The increased desire for an ethical holiday, to give something back as well as to experience the real culture of the countries we visit has led to a burgeoning market for volunteer tourism. A 2008 study by Tourism and Research Marketing, which surveyed 300 organisations, estimated the market size to be 1.6 million volunteer tourists per year and put the value of the market at around £1.3 billion.

Often called “voluntourism”, this amalgamation of volunteering and travel has created a significant amount of debate but continues to grow unabated. The main issues arising from this sector include whether there is a need for the volunteer and the legitimacy of the projects they do; whether the volunteer brings the necessary skills to the project; whether they are displacing paid workers; are they a drain on local resources; the cost of the project and where the money goes; whether volunteers working with children and vulnerable adults should have background checks; how well prepared and briefed are volunteers for this kind of experience and the cultural sensitivities of volunteering in developing countries.

There are many stories of volunteers arriving at projects only to find there is little for them to do, no logistical support on the ground or they are unprepared or unskilled for the experience. The growth of the market and positioning within the mainstream travel sector will continue to raise and address these kind of issues. This could ultimately lead to a better experience for volunteers and increased benefit to the local communities they visit, with movement towards regulation of the industry.

The sheer choice of volunteering projects now available can also make it difficult to identify the right volunteer experience. A search on the responsibletravel.com website for “volunteer travel” brings up 377 results, including conservation projects, teaching and working with children and community based projects in developing countries.

There is some good advice available, for example the ethical volunteering guide by Dr Kate Simpson, which advises volunteers on choosing the right organisation, considering their own motivations for volunteering and what questions to ask. The Irish development organisation Comhlmh has developed a Volunteer Charter setting out seven principles for responsible volunteering and a website, Volunteering Options, to advise prospective volunteers on choosing a placement.

The best way to identify worthwhile projects is to do some research into the organisation. The first question to ask is for a breakdown of the cost of the project and how much goes to the host community. An organisation should be able to easily provide this information. The next thing to check is how the project was developed and understand why there is a need for a volunteer, the skills required and what volunteers will be doing. Another key thing to check is what level of preparation and support are offered by the organisation, both before and during the project. Speaking to a previous volunteer or searching for reviews online can help to separate the good from the bad.

There are at least 100 UK-based organisations operating volunteering projects overseas, some of which are not-for-profits or NGOs and others commercial profit-making companies. These include companies like i-to-i, Inspired Breaks (formerly Gap Year for Grown Ups) and Real Gap Experience, all part of the TUI group. They offer a mixture of volunteering projects, work abroad and adventure tours, primarily aimed at the gap year and career break market, however they also have two week holiday options. Their volunteer projects include conservation work, teaching, caring for children and volunteering in orphanages, sports coaching, building projects and medical volunteering. Inspired Breaks also offer family volunteering holidays, for example a trip to Swaziland to help care for vulnerable and orphaned children. The Adventure Company are also offering family “Hands On Adventures” which include wildlife conservation and community projects.

The acquisition of these companies by TUI demonstrates the multi-million pound value of the volunteering and gap year market. One of the main criticisms of volunteering projects offered by commercial organisations is that the company’s main interest is in profit rather than development. Projects are developed based on what the customer wants to do, what is marketable, rather than the needs of local communities. Some companies will send volunteers to do the same project repeatedly, with little benefit to the host community. The other concerns about the commercial organisations are that they don’t match volunteers to suitable placements or interview prospective volunteers to assess their suitability for projects and they offer minimal preparation or training.

Two organisations which stand out for their responsible credentials are Global Vision International (GVI) and people and places. GVI won the 2011 Responsible Tourism Award for best volunteering organisation and were praised for the scale of their impact on the ground. They operate long term, sustainable projects in 25 countries focusing on environmental research, conservation, education and community development. Projects are developed for the benefit of both the volunteer and local communities.

people and places, who also won the best volunteering organisation award in 2009, emphasise their commitment to both volunteers and communities and matching the right volunteer to the right placement. Their organisation was conceived out of concern over the “chasm between marketing and reality in a significant number of volunteer offers”. They work with local partners and develop volunteer placements based on their needs. This is very much the model used by international development volunteering organisations like VSO and 2Way Development. They provide detail about the project and local partner and are transparent about how the volunteer’s payment is spent. They are now working with companies like Tribes and ITC Classics to provide their volunteering trips.

What is particularly interesting is that people and places emphasise on their website that these kind of volunteering projects are not holidays – “Volunteering responsibly cannot and should not replace the traditional holiday. It will be emotionally exhausting and mentally challenging”.

So is the volunteer travel market growing? The number of organisations and projects available would indicate that it is. Despite the recession, there seems to be a demand for this sort of travel. The current job market and wave of redundancies could be seen as an opportunity to take time out and travel or volunteer, gain new skills and experience to add to CVs. The high cost of many of the projects could be the main barrier for growth in this market, only affordable to the more affluent. But with the rise of the career breaker and the growing conscience of mainstream tourism, perhaps 2012 really is the year of the volunteer tourist?

Sustainable Tourism Report Suite more info : HERE

This article is written by Natasha Stein, natashakstein@gmail.com has worked for VSO, Earthwatch and Thomson Holidays and specialises in best practice in overseas volunteering programmes and identifying the right placements for volunteers. Natasha developed an interest in responsible tourism whilst working at Thomson Holidays as a Product Manager for long-haul destinations. After 6 years with VSO’s volunteering team, she decided to combine her experience in tour operations and international development and pursue a career in responsible travel. She is currently studying for a Masters in Responsible Tourism Management at the International Centre for Responsible Tourism.
The article is quoted from TravelMole and published January 2012.

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International tourist arrivals grew by 4.4% in 2011 to a total 980 million, up from 939 million in 2010, in a year characterised by a stalled global economic recovery, major political changes in the Middle East and North Africa and natural disasters in Japan. By region, Europe (+6%) was the best performer, while by subregion South-America (+10%) topped the ranking. Contrary to previous years, growth was higher in advanced economies (+5.0%) than in emerging ones (+3.8%), due largely to the strong results in Europe, and the setbacks in the Middle East and North Africa.

“International tourism hit new records in 2011 despite the challenging conditions,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. “For a sector directly responsible for 5% of the world’s GDP, 6% of total exports and employing one out of every 12 people in advanced and emerging economies alike these results are encouraging, coming as they do at a time in which we urgently need levers to stimulate growth and job creation,” he added.

Despite persistent economic uncertainty, tourist arrivals to Europe reached 503 million in 2011, accounting for 28 million of the 41 million additional international arrivals recorded worldwide. Central and Eastern Europe and Southern Mediterranean destinations (+8% each) experienced the best results. Although part of the growth in Southern Mediterranean Europe resulted from a shift in traffic away from the Middle East and North Africa, destinations in the Mediterranean also profited from improved outbound flows from markets such as Scandinavia, Germany and the Russian Federation.

Asia and the Pacific (+6%) was up 11 million arrivals in 2011, reaching a total 216 million international tourists. South Asia and South-East Asia (both +9%) benefited from strong intraregional demand, while growth was comparatively weaker in North-East Asia (+4%) and Oceania (+0.3%), partly due to the temporary decline in the Japanese outbound market.

The Americas (+4%) saw an increase of 6 million arrivals, reaching 156 million in total. South America, up by 10% for the second consecutive year, continued to lead growth. Central America and the Caribbean (both +4%) maintained the growth rates of 2010. North America, with a 3% increase, hit the 100 million tourists mark in 2011.

Africa maintained international arrivals at 50 million, as the gain of two million by Sub-Saharan destinations (+7%) was offset by the losses in North Africa (-12%). The Middle East (-8%) lost an estimated 5 million international tourist arrivals, totalling 55 million. Nevertheless, some destinations such as Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates sustained steady growth.

Available data on international tourism receipts and expenditure for 2011 closely follows the positive trend in arrivals.
Among the top ten tourist destinations, receipts were up significantly in the USA (+12%), Spain (+9%), Hong Kong (China) (+25%) and the UK (+7%). The top spenders were led by emerging source markets – China (+38%), Russia (+21%), Brazil (+32%) and India (+32%) – followed by traditional markets, with the growth in expenditure of travelers from Germany (+4%) and the USA (+5%) above the levels of previous years.

UNWTO forecasts international tourism to continue growing in 2012 although at a slower rate. Arrivals are expected to increase by 3% to 4%, reaching the historic one billion mark by the end of the year. Emerging economies will regain the lead with stronger growth in Asia and the Pacific and Africa (4% to 6%), followed by the Americas and Europe (2% to 4%). The Middle East (0% to +5%) is forecast to start to recover part of its losses from 2011.

These prospects are confirmed by the UNWTO Confidence Index. The 400 UNWTO Panel of Experts from around the globe, expects the tourism sector to perform positively in 2012, though somewhat weaker than last year.

As destinations worldwide look to stimulate travel demand under pressing economic conditions, UNWTO is urging governments to consider advancing travel facilitation, an area in which in spite of the great strides made so far there is still much room for progress. UNWTO advises countries to make the most of information and communication technologies in improving visa application and processing formalities, as well as the timings of visa issuance, and to analyze the possible impact of travel facilitation in increasing their tourism economies.

“Travel facilitation is closely interlinked with tourism development and can be key in boosting demand. This area is of particular relevance in a moment in which governments are looking to stimulate economic growth but cannot make major use of fiscal incentives or public investment,” said Mr. Rifai.

More information follow the link to UNWTO World Tourism Barometer

This article is written by Valere Tjolle, editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite. The article is quoted from TravelMole and published January 2012.

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This article is quoted from EcoClub Newsletter . Follow this link to read the original article published on 2011-11-27 by Megan Epler Wood.

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Nominations can be submitted until December 31, 2011. Follow this link to fill the form and suggest the city that should be one of the New7Wonders Cities.

The nominations will be announced on January 7, 2012 and these participants will then be put to popular vote to choose the New7Wonders Cities.

This article is quoted from New7Wonders , read the original article here posted on the 13th of November 2011.

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Article by Eamonn Fitzgerald on November 11, 2011

The first count of the global vote to elect the New7Wonders of Nature has been announced. In alphabetical order, they are: Amazon, Halong Bay, Iguazu Falls, Jeju Island, Komodo, Puerto Princesa Underground River and Table Mountain.

Announcing the results at the headquarters of the New7Wonders Foundation in Zurich, Switzerland, Bernard Weber, Founder-President of New7Wonders, said: “I would like to thank the many champions, citizens, voluntary organisations, public bodies and governments that have helped promote the New7Wonders of Nature campaign over the past four years, starting with over 440 locations from over 220 countries and all the way to the 28 Finalist candidates from whom the New7Wonders of Nature have been chosen.”

The results announced this evening are provisional and based on the first count of votes completed since voting ended at 11:11 GMT this morning. The results will now be checked, validated and independently verified. Once the voting validation process is completed, in early 2012, New7Wonders will then work with the confirmed winners to organise the Official Inauguration events.

Note: It may happen that one or more of the provisional winners announced today will not be confirmed during the validation process, New7Wonders will issue a media update should this happen.

“We congratulate each of these participants on achieving their provisional New7Wonders of Nature status, and look forward to completing the confirmation process to celebrate each one in their own Official Inauguration ceremony early in 2012,” said Bernard Weber, adding, “When the New7Wonders of Nature are confirmed they will join the man-made New 7 Wonders of the World in becoming part of Global Memory for humankind for ever.”

Read more about the New 7 wonders of nature ,

This article is quoted from New7Wonders , read the original article here posted on the 11th of November 2011.

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Series:Breakfast Seminar #62
Author(s):Kristin Lamoureux,Amanda MacArthur
Organization:VEGA/SAVE Travel Alliance, VEGA/CDC Development Solutions
Institution:United States Agency for International Development
Date Published:September 30, 2011

This presentation discusses best practices in tourism management, introduces a conceptual framework for tourism projects, and a framework for interventions in tourism developed by the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA). These tools aim to provide the development community with systemic supply chain approaches to assessing, developing and implementing tourism projects to maximize positive impacts.

This article is quoted from Microlinks , go to the original article and download the Breakfast Seminar 62 Presentation here held on the 30th of September 2011.

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Peace is more than the absence of war. It lies in the dignity of every woman and man. It is the tie that binds societies together in harmony with our environment. It is the foundation of legitimate states and the basis for stable international relations.
This vision created the United Nations. It is the goal that leads all of UNESCO’s activities.

The 2011 International Peace Day is a chance to consider the stakes of peace in a world moving more quickly every day.
People are more connected today than ever before. Information and communication technologies are opening new worlds for expression and action. Social media are creating new platforms for participation and democracy. At the same time, women and men across the world struggle still against the terrors of violence and conflict. A global economic crisis is hitting hard, leaving millions to suffer the deprivations of poverty and marginalisation.

In turbulent times, we must remain true to the core values of peace. Peace starts with justice and dignity for every woman and man. It begins with the ability of each of us, across the world, to imagine a better world and work to create it. It is embodied in the humanist ambitions of the Millennium Development Goals.

UNESCO’s 1945 Constitution states “if wars start in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.” Young minds are some of the most powerful defences of peace.

Young women and men are changing the world already every day. Their struggle for dignity, rights and justice has led them this year to take to the streets, to mobilize campaigns and to build movements for peaceful change. New horizons for human dignity are opening.

In this International Youth Year, we salute these peaceful aspirations and we must rise to the expectations that drive them. We must engage with the ideas of young women and men and ensure their rightful place in all societies. Their voices must be heard and, more importantly, listened to.

UNESCO works every day to support young people in bolstering democratic values and institutions, based on justice, equality, and respect for human rights. We act to strengthen a culture of peace and non-violence through intercultural and interfaith dialogue, and by fostering mutual understanding and promoting reconciliation. We seek to empower young people with new skills to speak out and opportunities to act for peaceful change.

These are the goals of the Youth Forum that UNESCO will hold in Paris on 17-20 October on the theme of “How Youth Drive Change.” With participants from across the world and moderated by the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Forest Whitaker, the Forum will provide a global platform for crafting new approaches to reconciliation and conflict resolution.

Young women and men are torch-bearers for a more peaceful world. We must support their aspirations, we must listen to their views and we must act on their dreams. This is our message for the 2011 International Peace Day.
21.09.2011

Source: UNESCOPRESS

This article is quoted from UNESCO . Read the original article .

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GDP: Direct Contribution
The direct contribution of Travel &Tourism to GDP is expected to be US$1,850.0bn (2.8% of total GDP) in 2011, rising by 4.2% pa to US$2,860.5bn (2.9%) in 2021 (in constant 2011 prices).

GDP: Total Contribution
The total contribution of Travel &Tourism to GDP, including its wider economic impacts, is forecast to rise by 4.2% pa from US$5,991.9bn (9.1% of GDP) in 2011 to US$9,226.9bn (9.6%) by 2021.

Employment: Direct Contribution
Travel & Tourism is expected to support directly 99,048,000 jobs (3.4% of total employment) in 2011, rising by 2.0% pa to 120,427,000 jobs (3.6%) by 2021.

Employment: Total Contribution
The total contribution of Travel & Tourism to employment, including jobs indirectly supported by the industry, is forecast to rise by 2.3% pa from 258,592,000 jobs (8.8% of total employment) in 2011 to 323,826,000 jobs (9.7%) by 2021.

Visitor Exports
Travel & Tourism visitor exports are expected to generate US$1,162.7bn (5.8% of total exports) in 2011, growing by 6.6% pa (in nominal terms) to US$1,789.2bn (4.7%) in 2021.

Investment
Travel & Tourism investment is estimated at US$652.4bn or 4.5% of total investment in 2011. It should rise by 5.4% pa to reach US$1,487.9bn (or 4.6%) of total investment in 2021.

Download the regional report on world tourism 2011 here

About WTTC
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is the forum for business leaders in the Travel & Tourism industry. With Chief Executives of some one hundred of the world’s leading Travel & Tourism companies as its Members, WTTC has a unique mandate and overview on all matters related to Travel & Tourism.
WTTC works to raise awareness of Travel & Tourism as one of the world’s largest industries, supporting more than 258 million jobs and generating 9.1 per cent of world GDP.

Pictures from Bhutan

This article is quoted from WTTC . Follow this link to read the original article and download the report on South Asian tourism 2011 here.
Get an overview of all the region reports from WTTC here

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Event status South Asia 2011-08-10
Bangladesh 5 events
India 41 events
Nepal 5 events
Bhutan 0 event
Pakistan 1 event
Myanmar 0 event

Organizers are 350.org , who are building a global movement to solve the climate crisis.

This article is quoted from Moving Planet , read the original article here.

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According to a 2008 study by the UN World Travel Organisation , tourism will likely move toward higher latitudes and altitudes, where negative climate change impacts will not be as drastic. If that happens, the competitive position of vacation spots will change, leaving some areas to decline as others become more popular.

Climate change is also predicted to result in greater weather volatility and related risks to infrastructure. Increased costs, primarily for fuel, will lead to corresponding erosion of consumer demand for travel, and longer-term shifts in weather and climate will affect the value of different destinations. Apart from these direct impacts, climate change will indirectly affect biodiversity, water resources, and changes to the landscape.

These changes, coupled with the ripple effects on communities (including the possibility of destabilization in developing countries), will impact many aspects of popular travel destinations. High-volume hotel and resort destinations will experience increasingly erratic weather, water scarcity, and changes in seasonality. The stakes are particularly high for coastal and island destinations, which are more vulnerable to rising sea level, hurricanes, severe storms, flooding, water shortages, and beach erosion. And many of these regions — especially in developing countries — have a low capacity to adapt to the changing climate.

Likewise, in areas that depend on wintry conditions and activities for tourism, reduced snow cover and shorter cold seasons directly impact business performance. As noted in the journal Nature Geoscience , white and reflective snow cover is crucial to keeping the Earth cool, but as snow melts with warmer temperatures, the planet’s reflective capacity is reduced, and the warming is further increased by the less-reflective surface of the planet. This spells trouble for the winter sports tourism industry.

In spite of these changes, there are opportunities for beachside and mountain-based regions alike to adapt to the changing climate. Coastal destinations can construct resorts at a given height above sea level, store food for emergencies, implement disaster training and preparedness for staff, and modify existing infrastructure to standards that can withstand major weather events. And mountain-based businesses can take a “four-seasons” approach by offering diverse activities like indoor sports, trekking and biking in warmer months, and increasing retail and spa offerings for visitors. There are also opportunities for airlines and online travel companies.

Hotels and Resorts
Hotels and resorts are vulnerable to rising sea levels in coastal areas and changing weather patterns for properties ranging from waterfront to high elevations. With so many assets located in places that are exposed to the elements, hotels and resorts stand to experience major costs when a massive storm comes ashore, or when snow cover recedes — which is already happening in the western United States . It will be difficult for such companies to secure property and casualty insurance for high-risk geographies, and for locations where damage does occur, premiums will skyrocket.

But some forward-thinking hotel companies are working on strategies to address climate risks and reap opportunities. Companies such as Starwood Hotels not only report their carbon emissions and risks, they also use their disclosure as a chance to talk with business partners about growth opportunities. Gina Edner, Starwood’s associate director of environmental sustainability, said her company receives a lot of requests for environmental information from business partners. “In talking to corporate clients that have experience with climate reporting, a company [in the tourism industry] might discover new areas to grow its business,” she noted.

However, even the best-planned strategies face challenges, as hotels have assets that cannot easily be relocated in the face of climate change. To account for this, future-thinking hotel companies with coastal properties might look for other business opportunities, such as investments in water-desalination technologies, or they may create policies to site new hotels well above the highest high tide line. They could also consider programs to protect the biodiversity of nearby climate-sensitive ecosystems like coral reefs, and seek alternative offerings for visitors that reduce dependency on sun, sand, and surf activities.

Airlines
In its study, the UN World Tourism Organisation also reported that fuel comprises 20 to 25 percent of direct operational costs for airlines. In the entirely possible scenario that companies are required to pay a carbon tax, fuel costs could skyrocket — further damaging the already battered airline industry. Companies will have to adapt as business and vacation passengers alike begin to change their habits due to higher ticket prices and changing weather patterns affecting their choice destinations. Airlines are also getting hit with losses from grounded, cancelled flights that must be rerouted from tricky weather — a problem that is likely to grow.

Fortunately, airlines can pursue new opportunities such as piloting jets that are more efficient and investing in biofuels and other alternatives to petroleum-based fuels. By paying close attention to the latest climate science, carriers might be able to anticipate weather-pattern changes, improve their routing for efficiency, and increase services to emerging travel destinations, while scaling back services to locations that are seeing reduced demand.

Online Travel Booking Companies
The online travel booking business is also sensitive to the rising airline ticket prices that could result from increased fuel costs. If airfare climbs too high, companies like Orbitz, Travelocity, Expedia, and others could experience reduced demand for travel-related goods and services. Likewise, reduced snowpack or less availability of freshwater could drastically impact high-volume destinations, which would change how vacationers book hotels and resorts. Another change in consumer behavior — the trend toward video conferencing — could also reduce the amount of business these companies receive from corporate travelers.

Some companies, such as Travelocity’s parent company Sabre Holdings, are thinking ahead and investing in advanced video-conferencing technology that could be booked online through their platforms. This technology allows business travelers to host a meeting by booking a room in a hotel where the technology exists, thus enabling face time with global colleagues without the flight. These companies also have access to immense amounts of data on travel patterns and behaviors of corporate travel customers that could be used in business-to-business relationships to reduce corporate customers’ energy-related costs and also help business partners with climate change reporting, measurement, and management of emissions resulting from travel.

The Way Forward
For many companies, it is understandably difficult to address an issue that seems to be unfolding over decades when the day-to-day demands of profitability are at hand. Working with multiple stakeholders, including NGOs, investors, and local communities, can accelerate learning, reduce the cost of understanding and mitigating risks, and help identify opportunities for innovation.

In particular, travel and tourism companies can start to work on understanding:
• The impacts of climate change on operating costs: This will help companies address the financial component of climate change that is central to business’ rationale for acting.
• How to “future-proof”: By closely following the science and predicted societal, economic, and policy trends related to climate change, companies can plan new strategies to lessen the impacts to their operations by adapting to the new realities.
• The role of business continuity: This will help companies prepare for the long-term issues, even as they use disaster-response management to address more immediate issues.
• Changes in consumer sentiment/demand: Understanding consumer travel patterns will help companies create offerings to satisfy changing consumer demands driven by a changing climate.
• Risk transfer: Extrapolating the implications of climate change for their business will help companies develop better adaptation mechanisms that will keep insurance premiums in check by minimizing risks.

This article is quoted from GreenBiz , read the original article here written by Celine Suarez, BSR and published August 11, 2011. This article originally appeared in BSR Insight.

The article is uploaded by Majbritt Thomsen, administrator on ‘Views On Tourism’. Please join the online Views On Tourism network and discussion group in order to achieve personal goals as well as encourage a sustainable tourism development in Bangladesh and South Asia. Read more about this group and how to become a member here.

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