By Ethan Gelber

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The lion is one of the Big Five found in Kruger National Park, the country’s largest game reserve and a superb place for a safari (photo courtesy of South African Tourism)

The clock’s ticking. Every hour we move closer to 4pm South Africa time on 11 June 2010, when the World Cup 2010 kicks off in Johannesburg’s Soccer City Stadium. The anticipation is palpable, but so is the growing frustration and sometimes anger about the absurd room rates and out-of-focus travel opportunities in a country driven by high expectations.

So what are you to do? Are there reasonably priced accommodation options anywhere in South Africa? How can one find exciting and responsible travel options beyond the pomp of a month of games? And, as we’ve written about already, is there any way of ensuring that some of the money spent will be fairly distributed, so that the inflated profits benefit as wide a cross-section of people as possible, not just the already rich and powerful?
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Posted under General, South Africa, countries, local tips, responsible organisations, responsible travel, responsible travel news, whl.travel newsletter

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

By Ethan Gelber

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At the July 2009 whl.travel Asia-Pacific Regional conference, Teamworkz Consulting was officially recognised as the whl.travel Franchisee of the Year 2008-2009 for its work in Vientiane, Laos. Teamworkz, which also owns and operates five other sites in Laos and seven in Thailand, could just as easily have earned its laurels for its labours in Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng, both also in Laos.

Teamworkz Consulting accepting its accolades as Franchisee of the Year 2008-2009 at the whl.travel Asia Pacific regional conference. Left to right are: Rob Shortland, whl.travel Asia Pacific Regional Director; Anne Done, Lee Sheridan and Mouk of Teamworkz; Len Cordiner, CEO of WHL Group

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Posted under General, Laos, Thailand, Turkey, Vanuatu, awards, countries, responsible organisations, responsible travel news, whl.travel news, whl.travel newsletter

Go face to trunk with Thailand’s magnificent elephants at Ayuthaya, an historical village 86km north of Bangkok. Living alongside traditional Thai mahouts (elephant trainers) and their families, guests are assigned to older retired elephants for the duration of their stay and are responsible for all of those elephants’ needs.

By Annabelle Burns

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The author bonding with Loong Sap

Turning into the driveway of the Ayutthaya Elephant Palace and Royal Kraal for the second time in 10 months, I feel an excitement rising that is now well beyond butterflies. Will she remember me? They say that elephants never forget, but dear old Loong Sap has met so many people in her 68 years. I don’t mind either way, but I just can’t wait to see her beautiful face, her proud and dignified forehead. To caress her gorgeous wrinkly trunk and flappy ears. To peer and wink into her all-seeing, all-knowing eyes.

The tuk-tuk stops. Eva Narkiewicz is there to greet us. She and her partner Michelle Reedy left Australia three years ago to dedicate themselves to running the wonderful Elephantstay program, giving visitors an incredible opportunity to immerse themselves in a Thai elephant village. All around I see the familiar yet incredible sight of dozens of elephants – old retired ones, middle-aged workers and the cheeky youngsters – all going about their daily routines with their mahouts (traditional elephant trainers) and the guests who are here to help.

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Posted under Thailand, countries, responsible organisations, responsible travel, whl.travel newsletter

What do you get when you bring together more than 25 local travel experts from the Asia-Pacific region with the international whl.travel team? An awesome burst of organisational creativity that has reaffirmed to all who attended the whl.travel Asia Pacific Regional Conference that we’re on the right path to something amazing.

The group comes together at the end of several long days of work

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Posted under General, Vietnam, countries, whl.travel news, whl.travel newsletter

By Laura Fornadel

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They’re certainly not hidden from sight. Jettisoned by their enormous power, towering rainbow-spangled plumes of mist carry spray over the Tríplice Fronteira (Triple Frontier) where Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay meet. Hundreds of hotels in the vicinity serve the interests of travellers from all across the planet who come to gawk at them.

The Floriano Falls at Foz do Iguassu

‘They’, of course, are the small piece of heaven in Foz do Iguassu (also written Foz do Iguaçu), the fourth largest city in the Paraná state of Brazil. And no, we don’t mean the city’s Buddhist Temple or the Omar Ibn Al-Khattab mosque (the largest outside the Middle East), but, rather, a spectacular natural wonder and the area’s number one attraction: the massive and thundering Iguassu Falls. Once you’ve laid your eyes on these awe-inspiring cascades, you’ll certainly understand why.

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

By Ethan Gelber

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OK, I’ll just come out and say it: The best thing that ever happened to world tourism was the global financial crisis.

That probably comes across as terribly impolitic or obnoxiously cavalier. Is it really a good thing that a massive economic contraction has led to thousands of lost jobs and punishing reductions in foreign currency flows to countries that rely heavily on income from tourism? Well, put in those terms, of course it isn’t. But I also believe this is an unfair representation and that, ultimately, other gauges – those harder to quantify – will show that the worldwide slowdown benefited us all.
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Posted under General, opinion, responsible travel, whl.travel newsletter

Cape Verde is a fascinating country – an amazing group of islands and mesh of cultures – located about 700km west of Senegal. Still relatively unknown to many travellers, Cape Verde has however been attracting more and more attention, especially from Europeans, who can reach it by plane in only four hours from Lisbon, Portugal. Other flights by TACV Cabo Verde Airlines now also arrive regularly from Africa and the Americas.

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Posted under Cape Verde, General, countries, local tips, 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