmental damage such as the introduction of electric cars and improving the insulation of homes in cold climates, both of which will reduce the amount of fossil fuel that is burnt. I will happily drive an electric car, thereby reducing my personal carbon footprint, if it enables my business to continue to send coats of arms products to customers around the world.

The only thing that holds me back from seeing the entire world is the fact that I just can’t afford it.  I caught a break with this last trip to the Arctic Ocean as I was able to fund it entirely with my income tax refund.  I made a car donation at the beginning of the year that qualified me for a substantial deduction that upped my return quite significantly.  It’s really a good feeling to be able to give to charitable cause and essentially get paid by the government to do so.  It’s truly a win, win!  Now I’m trolling about other non-profit organizations tryign to determine where my next donation in-kind should go so I can get another sizable deduction for next year’s return.  I think French Polynesia is definitely in my future!

Believe it or not, using paper currency or traveler’s checks incur the most fees to the traveler; you can lose anywhere from 5% to 10% in conversion fees and other charges. So if you were thinking about trading in your US Dollars for Euros before your trip, don’t bother. Pack your plastic instead.

By using a credit or debit card, your fees will be much less. The standard percentage charged by the international networks is 1%. Credit card processing banks will also tack on their own fee, just because they can, but it’s rarely more than an additional 2%. And if you travel overseas quite frequently, you might want to open up a Capital One card. At this time, they do not tack on a surcharge for international purchases.

Be sure that the foreign merchant charges you in the foreign currency and not in US Dollars. Some merchants use this as a scam to charge a horrible exchange rate to make money and you wouldn’t be the wiser.

If you do end up needing paper currency when you are traveling, use your debit card at the ATM. Some banks just charge a flat fee for a foreign withdrawal no matter how much money you take out. If you open a debit card with Citi, they have ATMs in many foreign countries and do not charge a transaction fee when you use them.

So when you’re traveling, don’t forget that to save some money, leave the cash at home.