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Indigenous Leader In Ecuador Recalls First Contact

2008-11-28T00:00:00Z

Ehenguime Enqueri Niwa, from the Waorani tribe, spoke publicly at a high-profile conference in Paraguay intendeding to help protect other tribes from suffering a similar fate to his own.

???We were contacted by American missionaries,??? Enqueri recalled. ???They made us wear clothes. That was when the polio arrived. It affected all of our group. Only 30 people escaped. Everyone was so angry.?? ???Wao, our language, is being lost. Our culture is not being practiced. The education we receive is in Spanish. We feel like we???re disappearing.?? ???We are against making contact with uncontacted tribes. They live peacefully, with their own way of life and their own food.?? ???It???s identical to what is happening in Peru. For centuries the Waorani have defended their territories, but now the biggest threats are oil exploration, loggers and miners.???

The Waorani were contacted in the 1940s by American missionaries. Enqueri???s father was one of the first members of the tribe to be contacted and was also involved in the killing of five of the missionaries ??? an event that made world headlines at the time.?? The conference in Paraguay was organised by CIPIACI, a federation of indigenous organisations set up to protect uncontacted tribes in South America.

Andaman Tribesman In Fatal Conflict With Poachers

2008-12-01T00:00:00Z

Jarawa, Andaman Islands / Photo by Survival International

A Jarawa man, named Hotelle and thought to be about 18 years old, was severely beaten in the conflict on 19 November. He was last seen struggling to keep afloat whilst the poachers continued to attack him. One of the fishermen was also killed by members of the tribe.?? Police have arrested the poachers.

The poachers were camping near one of the Jarawa???s huts. When the Jarawa demanded some of the fish that had been caught in their reserve, the fishermen threw boiling water at them and beat them with sticks. The Jarawa killed one of the fishermen with their arrows, and the fishermen attacked a Jarawa man by beating him when he jumped into a river in an attempt to escape. The invasion of their land by poachers poses a serious threat to the Jarawa, who number 320 and have only had friendly contact with the outside world since 1998. Poachers risk bringing in diseases to which the Jarawa have no immunity, and are rapidly depleting the wild foods on which the Jarawa are totally dependent. Entry to the Jarawa reserve by outsiders is illegal without a special permit, but poaching is now widespread.

“This tragedy must surely galvanise the Indian government to act to keep poachers off the Jarawa???s land. The Jarawa have hunted and fished on their land for 60,000 years, but the number of poachers has become so great that they pose a serious threat to the tribe???s survival. Now two men have died in the conflict. Poaching must not be allowed to continue.”

- Stephen Corry, Director, Survival International

Further information:

For more information please contact Miriam Ross at Survival International on (+44) 20 7687 8734 or (+44) 7504 543 367 or email mr@survival-international.org
Watch the first-ever filmed interview with a Jarawa talking about the invasion of their land by poachers.
Read more about the Jarawa tribe.

World Nomads: Insurance Doesn’t Need To Be Boring

2008-12-02T12:15:34Z

Shopping around for travel insurance has always been one of the more boring elements of organising a trip away, and with so many companies offering similar policies it can be a real nightmare deciding what you need. The Guardian wrote a helpful article in 2006 - Consumer test: travel insurance. Their best buy then was Preferential’s Worldtrekker policy. Earlier this year I looked at Endsleigh’s Backpacker Plus policy and World Nomads policy for my six month trip, both of which provided good cover including the occasional adventure activity. In the end I went with World Nomads, and although I didn’t need to make a claim I consider their service probably the best in its field.?? From the instant you arrive on their website it’s clear that World Nomads know a lot about travel.?? The policies are straight forward, easy to read, common questions are clearly answered, and more importantly the coverage is designed for adventurous travellers. You can buy online, make a claim online and extend your policy online.?? World Nomads know their customers and have pitched their product in a very accessible way that really makes it stand out.

World Nomads’ social responsibility program

When you take out a policy with World Nomads there is the option to contribute a couple of dollars to their social responsibility program ‘Footprints’. Micro donations collected in this way have now raised $500,000 from more than 180,000 transactions and funded 34 projects in 18 countries. Footprints does not run projects directly but raises funds on behalf of other organisations, charities and NGOs.

“The contributions, while often small, are growing and today we have a 90% ’strike rate’ from World Nomads customers,”

- Christy McCarthy, World Nomads Community Relations Manager

The Footrints program has been so successful in raising funds that World Nomads have now created the Footprints network and released an API to allow other e-commerce companies to collect micro-donations.

Be inspired

A series of Positive Footprint documentaries follow groups of travellers who have chosen to go and work on some of these community development projects.?? What makes someone want to do that on their holiday??? What effect does it have on someone who chooses to make a difference when they travel??? Is it over-rated and does the community they visit want them there, or care they’ve travelled across the world to help??? These are some of the questions that Chris Noble, General manager of World Nomads had and he decided to shoot a documentary following these people and seeing what community project travel or ‘voluntourism’ is all about.

“We shot a pilot ‘Positive Footprints - Nepal’ and managed to get it onto over 15 International Airlines such as Qantas, American , Virgin, Thai.?? We then had the good fortune of meeting a distributor who’d seen the documentary and wanted to pitch it. So like a scene from a Guy Ritchie film, plane takes off, lands in Cannes, quick handshake, back to Australia…. and Nat Geo Adventure want a series !”

- Chris Noble, World Nomads General Manager

Futher Information:

7 Strategies For Staying In Touch

2008-12-03T12:00:00Z

A lot of people don’t give much forethought to a strategy for ’staying in touch’ on their trip.?? Often, all they can think about is leaving it behind! However, this can be a vital component to travelling safely, especially for solo travellers.?? Consider what will give you peace of mind? And also what the folks at home expect.?? Agree to a ‘keeping in touch’ plan with friends and family so that they know where you are and can raise the alarm if you don’t turn up as expected. (Of course, that then means YOU have to stick to the plan!).

Here’s a few ideas you could try…

Leave a paper-trail

Leave a copy of your itinerary with the folks at home, including details of where and when they can contact you.?? This works well if you???re the kind of person to plan out every detail of your holiday in advance or book a package tour.?? But if you’re more like me and prefer to just arrive and see what happens next, this isn’t much use.
The electronic mail revolution

On my first big trip to Europe in the early 90’s, I felt like a very dedicated daughter when I bought a postcard once a month and dutifully mailed it back home.?? It gave my folks a sense of how much fun I was having and where I was ??? but unfortunately, it was totally out-of-date by the time it arrived in their Australian letterbox. Nowadays, you’d be mad not to use email for that purpose.?? It’s quick to drop someone a short note, it arrives instantly and isn’t very expensive if you???re prudent with your internet access. There are loads of free email services available, all accessed via web browsers.???? Try the usual travellers???favourites Hotmail, Yahoo and Google mail.
Text messages

I umm and ahh about taking a mobile phone away on holidays…I don’t really want work-related phone calls waking me at three in the morning because I’m in a totally different time zone, but I do want the security of being able to call someone quickly in an emergency.?? I think it???s about finding a balance that works for you…and your budget.?? Don’t forget that international roaming charges can be huge!?? If you’re a big mobile phone fan, look at buying sim-cards and pre-paid credit from local providers.?? Usually texts are cheaper than phone calls.

On a solo trip to Vietnam, I took my mobile phone ‘just in case’.?? I wasn???t sure what ‘just in case’ really meant, but it gave me some peace of mind when I took off on some adventures. One of the best memories from that trip was the day I took my cyclo driver up on his offer to visit his family in the country for a day.?? Naturally, this was not part of a scheduled tour and although I had spent time with him driving me around Hanoi for a few days, it was one of those calculated travel-risks that took a bit of guts to commit to.?? Before we set off on a motorbike down Highway 1 (which is another story in itself and something I do not recommend at all!), I sent a quick text message to a close friend back home outlining the plan and saying that I’d send another text when I arrived back at the hostel that night.?? I arrived slightly shaken from the crazy traffic and horns of the Highway to a peaceful rural village where chickens roamed and pigs lazed in front yards.?? I shared a simple meal with his whole family on the floor of his one-room house.?? My cyclo-driver could only afford to travel home every fortnight, maybe more often if a foreigner like me paid for the petrol, and I felt very privileged to see a side of Vietnam that was off the tourist trail.?? Needless to say, I sent a quick text back home that night to say I was safe and sound.

I know countless people who send these kinds of messages to contacts at home before they set off trekking, back-country camping or driving through remote areas like the Australian outback.?? The important bit is to also send a follow up text at the appointed time so you don’t set alarm bells ringing.
Join the blog-o-sphere

Setting up your own online travel journal has many, many benefits:
- You can tell everyone about your adventures without sending ‘Look at me now’ mass-emails.
- You can bring your trip to life through photos, stories, videos and organise the information through tags etc.
- Its great to have a record of your amazing adventures when you’re finally back home ??? sadly, those beautiful tiny details do ebb away over time.
- Importantly from a safety perspective, your folks back home can interact with you through leaving comments on your blog.?? Trust me, your Mum will love this feature.
- On most travel blog services (like ours on WorldNomads.com), you retain control of the copyright of your work…this isn’t always the case on social network sites and is worth checking out before you hand over your precious travel memories.
Social Networks

It’s worth mentioning here just how important the explosion of social networking has been to the Modern Traveller.?? A bit like blogging, you can now upload your stories, photos, links and videos.?? Your buddies can email you, leave comments or even “poke” you virtually.?? But best of all for travelling types is the ability to create and maintain a network of friends.

Sites like Facebook really excel in this area ??? I have searched for - and found - several travel-buddies from years gone by. They were the ones I really clicked with, but their email addresses no longer worked and I felt they were lost to the ether forever.?? The best thing is that they’re now in my friends list and will undoubtedly keep their own contact details up to date no matter where they are in the world.

Even if all you can manage regularly is a brief status update (…the kind your desk-bound mates at home will wince at), at least it’s a form of staying in touch instantly.

???Christy is drinking Daiquiris in Fiji… ???
Register with your department of Foreign Affairs

You may also be able to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs (or equivalent) in your own country of residence.?? This shouldn???t usurp your other efforts to stay in touch, but can greatly help with contacting you in an emergency.

If you’re going to be in the same country for a while, it’s also good idea to register your whereabouts with your country’s consulate or embassy in that country.
Be prepared.

To borrow from the Scouts for a moment, “be prepared”.?? At the very least you???ll probably need to take email addresses and phone numbers of your family and close friends ??? even just so you can brag about your trip.?? But importantly from a safety perspective, you should also take these numbers and records;
- Your passport and visa details ??? travel with photocopies of the personal information page/s of your passport as well as photo copies of any visas. Take a couple of spare passport photos and an alternative photo ID as well.
- Contact and policy details of your travel insurance provider.
- Contact details of your country’s consulate in the countries you are visiting.
- Contact details for the company that issued your travellers cheques and credit card/debit card (to cancel it if necessary), as well as a record of the cheque number and denomination of all of your travellers cheques.
- Health care provider details, such as your regular doctor or pharmacist (if you are travelling with medication or required injections for your trip).
- Details of your next of kin or the persons to contact in an emergency.
It’s also a good idea to leave a hard copy of these with a friend or relative at home in case of emergency. And finally, email all these contact details and scans of your passport to yourself so you have them electronically too.

Once you’ve agreed with the folks back home on how, where and when you???ll contact them, stick to the plan so they don???t worry or raise the alarm unnecessarily. If you’ve got any other ideas on great ways to stay in touch or emergencies when your strategy has really had to swing into action, we???d love to hear about them below.

Aubergine In Coconut Milk Recipe from Vorovoro, Fiji

2008-12-04T06:25:55Z

Francis ready to start! / Photo by Amy Briden

It???s amazing how many delicious delights come out of the busy, little kitchen on Vorovoro and it???s even more astounding how the kitchen girls have adapted to all our special requirements! This dish has also gone down extremely well (literally) with all the meat eaters and fish lovers that have washed up on our sandy shores; so grab a few egg plants, start pealing the onions, beat up the batter and get ready for an island feast!

Aubergine In Coconut Milk (Baigani vaka lolo)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 aubergines (or egg plant as we know it in Vorovoro!)
4 tomatoes
?? onion
?? clove of garlic
2 cups of coconut cream (If you would like to do this island style; grab 2 coconuts, grate the flesh, then add the coconut water and squeeze with your bare hands! Then strain enough for 2 full cups!)
1 cup soya bean oil or olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Batter Ingredients:

1 egg
1 cup flour
?? tsp baking powder
2 dessert spoon custard powder
1 ?? cups of water
1 pinch salt

Method:

First of all, the batter mixture needs to be made! Put the flour, baking powder, custard powder (crazy but it works!) and salt into a small bowl and pour in the water. Add in the egg. Mix together. If the dough feels too thick and lumpy, add a little more water until it???s a slightly runny consistency.

Then onto the exciting veggie preparation!:

Chop the tomatoes and slice the onions and garlic.
Cut the aubergine lengthways into strips.
Dip them into the batter.
Add a little oil into a frying pan and heat.
Place the aubergine carefully into the frying pan and turn until brown and sizzled!
Cover the bottom of a pot or baking tray with foil and add the battered aubergines.
Then scatter the chopped onions and tomatoes on top.
Sprinkle over a little salt and pepper???
Splash the coconut milk liberally across the veg.
Heat the pot until the coconut milk boils (about 10 minutes!)
Test the aubergine to make sure it???s tender???

Ready to eat! Vakarau kana!

“Tastes nice with herbs from da garden. Io, you just pick some herbs like basil, coriander, the chives, something like that. Then you put it on top the eggplant. Gives good flavour, yesss. Wana navu!”

- Head Chef, Vale ni Kuro

To make it even tastier, sprinkle with cheese when hot and serve with fresh, home grown vegetables. Also to mix it up, you can always vary this dish with sliced pumpkin instead of aubergine.
Delish! Vina???a va???a levu Francis!

New Presidency In The Maldives: Can Paradise Be Restored?

2008-12-04T10:00:17Z

The Maldives / Photo by Kimberley Mair

While Barack Obama’s victory dominated the headlines, it has perhaps been lost that another new president recently took office. On 11th November 2008 Mohamed Nasheed, a long-time human rights activist, took over the reigns of power in the Maldives.?? Tourism Concern is thrilled at this new presidency and wishes the new Government every success. The Maldives has immense problems to tackle including global warming, poverty, chronic unemployment and drug addiction. The Maldives boasts some 1,200 islands, making tourism the biggest foreign exchange earner for its economy. Just 250 are inhabited, with the majority of the population largely confined to the capital city, Mal??, by a government wary of its people interacting with foreigners and of the negative influence this could have on the Maldives’ strict Muslim society.

Tourism Concern???s work on the Maldives dates back to 2004, when a group of Maldivian political exiles approached us seeking support. The Maldives, they told us, was not the holiday paradise so expertly marketed and sold to the public, but was a repressive, tortuous group of islands run by a single president, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, for over 26 years who, through serious corruption, had become wealthy from tourism revenues whilst the population went hungry. Tourism Concern rapidly launched a campaign to support them, seeking to raise awareness of these important issues amongst the general public:

Maldivian people live in poverty despite high revenues from tourism. 42% of the local population are living very close to the internationally recognised poverty line of US $1.50 a day and have an average income of just $4,600 a year.
Tourism workers often face exploitative conditions. Research has found that some workers only receive one day off a month and work 12 hour shifts within the resorts. Wages are low and the situation is exacerbated by employers choosing to employ expatriates from even poorer countries in order to lower their costs. Maldivians have little or no choice but to work in these conditions if they are to make enough money to support their families. (A revised Employment Act was passed in August 2008, which was officially extended to include the rights of tourism workers in October 2008).
The UN reports that malnutrition rates among Maldivian children are as acute as those in Sub-Saharan Africa, with 1 in 3 children under the age of 5 suffering from the condition. This is in a country which opens up at least 11 new luxury resort islands each year and where GDP (gross domestic product) per capita is the highest in South Asia.

Due to the political climate in the Maldives, local people and tourism workers have been frightened to speak out about their working conditions, as this could mean losing their job, imprisonment or worse. Clearly something needed to happen to improve working rights and living conditions for local people. Tourism has such huge potential to bring people out of poverty, but the Maldives under Gayoom put to shame any such idea.?? Nasheed has been in jail 23 times, tortured and spent a long time in solitary confinement. However, his agenda now is to move on and we are assured that this will include spreading the benefits from tourism in the Maldives more equitably amongst its people.?? We wish him well.

An Alternative Perspective On Australian Aborigines

2008-12-04T14:32:44Z

The Apology

During my time in Australia earlier this year I had an interesting conversation with some locals regarding the Aboriginies. On the international stage there’s a general agreement that Australian Aborignes have been harshly treated by the rest of the population over the years, so it was with great surprise that I found myself involved in a conversation that for the first time wasn’t necessarily pro-aboriginal rights, and I was reminded that not all issues are black and white, even when we like to think they are.

The very public ‘Apology’ by Australia Prime Minister Kevin Rudd had taken place a short time before I arrived in the country. A speech was made in Parliament to address all the wrongs caused by successive governments on the indigenous Aboriginal population.

“For the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry”

- Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia

Schools around the country all dealt with communicating this political milestone to pupils in different ways. Some set aside a room during break time for pupils to watch the event if they chose to, others sat the whole school down and made it required viewing. The idea that Australia is making too much fuss over aboriginal rights and the political correctness of it all these days is not a perspective I had previously come across.

Not all aboriginal claims over land rights have been geniuine, and the same is true for some claims of aboriginal ancestry. Often there is money or land involved and as with any reputation - it’s easy to destroy, difficult to build. Disingenuous attempts to profit by exploiting cultural connections or cultural traditions is unacceptable, and until recently I hadn’t realised that it had been a source of cultural conflicts in Australia.

Now that efforts are finally being made to assimilate aboriginal culture into mainstream Australia, and aboriginal rights are being considered it seems obvious that some people will attempt to abuse the situation. For some reason the idea that it could be members of the indigenous population is a little hard to swallow and as a result (of political correctness no doubt) we hear very little of it internationally.

The Hindmarsh bridge debacle

All the way back in the early nineties questions were raised when a group of aboriginies tried to stop the construction of a bridge in South Australia by revealing that a sacred site would be violated. It was later alledged that the Aboriginal women had been encouraged by sympathetic feminist anthropologists to invent some ’secret women’s business’ that would provide a reason to oppose construction of the bridge. The anthropologists were part of a politically correct lobby that opposed construction. Has political correctness come to compromise fairness, morals and fact, allowing an abuse of trust and sympathy?

“The fraud has not necessarily been by the individual aboriginals who, often innocently, have been encouraged to bring legal proceedings, but rather has generally been by the activists and, it is regretted to say, by some of the lawyers who have advised or incited them.”

- National Observer No. 41, Winter 1991

The stolen generation

Some examples of unfounded claims have been analysed by Mr. Andrew Bolt, one of Australia’s most distinguished journalists:

Mr. Charles Perkins, who claimed to have been “stolen”, was in fact accepted into care at the request of his mother.
Mr. Mudrooroo Narogin, who has also claimed to have been “stolen”, was in fact handed across by his mother in view of her poverty.
Ms. Cathy Freeman’s claim that her grandmother Alice was “stolen” was untrue: Alice was the illegitimate daughter of a Syrian man, who was given to an Aboriginal couple to be raised.

A recent landmark case saw the Supreme Court of South Australia award an Aboriginal man (Bruce Trevorrow) A$525,000 in compensation after finding he had been falsely imprisoned and treated unlawfully when he was taken from his family in 1958. Bruce Trevorrow is the first member of Australia’s “stolen generation” of Aborigines to win compensation. There are many other stories where individuals claimed to have been “stolen”, but had in fact been sent by their parents to be educated.

It is no wonder that fraudulent reports have surfaced in recent years and that there may in fact be some truth in them given the prospect of compensation? Many would agree that there are often more similarities between cultures than differences, and using favourable situations to promote self interests is something we can all relate to. It’s important that such occurences are dealt with in a fair and equal way, without fear of political correctness, without tarnishing an entire culture, without creating prejudice, and most importantly without denying history. Regardless of the fact that there have been conflicts of this nature, there is no doubting the significance and importance of The Apology for modern day Australia. What are your thoughts?

Tribewanted: Sustainable Development Report

2008-12-05T11:32:42Z

Snorkeling around Vorovoro / Photo by Ben Keene

Our vision of the future is dependent upon our understanding of the past. We have to this point largely ignored the fact that we will never be able to separate ourselves from our environment and that any destruction we cause to it is a senseless act of self destruction. As we come together to turn our vison of a sustainable tomorrow into a reality we must remember that this means more than exchanging coal power plants for wind turbines.

So, how have we been doing this on the island of Vorovoro recently…

Community & Consciousness

Physical resources are only one part of what we as humans beings need. The greatest challenge of our time will be to protect and adapt the wisdom of the ethnosphere to our modern way of life. To live in harmony and in balance with our environment we must first come to know our place within it. We must know where we have come from to know where we are, and where we are going. If we are to reclaim our place as stewards of the planet and gain the knowledge necessary to start the regeneration of the crumbling ecosphere we must never stop asking ourselves, what does it mean to be human and what is our responsibility to those with whom we share this planet?

Water

Safety has come up a few times during our exploration of the land above the waterfall. Safety for the plants - are we destroying a unique habitat? Safety for the land - could our activities contribute to erosion and destroy the waterfall? Safety to people and animals - could the reservoir prove dangerous and how high can we build this thing without risking the stone breaking under the pressure?

As we have gone about answering these questions it has reminded me that we are guests here. Not just in the sense that we are leasing this land, but rather in the sense that our time here is short. This project if done properly could be here for hundreds of years. It can always be taken down, but if left alone, the new habitat that we are creating will last far beyond all of our lives. The Fijians know this. They live this realization everyday and it is a great comfort to be working on this project with them, and with their blessings. How can you plan for a future that you can’t see? Can we ever really know what the consequences of our actions will be? The best we can do is act upon the knowledge and information that we have at the time and never stop asking why? or what if? Thanks to everyone for raising your concerns and questions. It has made this project more complete, better defined and surely has a better chance of success because of you. If this new resevior can store enough water to keep the gardens growing year round, and If nobody gets hurt in the process, I will consider it a success.

Last week we started by clearing a trail up to the basin. We learned an interesting story from the Fijians. There is a lava tube on the ridge above the basin and according to local legend, the spirit gaurd of Vanua Levu lives there. The story goes that disguised as a shark, he swam out of the sea, turned into a man, walked down the beach, turned into a dog, ran up the hill and now lives on Vorovoro. I am still trying to learn his name as I think it would be appropriate to name the reservior after him.

Food

The seasons here are changing and we are clearing more land and expanding the gardens. Yesterday, Leavi, Sophie and I planted corn. The Native Americans planted what they called The Three Sisters: Beans to grow up the corn stalks and squash to cover the ground, keeping down the weeds.

It has also become apparent that our food statistics are way off the mark. Twenty-five percent food sustainability as we have reported in the past is well under the actual number. Much of the food that is gathered on the island goes straight into our bellies without being recorded. We are taking steps to change this including initiating weekly meetings with the kitchens and supplying all the kitchens with the neccessary tools to weigh and record their food but it will take time to change habits.

Energy

The partnership we are forming with True Offsets could prove to be a monumental leap forward for our energy production capabilities and allow us to really think big. Nothing has been finalized yet so I can’t reveal too many details but if you can picture scuba diving facilities and a radio broadcasting station then you aren’t too far off the mark.

We are also looking at installing new energy monitoring hardware from theenergydetective.com that will help us to show how much power we are generating, how much we are using and how much excess we have that we can utilize.

Waste

Vanua Levu and Fiji in general for that matter are terrible as far as recycling goes. We are continuously looking for new ways to divert our waste from the landfill by finding creative uses for it. We are also in the process of restructuring our waste collection system to make it easier for tribemembers and for the kitchen to properly dispose of their waste. Unfortunately this has had to take a back seat as we press to get the spillway finished before the rainy season makes work above the waterfall too difficult.

WHL: Making Travel A Little Fairer By Design

2008-12-10T01:08:13Z

Introduction to whl.travel

The WHL mission is to support sustainable tourism and suppliers at the bottom of the pyramid. The company resulted from a pilot project financed by the International Finance Corporation (part of the World Bank Group) to assist small and medium enterprise (SME) accommodation providers in the Mekong region with marketing their products online. Whilst accommodation providers in the 3 star plus category were able to access generic data service (GDS) networks and other web based distribution sites like Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Wotif, etc. many smaller accommodation providers were unable to. The reasons were varied but included:

A lack of computer facilities
Poor English language skills
Infrastructure issues
Poor business and Internet skills
No knowledge of online distribution options etc.

To overcome these problems - bridging the last mile - required us to work with a local representative in the destination, someone with both travel expertise and Internet access. These local representatives (WHL calls them MPOs - Marketplace Operators) own and operate the booking business.

Local Representatives (MPOs)

The MPOs do all those things best (and cheapest) done locally:

Contract all the local suppliers (accommodation, tours, activities).
Load and maintain content in the WHL database (supported by a team of WHL copy editors and trainers using Skype for online training).
Process the bookings.

The MPOs can select various online payment options like using their own online merchant account facilities where they have them, or using the one supplied by WHL. They can also set their own payment terms and commissions. The system is designed so that they can run their entire business from the platform. They are also provided with a global benchmarking facility to monitor their performance against other MPOs in the WHL network.

Global framework

WHL, for its part does those things best and cheapest done globally.

The technology platform
The web and other global marketing
A global payment gateway
Hosting
Management support
Professional copy editor support

The result is something of a first for the online travel booking industry and brings with it real benefits for communities normally out of reach of the web. For example in destinations like the Solomon Islands communication with small accommodation providers on the outer islands is by HF radio. In other destinations it could be by telephone, or even bicycle. This allows travellers to book products previously inaccessible online. For the local communities it is important as it allows them to generate income to keep young people employed locally instead of drifting to larger urban areas.

Helping reduce leakage by keeping more travel dollars in the country

Most smaller accommodation providers source everything (food, furniture, etc.) locally unlike many larger accommodation providers who import a lot. By helping to build business for the little guys more money is retained in the destination.
Around 80% of WHL booking commissions are retained by the MPOs in-country, the balance being for WHL fees. Other global booking sites and travel agents in the supply countries take 100% of the booking commissions (which can be very high - up to 20-40%) off-shore.
Finally, WHL itself has set up most of its operational teams in emerging economies - the technology team in Vietnam, the copy writing team in India. This not only keeps costs low on the WHL side (allowing us to keep fees to MPOs low) but it also allows us to get more tourism dollars back into the developing world.

After proving the model in the Mekong, WHL became a private company in March 2006 and for the past two and a half years has continued to build the network, the product and the underlying technology. As of November 2008 we had some 230 destination sites signed up with MPOs in over 80 countries, of which over 200 should be live by the end of March 2009. This represents around 6500 accommodation providers and over 1000 tours and activities. You can follow the development of our network on our sales platform. The MPOs are nearly all local inbound tour operators with a passion for their destination, helping the little guys and have a focus on encouraging sustainable tourism.

We have had a rather low profile till now as we needed to build the network and the systems to a point where we could plug into global distribution channels…however in 2009 you should start seeing a lot more of us. Obviously we are looking to independent travellers with an interest in travelling off the beaten track and supporting local communities to become our core demographic.

Waiting For The Coral To Spawn

2008-12-10T14:40:30Z

Coral spawning / Photo by Blue Ventures

Just as the Greeks sat silently until nightfall in the belly of a horse-faced statue, we too wait. Coral spawning has been talked of in hushed tones and excited squeaks since our arrival in Madagascar’s south west corner. The season is perfect, as the Austral spring turns to summer and the waters warm. The carefully selected sprigs of coral removed from the reef for inspection have borne fruit in the form of orange speck-like eggs. What we await is a single night where all the different corals will simultaneously decide to reproduce.

Amazingly, it is still unknown exactly what triggers the commencement of the reef’s busiest night of the year. Water temperature, chemical signals and the phases of the moon are all thought to play their part; the exact combination of these that prompts the coral to release a snowstorm of eggs and sperm is still a cryptic riddle. What is sure is that this benthic orgy also serves as an all-you-can-eat buffet for the other inhabitants of the African reef - the smaller fish eating the eggs but falling prey themselves to the larger species attracted by the flurry of the feeding frenzy. All the divers here, from kid to grandpa, want to be in the water to view the spectacle.

Our hopes remained unfulfilled on my first ever night dive: nonetheless, it was a fascinating if eerie experience. As we descended into the briny blackness I was aware of the near shadows of crepuscular sea-dwellers all around. Only my high-powered dive torch was able to illuminate the familiar, and less familiar reef animals. The night-time makes these sightings seem more dream-like, with the spotlights of each diver highlighting the contrast between light and dark. The colours and creatures appear hyper-realistic as though they were characters from a Disney cartoon. Our 3am start to the day was well rewarded; we encountered a green turtle slumbering under a convenient coral outcrop; a fully inflated pufferfish and a quickly retiring octopus – maybe embarrassed that we had caught him in the midst of his nightly ablutions.

As we headed back to base in the pre-light of the early dawn we all felt the thrill of a successful dive but the lingering awareness that it might be the next crew of night-divers, rather than us, who would be the first spectators of the big event. So we go on waiting until the next time we are chosen for a twilight sortie. Meanwhile the dark clouds gather in the distance and threatening rumbles of thunder emanate from further inland. We hope that the rains act in kind and wait a little longer before coming to Andavadoaka.

An Appeal For Myanmar (Burma) Aid

2008-05-10T13:00:52Z

This beautiful country with generous (and helpless) people is suffering from one of the worst natural disasters in a decade.

Photo Khin Maung Win/Agence France-Presse

I landed in Yangon, the capital city of Myanmar, a very ignorant young woman.

I traveled there on a whim and, upon arrival, knew nothing about the country. So you can imagine my surprise to learn that the men wore skirts (called longyi), the women have yellow powdered circles on their cheeks (called thannaka), and that the country has no banks and, therefore, no ATM’s.

I only had $350 American dollars in my pocket to last me for three weeks.

Somehow, I survived on $10 a day and, three weeks later, I left Yangon a changed person, with a bigger heart and a desire to see this country’s people rise from their currently powerless situation.

That was one year ago. I departed from Yangon less than one month before the peaceful protest to Shwedagon Paya went wrong. And now this: a cyclone.

This beautiful country with generous (and helpless) people is suffering from one of the worst natural disasters in a decade and all their government closes their borders to aid? I just don’t get it.

Searching For Change

The more I travel, the more I have seen how beautiful this world is. The human spirit is an amazing and resilient thing.

Now in Colombia, I can’t help but think of Myanmar and try to make sense of how desperate a nation can be without proper leadership.

In Colombia, I see a people rising from the ashes of a horrific terrorist regime and finally beginning to reap great rewards (i.e. booming tourism and growing economic stability) thanks to their whole-hearted support of wise President Alvaro Uribe.

Yet in Myanmar, we are witnessing a country dealing with two very different but equally debilitating disasters.

Myanmar’s political crisis is rotting from the inside. Its neighbors — Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and even Laos — have Western amenities like throne-style toilets, cellular phones, and fairly organized streets.

Myanmar’s major cities of Mandalay and Yangon survive in the dark ages, with each apartment running on self-funded power generators. Toilets and phones are the least of this country’s concerns.

Its oppressive military government continues to suppress its people and their ability to join the wider technological world.

Recent Disaster

On May 3, Cyclone Nargis struck the area surrounding Yangon and has likely killed more than 50,000 people. The government has been reluctant to accept aid even from India and Thailand, who have a vested interest in continuing trade with the country.

This is a country that needs massive worldwide support and attention.

Editor’s note: Here’s an interview from former Burmese monk Alan Clements on the current aid crisis:

Regardless of whether the Myanmar government chooses to allow aid for this disaster, there are ways to help the helpless.

Educate yourself on what is happening in these countries. Political news sources like The Economist and Wikipedia are good places to start.
If you’re feeling generous, donate to a non-profit organization that can go directly toward helping these countries gain a sense of national pride and identity — something Myanmar needs badly right now. The Network for Good blog has a great list of organizations that can help you do just that.
Most importantly, try not to sit at home wondering why you should care or how you can help. A little seed of hope, a little prayer, or a conversation with someone who doesn’t yet “get it” can go a long way.

Easyjet says airlines at the mercy of oil prices

2008-05-07T14:32:57Z

Low-budget carrier warned that the high cost of fuel will force more carriers to the wall this year

Catherine Mack on ethical tourism in Kenya

2008-05-10T23:03:46Z

In the past, the villagers of the Maasai Mara have seen little benefit from tourist visits. A new scheme is changing that. Catherine Mack reports

Going Local

2008-03-22T00:01:06Z

Vicky Baker is travelling around Central and South America guided by the local people she meets on social networking sites. This week: Panama City

Kuala Lumpur: AirAsia Boss Has Really Big Plans

2008-04-16T00:36:14Z

If you haven't really heard much about AirAsia yet, never fear: according to the CEO Datuk Tony Fernandes, the whole world will be flying AirAsia soon.

Fernandes really loves his airline and has huge plans for it. The first low cost carrier in Asia, coming out of Kuala Lumpur, AirAsia has been flying for over 10 years now and is ready to conquer the world. Fernandes dreams of making the AirAsia brand as big as Coca-Cola and the airline's reach as significant as European LCC Ryanair.

Some of the latest plans for AirAsia's future include pioneering PDA check-in, adding 175 new aircraft to its fleet and having AirAsia advertising adorning football stadiums. And hopefully, remembering to give us good service at a good price.

Related Stories:
· Sky's Not the Limit [eTravel]
· Air Asia is as Good as Formula One [ENP]
· AirAsia Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: lastsham]

Too many American travelers overlook Edinburgh, unaware that most of its major museums are totally free-of-charge to enter

2008-02-06T14:50:00Z

Scottish Postcard
Uploaded by Robert Larson (ChrisCayton)

Just as in London, most of the major museums of Edinburgh charge no admission. You can create a fascinating Edinburgh stay around visits to these amazing attractions, and enjoy the entire experience for a moderate sum.

Free of charge, first, is the National Museum of Scotland, filled with the great achievements of great Scots (like Alexander Graham Bell). You'll also find Dolly here, the world's first cloned sheep. Free of charge, too, is the Museum of Edinburgh, run by the city and located in a prime position on the famous Royal Mile. It tells the complicated tale of the city's story (most of which centers on the Scots' ongoing feud with the English). Free of charge, as well, is the Scottish National Portrait Gallery which displays the face of Sean Connery among its celebrity portraits; the Modern Art Galleries with Warhols, Bacons, Hirsts, and lots of Dada and Surrealism; and the National Gallery of Scotland on busy Princes Street, honoring art from around Europe with an emphasis on Scottish works. Expect high quality works collected by some of Scotland's richest titans of industry, including Rembrandts, Botticellis and Monets. It is conjoined with the Royal Scottish Academy Building (free of charge), which is stocked with much of the same.

And finally, the City Art Center in a towering building overlooking Waverley train station displays some 3,500 works of Scottish art. As the main center for Scotland's visual art treasures, it's always changing the offerings, so you never know what you're going to find there. It charges no admission.

There isn't a cheesy tourist trap in the bunch. Just from that list, it should be evident that in Edinburgh, as in London, you can craft a rich multi-day vacation out of exclusively free things to see and do.

Then, when you've exhausted the list, you can (if you choose) move on to the city's collection of excellent paid historical attractions, such as the Castle, the Queen's official Scottish residence, Holyroodhouse, Britannia, the Queen's famous royal yacht, and Rosslyn Chapel, the romantic and wildly carved sanctuary located in the countryside just south of town. Important sights all, but by no means required for a memorable Edinburgh experience.

Write and read comments about this post.

Free Things to Do in Paris

2008-02-08T17:08:15Z

Indulge in some of the City of Light's sweetest luxuriesgratuit.

Kokoda Trail closed to tourists

2008-02-07T02:38:00Z

Papua New Guinea's historic Kokoda Trail has been closed to tourists until a dispute over a proposed copper mine is resolved, Australian media is reporting.

Local Koiari landowners have felled a tree across the track near the village of Naoro, 55km from Port Moresby. Villagers say they will stop travellers who try to pass until the PNG government allows the Australian company Frontier Resources to dig up 600m of the track to mine a $US5.9 billion copper and gold deposit.

The Koiari people have been offered a 5% stake in the mine that could deliver them more than $US100 million over the proposed 10-year life of the mine.

Australia, who is seeking a world heritage listing for the trail, is lobbying the PNG Government to kill the mine project in favour of the tourism dollar.

About 5000 tourists travel walk the 96km Kokoda Trail each year. One of the world's great treks, it links the southern and northern coast of PNG, and was the scene of bitter fighting between Australian soldiers and Japanese troops in 1942.

San Francisco: Starbucks Alternatives: Caffe Trieste

2008-02-08T17:03:51Z

San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood was, half-a-century ago, the epicenter of the beat movement and coffeehouse counterculture. Getting your morning brew at a corporate joint amid all this history would just be shameful.

Instead, sit and have a cup at the first Caffe Trieste, where the likes of Kerouac and Ginsberg would come to wake up, write their mad prose and have caffeinated conversations about morality and life. Opened in 1956 by Giovanni Giotta, aka "Papa Gianni," the cafe was one of the first on the West Coast to serve espresso.

Today it still serves a mean cappuccino in the traditional style and maintains a classic ambiance. The pastries here are also fantastic. Musicians perform regularly at Trieste, and the coffee shop, which now has several locations in the Bay Area, even has its own record label.

You might have to fight for a table, but on sunny days you can easily grab a seat outside or on the steps of the church across the street. If you're inclined to ramble as you sip, don't miss nearby City Lights, a haven of beat literature and make sure to take a stroll through Jack Kerouac Alley.

Related Stories:
· Caffe Trieste [Official Site]
· City Lights Books [Official Site]
· Starbucks Alternatives coverage [Jaunted]
· San Francisco Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Thomas Hawk]

Dollar: the not-so-universal travel currency

2008-02-03T19:00:00Z

Filed under: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, United States

If the dollar continues its downward spiral this year, it may be necessary for people to switch from dollars to euros for their travel cash.

According to this NY Times article yesterday, many countries are no longer willing to take dollars instead of their currency as a way to get into museums, and pay for hotels and restaurants. While many countries in Latin America still happily accept the dollar because they currencies are either pegged to the dollar or it is the dollar, an increasing number of countries in Asia and Africa, for example, prefer the euro over the dollar.

The Taj Mahal, for example, no longer accepts dollars for the entrance fee. Tourists used to be able to pay $15 to get in. Now, they are required to only pay in rupees (750), which is actually $19. You would think they would just increase the entrance fee in dollars, but maybe they actually really don't want dollars.

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