Iran does not top most lists of sustainable travel destinations, but the country’s isolation may have unwittingly made it a pillar of responsible tourism. “Iran has not been McDonaldized yet,” said Jerry Dekker, a former humanities professor who has led over 30 cultural tours for Americans with Iran Traveler and lived there for 13 years. […]
Catalonia became the first mainland Spanish region to outlaw bullfighting after the regional parliament passed the ban by a vote of 68 to 55 with nine abstentions. Many heated debates centering on animal rights versus preserving traditional culture preceded the passing of the ban, which will take effect in 2012. The origins of the corrida—as […]
Jutting out from Argentina’s east coast some 800 miles south of Buenos Aires, the oddly shaped piece of land known as Peninsula Valdés has become known as one of the best places in the world to observe the southern right whale. From May to December, close to 1,000 of these whales gather in the waters […]
The government of Tanzania has approved a major commercial highway across Serengeti National Park in the direct path of the park’s world-famous wildlife migration routes. Conservationists and members of the travel industry strongly oppose the construction, arguing that such a highway would be devastating to the Serengeti’s fragile ecosystem and would therefore negatively impact Tanzania’s […]
At least 17 cities across the nation have passed official travel boycotts to Arizona in response to a tough new illegal immigration bill passed in the state in April. Arizona Senate Bill 1070 gives local authorities the right to question and request proof of immigration status from “suspicious” individuals. Opponents believe the bill supports racial […]
Ecotourism is frequently cited as a model of responsible development, yet a recent report found it is often a sour deal for poor communities in Kenya. According to a series of articles on Investigate West, the nonprofit Kenya Community Based Tourism Organization looked into six ecotourism ranches across the country and reported that local groups […]
While many in South Africa cheer the influx of tourists arriving for this year’s FIFA World Cup, others warn that with them will come an increase in human trafficking, specifically of women and children. In a controversial report, the South African Drug Control Authority estimated that 40,000 sex workers will enter the country for the […]
At 4:30 in the morning Kumar knocked on the flimsy wooden door of the lodge where I was staying. A few days into my trek on part of the Annapurna Circuit. a popular route for Western trekkers in Nepal, I had agreed to get up before sunrise to hike up Poon Hill. Kumar, my trekking […]
Travel is about connecting with people, about taking risks and being open to new experiences. These are the themes of the new anthology Female Nomad and Friends: Tales of Breaking Free and Breaking Bread Around the World, an eclectic and encouraging collection of stories that will resonate with many travelers. Compiled by Rita Golden Gelman, […]
