By Jacqueline Baleon

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Located in the Ejido (communal land) of El Rosario, only 45 minutes to the south of La Paz (the capital of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur), is the lonely Cactus Sanctuary (Santuario de los Cactus), in which 50 hectares of parkland have been divided into 50 distinct areas to preserve cacti and endemic plants found only in this part of the globe.

Signs throughout the Cactus Sanctuary of Baja California Sur, Mexico, share information about this unique plant preserve

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

By Paul Tavner

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The Indian subcontinent, stretching from the snow-capped Himalayas in the north to the white sandy coves of Kanyakumari in the south, is one of world’s most popular destinations for travellers in search of diverse experiences. After all, South Asian countries have a distinct energy that combines the spiritual, natural, cultural and human.

Travellers make their way to a Himalayan destination on yak back, accompanied by local guides

The pace of life in South Asia, particularly some of the larger cities, can seem chaotic and disorienting, sometimes even overwhelming to newcomers. While this feeling is usually assuaged after a short period of acclimation, many people still prefer to plan a visit in advance, thereby minimising the sense of first-arrival confusion and dislocation. Fortunately, these people are finding recourse in the growing number of businesses offering their services online.
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Posted under General, India, Nepal, countries, responsible organisations, responsible travel, whl.travel newsletter

By Carmelina Ricciardello

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This article was first published by our friends at The International Ecotourism Society, who have agreed to its republication here.
View the original article on their Your Travel Choice blog.

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On the geographical map of Italy, at the bottom of the peninsula, lies the island of Sicily, which looks like a football being kicked away by the boot of the Italian peninsula. This might be the heartfelt wish of some Italians, mainly because of the island’s historic link with the mafia. I live in a quiet little village of Sant’Ambrogio, just five kilometres from a bustling tourist town. Founder of Sicilian Experience, I’m a firm believer that Sicily can become known as a haven for ecotourism and sustainable tourism opportunities, rather than for its Il Padrino (The Godfather) reputation.

Coastal view of Sant’Ambrogio e Rocca

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

By Michelle Rodrigues

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As the world continues to see greater numbers of travellers, locally owned and small travel products are often not able to keep up the pace with Internet advances. Today tourists often prefer to search and book online and this phenomenon is cutting out small operators who do not have the skills or the soft infrastructure (photographs and quality written content) to participate on the Web.

Locals participate in the harvest of the blue agave, the key ingredient required for the production of tequila

A World Heritage Site is a place recongised by the World Heritage Centre, administered by UNESCO, with a significant cultural and physical importance. Tequila, Mexico is one of these places. WHL Consulting is working in Tequila with the Consejo Regulador del Tequila in support of La Ruta del Tequila to build the capacity of small and locally owned tourism products in and around the World Heritage Site of Tequila, Mexico, original source of the popular alcoholic beverage.

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Posted under General, Mexico, countries, responsible organisations, whl.travel news

On 8 February, the body of Chrystel Cancel was positively identified, nearly a month after the devastating earthquakes in Haiti levelled the Hotel Montana on top of her. She had only had just arrived in Port-au-Prince. We pay tribute to her here because she was a trusted part of our family.

Chrystel Cancel grew up in Toulouse, France. After earning both a Bachelors and Masters degree in Business Administration from the University of Toulouse, Chrystel graduated from the University of Paris in 1999 with another Masters in Political Science, specialising in developing countries. A passion for travel, adventure and international development led her to Washington, DC, where she obtained a Masters in Tourism Administration from the George Washington University in 2006.

Chrystel spent the majority of her career as a dedicated sustainable tourism consultant leaving her lasting legacy on a variety of projects around the world.

We will never be able to give voice to the thousands of people Chrystel touched, both directly and indirectly. We hope that a few short remarks from some of the people with whom she worked will impart a sense of her spirit, her character… and the empty space we now feel in her absence.

See below for short tributes to Chrystel from:

• Len Cordiner, CEO of the WHL Group
• Zachary Rozga, CEO of WHL Consulting
• Simon Jones, Vice President of Solimar International
• Sandrine-Pia Casto, General Manager of Tucaya Panama

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Posted under General, opinion, responsible organisations, responsible traveller, whl.travel newsletter

By Pedro Paulo Capelossi

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Every year, people travel to Fernando de Noronha, a group of islands off the coast of Brazil, to meet some of the archipelago’s most famous residents: spinner dolphins.

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

By Ethan Gelber

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As a follow-up to our blog post about how you can help Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquake, the most urgent plea at the moment is for temporary shelter for estimated one million homeless and displaced people.

Information from people actively helping to direct donations to the right places have relayed a call made by the United Nations Office of Humanitarian Assistance for 200,000 tents. By some estimates, less than 5% of what is needed has made it to people on the ground.

To help with this effort, Partners in Health, a non-profit medical charity that has been working in Haiti for for more than 20 years to build local medical capacity, has set up a special Web page for everyone able to donate money specifically for tents and bedding (sleeping pads, blankets and lightweight sleeping bags).

Donating cash is by far and away the best way to help. Partners in Health is not able to handle in-kind donations, generous though they are.

Posted under General, Haiti, countries

By Ethan Gelber

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Michelle Rodrigues, who works for the WHL Group in Miami, USA, is the newest TIES Travel Ambassador

One week ago, The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) announced Michelle Rodrigues as its newest Travel Ambassador. Michelle, born and raised in New York City but now resident in Florida, USA, is also a project manager and content editor for the WHL Group in its North America and the Caribbean Regional Office currently based in Miami.

Promoting Responsible Travel

The Travel Ambassador Program is a brainchild of TIES, “the world’s oldest and largest international ecotourism association,” which plays a pivotal role as a “global source of knowledge and advocacy uniting communities, conservation and sustainable travel.”

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Posted under General, responsible organisations, responsible traveller, whl.travel news, whl.travel newsletter

By Maureen Valentine

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The diamonds that were once harvested from the national park of the Chapada Diamantina (or Diamond Highlands) are only the tip of a precious natural resource iceberg in the northeast Brazilian state of Bahia. In fact, until recently, Chapada Diamantina was perhaps Brazil’s best-kept secret, trade from tourism having been on the rise only since it became an official national park in 1985.

Brazil's Chapada Diamantina landscape is known for the mesa-like features called 'tepuis'. In the Pati Valley (pictured here), hikers are rewarding to stunning vistas over the national park after a bit of serious legwork.

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

By Ethan Gelber

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The devastation and tragedy are heart-wrenching following the 7.3 earthquake that leveled most of Port-au-Price, Haiti. The dispiriting pictures and tales of loss reach to the depth of our sorrow, just as the living, breathing bodies pulled from the rubble are reason for quiet celebration.

People, injured and afraid, on the streets of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, following the earthquake (photo courtesy of Lambi Fund for Haiti)

I watch in horror, helpless from my distant perch (Sydney, Australia) but committed in whatever trifling ways open to me, reminded of just how thin the thread is that keeps us all safe on a sometimes merciless planet that, with a simple shrug, is able to wreak so much havoc. I was resident (albeit not present) in Sri Lanka at the time of the tsunami five years ago. I hastened home to Colombo a week later to do what I could then. What I feel today is laced with the anger and frustration of that time.

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Posted under General, Haiti, countries