http://www.adventuretravelnews.com Adventure Travel Industry News Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:26:40 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/natures-best-the-ecotourism-society-of-sweden-is-awarded-the-2011-wwf-carl-mannerfelt-prize http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/natures-best-the-ecotourism-society-of-sweden-is-awarded-the-2011-wwf-carl-mannerfelt-prize#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:51:36 +0000 Nicole Petrak http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=12068 Stockholm – The Ecotourism Society of Sweden has been awarded the 2011 WWF Carl Mannerfelt Prize for its work with sustainable tourism and the Nature’s Best quality mark. The prize is around USD 15,000. This is not the first time the Society’s groundbreaking work with quality marking has been acknowledged – it has previously won [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/natures-best-the-ecotourism-society-of-sweden-is-awarded-the-2011-wwf-carl-mannerfelt-prize/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/leading-travel-companies-commit-to-sustainable-tourism-through-the-global-sustainable-tourism-criteria http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/leading-travel-companies-commit-to-sustainable-tourism-through-the-global-sustainable-tourism-criteria#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:51:45 +0000 Nicole Petrak http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=12050 Assistant Editor’s Note: We asked Erika Harms, the Executive Director of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, to answer a few questions for us – those answers are below, above the recent GSTC press release. What role do you see the ATTA and its members should / might want to play in support for the GSTC? [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/leading-travel-companies-commit-to-sustainable-tourism-through-the-global-sustainable-tourism-criteria/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/sustainable-travel-international%e2%80%99s-step-eco-certification-standard-recognized-by-global-sustainable-tourism-criteria http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/sustainable-travel-international%e2%80%99s-step-eco-certification-standard-recognized-by-global-sustainable-tourism-criteria#comments Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:13:15 +0000 Nicole Petrak http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=11802 Portland, OREGON– Sustainable Travel International (STI) is pleased to announce that its STEP eco-certification standard has been officially recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. To achieve this recognition, STEP underwent a rigorous review and authorization procedure. As a result, STEP is now considered equivalent to the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, the worldwide minimum sustainability [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/sustainable-travel-international%e2%80%99s-step-eco-certification-standard-recognized-by-global-sustainable-tourism-criteria/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/wttc-calls-on-governments-for-low-carbon-growth-policies-in-the-tourism-industry http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/wttc-calls-on-governments-for-low-carbon-growth-policies-in-the-tourism-industry#comments Wed, 21 Dec 2011 22:53:34 +0000 Nicole Petrak http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=11664 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/wttc-calls-on-governments-for-low-carbon-growth-policies-in-the-tourism-industry/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/travel-news-eco-tourism-lodges-to-be-built-in-queenslands-most-stunning-national-parks http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/travel-news-eco-tourism-lodges-to-be-built-in-queenslands-most-stunning-national-parks#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:08:45 +0000 Nicole Petrak http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=11516 Australian news site, news.com.au, has reported that the Queensland government has approved plans to build five eco-tourism lodges across several of the state’s best national parks. The lodges will receive 20 year lease and license options instead of the normal ten year options, as operators said the 10-years leases were not long enough to see [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/travel-news-eco-tourism-lodges-to-be-built-in-queenslands-most-stunning-national-parks/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/gerard-moss-decorated-by-queen-elizabeth http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/gerard-moss-decorated-by-queen-elizabeth#comments Wed, 23 Nov 2011 03:45:10 +0000 Nicole Petrak http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=11328 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/gerard-moss-decorated-by-queen-elizabeth/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/global-sustainable-tourism-council-announces-two-new-initiatives-gstc-process-recognizing-rewarding-practitioners-of-sustainable-tourism-destination-level-criteria-development http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/global-sustainable-tourism-council-announces-two-new-initiatives-gstc-process-recognizing-rewarding-practitioners-of-sustainable-tourism-destination-level-criteria-development#comments Tue, 15 Nov 2011 02:03:53 +0000 ATN Editor http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=11132 Washington, D.C.  – The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC Council) announced the launch of two initiatives this week that reflect the organization’s efforts of the past two years: The GSTC Process and Destination Level Criteria Development. The GSTC Process for recognizing and rewarding genuine practitioners of sustainable tourism is defined in three stages: GSTC-Recognized, GSTC-Approved [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/global-sustainable-tourism-council-announces-two-new-initiatives-gstc-process-recognizing-rewarding-practitioners-of-sustainable-tourism-destination-level-criteria-development/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/join-friends-of-serengeti http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/join-friends-of-serengeti#comments Tue, 15 Nov 2011 01:43:24 +0000 Nicole Petrak http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=11118 Pressures on the Serengeti ecosystem have become critical. Population has soared, habitat is being lost, and poaching, roads, towns, and mines threaten this priceless ecosystem. Friends of Serengeti  is a nonprofit association for the travel industry that was formed in response to these threats. It’s mission, to bring together travel companies and travelers to build [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/join-friends-of-serengeti/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/in-tourism-and-beyond-talking-about-sustainability-is-dead-tell-a-story-instead http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/in-tourism-and-beyond-talking-about-sustainability-is-dead-tell-a-story-instead#comments Wed, 12 Oct 2011 02:11:47 +0000 Nicole Petrak http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=10774 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/in-tourism-and-beyond-talking-about-sustainability-is-dead-tell-a-story-instead/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/indian-court-urged-not-to-ban-tiger-tourism-by-tour-operators-travelers http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/indian-court-urged-not-to-ban-tiger-tourism-by-tour-operators-travelers#comments Wed, 12 Oct 2011 01:44:44 +0000 Nicole Petrak http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=10766 According to a recent article published in The Telegraph, the Supreme Court of India is considering banning tiger tourism and safaris in “core” tiger habitats, out of the concern that such trips are adversely affecting the approximately 1,400 wild tigers left in the country. They are being urged by a group of travelers, tour operators [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/indian-court-urged-not-to-ban-tiger-tourism-by-tour-operators-travelers/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/ethical-tourism-vital-to-protect-planet-un-officials-underline http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/ethical-tourism-vital-to-protect-planet-un-officials-underline#comments Wed, 12 Oct 2011 01:12:52 +0000 Nicole Petrak http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=10757   United Nations officials stressed that the tourism industry must ensure it does business in an ethical manner, saying that irresponsible travel could harm societies and the environment despite its benefits to the global economy through job creation and community empowerment. “A tourism sector without an ethical conscience can harm our planet,” said Taleb Rifai, [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/ethical-tourism-vital-to-protect-planet-un-officials-underline/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/fish-and-wildlife-service-considers-wilderness-for-arctic-refuge-coastal-plain http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/fish-and-wildlife-service-considers-wilderness-for-arctic-refuge-coastal-plain#comments Sat, 17 Sep 2011 00:08:45 +0000 ATN Editor http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=10505 WASHINGTON – With last month’s release of a draft revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) made an important decision to formally consider Wilderness for the crucial Coastal Plain area – the biological heart of our nation’s wilderness icon.  As part of this plan, [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/fish-and-wildlife-service-considers-wilderness-for-arctic-refuge-coastal-plain/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/controversial-airport-planned-in-costa-rican-biodiversity-hotspot http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/controversial-airport-planned-in-costa-rican-biodiversity-hotspot#comments Fri, 16 Sep 2011 00:11:43 +0000 ATN Editor http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=10352 Assistant Editor’s Note: Information and excerpts from The New York Times Green Blog by Dylan Walsh Citing jog creation and poverty reduction, the Costa Rican government has labeled a proposed airport construction project as one of ‘national importance,’ despite objections from the Natural Resources Defense Council that it will negatively impact the Térraba-Sierpe Wetland, an [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/controversial-airport-planned-in-costa-rican-biodiversity-hotspot/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/national-park-service-seeks-to-curtail-flights-over-the-grand-canyon http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/national-park-service-seeks-to-curtail-flights-over-the-grand-canyon#comments Thu, 04 Aug 2011 13:20:49 +0000 Murray Bartholomew http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=10038 Assistant Editors Note: This is an excerpt of an article written by Harriet Baskas on msnbc.com. More than 4.5 million people visit the park each year, but up to 400,000 of those tourists may never step foot in the park. Instead, they fly over it in helicopters and small planes operated by a variety of [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/national-park-service-seeks-to-curtail-flights-over-the-grand-canyon/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/rei-awards-4-2-million-to-nonprofit-partners-that-restore-outdoor-spaces http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/rei-awards-4-2-million-to-nonprofit-partners-that-restore-outdoor-spaces#comments Tue, 02 Aug 2011 23:11:34 +0000 ATN Editor http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=10008 Seattle – REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.), a national outdoor gear and clothing retailer, today announced plans to grant $4.2 million this year to nonprofits across the country that work to preserve and maintain natural spaces through active volunteer programs. “At REI, we encourage our members and customers who enjoy the outdoors to play an active [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/rei-awards-4-2-million-to-nonprofit-partners-that-restore-outdoor-spaces/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/what-do-being-sustainable-and-being-faithful-to-your-spouse-have-in-common http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/what-do-being-sustainable-and-being-faithful-to-your-spouse-have-in-common#comments Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:34:56 +0000 ATN Editor http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=9741 Editor’s Note: ATTA Advisory Board Member Nicky Fitzgerald brought to our attention the following Huffington Post article (excerpted) penned by former ATTA Member, Costa Rica Expeditions founder and thought-provoking leader of the global adventure travel community, Michael Kaye, a recipient of a 2007 ATTA Lifetime Achievement Award. Again, Michael is spot on – this is a [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/what-do-being-sustainable-and-being-faithful-to-your-spouse-have-in-common/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/thomson-airways-becomes-first-airline-to-fly-uk-customers-on-sustainable-biofuel http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/thomson-airways-becomes-first-airline-to-fly-uk-customers-on-sustainable-biofuel#comments Mon, 18 Jul 2011 07:47:18 +0000 ATN Editor http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=9714 Thomson Airways calls for industry and Government to work together to remove sustainable biofuel barriers First flight 28th July 2011 from Birmingham to Palma Thomson Airways is making aviation history by becoming the first UK airline to fly customers on sustainable biofuel, and is calling on the airline industry and government to work together to [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/thomson-airways-becomes-first-airline-to-fly-uk-customers-on-sustainable-biofuel/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/francis-ford-coppola-resorts-reinforce-commitment-to-sustainable-travel http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/francis-ford-coppola-resorts-reinforce-commitment-to-sustainable-travel#comments Mon, 18 Jul 2011 06:16:49 +0000 ATN Editor http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=9676 Napa, CA. – Francis Ford Coppola’s famed resorts in Belize, Blancaneaux Lodge and Turtle Inn, have formalized two strategic alliances that further the company’s commitment and dedication to fostering best practices in ecotourism and sustainable travel. Blancaneaux Lodge and Turtle Inn have joined the Sustainable Tourism Program led by the Rainforest Alliance, the international nonprofit conservation organization dedicated [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/francis-ford-coppola-resorts-reinforce-commitment-to-sustainable-travel/feed 1 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/community-based-natural-resource-management-poverty-alleviation-and-livelihood-diversification-a-case-study-from-northern-botswana http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/community-based-natural-resource-management-poverty-alleviation-and-livelihood-diversification-a-case-study-from-northern-botswana#comments Tue, 12 Jul 2011 18:45:18 +0000 ATN Editor http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=7835 Does tourism benefit local people? It’s the age-old question, and the answer is, well, yes and no. Member Caitlin Lepper of Conservation Concept spent three years asking this very question and drilled down to bring us a fascinating set of data and insight on the household benefits of Community-based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) in the [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/community-based-natural-resource-management-poverty-alleviation-and-livelihood-diversification-a-case-study-from-northern-botswana/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/world-first-spoon-billed-sandpiper-chicks-hatch-in-captivity http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/world-first-spoon-billed-sandpiper-chicks-hatch-in-captivity#comments Tue, 12 Jul 2011 02:33:22 +0000 ATN Editor http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=9554 Interviews available with Nigel Jarrett and the team in Anadyr, Russia, by telephone Contact WWT Media Team to arrange an interview on 01453 891176/138/144 The first critically endangered spoon-billed sandpiper to hatch in captivity in the world was always going to be a spectacular sight, but when a Heritage Expeditions boat docked in Anadyr last [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/world-first-spoon-billed-sandpiper-chicks-hatch-in-captivity/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/chile-approves-huge-dam-project-in-wild-patagonia http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/chile-approves-huge-dam-project-in-wild-patagonia#comments Tue, 14 Jun 2011 22:04:17 +0000 ATN Editor http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=8823 The following excerpts are taken from a Yahoo!News article, Chile approves huge dam project in wild Patagonia. SANTIAGO, Chile – A $7 billion project to dam two of the world’s wildest rivers for electricity has won environmental approval Monday from a Chilean government commission despite a groundswell of opposition… [T]he dams would drown 14,000 acres [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/chile-approves-huge-dam-project-in-wild-patagonia/feed 1 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/national-geographic-wildlife-explorers-alarmed-by-declining-lion-population-photo http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/national-geographic-wildlife-explorers-alarmed-by-declining-lion-population-photo#comments Tue, 14 Jun 2011 20:30:41 +0000 ATN Editor http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=7030   Assistant Editor’s Note: The following article was originally published by the Birmingham Star, and is re-posted here due to the issue’s relevance to the sustainable tourism community. Access the original article here. Beverly and Dereck Joubert are wildlife explorers with the National Geographic and are based in Botswana in Southern Africa, where they warn [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/national-geographic-wildlife-explorers-alarmed-by-declining-lion-population-photo/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/unwto-launches-new-energy-efficiency-project-in-indonesia http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/unwto-launches-new-energy-efficiency-project-in-indonesia#comments Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:45:35 +0000 ATN Editor http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=9095 UNWTO and the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MoCT) have launched a new energy efficiency project in Indonesia. The project, “Sustainable Tourism through Energy Efficiency with Adaptation and Mitigation Measures in Pangandaran” (STREAM), aims to serve as a model of innovative climate change mitigation and adaptation measures in tourism destinations in Indonesia and South-East [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/unwto-launches-new-energy-efficiency-project-in-indonesia/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/travelers-becoming-increasingly-aware-of-eco-tourism-growth-in-bookings-at-eco-friendly-hotels-increased-environmentally-conscientious-behavior http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/travelers-becoming-increasingly-aware-of-eco-tourism-growth-in-bookings-at-eco-friendly-hotels-increased-environmentally-conscientious-behavior#comments Mon, 13 Jun 2011 06:28:29 +0000 Nicole Petrak http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=9043 LONDON – More than a million people celebrated the fairytale wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on the streets of London just over two weeks ago. Guests and tourists arrived from all over the world to be a part of the wedding extravaganza. The greenhouse emissions caused from such a large scale event* were [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/travelers-becoming-increasingly-aware-of-eco-tourism-growth-in-bookings-at-eco-friendly-hotels-increased-environmentally-conscientious-behavior/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/international-community-to-back-tourism-development-in-west-african-parks http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/international-community-to-back-tourism-development-in-west-african-parks#comments Mon, 13 Jun 2011 06:17:47 +0000 ATN Editor http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=9035 International development banks, UN agencies, and intergovernmental organizations have pledged to support the sustainable development of tourism in a network of parks spanning ten countries in West Africa. Commitments to the West Africa Parks Project came out of a UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Donor’s Conference held in Dakar, Senegal (May 27-28, 2011), chaired by [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/international-community-to-back-tourism-development-in-west-african-parks/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/u-s-warns-tanzania-over-impact-of-serengeti-road http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/u-s-warns-tanzania-over-impact-of-serengeti-road#comments Sun, 12 Jun 2011 07:14:59 +0000 ATN Editor http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=9000 The ATTA has been following the issue of a proposed highway in the Serengeti region of Tanzania and has taken the stance that the highway would have negative and potentially devastating effects on both the environment and the wildlife of the area, and consequently for the local tourism community as well. A recent Yahoo! News [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/u-s-warns-tanzania-over-impact-of-serengeti-road/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/million-dollar-sharks-a-boon-to-eco-tourism http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/million-dollar-sharks-a-boon-to-eco-tourism#comments Mon, 16 May 2011 06:43:45 +0000 ATN Editor http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=7964 Researchers in Australia have released a study pricing reef sharks at almost two million U.S. dollars each as tourism attractions, versus food or other products, according to an article in The Sydney Morning Herald. The researchers found that the annual value to the Palau tourism industry of an individual reef shark at one of the [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/million-dollar-sharks-a-boon-to-eco-tourism/feed 0 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/hands-on-cheetah-rehabilitation-with-atta-member-okonjima-africat-foundation http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/hands-on-cheetah-rehabilitation-with-atta-member-okonjima-africat-foundation#comments Tue, 03 May 2011 23:20:05 +0000 ATN Editor http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=7866 World’s Largest Cheetah and Leopard Rescue Release Program Assistant Editor’s note: ATTA’s Vice President of Business Development, Chris Chesak, and Member Advocate Alice Gifford are in Namibia this week, participating on an educational trip with ATTA Members represented in the Naturally Namibia family of safari lodge and conservation projects. Here is Alice’s recent report from [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/hands-on-cheetah-rehabilitation-with-atta-member-okonjima-africat-foundation/feed 3 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/south-african-tourism-launches-ecothanda-sustainable-meetings-directory http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/south-african-tourism-launches-ecothanda-sustainable-meetings-directory#comments Tue, 12 Apr 2011 20:33:01 +0000 ATN Editor http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=7513 New York, NY- South African Tourism launched EcoThanda, its first-of-a-kind Sustainable Meetings Directory, at the Haworth Inc. showroom in Washington DC on Tuesday, April 5, 2011. South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Marthinus Van Schalkwyk unveiled this major green initiative for the Business Tourism sector at an eco-friendly reception hosted by South African Tourism [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/south-african-tourism-launches-ecothanda-sustainable-meetings-directory/feed 1 http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/thomson-announces-sustainable-tourism-commitments-at-the-economist-sustainable-business-summit http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/thomson-announces-sustainable-tourism-commitments-at-the-economist-sustainable-business-summit#comments Tue, 12 Apr 2011 03:58:25 +0000 ATN Editor http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/?p=7460 Luton, ENGLAND — TUI (Thomson and First Choice) the UK’s leading tour operator, has announced 20 sustainable travel commitments for 2011. Launched at The Economist’s Sustainable Business Summit, the ambitious three year commitments reinforce the company’s position at the forefront of sustainable tourism – it is the only travel company to introduce such wide ranging [...]]]> http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/thomson-announces-sustainable-tourism-commitments-at-the-economist-sustainable-business-summit/feed 0