How can travel agents promote responsible travel?

Traveling with a purpose

by Shelley Seale

One of the biggest trends these days is “going green” – that is, living in a way that lessens impact on the planet and moves from a mentality of consumerism to that of sustainability. And the greening of America presents both a debate and a huge opportunity in the travel industry.

According to The International Ecotourism Society, ecotourism is growing at three times the rate of traditional vacationing, increasing annually up to 30 percent. Ecotourism is about uniting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel – in other words, leaving a smaller footprint in the places we travel, both on nature and the people who live there. Travelers are growing increasingly interested in more sustainable experiences, and not only out of a sense of guilt or responsibility.

Traveling in a way that respects the environment; gives something back to the indigenous communities rather than merely taking away or, even worse, exploiting. Responsible travel immerses the traveler in the local culture creates deeper, far more enriching experiences.

There is a vast difference between a trip in which you dutifully leave your chain hotel, follow the tour guide to the “must-see” sites which are seen through the viewfinder of the camera, and watch local life pass by outside the windows of the tour bus; and a trip to the same destination where you stay in a locally-run inn, meet people who actually live there and ask them where to eat or shop, and explore leisurely – perhaps even being willing to get lost. As Henry Miller wrote, “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.”

The benefits of traveling in such a way long outlast the trip itself; the traveler is left with far more than just the photographs, and this is highly appealing to a growing number of people. Itineraries that include homestays, language lessons, visits to local artisan villages, cooking or surfing classes, and volunteering abound.

How can travel agents and tour operators take advantage of this trend to grow their business, and fulfill customers’ needs, while making sure their own practices are truly responsible and sustainable?

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) provides the following guidelines for those who wish to implement and participate in ecotourism activities:
• minimize impact
• build environmental and cultural awareness and respect
• provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts
• provide direct financial benefits for conservation
• provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people
• raise sensitivity to host countries’ political, environmental, and social climate

It is clear that consumer interest in sustainable travel is high, but for many in the industry the question remains: Is it feasible? Kelly Bricker, Executive Director of TIES, emphatically believes it is. “Ecotourism has proven its place in the world, that if done well and with principles in place, it is one of many solutions to biodiversity conservation and wise use of resources around the globe,” says Bricker. “I think we all hope that when we leave, some place, community, or person, is a little bit better off because of efforts we achieved together and ideas we implemented to make things work in a sustainable way.”

Tourism businesses, including hotels, tour operators and travel agents can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability by meeting the standards for social and environmental practices that have been created by leading certification programs such as those offered by TIES or another similar group, Sustainable Travel International (STI). Both are non-profit organizations that provide education and resources for travel providers, and develop sustainable tourism standards. Worldwide, there are more than fifty such certification programs for ecotourism, and more are being created every year.

The Sustainable Tourism Conference, initiated by Rainforest Alliance, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Foundation, and the United Nations World Tourism Organization, launched the Sustainable Tourism Criteria in October 2008. These criteria will serve as the minimum standard that any tourism business should aspire to reach in order to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural resources while ensuring tourism meets its potential as a tool for poverty alleviation. TIES is planning to launch its first workshop on implementing the GSTC at the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference 2009 to be held in Portland, Oregon.

Shelley Seale is a freelance writer based out of Seattle and Austin, but she vagabonds in any part of the world whenever possible. Her forthcoming book, The Weight of Silence, follows her journeys into the orphanages, streets and slums of India where millions of children live without families. Her mantra is “travel with a purpose.” You can reach her at www.shelleyseale.com

Melting glaciers threaten Peru

Melting glaciers threaten Peru

Thousands of people in the Andes mountains of Peru are having their lives affected in both a practical and cultural way by climate change, which is causing the region's glaciers to melt.

This is already having a major impact of some aspects of life for the people who live in the mountains - and the government of the country is worried that the situation could get much worse.

In the last three decades, Peruvian glaciers have lost almost a quarter of their area.

"This is an indicator which gave us some concern on how the future was going to be on these tropical glaciers," Patricia Iturregui, head of the Climate Change Unit of Peru's National Council for the Environment, told BBC World Service's One Planet programme.
"All our estimations on the basis of this data are that in the next 10 years the top tropical glaciers of Peru - and eventually other Andean countries - above 5,500 metres will disappear if climate conditions remain as the last 10 years."

Nasa fears

The most immediate threat is coming from the change to water supplies in the area.
During the dry season, river water comes exclusively from the glaciers, which melt naturally at that time of year. They then replenish themselves in the wet season.
But this balance has been upset - the glaciers are melting faster than they can replenish themselves. As they thaw, dozens of new lakes have spread all over the highland.

A recent report by US space agency Nasa suggested that a large chunk of ice in the area could break off and fall into one of these lakes, triggering a devastating flood.
Satellites had detected a crack in the glacier overlooking Lake Palcacocha.
One city under threat would be Huaraz, with a population of 100,000. The news from Nasa came as a very worrying shock to many in the city.

"We were all very worried in my family - we packed suitcases with clothes and blankets," Joana, one of the citizens of Huaraz, told One Planet.
"We warned our relatives to be prepared."

Risk assessment

Some scientists dispute Nasa's claims. Mario Giva, of the Peruvian National Institute for Natural Resources, said that it was "necessary for some work in the field to determine whether there is sufficient evidence of any imminent danger".

Nevertheless, Nasa is currently in conversation with the Peruvian Government over these findings, which is drawing up plans to respond to the risks posed by the melting glaciers.
"We need to make an important effort to plan disaster management and prevention of risks in the future," Ms Iturregui said.

"The most important measures to be taken are to organise local communities and to organise an institutional framework able to respond to these adverse effects."
She added that an assessment of water resources available in the future was currently under way.

"We are in the process of desertification," stressed Ms Iturregui.
"The retreat of the glaciers is definitely going to mean a shortfall in the water supply in years to come."

Tourism threat

Some in Huarez itself recall when, in 1941, a chunk of ice did melt off - and destroyed around a third of the city, killing between 5,000 and 7,000 people.
But the melting glaciers are also causing other problems.

The deluge is proving too much for some of the canals - some of which are many years old - that supply the farms and mills in the central region.
Conversely, the fact that the glaciers are not replenishing themselves is also a potential threat to life in the region, as in the dry season they are the sole source of fresh water.
And there are further impacts on the lives of people in the mountains.

"Now, glaciers are sliding over the bedrock," said glacier expert Cecil Portocarrero.
"This is causing problems - not only for water resources but also for tourism, for climbers."

'Healing water' banned

Meanwhile some ancient spiritual traditions are also under threat.
Every year thousands of people from across the Andes flock to the Sinakara glacial mountain to attend the Qoyllur Rit'i religious festival.

Catholic tradition believes that the Christ child appeared in 1870 to a shepherd boy named Marianito Mayta. Ever since, pilgrims have believed that Christ lives in the rock.
And for the Incas - and other civilisations that preceded them - mountains were gods to be honoured, as they supplied water and controlled the weather.

Many people come down from the glacier with pieces of ice, as they believe the ice can cure them of illness.
"They think it acts like a medicine - like a sacred water," explained mountain guide Feri Coba.
"Perhaps at home someone is not feeling well. They will drink it and they will be cured."

Ritual ending

This year, because of concerns about melting, the Pablitos - the guardians of the Qoyllur Rit'i ceremony - have stopped the ice being taken away.

"We decided to eliminate this part of a ritual because we are concerned about the glacier," explained one Pablito. "We have taken this decision to protect the ice."
The decision has upset many pilgrims.

"The glaciers were bigger - when I first came here this particular one reached around 200 metres down," one said.

"In a few years' time we might not have any ice. I don't know where the Andean people will be able to go for their rituals."

Downhill mountainbiking in Colca canyon

by the Colca Specialist

Definitively true! Colca valley and Colca canyon are wonderful places for mountainbiking. Today I would like to share with you pictures of my last mountainbiking event presented by Planet X Adventures called KAMIKAZE NITRO XT-2010 DOWNHILL COLCA CANYON.
This was the fourth time I descended Colca Canyon on a mountainbike.
received any kind of financial aid from the local authorities. Nothing is done to diffuse sports to the young people neither to create new touristic circuits in Cabanaconde.
All the events done were sponsored by private companies. None of these events In this event the downhill team was compound by Guillermo Rendón, John Medina Rendón, Edison “Chiqui” Gomosio and the dutch cyclist Esther Visscher.
Pablo Masías Nuñez del Prado, director of the TV program Pureq Runa was one of the guests of this important event.
The circuit goes from Cabanaconde and then it goes down to Soro area, which is a small communa inside Colca Canyon.
The views are really amazing and the views of the canyon are not the same as the ones seen on the area of the condor cross.
The trail we used to go down is a dirt road wide enough for a van or a small truck.
It´s not technical at all and you can go as fast as you can.
Words cannot describe the experience we had in this places.
It is a wonderful circuit. You can go downhill with your mountainbike until the bed of the river and then you can go walking to Soro or to Llahuar which is close. Mountainbiking and trekking. Fantastic.
Don´t hesitate and take this tour! If you really love nature and adventure this is the right option for you! Kodak time!

In this picture we can see Pablo Masías Nuñez del Prado and Guillermo Rendón ,the most famous and controversial downhill mountainbiker in Arequipa. Don´t confuse him with Darth Vader!

The new generation participated in this event,here we can see John Alexis Medina, a downhill mountainbiker from Arequipa.

The views of the Colca Canyon are spectacular. The place has no comparison with the condor cross that in the last years turn into "the condor marketplace". No noisy groups,no vendors. Fantastic!

The dutch cyclist Esther Visscher having a great time in the Colca Canyon !

Edison "chiqui"Gomosio ,the most popular mountainbiking guide from Cabanaconde showing his skills to the cameraman from peruvian TV program Pureq Runa.

More impressive views of the majestic Colca Canyon: the condors realm!

Here we can see the dirt trail wide enough to run safely! This circuit is marvelous.We don´t understand why the majors of Cabanaconde do nothing to publish more information about this circuit.

Pablo Masias the director of the TV program Pureq Runa and his cameraman Rodolfo enjoying the views of Colca Canyon!

Edison "Chiqui" Gomosio posing condor style for a picture !

Wow! This picture was taken seconds before the fall...

The broom car coming to pick up the mountainbikers...

A nice view of Colca River,in the area close to Soro.

Kodak Time for Esther Visscher! This pictures would never be forgotten!

Now we are going up in the broom car back to Cabanaconde...The adventure was great and we will come back again for another adventure!

A wonderful view of Cabanaconde, we hope you have enjoyed these pics and we invite you to come with us the next time!

Flamingoes of Peru

MARIANA VALQUI

Three of the world's six species of flamingoes can be found in Peru, the most flamingo species seen in any country on Earth (but tied with Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina). In some cases the most common of the three, the Chilean Flamingo, can be seen in flocks of hundreds or even a few thousand quite close to cities and sites that already are visited by travelers. Specifically, there often are hundreds of Chilean Flamingoes in the shallow bays in the northern section of the Paracas National Reserve. Additionally, there are hundreds or thousands of Chilean Flamingoes, as well as small numbers of the other two, the James's and the Andean Flamingoes, in the extensive salt flats known as "Aguada Blanca", about two hours northeast of the extremely attractive tourist city of Arequipa in the southern Andes of Peru.

The latter two species, the James's and Andean, are represented by only about 50,000 and 35,000 birds, respectively, making them the world's rarest and most endangered of all flamingoes. These population estimates are quite precise and are the result of a four-nation, cooperative flamingo conservation program first organized in 1996 by the Peruvian conservation group, Peru Verde. The program, which is known as The Conservation Group for Flamingoes of the High Andes, has successfully organized simultaneous flamingo counts by trained teams from northern Chile, southwestern Bolivia, northwestern Argentina, and southern Peru. This program has for the first time yielded accurate estimates of the global populations of the two threatened species, which live over a California -or Germany- sized area in the south-central Andes.

Birders and biologists argue about which of the three species of flamingoes found in Peru is the most beautiful. The wide variety of ornate feathers of the various species run from light pink to hot pink to salmon-colored to purplish to burgundy, and each species has a different amount of black on the flight feathers. I am sure which species I find most beautiful -Whichever one I am watching at a given moment!.

The nuptial dances of all the world's flamingoes are some of the most amazing displays in all the animal kingdom. These dances involve several dozen (up to 50 or 100 in some cases) of the brilliantly-colored birds bunching together like bright pink carnations in a flower vace and tiptoeing together slowly across the lake. As they move magically with their patented moonwalk, they swing their heads from left to right in unison like windup toy soldiers addressing their commanding general. This behavior occurs with greatest frecuency in some high Andean lakes in December and January.

Wherever you watch flamingoes, please ensure that you and your guide do not approach the animals too fast or too closely, as this will force them to fly, as happens all too often in the case of the Paracas flocks. Flamingoes that have to fly constantly to escape thoughtless travelers lose valuable feeding time, which leaves them weak and underweight, thus reducing their chances of successful breeding and survival of high Andean cold fronts.

* MARIANA VALQUI HAASE,
has graduated as an Environmental Scientist from the University of Virginia, USA. Researcher of macaws, monkeys and other wildlife in the Amazon of Peru, Brazil and Bolivia. She is founder of the Peruvian conservation group Perú Verde. www.peruverde.org