If you’re a fan of photography holidays, Terra Incognita ECOTOURS is now offering a new Photo Expedition to Madagascar.
The adventure travel company specializes in wildlife-focused ecotours that “give travelers the chance to ‘make a difference’ while vacationing”. This 13-day June trip is also available with an optional 4-day, post-trip extension to Anjajavy.
Green Caribbean resort Bucuti Beach Resort has launched a new, eco-friendly Experience Aruba Green Package.
On the white sands of Aruba’s Eagle Beach, the 104-room boutique resort for couples features Tara Beach Suites & Spa. Known for its sustainable tourism, Bucuti has been recognized by the Caribbean Hotel Association and the International Hotel and Restaurant Association for its environmentally responsible hotel operations.
Says Ewald Biemans, Bucuti’s owner:
“At Bucuti, we are passionate about preserving the environment so we can share Aruba’s beauty and culture with guests for years to come. The Experience Aruba Green Package will allow guests to experience some of the island’s spectacular sights, while also learning about our history and ecology. We hope this will help our guests develop a true sense of place.”
Novotel now offers travelers 32 hotels and resorts throughout Asia Pacific which have achieved Green Globe Sustainable Tourism Certification. An additional 40 hotels have reached benchmarking status towards certification.
Says Evan Lewis, spokesperson, Accor Asia Pacific:
“Having 32 hotels certified and a further 40 in Asia Pacific region well on their way towards certification, is a notable achievement. Certification is achieved hotel by hotel, requiring each hotel to be individually committed to the program and able to demonstrate environmental out performance… Travelers are increasingly seeking hotels that are able to demonstrate a commitment to the environment and Green Globe Certification provides visibility and the assurance of this commitment. Accor is committed to having the Asia Pacific network of Novotel hotels and resorts committed to the program by the end of 2009.”
Novotel is a mid-scale hotel brand within the Accor group portfolio, with Novotel 400 hotels and resorts in 60 countries. The brand is committed to sustainable development and all Novotel hotels participate in the Green Globe worldwide environmental certification programme.
International organization Green Globe provides certification for Sustainable Tourism, originally established in 1992 by the World Tourism and Travel Council and based on Agenda 21 (priorities of the 21st century for the planet).
The latest hotels to achieve certification are three Hong Kong locations : Novotel Hong Kong Century, Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Road and Novotel Hong Kong Citigate.
For more info on Novotel’s commitment to Green Globe , visit youandusforearth.com.
Image courtesy of Accor Asia Pacific
Fancy taking a new walking tour in Italy?
Walking tour expert Context Travel has unveiled a new tour, “Saper Fare: Artisan Traditions of Florence”, centered on the traditions of local craftsmanship in Florence, Italy.
The new walk, part of the company’s “Made in Florence” program, explores family-run artisan workshops in the medieval streets surrounding the Duomo. Walks in the program raise funds for Context’s local sustainable tourism project, a co-op scholarship program at a local trade school.
Context is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals who organize and lead didactic walking seminars in Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Paris, London, New York, Istanbul, and Philadelphia.
National Geographic Traveler, in conjunction with National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations, has devoted its sixth annual “Places Rated” Destination Stewardship survey to the world’s most celebrated and iconic travel destinations and how they have weathered mass tourism and other threats.
The survey, conducted by the Center, is the cover story of the November-December 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine on newsstands Nov. 3. A total of 133 destinations were surveyed by a panel of 437 experts in a variety of fields related to sustainable tourism.
Norway’s Fjords region takes top honors (85 points) with judges noting its scenery and well-preserved rural life. Other destinations in the “Best Rated Places” category include Japan’s ancient Kyoto (#4, 79 points) for honoring the “serenity and charm of ancient Japan” and Slovenia tied at #5 (78 points) for being among the most sustainable and authentic places to visit in Europe.
