"South America: Quest for Wonder" Highlights Major South American Landmarks Served by LAN
Chicago, IL - Orbitz Worldwide has partnered with award-winning travel journalist/producer Richard Bangs on his "Quest Series," a new program for public television that will take viewers to geographic and cultural wonders of the seven continents and also provide consumers visiting Orbitz.com with a rich library of adventure travel content that Bangs will produce exclusively for Orbitz.com.
"The locations we will explore on 'South America: Quest for Wonder' possess untold beauty, history and majesty," said Richard Bangs, producer of the "Quest Series." "From the staggering landscapes of Machu Picchu and the Iguacu Falls to the mystery of Easter Island and the Galapagos Islands' secrets of creation, we want 'South America: Quest for Wonder' to stimulate audiences with captivating stories and stunning visuals, ultimately inspiring viewers to explore these amazing destinations for themselves."
Destinations featured on 'South America: Quest for Wonder':
Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui, is famous for its 887 iconic moai statues, each of which required a team of five or six men working together for approximately one year to complete. Rapa Nui is located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean and is believed to be the most remote inhabited island in the world.
The Iguacu Falls are a collection of majestic waterfalls on the Iguacu River, which forms the boundary of Brazil and Argentina. Spanning approximately 1.7 miles with a total of 275 separate falls, the tallest waterfall boasts a 269-foot drop.
Machu Picchu, a 15th century Inca site located in the Cusco region of Peru, was built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti. Sometimes referred to as "The Lost City of the Incas," Machu Picchu is world-renowned for its stunning mountaintop setting and culturally significant ruins.
The Galapagos Islands are located off the coast of Ecuador and harbor a unique ecosystem that includes giant tortoises, sea lions, land and sea iguanas, fur seals, and many species of birds. Formed by volcanoes over 2 million years ago, this collection of 50 islands was made famous after Charles Darwin's 1859 publication of his book, "On the Origin of Species."
"Richard Bangs sets the standard in adventure travel just like LAN Airlines and its affiliate carriers set the standard for air service in South America with the most extensive network of destinations in the region," said Pablo Chiozza, vice president, LAN Airlines North America and the Caribbean. "South America offers endless opportunities for a wide array of tastes, and we want to direct travelers' attention to experiences that can be found only in South America."
In conjunction with the 60-minute episodes scheduled to air on public television, Orbitz.com will develop a dedicated microsite associated with each of the "Quest Series" episodes featuring trip planning information and recommendations about the destinations highlighted by Richard Bangs, designed to help viewers inspired by the programs to visit the destinations for themselves.
"This new partnership between Orbitz Worldwide and Richard Bangs breaks new ground in the integration of television and the web. Television is the ultimate tool for inspiring people to explore the world, and who better to lead viewers around the world's most exciting destinations than Richard Bangs, the father of modern day adventure travel," said Barney Harford, CEO of Orbitz Worldwide. "The partnership between Richard Bangs and Orbitz Worldwidewill offer an unprecedented level of integration between inspiration and trip planning. Dedicated landing pages and resources will make it easy for viewers to plan trips to the destinations featured on each episode of the 'Quest Series.'"