whl.travel moves from strength to strength in the two regions, with local coverage spanning 60 live destinations in 31 countries

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The St. Nicholas Church at Malostranske Namesti in Prague’s Lesser Town is the stunning backdrop of the Europe and Middle East regional office of whl.travel

whl.travel is a global online travel-booking network that began as a pilot project of the International Finance Corporation, or IFC (a member of the World Bank Group), helping unique, locally owned travel product gain access to international markets. whl.travel, now a private company, has since become a springboard for independent consumers headed off the beaten path and yearning to travel with local businesses, no matter how small, and especially those making socially responsible and sustainable decisions about their destinations, often in the developing world.

As of late December 2009, the whl.travel network spans nearly 200 live destinations in 85 countries, with another 100 or so under construction, including 10 new countries.

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Posted under General, responsible travel, responsible travel news, whl.travel news

Following the successful completion of a Balkan Hotel Market Access Program, independent travellers exploring the Balkans can now research, plan and book their trips online through locally owned and operated travel websites.

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The Stari Most (Old Bridge) of Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina, spans the Neretva River. Originally built during the Ottoman era, it was destroyed during the Bosnian-Herzegovian War and then rebuilt according to the old design and using as much of the recovered original stone as possible. The bridge and surrounding historic neighbourhoods are now a World Heritage Site.

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Posted under Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, General, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, countries, media, responsible travel, whl.travel news, whl.travel newsletter

whl.travel helps independent travellers book accommodation and tours in Samoa that really benefit the local community

By Ethan Gelber

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[Editorial note: Please read a post-tsunami update from Nynette in Samoa. If you would like to support relief efforts, follow the link to the Red Cross of New Zealand current appeals page.]

Nynette Sass shows all of the bold spirit, but none of the impudence, suggested by her surname. From her first talofa lava (greetings to you) of the day, her gusto is contagious, especially when she talks about her native Samoa. This is unabashedly a good thing for the CEO of the Samoa Hotels Association (SHA), a board member of the Samoan Umbrella of Non-Government Organizations and chairman of the Private Sector Support Facility. In a country where tourism represents approximately 25% of GDP and is expanding, she is very much the right person in the right place at the right time.

Nynette Sass in front of her Samoa Hotels Association office

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Posted under General, Samoa, countries, responsible organisations, responsible travel, whl.travel newsletter

Albania Discovered – The Future Is Looking Bright

Setting Your Responsible Sights on the Southern Balkans

By Luke Ford
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Once a well-kept secret, Albania is on the verge of being ‘discovered’ by tourists. Until 1992 a communist country closed off to the rest of the world, Albania has only recently seen greater numbers of foreign travellers venture down to its southern Balkan corner of Europe, bringing with them suitcases of western brands and influences. Not to be discouraged though, and despite a growing number of Mercedes-Benzes, Coca-Colas and Mai Tai cocktails, the country remains very Albanian. Quaint mountain villages indifferent to modern development in the cities, which also retain their own unique charm, give rise to incredible travel experiences that you would be hard pressed to find elsewhere in Europe.

A look down Lake of Koman on the way to the Valbona Valley

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Posted under Albania, General, countries, local tips, responsible organisations, responsible travel, whl.travel newsletter

A Visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Look Beyond Its Recent Past to a Greener Present

By Ashley Hiemenz

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Hikers in the Bosnia and Herzegovina highlands above Trnovacko Lake

The ghost of recent violent times in the Balkans still haunts the region; few people give it priority consideration as a destination of choice for their next holidays, perhaps least of all places like post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina. The mere mention of Sarajevo and Mostar conjures up memories of the human and material devastation that occurred during the 1990s.

However, over the last decade or so, easing recriminations have allowed for significant developments and improvements to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s tourism infrastructure. Intrepid travellers tempted to try something new have been thrilled to discover an incredible country of stunning and pristine nature, a fascinating blend of cultures including some of the oldest traditional practices in Europe, friendly people, UNESCO World Heritage sites and world-famous Balkan cuisine. For city enthusiasts, Sarajevo, the capital, is a cosmopolitan centre with trendy bars and cafes, while nature mavens will find in the surrounding mountains and countryside countless escapes and excursions.
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Posted under Bosnia and Herzegovina, General, countries, local tips, responsible organisations, responsible travel, whl.travel newsletter

Keeping Montenegro Pristine

Using Sustainable Tourism to Get Back on the Map

By Ethan Gelber

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I’m always favourably surprised by how many people have heard of Montenegro. For such a Lilliputian nation, it seems to have outsized celebrity, although, sadly, still seldom as a place worthy of holiday consideration. Having been an attractive vacation retreat as recently as the 1980s, Montenegro until just a few years ago had fallen off the radar as a tourist destination for anyone outside the region. Despite remaining more or less aloof during the Balkan hostilities of the 1990s, Montenegro’s tourist infrastructure and reputation suffered as did the entire region’s: gutted by a decade of flying bullets and political barbs.

Montenegro Adventures and Green Visions guides atop Bobotov Kuk

Today, however, Montenegro is at last reaching new travel audiences. Unlike some of its neighbours – Montenegro shares borders with Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo and Albania – Montenegro declared its independence in 2006 without its armed forces firing a shot, which sent a clear positive message to travellers. Even before then Montenegro had felt free to pursue an agenda that included redeveloping tourism assets and services throughout the country.

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Posted under General, Montenegro, countries, responsible organisations, responsible travel, whl.travel newsletter

Nepal Launches the First of two Locally-Owned Travel-Booking Portals

A longer PDF version of this announcement is available as a download.

Independent travellers to Nepal and hoteliers in Kathmandu have both celebrated the early-April launch of www.kathmanduhotel-link.com. A locally owned and operated travel-booking portal, it propels Kathmandu-based small- and medium-sized tourism operators into the global e-marketplace.

“This initiation of connecting local hoteliers to the international market will aid in the promotion of Nepal’s beautiful destinations and unique products,” said the Prachanda Man Shrestha, CEO of the Nepal Tourism Board. “Nepal Tourism Board applauds…this endeavour that will certainly help the tourism of the country in the long run.”

www.kathmanduhotel-link.com is the 156^th locally managed destination website brought to the public by whl.travel, the global grassroots travel network catering to independent and responsible travellers. The Kathmandu website is also the first of two currently planned for Nepal and the 14^th travel portal in South Asia, adding to others in India, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

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Posted under General, Nepal, countries, new local connections, whl.travel news