Member News & Profiles
Exotissimo Travel Working With TUI Nordic To Offer New Travel Options In Myanmar
May 21, 2013
Bangkok - Exotissimo Travel, Asia’s leading DMC and Scandinavian tour operator, TUI Nordic, are now working together in Myanmar to offer travel experiences that were previously unheard of. Blessed with stretches of untouched coastline, Myanmar is home to some of Asia’s most beautiful yet unvisited beaches, now within easy reach thanks to the ground services offered by Exotissimo. The recent partnership between EXO and TUI Nordic, whereby TUI Nordic will manage hotel contracts, has opened up regions such as Ngapali to a wide ranging audience that may not have previously considered Myanmar for their holiday. Ngapali Beach is a pristine seaside destination located on the stunning Bay of Bengal. It is easily accessible from Yangon and a short distance from Maung Shwe Lay, a small fishing community to the south clients can visit where the EXO Foundation runs a library project to improve educational facilities in the area (more information). Most travelers after visiting Yangon and Ngapali... Read More →
Member Press Releases Oceania
IAATO 24th Annual Meeting Concludes in Punta Arenas, Chile; Antarctic Tourism Statistics for 2012-13 Season Released
May 21, 2013
Providence, RI – A new five-year Strategic Plan, an expanded Membership and committee structure, and a new yacht dockside observer program were among the items adopted at the 24th Annual Meeting of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), held April 22-24 in Punta Arenas, Chile. IAATO also released its final tourism statistics for the 2012-13 season, which concluded in early April. The total number of tourists traveling with IAATO operators to Antarctica was 34,316, an increase from the previous season but not significantly different than 2009-10 and 2010-11 when totals were 36,881 and 33,824 respectively. Tourism continued well below the pace set during the 2007-08 season, when IAATO operators transported 45,213 visitors to the continent. Tourism estimates for next season, 2013-14, as provided by IAATO operators, were also released in Punta Arenas. Overall, tourism is expected to grow 3%, from 34,316 this past season to 35,354 across the various categories. More... Read More →
Member Press Releases Oceania
Search and Rescue Workshop Co-Sponsored by MRCC Chile and IAATO Results in Improved Emergency Planning and Communications
May 21, 2013
The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) and the Chilean Marine Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) today provided details on a joint Search and Rescue Workshop conducted last month in Punta Arenas, Chile. The full-day SAR seminar and interactive workshop was held April 25 in conjunction with the IAATO 24th Annual Meeting, which attracted more than 125 participants from 20 different countries to the three day gathering, April 22-24. The 75 workshop attendees included passenger ship captains, government rescue officials from Chile, Argentina and the United States, tour operators, logistics managers, expedition leaders, IAATO staff and others. Morning presentations were made by Admiral Ivan Valenzuela of the Chilean Navy; Michelle Rogan-Finnemore of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP); David Rootes, Environmental Manager of Adventure Network International-Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions; and Dr Kim Crosbie, Executive Director (elect)... Read More →
Member Press Releases
Conde Nast Chooses Journey Mexico’s Founder as Top Villa Specialist in 2013
May 21, 2013
Condé Nast Traveler, the world’s premier travel magazine, released their much anticipated Annual Guide to the World’s Top Villas Specialists in their March 2013 issue. Journey Mexico is proud to announce that Founder and President, Zachary Rabinor, has been awarded the title of Top Villa Specialist for Mexico. This thoughtfully hand-picked list is chosen by Wendy Perrin, the Director of Consumer News and Digital Community, who comments on the selection process: For sheer peace of mind, nothing beats the voice of authority. That’s why for the past eight years, we’ve been rigorously vetting villa rental agents around the world—renting from them, accompanying them on villa inspections, interviewing them extensively, and hearing feedback from readers. Getting on our list of top villa specialists means filling out a 47-question application and sending sample house books, checklists used to evaluate properties, and at least one client reference… …Forty-one agents made... Read More →
Member Press Releases
Immersion Journeys Awarded Two Travel Awards in the Month of May
May 21, 2013
Immersion Journeys, a cultural and adventure tour operator providing personalized leisure and academic trips to Africa and Asia, is pleased to announce that it received two travel awards in the month of May. The awards recognized Immersion Journeys’ innovative approach to engaging its clients with the culture and experience of a country. National Geographic Traveler For the second year in a row, National Geographic Traveler has chosen Immersion Journeys as one of its “50 Tours of a Lifetime,” which will be featured in their May 2013 issue and on their website. Through a competitive selection process, Immersion Journeys’ “East India: Temple Mythology and Mountain Peaks” was designated as one of the most authentic, most innovative, most immersive, best-guided, and most sustainable tours. “This year marks the 125th anniversary of the National Geographic Society. The tours we selected capture that spirit of exploration,” says executive editor Norie Quintos. “They... Read More →
Member Press Releases
Jordan Campbell’s New Documentary Film Chronicles Blindness and Peace in South Sudan
May 21, 2013
World Premiere of DUK COUNTY at Telluride Mountainfilm 2013, May 23 to 27 Boulder, CO. — After 40 years of civil war, John Dau, has seen his native country, South Sudan, ravaged and his life forever changed. In 1987, mercenaries sent by the Northern Sudanese Army forced Dau—then just 12 years old—and hundreds of other young boys to flee their home in Duk County, and most of Southern Sudan. The boys’ mass exodus swelled into tens of thousands as they reached Ethiopia and later Northern Kenya on foot with many dying of thirst, starvation, disease and wild animal attacks en route. Aptly branded the “Lost Boys of Sudan,” they scratched out their existence in refugee camps for more than a decade. In 2001, Dau was one of 3,800 “Lost Boys” who were relocated to the U.S. After building a life in Syracuse, N.Y., he returned to South Sudan and founded the Duk Lost Boys Clinic near his village in the heart of Duk County. Dau built the charitable medicine clinic to restore hope... Read More →
Member Press ReleasesNicaragua’s Environmental Pioneers Envision Sustainable Tourism In Tandem with Upscale Eco-Lodges
May 20, 2013
Eric and Carolina Poncon The owners of Morgan’s Rock Hacienda and Ecolodge on 4,500 acres in Playa Ocotal State, Nicaragua, announce plans over the next two years to create a second boutique lodge destination on a 5,000-acre coffee plantation surrounded by primary growth rainforest in the north of the country. Eric and Carolina Poncon envision their second upscale eco-lodge as yet another step in fulfilling their vision of putting their family lands to productive agriculture, forestry and tourism use – but only if it’s done sustainably. Instead of building mega resorts, which Eric Poncon says is not in the family’s DNA, their goal is to create self-sufficient, low-impact lodges that showcase each particular region through its land-based pursuits: agriculture, coffee and forestry. “If we wanted to have a more profitable, faster-return business we could have gone into real estate development. But that’s not in our collective vision,” says Poncon. Their concept surrounding the... Read More →
Member Press Releases
Eagle Creek, The Escondido Creek Conservancy and Outdoor Outreach Team Up For Service Day April 2013
May 20, 2013
San Diego, CA – As part of their continuing efforts to give back to the community, the staff at Eagle Creek wrapped another successful Service Day on April 18, 2013. Partnering with The Escondido Creek Conservancy (TECC), Eagle Creek worked with participants and staff from Outdoor Outreach (OO) to beautify their local natural resources. Service activities were concentrated in Elfin Forest, near Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve outside San Diego. The Service Day team, comprised of Eagle Creek staff, Outdoor Outreach participants and volunteers and TECC volunteers, worked on a myriad of needed activities, including sign installation, cable fencing installation, permanent installation of posts, invasive weed removal, trash clean-up, graffiti removal and vehicle access retention on the Cielo Norte property of Elfin Forest, which was recently acquired by TECC. Eagle Creek has been partnering with Outdoor Outreach for many years, but this is the first time they were able to work together in... Read More →
Member Press Releases
South African Airways and Etihad Airways Forge Strategic Partnership
May 20, 2013
South African Airways to codeshare on 12 Etihad Airways flights to Abu Dhabi and beyond Etihad Airways to have access to 10 cities in South Africa and African continent Airlines to explore joint procurement, training and maintenance opportunities Provision for reciprocal ‘earn and burn’ with frequent flyer programmes Johannesburg – South African Airways (SAA) and Etihad Airways have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) allowing the two airlines to introduce a comprehensive range of codeshare and interline air services as well as explore synergy and efficiency opportunities. Initially South African Airways will place its ‘SA’ code on 12 Etihad Airways destinations flying from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) national carrier’s Abu Dhabi home-base. Additional cities in the Middle East, Asia and India will be added as the necessary approvals are secured. In return Etihad Airways will place its ‘EY’ code on flights from Johannesburg to 10 SAA destinations across South... Read More →
Member Press Releases
The Road From Karakol Wins Top Award at 5Point Film Festival
May 20, 2013
Sponsored by Outdoor Research, film about Kyle Dempster’s solo trip to Kyrgyzstan was never intended to be a film in the first place. SEATTLE, Wash. – Faced with uncertainty in everything from perilous river crossings to tense encounters at military checkpoints, alpinist Kyle Dempster turned to his POV camera to maintain a video journal during a solo bike and climbing trip through remote parts of Kyrgyzstan in 2011. The camera gave him a place to reflect on the intensity of the journey – one where he didn’t see anyone else for weeks at points during the trip. When he was in Kyrgyzstan, Dempster had no idea his solo bike and climbing trip would be the subject of an award-winning film two years later, but that’s exactly what happened at the 5Point Film Festival this past weekend. The Road from Karakol, edited by Fitz Cahall and his production company, Duct Tape then Beer, and sponsored by Outdoor Research, won the Five Point Film Festival jury’s Best of the Festival Award... Read More →
