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 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

SIEN ONDER VIR DIE BOODSKAP IN AFRIKAANS / SEE BELOW FOR THIS MESSAGE IN AFRIKAANS

Notable as the locations of some of Africa’s preeminent water-sport destinations, Port Elizabeth and Addo National Park lie halfway between Cape Town and Durban on South Africa’s Eastern Cape. With a moderate climate and pleasant temperatures all year round, Port Elizabeth – more affectionately known as P.E. or the Friendly City by locals – and the surrounding region also offer exciting activities to terrestrial sports enthusiasts, nature lovers and history buffs alike.

Traditional wear in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, is still regularly seen. These two ladies are a prime example of the Xhosa heritage common throughout the province and in cities like Port Elizabeth.

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

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

Image/text by Elsie C. Orabona, whl.travel local connection
in Ubatuba, Brazil

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That’s a hawksbill turtle. With its namesake hawk-like bill, it is considered one of the most beautiful of the five marine turtle species encountered in Brazilian waters. It is a superb animal and can live more than 60 years. Unfortunately, already critically endangered, it will one day be extinct if people continue to kill them for food or for their shells (used to manufacture combs and eyeglasses).

The encounter shown above happened in Ubatuba, Brazil, during a dive. Our region is blessed with a lot of algae, fish, sponges and crustaceans that most marine turtles love to eat, so it’s very common for us to see them on our beaches and swimming around our snorkelling and dive sites. They are so sweet and move so gracefully underwater that they enchant almost every diver.

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Posted under Brazil, Photo of the Week, countries, responsible organisations

By Maureen Valentine

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Off Panama’s Pacific coast lies Isla Gobernadora, a peaceful and natural haven practically untouched by modern preoccupations. For the local inhabitants, primarily fishermen, island life tends to revolve around the seasons and tides, and the absence of roads and cars means that people get around by boats or boots. This hasn’t however prevented outsiders from beating a path to the famous surfing point of Santa Catalina or establishing a base for diving trips into Coiba National Park or nearby Isla Cebico.

Boats on the Isla Gobernadora shore await use in this ideal diving area. The beautiful waters of the Pacific off Panama draw some of the best divers in the world.

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Posted under General, Panama, countries, responsible organisations, responsible travel, responsible travel news, whl.travel newsletter

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

By Ethan Gelber

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The impact of the FIFA World Cup on tourism in South Africa will be big. Really big. As many as 500,000 visitors are expected to find their way to the Rainbow Nation in June of 2010, infusing the economy with a mighty jolt of energy and money.

In a gateway community in Southern Limpopo, South Africa, a woman weaves baskets. Travellers making local connections like this are what the Shared Growth Challenge Fund hopes to highlight.

But some people are already (wisely) asking what will happen when the trophies have been celebrated, the afterglow faded and media attention lifted. Well, the South African Tourist Board estimates that 300,000 more visitors than usual over the next five years will continue to respond to the hype of the first African country ever to host the world’s biggest sporting event.

While that’s very encouraging, a more long-term view of tourism development in South Africa suggests that it’s not far-sighted enough.
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Posted under South Africa, countries, responsible organisations, responsible travel, whl.travel news

Enigmatic, unspoiled and replete with smiling locals, Oman is an ideal destination for the intrepid traveller. Stretching across its perch at the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, the changing terrain of endless sand dunes, unique villages integrated into canyon walls and breathtaking beaches make Oman’s variety of attractions and distractions seem almost infinite. Even better, Oman’s network of new roads now allows access to pristine landscapes and some of Oman’s preserved treasures that were once relatively unreachable.

The construction of dhows, the same traditional trading vessels used in the area centuries ago, is a major industry in the city of Sur, a northeastern regional capital of Oman

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

By Ethan Gelber

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LEIA LOGO ABAIXO ESTA NOTICIA EM PORTUGUÊS / SEE BELOW FOR THIS MESSAGE IN PORTUGUESE

Some things make no sense at all, especially when it comes to politics and the environment. Far too often, years of careful consultative and democratic negotiation in favour of cultural and environmental conservation can be – and are too often – undone by the surreptitious and unilateral actions of a (perhaps) ill-informed and (sometimes) self-serving few.

Such appears to be the case today along the Emerald Coast of Brazil and adjacent islands (especially Ilha Grande), where a June 2009 decree signed by the governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro has relaxed 23-year-old environmental protections and now threatens the ecological sustainability of the entire area.

Ilha Grande recently received the title of the 'Second Wonder of the State of Rio de Janeiro' and has routinely been recognized as one of the world's most beautiful tourist destinations. Its beaches are certainly amongst the best in Brazil.

Fortunately, the sly changes in policy have not gone unnoticed. “Here in Brazil, we have many people and organizations mobilized to repeal that decree,” said Nélio Ricardo Aguiar, the whl.travel local connection in Ilha Grande.

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While the vocal opposition is building, so is support for their cause via an online petition calling for immediate revocation of the decree.

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