The first global gathering of Green Destinations was held last month in Ljubljana, Slovenia – Europe’s current Green Capital. It tied in with Global Green Destinations Day – the only day dedicated specifically to celebrating sustainable tourism worldwide. The event brought together representatives from more than a third of the top 100 most sustainable destinations, […]
When the United Kingdom (UK) voted to leave the European Union (EU) on June 23, 2016, the referendum sent political and economic shockwaves that rippled around the world. Numerous questions arose: what would the UK’s new political relationship with Europe look like, and what would the referendum mean for the thousands of EU citizens living […]
Goodbye Benevolent Savior; Hello Flawed Altruist The narrative of a brave white savior swooping in to the developing world and saving the needy is dead. Or, at least, it’s no longer welcome. Take Louise Linton’s recent account of her gap year in Zambia, which appeared in both book and article form this last spring. Linton’s […]
The outbreak of violence and the burning of 35 Tamil-owned buses in Bengaluru (also known as Bangalore) earlier this month is just the tip of the iceberg in India’s crippling water crisis. A legal dispute over the Cauvery (Kaveri) River in India’s south has suffered from more than a century of bureaucratic corruption, mismanagement and […]
Visit Nepal. Please. We need you. Nepal is open and welcomes you. That is what the people of Nepal want the world to know. The Himalayan nation still struggles to recover, more than a year after it was struck by the destructive 7.8 earthquake. That does not dampen the spirit of the Nepalese. They are […]
A surf town looks to tourists for revival This is the first in a two part series on tourism-based communities recovering from disaster, and the role of tourists in that recovery. The second segment, focusing on Nepal, will be published in September 2016. A glimpse of Canoa’s 12½ mile long beach. (Photo Credit: Rob Rand) […]
Elephants have been an integral part of history and cultures worldwide for centuries. They have been everything from circus entertainers to zoo occupants, from formidable instruments of war and labor to to prized sources of ivory. Only in recent decades, however, has the suffering and plight of elephants been brought to the forefront, along with […]
Tourism can be a boost to any country’s economy. It can bring in millions of dollars and create thousands of jobs. But, it can also damage the environment and destroy what made a place so special and attractive to tourists in the first place. Consequently, countries across the globe have begun limiting the number of […]
Brazil is working hard to prepare for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Hiring security, building new sports venues and infrastructure, and beautifying the city’s tourist areas are all on the country’s to-do list. As part of the beautification process, known as “cleaning the streets,” Brazil is also removing homeless citizens from the […]
