Fin de semana de Buceo Solidario y Turismo Responsable en la Reserva Marina «Isla de Tabarca»
Plazas limitadas para buceadores y no buceadores, por lo que conviene reservar cuanto antes.
Fechas disponibles: 10-11 junio y 1-2 julio.
CURSO «TURISMO RESPONSABLE Y DESARROLLO HUMANO»
El Centro de Iniciativas de Cooperación para el Desarrollo (CICODE) de la Universidad de Granada y el Centro de Iniciativas para la Cooperación – Batá ofertan este curso que plantea una visión crítica del actual modelo de desarrollo turístico, pero también las oportunidades que ofrece un enfoque sostenible y responsable de esta actividad de cara a objetivos sociales como la lucha contra el cambio climático, la erradicación de la pobreza o el consumo consciente y responsable.
El berciano Nicolás de la Carrera organiza en Semana Santa su segundo ‘Viaje de autor’ a Senegal
Un pequeño grupo de 12 personas acompañará al activista cultural por los paisajes que forjaron su personalidad durante 20 años
El activista cultural berciano Nicolás de la Carrera, de la mano de la agencia de viajes Agrotravel Turismo Responsable, pionera en España en el sector del turismo responsable, organiza de cara a la Semana Santa -entre el 8 y el 15 de abril- la segunda edición de su ‘viaje de autor’ por Senegal. La experiencia, que ya se puso en marcha en diciembre de este año con la participación de cinco personas, permite a un grupo reducido de personas acompañar al berciano por los paisajes que conformaron su personalidad durante 20 años, en un viaje que aspira a crear las bases de «un turismo responsable, solidario y sostenible», explicó De la Carrera a Ical.
Foto: Cesar Sanchez
En ese sentido, De la Carrera recordó que la experiencia consiste en “salir de la ruta turística habitual para hacer un viaje emocional”. Los grupos reducidos, de un máximo de 12 personas, buscan facilitar el contacto con la gente del país africano, así como tener un menor impacto sobre el medio ambiente. Los participantes en el viaje se alojarán en pequeños establecimientos gestionados por gente del país.
Además, los integrantes de la expedición tendrán ocasión de visitar proyectos de colaboración como el que lleva a cabo la ONG de Ponferrada La Canica Azul para acoger a niños de la calle en un orfanato, o la labor de la monja misionera de Bembibre Sor Justina, que encabeza un proyecto para la formación de mujeres a las afueras de Dakar, la capital del país. Lee el resto de esta entrada
Where Sustainable Travel Is Headed in 2017
The Reef in Anguilla is a solar operation.
Sustainable tourism — bringing global awareness to travel and putting it into action — is a top priority for the United Nations this year. The organization has designated 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.
There were nearly 1.2 billion international travelers in 2015, up from 674 million in 2000, according to the United Nations. The latest figure represents nearly one out of seven people in the world and is expected to grow to 1.8 billion people by 2030.
This rapid increase of tourists is exactly why sustainable tourism needs attention now, said Taleb Rifai, the secretary general of the World Tourism Organization, the United Nations agency overseeing the initiative. “The impact of tourism on the world can be negative or positive, and our goal is to see to it that the travel industry is a force for good,” he said.
According to the U.N.W.T.O., sustainable tourism has three guiding principles for hotels, tour operators, airlines and cruises (as well as destinations and tourists): environmentally friendly practices like minimizing the use of plastic; protecting natural and cultural heritage (think rain forests and historic sites); and supporting local communities by employing local staff, buying local products and engaging in charity work.
Granted, these aren’t novel ideas, but they are ever-evolving. Here is a snapshot of where sustainable travel stands today and what’s in store for it in the coming year.
The Mainstreaming of Sustainability
Travel experts say that sustainable travel is still a niche movement. “Some travel companies try to be sustainable, while others ignore the idea, and from the traveler side, demand and awareness is soft,” said Randy Durband, the chief executive of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, a nonprofit accreditation group for sustainable travel based in Washington.
To his point, Booking.com, which describes itself as the world’s largest travel hotel booking site with a database of around a million properties, conducted a global survey last March of 10,000 travelers and found only 42 percent of those questioned considered themselves to be sustainable travelers. Sixty-five percent said they hadn’t stayed or didn’t know if they had stayed in eco-friendly accommodations. In another survey the company conducted last year of about 5,700 hotels, only around 25 percent reported that they had sustainable travel initiatives in place.
Nevertheless, the travel industry and travelers have made significant progress, Costas Christ, the director of sustainability for the luxury travel network Virtuoso, said. “Back in the ’60s and ’70s, going green and caring about local cultures was thought of as being very granola.” he said, “But there is much more familiarity and interest around these topics today.”
Peregrine Adventures, shown cruising Croatia, also has carbon-offset itineraries. CREDITPEREGRINE ADVENTURES
Cruise Ships Get On Board
Cruise lines have lagged behind hotels and airlines when it comes to sustainable travel, Mr. Durband said, but lately that’s changed, with several cruise companies stepping up their efforts.
Royal Caribbean, for example, has a new partnership with the World Wildlife Fund to help with ocean conservation. For starters, the company will reduce the carbon emissions from its ships by using scrubbers, machines that eliminate nearly all of the environmentally harmful sulfur dioxide from a ship’s exhaust system.
Also, said Rob Zeiger, a Royal Caribbean spokesman, by the end of 2020, its fleet of 44 ships will use seafood only from fisheries and farms certified as sustainable and won’t serve overfished species like swordfish. And most of the ships being built for the line will be powered entirely by natural gas and generate electricity through fuel cells, which produce minimal air pollution.
Smaller cruise companies, too, are getting into sustainability. Peregrine Adventures is introducing 10 carbon-offset itineraries in 2017, and the riverboat brand Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection is now working with the social enterprise ME to WE to offer guests the opportunity to volunteer, including one in Rajasthan, India, where they help build a new classroom at a village school.
Airline Incentive: Cost
Airlines are in the midst of a big push to reduce their use of fossil fuels, said Martha Honey, the executive director of the Center for Responsible Travel, or Crest, a Washington-based nonprofit that promotes sustainable travel. “These fuels are harmful to the environment and expensive, and the more airlines use, the more it costs them,” she said.
According to the Air Transport Action Group, a nonprofit that represents the air industry, fuel accounted for one-third of operating costs in 2015.
Last October, 191 countries reached a landmark agreement at the International Civil Aviation Organization meeting in Montreal to help aviation achieve carbon neutral growth starting in 2021.
Qantas, Lufthansa, American Airlines and JetBlue are among the carriers making sizable investments in aircraft that burn less fuel and are therefore most cost-efficient. Lufthansa has ordered 116 new Airbus planes that are 15 percent more fuel efficient than comparable models. Five of the planes are already in the sky, according to Christina Semmel, a Lufthansa spokeswoman.
JetBlue made news last year with its purchase of 330,000 million gallons of biofuel — fuel that is made from organic matter including agricultural products and significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions. It will start using it in 2019. “Our initial commitment is to use the fuel in New York City-area airports, and we plan to use it in all of our aircraft,” Sophia Mendelsohn, JetBlue’s head of sustainability, said.
Intrepid Travel offers a carbon-offset tour of Myanmar.
Eco-Friendly Tours Are Increasing
According to Ms. Honey of Crest, “There are a growing number of tour operators today that are committed to running socially and environmentally responsible trips.”
Intrepid Travel, for example, now offers more than 1,000 group tours a year that are fully carbon neutral, according to Michael Sadowski, a spokesman — up from around 900 last year. The company uses local transportation and locally owned accommodations and donates money to carbon offset programs. In 2017, Intrepid will offer 65 new carbon offset tours, including a 15-day trip of Myanmar’s cultural highlights.
Luxury tour operators like Remote Lands, Butterfield & Robinson and Abercrombie & Kent are also incorporating sustainability on select trips. Abercrombie & Kent has a new 11-day Iceland itinerary this year, which includes accommodations in an eco-friendly hotel, a tour of Hellisheidi Power Plant, one of the largest geothermal power plants in the world, and a visit to a sustainable geothermal greenhouse.
More Hotels Green Up
Efforts by hotels to go green have been fairly modest: reusing towels and sheets and installing low-flow shower heads, for example. But a growing number of properties are making sustainability their main attraction. “When it came to hotels, sustainability was once associated with eco-resorts or African safari camps, where they’ve been working to protect local wildlife for years,” Albert Herrera, the senior vice president of Global Product Partnerships for Virtuoso, said. “But today, it’s become the defining element of both trendy urban properties and stylish beach resorts.”
More than a dozen such hotels are scheduled to open this year, according to Mr. Herrera, including the February debut of 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y., the third location for Barry Sternlicht’s sustainably focused brand. The 194-room hotel will incorporate native greenery and reclaimed materials in its décor, including walnut from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and offer electric car service from Tesla.
Also new is the Reef by CuisinArt, a beachfront property in Anguilla powered by a solar generation system that saves 1.2 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year and creates potable solar water for guests and the island’s residents.
And in Africa, there’s a sustainable camp, Bisate Lodge, opening in June that’s newsworthy because of its location in Rwanda next to Volcanoes National Park, known for mountain gorillas. The lodge’s parent company, Wilderness Safaris, is reforesting more than 66 acres of habitat of the critically endangered gorillas, hiring mostly local employees and selling only locally produced items in its gift shop.
Fuente: Shivani Vora –New York Times–
One week to Portugal’s Smart Destinations & Smart Cities event
In one week, the city of Bragança gathers, for the 3rd consecutive year, some of the brightest minds: thinkers, doers, practitioners, innovators, researchers, companies, startups, creative and also policy makers, decision makers, public administration and technical and liberal top class professionals.
They are all interested in design, create and build Smart Destinations, Smart Regions, Smart Cities…in a sustainable and intelligent way, contributing to develop a more inclusive and resilient world.
But also interested in building Real Human Relations and Connect with Natural and Authentic cultural and ancient heritage.
The Northeast of Portugal has it all!
Come and join us for another great event!
Bring warm coat, it’s getting cold…but the region promises to heat your hearts with all its famous and genuine hospitality 😉
Download the final agenda here.
Check Some of our Amazing Speakers this year
AND ALSO…
José Carlos Mota, Investigador, Universidade Aveiro, Planeamento Urbano
Susana Conde, Especialista Turismo Sustentável
Gil Nadais, Presidente Município Águeda
Miguel de Castro Neto, Nova IMS, Coordenador NOVA CIDADE
Catarina Selada, Diretora Unidade Cidades INTELI
D. José Cordeiro, Bispo de Bragança
Hernâni Dias, Presidente Município Bragança
Carlos Monteiro, Vice-presidente Município Guarda
Helena Videira, Diretora ZASNET
Artur Cascarejo, Diretor Do Parque Natural Regional Do Vale Do Tua
António Pombinho, Vereador Na Câmara Municipal Loures
On the second day (3rd Dec) enjoy and connect with some exclusive and authentic special Tours around Bragança
For the first time in Portugal and the 3rd time in the world
The Silent Tour Braganca builds on experience from Bratislava (Slovakia), where the “silent walk” approach has been used in the framework of Nomadic Arts Festival 2016 to enable the neighbours to engage with their environment in a non-everyday way, and to experiment with a more performative and processual kind of research; as well as Berlin, where it was used it in development of a concept of an alternative, individualized tourist guidebook, as a part of workshop Berlin Unlimited by Urban Transcripts.
We invite both local residents and visitors of the city to join and hope to stimulate an interesting exchange of observations about the potential, qualities and challenges of the city of Braganca.
Pinela: Smart Village Example
Pinela is the first village to possess and make available for free in the Android and IOS stores a georreferenced mobile application that provides all the parish’s interesting content and places that must be visited; it is also the first village to acquire a 3D printer to symbolic replicate the greatest element of its identity, the Cantarinhas de Pinela (Pinela Clay Pots). It also boasts a website (www.cicpinela.pt) which brings together all the location’s historical information, live testimonies of its inhabitants, memories of their ancestors, and videos that recreate the whole clay cycle. In fact, this collection of live testimonies served as the basis for the production of two videos that can be watched in several languages at the Pinela ICC and that involved a decent portion of its residents.
World Responsible Tourism Awards 2016
2016 joint winners announced as Lemon Tree Hotel and Tren Ecuador
Founded in 2004, the Awards allow you the chance to celebrate the heroes and share the stories of the most exciting and enduring responsible tourism experiences in the world.
This year the judges wanted to recognise two very different category winners:
Lemon Tree Hotels are recognised for creating a socially inclusive work environment, employing people with disabilities and those from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Currently 25% of its staff ‘opportunity deprived Indians’ and they hope to increase this to 49% in the next 5 years. The judges are delighted to see a large major successful corporate with progressive employment practices at the heart of the business.
Tren Ecuador has reversed the traditional approach of heritage and luxury train travel. They instead have created shared value with 23 station-cafes, 14 artisanal squares, 13 local museums, 2 lodges, 9 folklore and historical recreation groups and several community-based tourism operations – all included as part of a tourist’s journey. The result is a family of associated enterprises which creates 5000 livelihoods for people in local communities along the tracks. Lee el resto de esta entrada
Descubrimos el valor añadido del turismo responsable
En esta entrevista os presentamos a Susana Conde, fundadora de la empresa pionera en España Agrotravel Turismo Responsable. Por un lado, Agrotravel es una agencia de viajes emisora que ofrece viajes responsables a más de cincuenta destinos del mundo, y por otro es la primera agencia receptiva española que ofrece propuestas de viaje por España de turismo sostenible y ecoturismo de cara a viajeros extranjeros. Por si esto fuera poco, también son la única agencia de viajes española certificada en turismo sostenible con Travelife.
Ángela: ¿Cómo contribuye Agrotravel a crear una industria turística más responsable?
Susana: Llevamos la responsabilidad y la sostenibilidad en el adn de nuestra empresa, todo lo que hacemos, gestionamos y ofrecemos a nuestros clientes está desarrollado bajo criterios de turismo responsable. Intentamos que nuestros viajes sean lo más sostenibles posibles y que cualquier viajero a cualquier destino que quiera viajar pueda hacerlo de manera responsable. Siempre intentamos trabajar con iniciativas locales, alojamientos, restaurantes de propiedad y gestión local, minimizando los impactos negativos en el medioambiente, en la cultura y la población local. Intentando que el viaje repercuta positivamente en el destino y genere beneficios socioeconómicos y contribuya al desarrollo económico local. Además intentamos ser muy estrictos en cuanto a la defensa de los derechos humanos y de los animales, apoyando todas las campañas internacionales de denuncia y boicot a determinadas actividades poco sostenibles.
Paseos por las coloridas calles de Tlacotalpan (Méjico)
También desarrollamos servicios de consultoría, asesoramiento y formación en turismo responsable, estando muy especializados en marketing, dado nuestro conocimiento del viajero que desea realizar este tipo de viajes. También somos aliados de la agencia de turismo responsable mexicana, Totonal.
Ángela: ¿Cuáles son los principales retos a los que te enfrentas como operadora de turismo responsable enfocada al público español?
Susana: El concienciar al viajero español, que entienda lo qué realmente es viajar de manera responsable y lo que supone eso a la hora de organizar y realizar su viaje, aún el porcentaje de viajeros concienciados es muy bajo y el de aquellos dispuestos a entender que quizás tengan que cambiar su forma de viajar y su actitud durante el viaje tampoco. Lo que no se entiende es el valor añadido que tiene el turismo responsable de auténtico, experiencial, único, memorable y de alta calidad, que además tiene un precio justo pero no es lowcost.
Ángela: En tu opinión, ¿cuál es el estado del turismo responsable en nuestro país? ¿Cómo sepodría generar mayor interés por esta vertiente del turismo?
Susana: Ha crecido la demanda en los dos últimos años pero aún es minoritaria, es esperanzador el ver ese incremento de la demanda pero sería ideal que aumentara a mayor ritmo para poder ser un mercado que envía viajeros responsables. También se tiende a asociar a tipos de viajes que en ocasiones no tienen nada de turismo responsable, como algunos ejemplos de turismo solidario y voluntariado, cuando no siempre están desarrollados con criterios de sostenibildiad y responsabilidad. Cuesta entender que el turismo responsable es una forma de viajar a cualquier destino para hacer cualquier actividad que haya sido desarrollada de manera responsable.
“Lo que no se entiende es el valor añadido que tiene el turismo responsable de auténtico, experiencial, único, memorable y de alta calidad, que además tiene un precio justo pero no es lowcost.”
Creemos que la mejor manera de generar mayor interés es el participar en este tipo de iniciativas que promueven el turismo responsable y explicar y concienciar en este sentido.
Ángela: ¿Qué te impulsó a participar en el Festival Vilamón?
Viaje en canoa por los manglares de Asia
Susana: La necesidad de promover el turismo responsable y de dar a conocer nuestra forma de trabajar además de los viajes que proponemos a los viajeros. Cualquier iniciativa de este tipo que sirva para promover y concienciar a los viajeros es muy necesaria y útil. Cuantos más hablemos de otra forma de viajar más viajeros empezaran a plantearse viajar de otra manera.
¡Muchas gracias Susana por participar en nuestra serie de entrevistas!
Recuerda que puedes seguir a Agrotravel en Facebook & en Twitter
Fuente: Travindy
TOURISM ECO FORUM – Barcelona 14 octubre 2016
Próximamente en Tourism Eco Forum, Agrotravel Turismo Responsable y Susana Conde como directora en particular, participará como moderadora de una mesa de debate….. Tourism Eco Forum es un importante lugar de encuentro donde se tratarán entre otros, el tema del turismo y el cambio climáticoOs esperamos!!!
(English below – Español abajo)
CAT: Tens una nova cita per apuntar a l’agenda!
El 1er Tourism eco forum, englobat dintre del 3r Festival VILAMON de Turisme Responsable de Barcelona, se celebrarà el pròxim 14 d’octubre 2016 a l’Espai Bonnemaison de Barcelona. Una jornada professional, inspiradora i formativa per descobrir noves tendències i coneixements sobre el turisme urbà sostenible al Mediterrani.
El Tourism Eco Forum, emmarcat en la COP-22 de Marrakech pretén:
– Compartir visions sobre turisme urbà, canvi climàtic i sostenibilitat.
– Divulgar casos d’estudi rellevants sobre turisme urbà a les diferents ciutats euro-mediterrànies.
– Reflexionar sobre l’empoderament dels ciutadans en les polítiques públiques de les ciutats turístiques.Durant la jornada podràs assistir a sessions formatives, amb exemples de casos d’èxit sobre polítiques públiques i models de negoci sostenibles. A més, tindràs l’oportunitat de conèixer noves tendències del turisme urbà, crear sinergies i formar part del conjunt de professionals, acadèmics i agents socials que vol unir esforços per posicionar el turisme urbà sostenible a Europa i al Mediterrani.
Inscriu-te ja al Formulari
I recorda, #TourismEcoForum #vil amon2016 són les etiquetes per piulades!(@global_ecoforum / @VilamonBcn)
Apunta’t ara i no et perdis res.
______________________________ ______________________________ _________
ESP: ¡Tienes una nueva cita para tu agenda !
El 1er Tourism eco forum se celebrará el próximo 14 de octubre 2016 en el Espai Bonnemaison (Barcelona) en el marco del 3r Festival VILAMON sobre Turismo Responsable de Barcelona. Una jornada profesional, inspiradora y formativa para descubrir nuevas tendencias y conocimientos sobre el turismo urbano sostenible.
El Tourism eco forum se celebra en el marco de la COP22 de Marrakech y pretende:
– Compartir visiones sobre turismo urbano, cambio climático y sostenibilidad.
– Divulgar casos de estudio relevantes sobre turismo urbano de diferentes ciudades euro-mediterráneas.
– Reflexionar sobre el empoderamiento de los ciudadanos en las políticas de las ciudades turísticas.Inscríbete ya aquí: Formulario
Durante la jornada podrás asistir a sesiones formativas, con ejemplos de casos de éxito sobre políticas públicas y modelos de negocio sostenibles. Además, tendrás la oportunidad de conocer nuevas tendencias del turismo urbano, crear sinergías, y formar parte de un conjunto de profesionales, académicos y agentes sociales que quiere unir esfuerzos para posicionar el turismo urbano sostenible en Europa y el Mediterráneo.
No te pierdas novedades a través de twitter con #TourismEcoforum #vilamon2016 (@global_ecoforum / @Vilamon Bcn)
Asegura tu plaza y no te pierdas nada!
______________________________ ______________________________ ______________
ENG: You have a new appointment for your agenda!
The 1st Tourism eco forum, in the framework of the 3rd VILAMON Festival on Responsible Tourism will be held on 14th October 2016 at Espai Bonnemaison in Barcelona. A professional conference, inspirational and educational to discover new trends and knowledge on sustainable urban tourism.
The Tourism eco forum, labelled by the Marrakech COP-22, aims to:
– Share visions about urban tourism policy, climate change and sustainability.
– Disseminate relevant case studies on urban tourism from diverse Euro-Mediterranean cities.
– Reflect on the empowerment of citizens in public policies of tourist cities.During the day you can attend workshops with examples of success stories about urban tourism public policies and sustainable business models. You will also have the opportunity to meet new trends of urban tourism, create synergies and join the group of professionals, academics and stakeholders who wants to join efforts to develop sustainable urban tourism around Europe and the Mediterranean cities.
Book your seat here: Registration
Follow us: @global_ecoforum / @Vilam onBcn // #TourismEcoforum #vilamon2016
Fuente: Ecounión
El mundo desde otras miradas 