Mexico Expands its Commitment to Sustainable Tourism

Mexico pledges once again its commitment to sustainable tourism by introducing new market-driven, economic opportunities that support conservation and community development. The Mexico Tourism Board and other Mexicans governmental tourism entities, in conjunction with the World Heritage Alliance (WHA), Expedia, Inc. and the United Nations Foundation, have initiated an educational partnership program for Expedia representatives and members of local communities in Mexico to ensure the protection of the delicate biodiversity, while empowering the rural communities through entrepreneurship. Read More

InkaFest – Huaraz

Every August, the Peruvian city of Huaraz hosts the Mountain Film Fest or InkaFest.  This year, the festival runs from the 18th-22nd of August.  Films can be entered into one of six categories (not including Best Picture and Viewer's Choice): Mountaneering, Mountain Culture, Adventure, Rock Climbing and Sports Adventure and Nature.  Besides films, the festival hosts workshops and speakers.  And of course - there are endless opportunities for adventures in Huayhuash and Cordillera Blanca, climbing, hiking, rafting or exploring nearby ruins. We wrote about Huaraz last year, click ...

$5,000 Matching Grant Challenge for High Atlas Foundation

The Moroccon American Cultural Center has inititated $5000 matching challenge grant for the High Atlas Foundation.  Between now and August 20th, 2009 every dollar you donate or pledge will be matched up to $5000. High Atlas Foundation was founded in 2000 by former Peace Corps Volunteer to build upon the professional relationships gained during years of service.  HAF works to establish development projects in different parts of Morocco that local communities design and manage, and that are in partnership with government and non-government agencies.  Check out their ...

Guyana’s Yupukari Village Announced as a Winner of the EcoClub EcoTourism Awards

Guyana's Yupukari village was announced as a winner of the EcoClub 2009 EcoTourism Awards.  The theme was "Their Crisis, Our Communities - Progressive Change through Social EcoTourism" and asked for "innovative projects that meet urgent needs, help create another world at the grass-roots level and improve life for all in their communities." Congratulations Yupukari! Read more about Guyana here. Photos by Kirk Smock.

iMedjet – indispensable iPhone App for Travelers

Check out iMedjet, a new iPhone app for travelers.  iMedjet has content from A Comprehensive Guide to Wilderness and Travel Medicine and draws on ten years of research, experience and teaching to assist the traveler in an emergency.   It's free and you can get it from the iTunes App store.

Mountain Biking Northern Montenegro’s ‘Wild Beauty’

Mountain biking through Northern Montenegro was only part of the agenda when a small group of riders from Austria, England, Holland, France, Germany, and the U.S. gathered June 9 in Podgorica, Montenegro. The team's multinational group included mountain biking tour operators and was not only looking to experience first-hand the rugged terrain and meet local people in this southern European and Mediterranean country, but also analyze how adventure tourism might be advanced to support the development of this economy. The trip was organized by the Montenegro's Ministry ...

Make Your Own Adventure Short Film!

October 11th to 17th, join the Outside Serac Adventure Film School, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. During the course of the week you'll explore the process of making an adventure short and have the opportunity to head into the field for a hiking and camping adventure. Michael Brown, winner of 50 film festival awards and 3 Emmys, who has also reached the Summit of Everest four times with a 25 pount Hi-def camera, is your mentor.  Ryan Ross and David D'Angelo, two accomplished adventure videographers, are your other instructors.  Check out ...

Wild Employment

Wildland Adventures out of Seattle, Washington is looking for a South America Program Director!  Wildland was rated by National Geographic Adventure Magazine as the “#1 Best Do-It-All” adventure company in 2009. Program Directors are responsible for sales and administration of group and individual travel arrangements for specific destinations. They have a large degree of autonomy; contribute to strategic decision-making working together in a collaborative atmosphere. Some of the cooler aspects of the job: * Travel Program Development Develop new travel programs, itineraries and meaningful travel experiences collaborating with in-country suppliers and guides, including FAM trips and trade shows. * Conservation and Community Development Oversight of local ...

Banff and Yoho, $700 off

OTR favorite Boundless Journeys is offering a $700 discount on their best-loved hiking trips in the Canadian Rockies - hike lesser known paths through Banff and Yoho National Parks August 30 - September 2 at a signficant discount if you book by June 15. Learn more about the hiking tour here or call Boundless Journeys at 800-941-8010.

$1000 Discount for Polar Bear Migration in Canada

The deals just keep coming this summer, it's incredible.  Today I saw that Natural Habitat Adventures is offering $1000 discount on select polar bear departures. NatHab is a reputable company and they're making a great point in their promotional emails: “we know from 25 years of offering nature expeditions across the globe, that it is important for local communities and conservation efforts that literally depend upon tourism to survive.” I couldn’t agree more.  Adventure trips bring investment into rural communities that often don't have many other options.  And, I admit to liking their promotion because I also have a special fondness for ...

Off the Radar called it with “Pharmacy from the Rainforest”

Keep reading Off the Radar and you can bet you're probably ahead of the news at least by a few months.  We were pleased to see National Geographic Traveler's 50 Tours of a Lifetime May/June 2009 recommend an International Expeditions trip we covered way back in our October 2007 newsletter: Pharmacy from the Rainforest – Global Perspectives in Healthcare. This expedition leads travelers into the Peruvian rainforest to hike, bird-watch and cruise the Amazon all while learning about traditional medicines of the jungle.  Don't wait for Traveler to tell you about these great trips, hear it first at Off the ...

Job Posting – Project Manager, SE Asia

Globalteer is looking for a sociable, dynamic, flexible patient team leader who has the enthusiasm and energy to manage a guesthouse and to work with other NGOs in and around Siem Reap.  Contact manfred.messerli@globalteer.org for more details.

Travelocity’s Travel for Good Offers Funding for Volunteer Travel Opportunities

Travelocity's Travel for Good program offers the Change Ambassadors Grant to help support Americans who wish to travel to participate in volunteer opportunities (volunteer vacations). The program will help fund transportation and other costs of any trip organized by one of Travelocity's volunteer travel provider partners for individuals or groups chosen on the merit of their applications (including financial circumstances) and their ability to meet the grant requirements. Grants will be awarded to people who have demonstrated long-term contributions through volunteering, but do not have the financial means to take a ...

Conservation Safari Raffle

Win a Safari in Africa valued at $50,000! Raffle tickets cost $150, and all money goes towards TUSKS projects in Africa.  The Safari is twenty days long, and includes round trip business class airfare.  The raffle will close in December 1st, 2009 or when 2000 tickets have been sold - which ever comes first.  Fill out the request form here.

Internships with Green Living Project

Green Living Project (GLP), a fast growing and successful media production and marketing company, is seeking hard working, talented, and success-motivated students (individuals or teams) or working professionals to help develop the following projects. Each project has the potential to directly impact GLP, therefore the company is specifically looking for entrepreneurial-focused individuals with a passion for multi-media, global sustainability, and moving GLP forward with an eye on the future. Depending on the success of the project, individuals might have the opportunity to continue with the project following the initial period. Project #1: Membership Program Project #2:  TV Show ...

Green Traveler Survey

Tourism and hospitality leaders want to make your vacations and business travel a "greener" experience for you, and for the planet. Global environmental and travel organizations, suppliers and media have joined with CMI Green and BBMG to produce this first-ever, comprehensive Green Traveler Survey. Your important feedback will help airlines, cruise lines, hotels, tour operators and destinations make their operations and communications greener. Please take the time to take this confidential, online survey.  It will take about 10-15 minutes.   If the link doesn't work, please paste the following into your browser: http://survey.communitymarketinginc.com/se.ashx?s=359D342B091C5292&name=Xola

Web Series Explores “Good Intentions”

Does international aid make a difference? What happens when it fails? A ten-episode web series was recently launched to spark discussion about how far good intentions get us.  What method is the most meaningful?  What's the real deal with short term volunteers?  What about missionaries or one of the other seven methods filmmaker Tori Hogan explores around the world? Recommended to us by Daniela Papi whose organization PEPY is engaged in volunteer tourism and education in Cambodia, the videos are well made and Tori’s comments are thought provoking.   I think they'll grab you with the dialogue they're starting. Visit ...

Eagle Creek Video Contest

Tell them your travel tale and you could win free gear!  Our friends at Eagle Creek invite you to submit a video of you talking about what you love about travel, a recent memory/funny story from a trip, or something that inspires you to hit the road.   Post it to their Facebook page by Friday, May 22. Three winners will be selected, have their videos shown at our sales meeting (thus becoming EC legends) and win $150 in Eagle Creek gear! Watch this for more info.

$1000 Airfare Credit to Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia

Adventure travel tour operator Boundless Journeys just announced it will give people up to $1000 toward their airfare when they book by May 25 for their November departure to Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.  "Each day, we do as the locals do, walking or pedaling our way through villages, or cruising Ha Long Bay, the Mekong, and Perfume River in longboats."  Read more about the trip on the Boundless Journeys website.

Are You Near the Willamette River? Get out and Kayak with NRG

Every Thursday evening 7-8:30, join NorthWest Paddling for a free evening of kayaking on the Willamette River at Sellwood Riverfront Park. Join NRG Instructors and students for a free paddling opportunity every week - the Skills Social!  Every Thursday we gather a Sellwood Riverfront Park in SE Portland for an evening of kayaking, light instruction and new friends. Click here for more information.

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