tourism review online magazine - 06/2011

O N L I N E M A G A Z I N EJ U N E , 2 0 1 1

Dear readers,

Welcome to the June issue of the Tourism Review Online Magazine. Discover the vast plains of Mongolia, learn about the local customs and experience the life of

Nomads. Read the Destination supplement. Adventurers seeking vacations full of adrenalin should opt for safari and perhaps even a hunting holiday. Learn more in the Adventure part.

Even educational trips are exciting – learn to cook Mediterranean dishes, go for art classes, improve your skills as a travel photographer. Learning vacations are the types of holiday popular among the young and the old alike. Open the Professional supplement. The topic of the Ethical part are volunteer vacations focusing on Peru and Ecuador.

First of all however read the Heritage part presenting several really big and really small attractions of the world.

Milada SovadinovaEditor

HERITAGE:World’s AttrActions: the Biggest And smAllest ................. 4

ADVENTURE:the World of hunting ....................... 33

PRofEssIoNAl:edu-, edu-, educAtionAl trAveling ..........................................................14

DEsTINATIoN:mongoliA: going hot And cold ...............................44

fAIRs & ExHIbITIoNs:trAvel/tourism in June 2011 By regions ........................................55

LiEPAjA: FuLL OF SuRPRiSiNg AND uNiquE SigHTS ............................................................ 5 THE SMALLEST HOuSE iN BRiTAiN – MiND YOuR HEAD! ...................................................... 7 CHAMPAgNE – THE MARNE OF SuPERLATivES .................................................................... 9 PROviNCE OF vERCELLi: Big AND SMALL ATTRACTiONS .................................................... 11

TOP 10 HuNTiNg DESTiNATiONS iN THE WORLD ............................................................... 34 SAFARi: HuNTiNg TRiPS iN SOuTH AFRiCA ........................................................................ 36 HuNTiNg iN FRANCE – AN uNFORgETTABLE ExPERiENCE ................................................. 38 CORDOBA – DOvE SHOOTiNg CAPiTAL OF THE WORLD ..................................................... 40 BOW HuNTiNg: ExPLORE NAMiBiA WiTH A BOW iN YOuR HAND ...................................... 42

WHAT iS A LEARNiNg vACATiON? ...................................................................................... 15 COOkiNg TOuRS: HOME COOkED MEAL AND DELiCiOuS WiNE ......................................... 17 EDuCATiONAL TRiPS: WOMEN TRAvELERS uNLEASH THEiR CREATiviTY............................. 19 PREPARE YOuR TASTE BuDS FOR ANDALuCíA CuLiNARY TOuRS ........................................ 21

MONgOLiA – THE WiLD LAND OF NOMADS ....................................................................... 45 MONgOLiA’S TOuRiSM iNDuSTRY FACiNg CHALLENgES ................................................... 47 MONgOLiA CHANgiNg TOuRiSM LANDSCAPE................................................................... 49 uLAANBAATAR: TENTS AND SkYSCRAPERS ......................................................................... 51 TOuRiSM iN MONgOLiA: gETTiNg READY FOR viSiTORS ................................................... 53

vOLuNTOuRiSM AND POSiTivE SOCiAL iMPACT ................................................................ 24 ECuADOR’S vOLuNTEER vACATiONS FOR “gROWN uPS” .................................................. 26 TEN TiPS FOR TAkiNg A vOLuNTEER vACATiON ................................................................. 29 TRAvEL AND vOLuNTEER iN PERu’S ORPHANAgE AND SCHOOL ........................................ 31

WESTERN EuROPE ............................................................................................................ 56 AFRiCA/MiDDLE EAST........................................................................................................ 57 NORTH AMERiCAT ............................................................................................................. 58 CENTRAL AND SOuTH AMERiCA ........................................................................................ 59 ASiA & PACiFiC .................................................................................................................. 60

c o n t e n t s J u n e , 2 0 1 1 c o n t e n t s

Great attractions lure crowds of tourists. However, even the less known and smaller sights are worth seeing. Explore the smallest house in Britain, the biggest champagne glass, the longest swamp lane and much more.

H E R I T A G EWorld’s AttrActions: the Biggest And smAllest

Improve your art skills, learn to cook Italian dishes, get bet-ter in taking pictures – all of this is possible to do and be on holiday at the same time. Edu-cational traveling or learning vacations are getting more and more popular among young and old as well.

Edu-, Edu-, Educational travElingP R O F E S S I O N A L

Volunteer vacations are grow-ing in popularity all around the world. Explore the unique proj-ects organized for voluntourists in Ecuador and Peru, learn how to choose your tour operator, and what to expect from your trip.

In Vogue: Volunteer VacatIonsE T H I C A L

Adventurous and exciting holi-days? For many travelers this means hunting trips and safari. Discover the best hunting des-tinations, learn about bow hunting, and explore the dove shooting capital of the world.

The World of hunTingA D V E N T U R E

Mongolia – known for its vast plains, Nomads and cheerful feasts. Discover the country that is opening up to the global tourist offering pristine nature, rocky mountains as well as tours through the modern capi-tal Ulaanbaatar.

M o n g o l i a : g o i n g H o t a n d C o l dD e s t i n a t i o n

T r a v e l / T o u r i s m i n J u n e 2 0 1 1 b y r e g i o n s

Fairs & Exhibitions

ETHICAl:in vogue: volunteer vAcAtions .......23

great attractions lure crowds of tourists. However, even the less known and smaller sights are worth seeing. Explore the smallest house in Britain, the biggest champagne glass, the longest swamp lane and much more.

H E R I T A G EWorld’s AttrActions: the Biggest And smAllest

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HERITAGE World ’s Attract ions: the Biggest and smal lest

June, 2011

The city of Liepaja is located in the south-west-ern part of Latvia on a narrow stretch of land between the Baltic Sea and Liepaja Lake. Peo-ple have been living there for more than 750 years and have changed Liepaja from a small village into the third largest city in the country with the population of 85,000 people.

The people of Liepaja have always been very proud. Many unique sights can be seen in Liepaja and its surroundings too. Sights, sounds and experiences unique in Latvia and the Baltic, in Europe and all around the world...

the lArgest orgAn

Liepaja is home to the largest mechanical organ in the world; it is located in the Cathe-dral of the Holy Trinity. The organ has more than 7,000 pipes. it was built by one of the best master organ builders H.A. Contius. The foundation stone of the Cathedral was laid in 1742. Both the interior and the exterior of the Cathedral are late Baroque with elements of Classicism.

The interior of the Cathedral surprises the visitors with the grandeur of Rococo. The com-memorative plaque dedicated to the Finnish soldiers who gave the oath of loyalty to the government of the new independent Finland in 1918 is located inside the Cathedral. visitors

liepAJA: full of surprising And unique sights

can enjoy a wonderful view over the city from the tower of the Cathedral.

the lArgest militAry territory

visitors interested in history should not miss their chance to explore the Liepaja Fortress and karosta (Naval Port); together they form the largest historical military territory in the Baltic. The structures of Karosta were built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries as a naval base of Russian Empire. Today, karosta occupies one third of Liepaja city. it is a spectacular, paradox-ical and unique site not only in Latvia but also in the world’s history and architecture. its envi-ronment reflects the interaction of Tsarist Rus-sia military elegance and Soviet era heritage.

Wind fArm

Liepaja is also known throughout Latvia as "The city where the wind is always blowing", possibly because of the constant sea breeze. For this very reason one of the biggest wind farms in Latvia and the Baltic (33 wind tur-bines) was constructed nearby the city. it is one of the northernmost points of Europe, where the wind turbines are installed.

the longest sWAmp trAil

Duniky swamp trail is with its 6 km the lon-gest swamp trail in Europe. it is located in

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June, 2011

Dunika Nature Reserve. The only hornbeam monoculture stand in Latvia can be seen there, too. This place is a recommended spot for lov-ers of silence and tranquillity because visitors can enjoy the unorthodox, primeval scenery: a marsh with pools, little lakes and small islands.

the lArgest herd of KiAngs

The confined area in kalvene Zoo “Cīruļi” hides the largest herd of kiangs in the world.

Tourists can observe different species of wild animals such as brown bears, wolver-ines, wolves, lynxes, wild boars as well as domestic animals. The owls and diurnal wild birds are kept in the wild bird complex. The Zoo is a great place for families with children.

By Liepaja Tourism Boardhttp://www.liepajaturisms.lv

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June, 2011

A tiny house in the picturesque medieval town of Conwy, Wales, known as the quay House is believed to be the smallest house in Britain. The 3.05 meter by 1.8 meter (10 feet by 6 feet) structure was used as a residence from the 16th century until 1900.

the lAst tenAnt

Looking at the houses in the street it seems that house building started at both ends of the street, and when the workers reached the mid-dle there was a small gap which was filled with a small house.

The last tenant, Mr Robert Jones, who was 6 ft 3 inch tall (1.9 meters), lived in the house for fifteen years. The rooms were too small for him to stand up in fully and since there was no room for a toilet within the walls he was even-tually forced to move out when the council declared the house unfit for human habitation in 1900. The house is still owned by his descen-dants. Some time later the houses numbered 1-9 (to the left of the smallest house) were demolished.

Today the red house nearby the Conwy Castle walls is a popular tourism attraction that deserves its place in the guinness Book of Records. A very pleasant lady in traditional Welsh costume welcomes the visitors and pro-

the smAllest house in BritAin – mind your heAd!

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June, 2011

vides all information about the house. There are also some mementos and very interesting guide books about the house and Conwy for sale.

The upstairs is so minute that there is room only for one bed and a bedside cabinet. visi-tors can't walk about on the 2nd floor, but can view it from the step ladder. There is just about enough room for one stove, a water tap, a bed-side cabinet and a bed.

trAveling to conWy

if you are travelling by train, it is important to know that Conwy is a request stop. it is nec-essary to inform the guard on the train that you want to get off at Conwy station. if you are catching a train at Conwy, you will need to raise your arm to get the drivers attention.

Conwy is situated on the banks of the River Conwy in Conwy County, North Wales. The magnificent Edwardian Castle and town walls of Conwy are a World Heritage Site and after a visit to the town you will understand why they have been chosen for this award. The castle itself is one of the most impressive examples of mediaeval military architecture and offers spectacular views of both the estuary and the mountains of Snowdonia. visitors can also

walk along the town walls between uppergate Street and Berry Street. The circuit of walls, over three quarters of a mile long and guarded by no less than 22 towers, is one of the finest in the World.

http://www.walesdirectory.co.ukhttp://grumpystumpy.com

Address: Quay House, Quayside, Conwy LL30 2YF–Wales, UKPhone: +44 (0)1492 593429

http://www.tourism-review.com

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June, 2011

Situated in the Champagne-Ardenne region, the Marne area, 140 km from Paris, is consid-ered as the birth place of champagne, the king of wines and the wine of kings.

Many kings of France during their coronation in Reims would taste the local wine.

Champagne was called at this time ‘le vin du diable’ (devils’ wine) or ‘vin saute-bouchon’ (exploding wine) as the slight fizz to the wine was not understood at the time, nor was the fact that the bottles had a tendency to explode in the cellars.

Today, champagne is one of the most impor-tant industries of Marne. Champagne sales (about 320 millions of bottles produced in 2010 – the highest sales for French wine) con-tribute to the prosperity of Champagne area and constitute an important part of the French trade balance.

For tourism, the mystery of champagne can be discovered on a visit to a local champagne producer, a champagne cooperative or one of the prestigious champagne houses that have made champagne famous and glamorous the world over.

Biggest chAmpAgne glAss

Some curiosities can be noticed such as the biggest champagne glass situated in Pierry near Epernay, the capital of Champagne, part of the collection of Champagne vincent d’Astrées. Registered in the guinness Book of Records, the glass is 2.13 m high and weighs 18 kg (empty!). it could contain 160 bottles of champagne. To complete it, the world’s biggest champagne cork can be seen in Champagne Beaumont in Mardeuil. The company also pos-sess the world’s biggest champagne bottle (1.76 m high with a circumference of 1.66 m). it is made of real glass and is also registered in the guinness Book of Records.

the richest Avenue

in Epernay, the ‘Avenue de Champagne’, recently restored and lined with prestigious champagne houses above ground and 100 km of cellars below, is known as the local ‘Champs Elysées’. Owing to the 200 million bottles it

The world ‘champagne’ is the second best known French word all over the world.

more informationMarne tourist area: 03 26 68 37 52, Tourisme-en-champagne.comThe biggest glass of champagne: Cham-pagne Vincent d’Astrées 1, rue Carnot à Pierry; 03 26 54 03 23, Vincentdastree.comThe biggest cork and bottle of champagne: Champagne Beaumont des crayères 64 rue de la liberté à Mardeuil; 03 26 55 29 40, – Champagne-beaumont.com

chAmpAgne – the mArne of superlAtives

© H. Guillaume - CDT Marne

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June, 2011

contains, this avenue is being considered by uNESCO for a possible future classification. it is also known as “the richest avenue in the world”.

the longest villAge

Champagne is not the Marne’s only attrac-tion–many other curiosities can be found in this area. For example the longest village of

France (7 km long!) is Courtisols near Châlons-en-Champagne and the longest village name is also from the Marne and attributed to Saint-Remy-en-Bouzemont-Saint-genest-en-isson (38 letters)

‘La Champagne, la Marne’ invites visitors to discover the diversity of the area’s attractions, and also these superlatives!

http://www.tourisme-en-champagne.com

© J. F. Mallet - CDT Marne © X. Lavictoire - CDT Marne

http://www.spa-resorts.cz

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June, 2011

A large hourglass which contains grains of sand of infinite shapes and colours: this is the italian province of vercelli, a territory with unusual borders that embraces the entire course of the Sesia River from the Monte Rosa to the Po River and encloses an incredible variety of landscapes and natural environments but also those with historical and artistic elements and those with numerous and amazing cultural spots. it is just for this very reason that the entire area has so much to offer and fascinates

every type of tourist including the most curi-ous ones, the most daring ones as well as the gourmets.

the lArgest And oldest: the sAcred mount of vArAllo

The monumental complex of the Sacred Mount rises on a rocky peak which dominates varallo and offers very atmospheric glimpses of the town below and of the entire valsesia

district and Monte Rosa. Tourists can reach the top of the mountain by a cable car. The mount is an integrated part of a Special Natural Reserve and is the oldest of the Sacred Mounts in italy.

The artistic-religious complex comprises 44 chapels, isolated or set into more articulate architectural complexes, 800 wood and mul-ticolored terracotta life-size statues and 400 frescoed figures highly expressive.

The sacred representation was conceived by the Franciscan monk Bernardino Caimi and built in 1491. The monk, upon returning from a journey to Palestine, wanted to reproduce the places he had seen and revoke the Life and Passion of Christ in varallo. A “New jerusalem” was built in the heart of the valsesia district. Famous artists, and not just of local origin, worked on the project: the most important was gaudenzio Ferrari, a painter, sculptor and architect from valsesia.

Sacro Monte is also a beautiful example of park gardens, organised according to the model of the italian garden, with hedges, paths and wooded areas, but also of the ideal town with its two historical squares. Since 2003 the Sacred Mount of varallo has been inscribed on the uNESCO’s World Heritage List.

unique And less KnoWn sights in the region

WAlser museum

The Walser Museum follows the fascinating and adventurous history of the Walsers, the people of germanic origin who between the 13th and 16th centuries colonized the Alps.

province of vercelli: Big And smAll AttrActions

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June, 2011

Strong, determined people who learnt to live under the severe conditions in the mountains. They also invented ingenious solutions to improve the living conditions in high altitudes.

in Alagna, the most famous Walser settle-ment in valsesia, there is the Museum that bears witness to the originality of the culture and traditions of this population. Situated in the hamlet of Pedemonte, it has been set up in a house dating back to 1682, altered over the centuries but restored to its original form for this purpose.

Built on three levels (animal shed level, room level and barn level), the construction is made of tree trunks, stacked on top of one another and interlocked at the corners, and is sur-rounded by the wide porches characteristic of Walser architecture.

The Walser Museum houses furniture, objects, furnishings and products from the period, forming an authentic historical com-plex and an instrument for reconstructing the sociological and anthropological aspects of the Walser culture.

BAsilicA di sAnt’AndreA

St. Andrew’s Basilica in vercelli is the symbol of the town, a beautiful example of the pas-sage from the Lombard-Emilian Romanesque style to the French gothic architecture. it was

Special Natural Reserve of the Sacred Mount of Varallo Piazza della Basilica–Casa Valgrana, Local-ità Sacro Monte – 13019 Varallo (VC) Tel. 0039 0163.53938– Fax 0039 0163.54.047 Email: [email protected] Web: www.sacromontevarallo.eu

Walser Museum Hamlet of Pedemonte – 13021 Alagna Valsesia (VC) Ph. 0039 347 1377404– Fax 0039 0163 922805 Email: [email protected] Web: www.alagna.it

Basilica di Sant’Andrea Piazza Roma – 13100 Vercelli Tel. 0039 0161.1850019 – Tel. 0039 0161.502460 St. Christopher’s Church Via San Cristoforo – 13100 Vercelli Tel. 0161.258000

built between 1219 and 1227 at the commis-sion of Cardinal guala Bicchieri of vercelli, one of the most influential members of the Roman Curia, a leading protagonist of the events that marked the history of England during the hard times of john Lackland’s succession to the throne.

The cabin-shaped façade, bordered by slender, elegant towers, is embellished with refined lunettes on the three portals. The central one, representing St. Andrew’s mar-tyrdom, is ascribed to Benedetto Antelami. What is interesting is that the chapter-house, one of the finest in italy, and the rect-angular cloister, with full centered arches, bear relieves, brickwork and paintings dat-ing from the early 16th century (now nearly disappeared). in front of the Basilica is the

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June, 2011

Salone Dugentesco, the remains of an ancient Pilgrims’ Hospital.

st. christopher’s church

Within the historical centre of the town of vercelli there’s a little church which is safe-guarding a patrimony of paintings from the 1500s of inestimable value and immense cul-tural interest: St. Christopher’s Church. The building has maintained the original 16th cen-tury structure, with the nave, two aisles and transept.

The interior is characterized by a vault sump-tuously trompe d’oeil frescoed: the presbytery is closed by a superb balustrade of polychro-matic marbles designed by Filippo juvarra. The choir, the pulpit, the confessionals, the sacristy furniture are made of a valuable wood. On the main altar there is a precious wooden cross. The most interesting object here is an extraor-dinary series of frescoes by gaudenzio Ferrari, illuminating the chapels of the transept at the end of the aisles.

http://www.atlvalsesiavercelli.it

www.caucasusexplorer.com

improve your art skills, learn to cook italian dishes, get bet-ter in taking pictures – all of this is possible to do and be on holiday at the same time. Edu-cational traveling or learning vacations are getting more and more popular among young and old as well.

Edu-, Edu-, Educational travElingP R O F E S S I O N A L

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PROFESSIONAL edu - , edu - , educational travel ing

June, 2011

No, it's not summer school! A learning vaca-tion is an opportunity to learn something new (something fun!), broaden your horizons, and do something really different! They are unusual vacations, out-of-the-ordinary experi-ences – experiences that last a lifetime.

Push yourself beyond your self-imposed limi-tations – learn to surf! Paint a landscape! join an archaeological dig! Try something you've always been just a little bit scared of...

AmAze yourself!

An educational vacation doesn't have to be difficult, and it's certainly not boring. There are educational travel tours that cover a number of interests – want to join an archae-ological dig? Or study art in Europe? You can do it!

Have you always wanted to learn to speak Spanish? Why not do it in Spain? You can immerse yourself in the culture while learning the language, and learn faster than simply tak-ing a course at your local community college. And you can visit Barcelona or Madrid while you do it!

Attend an art workshop and unleash your inner georgia O'keefe. Or attend a writer's workshop and get going on that great Ameri-can Novel.

A learning vacation could also be called a special interest vacation. What are your spe-cial interests? A hobby you'd like to practice?

WhAt is A leArning vAcAtion?

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June, 2011

A culture you'd like to visit? An activity you'd like to learn?

There are hundreds of ways you can enrich your vacation experience with educational travel.

- You can learn to paint or to write in an art-ist's workshop.

- You can immerse yourself in another culture while you learn the language.

- You can learn to surf in California, Costa Rica, or Hawaii.

- You can indulge your favorite hobby in a scrapbooking, sewing, or beading retreat – or take a tour to buy japanese textiles!

- You can join an Archaeological Dig and learn more about ancient cultures!

Educational travel is not boring – and any vacation can be an opportunity to learn some-thing new! Check out food and wine vacations for cooking classes and tours, or river cruises for history and culture of Europe, China, or Egypt.

indulge your pAssion At A crAft retreAt!

Spending a weekend at a craft retreat is a great way to indulge in a favorite hobby, and just relax!

Do you have a favorite hobby – but no time to actually enjoy it?

You can sharpen your skills enjoy the cama-raderie of others with similar interests at one of many craft workshops. Whether you choose a weekend retreat or a full week of instruction and creative activity, this is the ultimate "me time".

The Clearing – The Clearing in Door Pennin-sula, Wisconsin is a "Folk School", offering summer classes in quilting, carving, writing, knitting, music, and much more. They offer a women's writing retreat in the fall and yoga classes, too! The Clearing is located on a

bluff above the waters of green Bay, a set-ting often compared to New England in its rural charm.

if you love Paris, and love silk painting, Silk Painting France Adventure is exactly what you're looking for. You'll get an in-depth experi-ence in silk painting, and a great Paris vacation, too! You'll start with a Champagne cruise on the Seine, do a little sightseeing, eat at fabu-lous cafes–and spend at least part of each day learning new silk painting techniques!

Carol Lane-Saber Designs – Carol Lane-Saber offers a yearly 2-week trip to japan to study the history, architecture, and gardens of japan, as well as the textiles and clothing. This is a shop-ping tour, focusing on textiles to bring home for your next project.

http://www.great-womens-vacations.com

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June, 2011

Bravo for today’s traveler! No longer are peo-ple willing to be anonymous voyagers, going from one city to another, checking into hotels where they are unknown, sometimes not even very welcomed. Today there are choices of much more meaningful ways to travel, and one of the most popular has become cooking vaca-tions.

These are not trips where you spend all day in the kitchen, but, rather, an opportunity to spend time with the local people sharing in the most important activity of their day; breaking bread, eating a home cooked meal made with the best local ingredients, accompanied by a wonderful regional wine. What could be bet-ter?

in a week-long trip there would be four hands on classes of 2-3 hours each, followed by eat-ing the meal, of course, drinking a good wine. in temperate weather, meals are always out-doors, so imagine sitting at a table with your fellow classmates, now good friends, eating, drinking, talking, laughing, all the while sur-rounded by vistas of vineyards or olive groves or views of the sea. This is what dreams are made of and you are experiencing the dream.

The experiences are almost always set in the country, away from the crowds and the hub-bub of the cities. Life is a different pace and you are the beneficiary of this leisurely, appre-

cooKing tours: home cooKed meAl And delicious Wine

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June, 2011

ciative way of life. But, you might have to do a little work as well. There are markets to shop for ingredients for the classes, food artisans to meet and sample perhaps some homemade cheeses, vineyards and wineries to visit, for, of course, you must taste the varieties of local wines. And let us not forgot some cultural site visits in the area as well.

And, in the country accommodations are also different. They are always in ancient struc-tures, valued for their intrinsic history as well as a wonderful positioning, perhaps perched high on a hill with vistas of sunflowers, or in verdant gardens or vineyards, or nestled along the sea with water views everywhere.

Does this make your mouth water yet? Well, think about cooking with the best and freshest local ingredients, sometimes just steps away at the garden of the property. And these are not classes that teach you to cook. Of course, every chef or cook has their own personal tricks or methods and they pass those along, but, really you are learning the cuisine of the region and what makes a particular region unique from the one next door. You also drink the local wine, made from grapes that can be very dif-ferent from those a few kilometers away.

This is an education and a cultural experi-ence. The “frosting on the cake” are the cook-ing classes and the recipes that you will take home with you to reproduce and impress your friends and family. But the real treasure of these trips is the authentic, personal and delightful experience of spending a week with the local people and for a short time being a part of the life.

By Karen Herbsthttp://www.theinternationalkitchen.com

WELCOME TO SMEDEREVOTHE MEDIEVAL CAPITAL OF SERBIA

Hotel CarSmederevo,Đure Daničića 66

+381 (0)26 642-042,(0)26 [email protected]

http://www.cartourism.net

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June, 2011

Many of us harbor dreams of being the next georgia O'keefe or joyce Carol Oates. Why not live your dream at an art workshop or writer's retreat?

Some retreats are for amateurs just testing their skills; others are for those more serious about their craft, who need a nurturing envi-ronment to work and learn. Whatever your level of commitment, there is a workshop or retreat for you.

cArmel, cAliforniA

Artista Creative Safaris – Their motto is "We make girls out of women" – the goal of Artista Creative Safaris is to learn and practice your craft in a casual, creative environment (you can even bring your dog!)

You can take a week-long art workshop in Abstract Painting, Encaustic (hot wax) paint-ing, and Fashion Design. Yoga is also a part of the program; massage and spa treatments are available separately.

umBriA, itAly

Dreams Academy for Women offers retreats for "creative entrepreneurs" in beautiful cen-tral italy. Designed for "Women entrepreneurs

who wish to recharge their creativity, regain perspective on their lives and businesses, build alliances with other creative women and experience an immersion in the culture and beauty of Central italy", the week-long retreats are held periodically throughout the year.

neW yorK city And europe

Creativity Workshop – Creative writing, memoir, art, and storytelling – holds full-week workshops in New York, Crete, Barcelona, Florence, and Carmel, California. The goal of the workshop is to explore and "exercise" your creativity, whether it be in life, writing, art, business, education, performing, or the visual arts. Working with students of all expe-rience levels, the workshops are intended to get the creative juices flowing, and to nurture and focus your creative energy. People from all over the world and from all disciplines attend.

There is plenty of time to get to know the inspiring locations of the workshop settings and to make new traveling friends. You will come out of the workshop relaxed, rejuve-nated, and with techniques to make you more productive and confident about your creative abilities.

educAtionAl trips: Women trAvelers unleAsh their creAtivity

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June, 2011

lAc du flAmBeAu, Wisconsin

Dillman's Bay Resort and Workshops – Located in the serene north woods of Wiscon-sin, Dillman's Bay Resort and Workshops offers week-long summer art workshops in a variety of disciplines. instructors specialize in acrylics, watercolors, oils, pastels, and photography. The resort boasts a marina with water activi-ties to relax after your working session, and there are workshops and activities for kids as well as adults.

Asheville, nc And other locAtions

Clarity Works – Clarity Works offers classes and week-long writing retreats for scribes

of all levels of experience. This is a women's retreat, focusing on letting go of the "rules" you learned as a child, and getting to the truth within. Writer's workshops are held at several locations in the Southeast u.S.

virgin islAnds, spAin, indiA

The Painting gypsies – The Paint-ing gypsies offer week-long oil work-shops in the virgin islands, Spain or india (one workshop a year). Artists of all levels are welcome. You'll paint daily in stunning outdoor locations!

http://www.great-womens-vacations.com

http://www.spa-resorts.cz

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June, 2011

Chef Mike Powell and his wife Hilary are pas-sionate about Andalucía Spain, its culture, his-tory, art and cuisine, and they love to share it with guests by hosting art and culinary vaca-tions, aptly named ‘A Flavour of Spain’. guests are welcomed to savour and explore southern Spain through these vacations, with very per-sonal and up close experiences provided by hosts Mike and Hilary.

Andalucía is known for its sun-drenched whitewashed villages, olive groves, Moorish architecture, flamenco music and Mediter-ranean cuisine. guests have the opportunity to explore Spanish culture, while enhancing and nurturing either their artistic or culinary talents at a leisurely pace in small group set-tings. All Flavour of Spain holidays take place at El Molino, The Old Mill, which is a beauti-fully renovated three house estate nestled in a rural valley surrounded by a trout stream, olive groves and white villages. it is hour equal dis-tance from Malaga and granada.

The days are set up to provide plenty of time for art and cooking classes, personal time, fully escorted excursions and relaxation. There is always time to linger over lunch, tapas, and dinners; to swing by the stream or rest in the hammock under the pomegranate tree; to swim in the pool and watch the sheep being herded on the hillside; to walk to the nearby

prepAre your tAste Buds for AndAlucíA culinAry tours

Painting at El Molino

— 22 —


June, 2011

villages or hike in the hills; and to finish your days with an evening stroll on a quiet country road that winds through the olive groves.

Food is central to the Spanish way of life. The Foundation is olive oil, the Heart is the legacy of the Moorish culture, and the Magic is the Tapas ritual. Spain’s gastronomy is a wealth of colors, flavours and textures. There are only a few countries that have such a diversity of landscapes, wine types and cuisine as Spain.

Mike is passionate about Spanish food, its freshness, the simplicity of preparation, and the quintessential flavours of Southern Spain…the Mediterranean diet at its best. The Tapas ritual is a digestive aid in itself. The sherry and tapas work their magic and take away hunger pangs, as well as creating the time for people

to air their problems and frustrations, joys and pleasures, releasing the safety valve that has been forgotten in modern life.

Cookery vacations include a mix of hands-on cooking sessions and demos; wine tastings; visits to local food and fish markets, wineries, Rute Museo de jamon (ham museum), and to the Baena organic olive oil mill; and excur-sions with sight-seeing, shopping, dining out and even a flamenco show. During the cookery vacations, guests discover the joys of Mediter-ranean food using the finest local ingredients and learning the secrets of local dishes and wine pairings.

Also, Mike and Hilary put together custom private cooking holidays, so if a wine club, culinary group, group of friends or business associates wants to create their own cooking vacation in Spain, Mike and Hilary will custom-ize every detail to suit the group, including add-ons such as Spanish language lessons, spa experiences, and additional excursions.

For the art vacations, even though Mike him-self is an artist, he is too busy preparing his exceptional meals for guests, so highly suc-cessful artists lead the workshops.

if you want to spend a couple of weeks on an art or culinary vacation in the countryside in the south of Spain at a lovingly restored Old Mill, spend your days painting or learning to cook beautiful Spanish cuisine, explore Spain in small escorted groups, discover the joy and health of delicious Spanish cooking, join hosts Mike and Hilary in Spain on A Flavour of Spain vacation. They have brought together the

place, instructors and opportunities for you to experience the cuisine and culture of Anda-lucía and to inspire your culinary and artistic abilities. Through Spanish country cooking and Spanish-inspired recipes, excellent art teach-ers at a tranquil country setting, they will stim-ulate your artistic talents and encourage them to flourish.

By Tina Bairdhttp://www.flavourofspain.net

Lunch on the Patio

Home of Flavour of Spain Art and Culinary Vacations, El Molino, the Old Mill

volunteer vacations are grow-ing in popularity all around the world. Explore the unique proj-ects organized for voluntourists in Ecuador and Peru, learn how to choose your tour operator, and what to expect from your trip.

In Vogue: Volunteer VacatIonsE T H I C A L

— 24 —

ETHICAL in vogue: volunteer vacations

June, 2011

Over the last decade, many of the cataclysmic events that have shaped our global aware-ness of the economic contribution of the travel industry to destinations have come as a result of its starkly-contrasted absence in the after-math of devastation. Think of New York follow-ing September 11th. Think of Southeast Asia following the tsunami. Think of New Orleans following Hurricane katrina. And think of China, Haiti, and Chile following the earthquakes.

Doubtless, in each of these destinations, the economic loss associated with declines in travel and tourism was significant. But, what was not immediately evident, yet has increas-ingly come to our attention during these past ten years, is the travel industry’s growing potential to be the delivery vehicle for direct, social impact that benefits destinations.

voluntourism, blending voluntary service and travel, has seen notable adoption among travelers and the industry alike since the turn of the millennium. Clearly, the travel industry, through voluntourism, is embarking on a new role, one with which it is not wholly familiar. This is not a reinvention, however; it repre-sents a realization.

Travel in the 21st Century demands experi-ential authenticity and, therefore, the inclu-sion of all elements of the destination – be they dark, light, or gray. Today’s travelers are seeking a personal encounter with the destina-

voluntourism And positive sociAl impAct

— 25 —


June, 2011

tion, its people and environment. Passivity is giving way to a requisite of active engagement; only then can a traveler begin to approach satisfaction. And today’s destinations – resi-dents and the environment – are demanding a travel industry that is engaged, supportive, and approaching sustainability with an enthusiasm that is equal to that of their own.

in this new role, the travel industry’s social impact can indeed be measured in the cus-tomary, quantitative manner; nevertheless, the qualitative measurement of such ‘intan-gibles’ as goodwill or a deepening of the rela-tionship between traveler and destination, poses a vast opportunity, one that has never been truly explored. it is this very exploration, into a realm of inspiration no less, which may prove to be the most exciting adventure for the travel industry thus far. How do we begin this process?

Certainly, any entity can adopt its own mea-surement guidelines and ‘accounting’ formulas for social impact. Some have already done so in annual reports on corporate social responsibil-ity and philanthropy. However, most of these reports speak specifically to the financial out-lay or in-kind support of philanthropic efforts or NgOs, or they may speak of the direct con-tributions of employees. With the introduction of travelers into this already-existing mix, not only do we have a new set of quantitative data to consistently measure and track, but we have an opportunity to share unique testimonials, photos, and videos demonstrating the net positive social benefit that can be generated through travel.

voluntourism is not a public relations cam-paign for the travel industry; rather, it is a public awareness-raising campaign designed to emphasize the consumer’s role in the advancement of the well-being of destina-tions. The long-term health and sustainability of destinations across the globe is enhanced by travel that unites social beneficence and net, economic benefit. The travel industry is best-

suited to play the role of delivery system and enable travelers to contribute, as effectively and efficiently as possible, to projects aligned with goals and objectives set forth by commu-nities on behalf of residents and/or the envi-ronment.

Projects will vary from destination to destina-tion. Some projects will focus on such things as food security, clean water, or micro-enterprise development. Others will conflict with our notions of sustainability: take the recent vol-untourist-led effort to build a community the-ater in Haiti on the outskirts of a tent city. Yet, it was exactly what residents wanted – a place where they can laugh or cry or dance or sing to Hollywood’s finest, and not so fine, creative expressions.

voluntourism represents the true hos-pitality and service that is inherently built into the DNA of the travel industry. All we are proposing to do through voluntourism is extrapolate the footprint of this hospi-tality and service, to extend to consumers the chance to have a reciprocal relationship with destinations. ultimately, voluntourism affords travelers an opportunity to trans-form what they receive in the form of art, culture, history, geography and recreation, into what they give back in honor of these priceless gifts.

By David Clemmons (Founder of VolunTourism.org)http://www.voluntourism.org

— 26 —


June, 2011

It is not hard to identify volunteer needs in developing countries such as Ecuador. How-ever, there is always a challenge in finding reliable in-country organizations with a track record of efficiently matching the willing vol-unteer with creative, reliable service proj-ects.

Better yet is to discover organizations that make all living and working arrangements, and shepherd volunteers through their chosen experience (including any crisis!) from arrival to departure. i was fortunate to discover quito-based LEAD Adventures (lead-adven-tures.com) whose dedicated staff carries out these services year round with a creative menu of well-researched options on the country's mainland and in the galapagos islands.

Launched in 2004 by Ecuadorian Enrique Torres, following years of university study and investment banking work in the u.S., the com-pany has made arrangements for over 2,000 participants in conservation, social service, sports development and education.

Best of all, the LEAD team understands the needs and interests of adult participants, offer-ing alternatives and customization to what they call their "grown up" clients, 35 and older. While the majority of clients are still in their teens and 20s, LEAD reports a rapidly growing clientele of adult travelers and family groups

for certain projects. it also pays a commission for travel agent bookings.

very reasonable prices vary from project to project usually including a comprehensive ori-entation at LEAD's quito office, many meals, airport transfers, travel insurance for direct bookings only, 24-hour-a-day emergency sup-port, and organization of Spanish classes in some locations. volunteer accommodation varies from on-site dormitory-style out in the

country to well-situated hostels and home-stays in the city. Many city-based options may be customized by choice of accommodation and other support services. volunteers may also choose to do more than one program (minimum two weeks each) to experience dif-ferent projects and parts of the country.

Here is a glimpse of two experiences of my own to illustrate Ecuador options suitable for grown up volunteers.

A private Animal Rescue Center on the edge of the Ecuadorian has its own English-speak-ing volunteer coordinator from Holland, and several hand built cabins on the property. The Flores family lives on this vast jungle property themselves, treating every volunteer as an honored guest in their home and country. ger-man Flores and his son, Jorge, are both pas-sionate about their mission of animal rescue, rehabilitation and re-introduction to the wild where possible.

As we toured many acres of well-maintained buildings and jungle-setting enclosures, we met Chilean veterinarian, Tatiana, patiently feeding an abandoned new-born coati with a tiny milk bottle. She had read about Yanacocha on the internet and flown north to volunteer for two months. Another participant, Austra-lian Alex Wilson, had heard about the rescue center from friends while he was traveling in

ecuAdor's volunteer vAcAtions for "groWn ups"

Nine women from Britain joined forces for a three-week Galapagos Islands volunteer and adventure pro-gram, among LEAD Adventures most popular itinerar-ies. Photo credit: Trudie Udell

— 27 —


June, 2011

South America. Now after 10 days he was quite the pro with preparing quantities of fruit and veggies for each rescued critter twice a day and delivering buckets and wheelbarrows of

specialized menus to each enclosure. We were soon pressed into chopping service ourselves (the animals come first!) and later into helping with dinner preparation in the well-equipped volunteer kitchen and outdoor dining area.

Back at quito's 10,000-foot elevation, my focus switched from animals to people with the Villa Tica Street Children Daycare. its goal is to help pre-school children of single and teen working mothers, and to offer support to impoverished families in the neighborhood. On the street, you can't miss the three-storey whitewashed building with black and white cows dancing all over it. inside, colorful murals decorate every wall of the secure interior courtyard full of playground equipment. Each nursery and classroom is divided by age from six months to five years.

This is much more than a safe haven and a babysitting service for 100 lucky children. Besides receiving health programs not other-wise available to them, donated clothes and the only nutritional meals of their day, there are creative educational programs, especially for the three, four and five year olds. These are planned by accredited Ecuadorian pre-school teachers and delivered with the helping hands and loving support of many international vol-unteers. villa Tica has achieved a great deal since it was started by three Dutch women who came to Ecuador as volunteers themselves in 2002 and stayed to establish this inspiring charity which began operations in 2004.

i was treated to an animated sing-a-long of "head and shoulders, knees and toes" in Eng-lish by the class of four-year-olds. To my aston-ishment, the Ecuadorian teacher then proudly

A sample of ecuador’s volunteer possibilities

While in Ecuador, I researched the following four options and interviewed adult volunteers (age 35 and up). Contact LEAD Adventures (lead-adventures.com) for project details.• Amazon Animal Rescue Center (lead-adven-

tures.com/grown-up/index.php?/Amazon-Details/) six hours by public bus or car from Quito is a privately-funded operation for rescued and confiscated wild animals indig-enous to Ecuador. The goal is to return them to their natural habitat if at all possible.

• Villa Tica Daycare Center (lead-adventures.com/index.php?/Street-Children-Quito-Details/) in Quito supports 100 children (6 months to 5 years old) of teenage and single mothers, as well as children of financially-destitute families.

• Extreme Response City Dump Daycare (lead-adventures.com/grown-up/index.php?/Zambiza-Details/) in Quito supports 40 to 50 pre-school children of trash dump-working families, located right at the dump site.

• Galapagos Adventures (lead-adventures.com/grown-up/index.php?/Galapagos-Expe-rience-Details/) is an enriching land-based introduction to three key islands, combining well-planned volunteer days and educational vacation days during two or three week pro-grams. A different way to visit the Galapagos at a fraction of the cruise options!

At an Amazon Animal Rescue Center, volunteers are the care and feeding of indigenous wild animals dropped off as infants or in an injured state. Photo credit: LEAD Adventures

encouraged me to talk to the twenty children in English rather than in Spanish! Clearly, they had not just memorized a catchy song. Even at such a young age and within the impoverished

— 28 —


June, 2011

circumstances of their daily lives, they were being given the confidence to embrace a lan-guage that may one day be a stepping stone out of the grinding poverty of earlier family generations. That is daycare with vision!

By Alison GardnerEditor/journalist, Alison Gardner, is a global expert on nature-based vacations and cultural/educational travel. Her Travel with a Challenge web magazine, is a recognized source of new and established operators, accommodations and richly-illustrated feature articles covering all types of senior-friendly alternative travel.http://www.travelwithachallenge.com

Norma Harris from Britain and young Fernando get acquainted at Quito's Villa Tica Daycare which sup-ports working single mothers and their children living in extreme poverty. Photo credit: LEAD Adventures

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2011, XII, 248 pages, with numerous fi gures and tables, € (D) 39,95/USD 58.00, ISBN 978-3-503-13002-3International Tourism Research and Concepts, Volume 5

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Lessons to be learned for the Future of Tourism

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June, 2011

These days, many travelers are forgoing tradi-tional vacations in order to take part in a volun-teer vacation. volunteer vacations gives aver-age travelers the chance to volunteer abroad by taking part in a worthwhile project such as helping to preserve endangered wild animals or ecosystems through wildlife conservation programs, often in remote parts of the world, and much more.

Dr. Matthias Hammer, Executive Director of non-profit wildlife conservation volunteer organization Biosphere Expeditions, offers his top ten tips on how to choose the right volun-teer vacation:1. Make sure it is a well-established organiza-

tion with a proven track record of making a real difference in the projects it has become involved with – has it won any awards for its work?

2. if for example the project is about wildlife conservation, make sure that the program is run on verifiable scientific grounds. While you give your time as an interested traveler who wants to make a difference, you need to have peace of mind that the project you are helping with is being run by a qualified scientist.

3. Ask where your money goes. To truly make a difference, it is best if as much money and resources as possible go to help the local

environment in the country the project is in. Reputable organizations will always pub-lish information about how funds are dis-tributed to the public.

4. Make sure that the organization keeps you up to date on how your volunteer project is progressing. Even though you may have only been there for one or two weeks, many vol-unteer programs run for many years. Make sure that you will be sent regular reports to see what is happening with the program.

5. Many volunteer vacations will take place in remote parts of the world where you may have close encounters with potentially dan-gerous wild animals. Make sure the orga-nization that you are volunteering with has an excellent safety record and takes the whole issue seriously.

6. Do some background research on your expedition leader and make sure that they are qualified. To some extent you may be putting your life in their hands, so you need to be sure they have all the necessary quali-fications.

7. Determine what new skills you will learn on your volunteer vacation and how you will be taught these skills. One of the biggest bonuses of a volunteer program may be learning something new in an exciting envi-ronment and you want to make sure that

the people who are teaching you are well qualified.

8. Make sure that you have clear goals about what you hope to accomplish out of the whole experience and don’t be afraid to ask questions or seek the views of travel-ers who have gone before you. Reputable organizations will always offer to put you in touch with previous travellers – if they don’t, beware.

ten tips for tAKing A volunteer vAcAtion

© Biosphere Expeditions

— 30 —


June, 2011

9. Find out who you will be traveling with. As you may be virtually living “next door” to each other for some time, you need to be comfortable with the type of people you are likely to be with. The organization should be able to tell you about the kind of people who typically attends their projects. Facebook, blog pages, and social media outlets can be invaluable information gath-ering tools for volunteer vacations.

10. Most importantly, determine if it will be fun. Although most volunteer vacations

have a serious purpose, you should have fun considering that you are spending your valuable vacation time “giving back”.

For more tips, advice, and information about volunteer vacations and volunteer wildlife con-servation programs visit the Biosphere Expedi-tions website at www.biosphere-expeditions.org or contact [email protected].

http://www.biosphere-expeditions.org

© Biosphere Expeditions © Biosphere Expeditions

http://www.travelwithachallenge.com

— 31 —


June, 2011

Volunteer tourism begins on the individual level, with a desire to both explore and posi-tively contribute to the communities visited during a journey abroad. For highly visited countries such as Peru, the financial benefits of traditional tourism are obvious but organi-zations such as Traveller Not Tourist take the concept a step further by integrating the social, cultural, and economic advantages of travel.

Founders jay and Luis Chavez aimed to cre-ate a non-profit organization that connected foreign visitors with locals in a way that would foster a self-sustaining immersion experience to enrich the lives of all involved. Not only do volunteers assist with the daily operation of the school and orphanage sustained by the program, but they also have the opportunity to help by booking tours through the in-house travel agency, which donates 50% of all profits back to the program. Fundraising efforts have also gone international with the preliminary establishment of a uk based charity called Pachawawas, formed to support the work being done in Peru.

Benefiting the locAl community

Projects available to volunteers include the Casa Hogar Luz Alba orphanage and the Flora Tristan community school. Finished in 2010, the school was constructed almost exclusively

by the hands of volunteers and serves as a place for children in the outlying community to practice and speak English. Because tourism in Arequipa is such a profitable business, speak-ing English is both a highly-desired and market-able skill. Attendance is free of cost and chil-dren from ages three to eighteen find a safe place to learn and play within the walls of this colorful, five classroom building.

unique from other TESL programs, the teach-ing here is conducted solely by volunteers who develop their own curriculum and administer all lessons and activities based on the level of comprehension of each class. Small construc-tion projects also arise at the school, allow-ing for continual growth and expansion and attracting travellers who prefer the challenge of more physically demanding activities.

The Casa Hogar Luz Alba orphanage is a home for about 20 children under the age of twelve. volunteers assist orphanage staff to provide constant care and attention to each child during formative years of psychologi-cal and physical growth. The good work done here is apparent as children who have been abused or abandoned find a comfortable, lov-ing place to live and thrive under the supervi-sion of adults. Besides spending quality time with the children, volunteers help with house-work such as cooking and cleaning, homework

completion, playing games, and short outings to visit the doctor or enjoy the sunshine. vol-unteer gemma Smiddy adds, “Helping out at the orphanage allowed me to meet other vol-unteers, create lasting friendships, and partici-pate in a more worthwhile cause as opposed to just being a tourist, which is a bit more self-indulgent. The children at Casa Hogar are so loved, and their safety and well being are our first priority.”

meAningful explorAtion

Aside from the more venerable aspects of donating time and energy, volunteers also reap the benefits of the Traveller Not Tourist

trAvel And volunteer in peru’s orphAnAge And school

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June, 2011

concept of cultural immersion. Many other programs charge significant fees to participate in voluntourism, whereas Traveller Not Tourist keeps costs low through the operation of an in-house travel agency, personal Spanish lessons, and local fundraising.

Living in Arequipa has its perks: the city is not only a culinary treasure with delicacies like cuy chactado (roasted guinea pig) and chicha morada (fermented corn drink), but it is also in the vicinity of excellent hiking and trekking opportunities such as Colca and Cotahuasi Canyons and volcanoes Misti, Ampato, and Chachani. The recent addition of a full-time travel operator at the office allows volunteers to easily plan trips – even at the last min-ute – knowing that their travel arrangements are booked with reputable local guides at fair prices.

Traveller Not Tourist stands apart by offering programs of varied length, for those travellers who have anywhere from one day to one year to give to the organization. Living arrangements

while volunteering will also suit just about any taste, with options to live at a homestay, bed and breakfast, or at the volunteer house in town. With so many choices to tailor the expe-rience of each volunteer, combined with the visible difference that Traveller Not Tourist is making in the lives of those in Arequipa, travel-lers who are looking to give and receive joy will continue to find their way to the doorstep of the Andes.

By Jessica Wardhttp://www.travellernottourist.com

Copyright 2010 Leon Puplett


Adventurous and exciting holi-days? For many travelers this means hunting trips and safari. Discover the best hunting des-tinations, learn about bow hunting, and explore the dove shooting capital of the world.

The World of hunTingA D V E N T U R E

— 34 —

ADVENTURE the World of hunting

June, 2011

Hunting for food has been the primary source of sustenance for man since the Stone Age; however with farming of animals and easy availability of food, hunting has become a popular recreational activity for people. An extremely popular sport in the Africa’s and America’s, this is also a major source of income for these continents.

1. tAnzAniA

Tanzania is a country with beautiful national parks and game reserves. it is also called the African hunter’s paradise and is considered as the ultimate hunting destination. There are numerous game reserves in this land which is abundant with flora and fauna. The Selous game Reserve is the largest hunting ground in the world dedicated to conduct hunts. The lion, buffalo and exotic species such as Sita-tunga, Lesser kunduk and gerenuk are the popular animals hunted here. Other parks you must visit for game hunting are the gombe Stream National Park, Mkomazi game Reserve for Rhinos, Monduli Mountains, ugalla. These reserves are not very well-known though offer wide variety of games to hunters.

2. mozAmBique

its topography consists of thick forests, swamplands and palm forests. Earlier wildlife

top 10 hunting destinAtions in the World

was heavily poached thus resulting in dwin-dling population of animals. However, the ini-tiative of the government in working with locals in promoting sustained hunting has revived Mozambique’s hunting industry. One can claim the Lion, Leopard, Cape Buffalo and Elephant as trophies from their hunting expeditions. Other unusual game trophies such as Kudu, Chobe bushbuck, Nyala, Eland and Crocodile are also hunted in Mozambique.

3. south AfricA

South Africa is the destination to be for hunt-ers seeking ‘luxury and that something extra’ while on a hunt. it is easily accessible from all over the world thus making it a preferred hunting destination. The world-famous kru-ger National Park, Pilanesberg game reserve, kalahari gemsbok National Park are some of the parks which offer a multitude of big game hunting. One can hunt game such as Nyala, Suni, White Rhino and gnu apart from Buffa-loes, Elephants, Lions etc.

4. nAmiBiA

Earlier a favorite gaming spot among Europe-ans it is also gaining popularity among North American hunters. it offers a diverse selection of hunts such as the Elephant, Lion, Cape Buf-falo, Leopard, Rhino and Steenbuck for hunting enthusiasts.

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June, 2011

5. montenegro

Located in Southeastern Europe this small country has relatively untouched landscapes and beautiful rugged countryside. Hunting in Montenegro is an actively practiced sport as the wildlife thrives in its rich jungles and for-ests. A wide variety of bird species are avail-able for hunting such as quail, duck, turtle-dove, snipe; while the wild boar, bears, rabbits, chamois and wolves are also allowed to be hunted. The Skadarsko jezero, Mount Durmi-tor, Bjelopavlicka vally, Crmnica and ulcinj are popular hunting grounds in Montenegro.

6. BelArus

This landlocked country is an ideal hunt-ing destination due to its flat landscape and

marshy tracts. it also has 11,000 pristine lakes and 40% of its land is covered with forest area thus perfect for hunting and fishing game. Their national animal – the European Bison – is an exciting game to hunt. Among other big games, the Elk, Red Deer, Roe Deer, Wild Boar and Wolf which provides exciting challenges.

7. cAmBodiA

After hunting was banned in 1954 in Cam-bodia the government finally opened doors to hunters in 2009. it is actively working with locals to promote sustainable hunting thus preserving Cambodia’s rich wildlife. For hunt-ers who have money to spend Cambodia offers expeditions into underground jungles where one can hunt elephants, reptiles and birds.

8. cAnAdA

Canada offers vast and beautiful landscapes to hunt and fish. The choices available for hunt-ing big game are plentiful. One can head to Ontario for Deer and Waterfowl, Newfound-land for Caribou and Hare. Moose and grouse are other games popular among hunters. For an extremely challenging and exciting hunt one should go for a fishing expedition to the North i.e. Yukon, upper quebec to fish for the traditional Seal, Arctic Fox and even the Beluga Whale. A hunting trip in Canada is an experi-ence one will never forget.

9. ArgentinA

Argentina has one of the most regulated and organized hunting industry in the world. This country is rich in its biodiversity and provides some of the best games for hunting. Due to its close proximity to Antarctica a wide assort-ment of birds and animals thrive here. Dove and Pigeons are hunted throughout the year while hunters seeking higher challenges can focus on the Blackbuck Antelope, Stags, Pumas and Water Buffalo. This place is a must-visit for any hunting enthusiast.

10. uruguAy

uruguay is not as well-known as its southern neighbor though it offers a variety of birds and animals for game hunting. Hunting for ducks is the most popular game in uruguay. Other game are pigeons, doves, freshwater fish are also available.

http://top-10-list.org

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June, 2011

Often we wonder about taking a vacation and then the planning for that special getaway is underway. Decisions have to be made consid-ering a number of things and most probably having to decide the type of vacation, be it first time safari in Africa or vacation to a destination you are already familiar with.

To go through one’s life without having at least once been to Africa is a life without that spicy ingredient. Once the African sun kisses you on your cheek and the sunset bids you a good night, your life will simply never be the same. And then of course once the "safari-bug" bites you, it is over and done with, for you

will seek that African sunrise and sunset as it has become an integral part of your soul and wellbeing.

On any hunting trip in Africa, whether it is for plains game or African Big game hunting the experience is one of everlasting reality. And just as the memories start to fade, the "safari-bug" bites you again, and you find yourself heading to Africa for yet another African hunting safari.

South Africa hunting is equally if not more attractive than hunting in any other part of Africa given all the species available to hunt. Hunting in South Africa also offers the sought after Buffalo roaming Tanzania, when booking a safari for big game hunting.

Although the term game hunting South Africa might imply that all species resort to game, in a sense it is true, but we distinguish three main categories of the game:

Mini-Antelope, of which the Blue Duiker, Red Duiker and Suni are included. Plains-game, of which most of the larger antelope are made up of and then the Dangerous Six, of which the Elephant, Hippopotamus, Rhinoceros, Buffalo, Lion and Leopard and referred to by hunters as doing big game hunting when hunting these dangerous animals.

When booking a hunting trip of African Hunting Safari, we strongly recommend being in your best physical condition possible for a good hunt and a quality memorable safari experience. in the African bush, conditions might be difficult for the hunters. Although hunting is normally conducted during typi-cal winter months in South Africa, conditions

sAfAri: hunting trips in south AfricA

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June, 2011

during the day can be very challenging with respect to the ambient temperature and the dry air.

The South African hunting safaris are con-ducted mainly in drier climate regions with the exception of the coastal region where the humidity is much higher and makes for an even tougher hunt.

A fit hunter with mental alertness will find it a lot easier to concentrate when perusing his quarry getting to adjust his eyes to the vegeta-tion in the field. Each region where game hunt-ing is done in South Africa has a unique make-up of grass, trees, shrubs and bushes delivering either: grass lands, river rines, savannas or thick bushveld areas.

in these areas all senses available to the hunter must be utilized in giving him the best opportunity to outsmart his quarry and be suc-cessful in harvesting his trophy he came to col-lect. So as much as there is a good Professional Hunter guiding the hunter hunting game dur-ing his African hunting safaris, the hunter also contributes to the memorable hunting experi-ence.

By Kobus VreyThe author is a licensed hunting outfitter, professional hunter, and taxidermist. Kobus a third generation hunter currently owns Shingelani Safaris, an African Hunting Safari company founded in 2002.http://www.shingelani.comhttp://EzineArticles.com


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June, 2011

In Lorraine, France, wild boar numbers have been on the rise since 1999, when sheltered areas of dense vegetation were put aside for the animals. “Hunters killed 19,000 wild boars between 1997 and 1998,” said Oliv-ier Schoenstein, head of the regional hunt-ing federation. in 1999, that figure topped 50,000.

Needless to say, Lorraine is one of the best places to hunt for wild boar in France. The beautiful castle Hattonchatel Chateau offers boar shooting and hunting holidays; arrange-ments for hunting can be organised for both small and large groups.

in recent years it has become more and more popular to go crossbow hunting, these types of hunting trips can also be arranged by Hat-tonchatel management.

A growing number of hunters wish for some-thing more than the regular one-day-hunt. That is why you can participate in hunting breaks lasting two or three days. Either sol-emnly focusing on hunting throughout the hol-iday period, or combining the trip with other types of exciting activities – such as golf, water sports at the Lac du Madine , wine and cheese tasting, culinary events or day trips to some of the beautiful historic cities such as Metz, Nancy and verdun.

Wild BoAr hunting

The European wild boar’s body is similar with the bison’s body but it is heavier and higher in the shoulders region. The boar’s body is covered with coarse, thin hair. in most cases, wild boars are black but in some cases, they can be brown or silver-gray. The boars are born with stripes from their nose to the tail which

will fade when the boar reaches six up to nine weeks old. Wild boars are known to inhabit lots of different areas which in some cases is quite annoying as these animals do a lot of harm to the nature.

European Wild Boar has always been said to be the most intelligent of game animals. A fully grown wild boar is around 1 m tall and weighs

hunting in frAnce – An unforgettABle experience

— 39 —


June, 2011

between 90 kg and 140 kg. The sow is slightly smaller, being only 90 cm tall and weighing between 70 kg and 90 kg. Both boars and sows are armed with big sharp tusks. The European wild boars vary in colour from rusty brown to dark black and piglets are brown with light horizontal stripes. Wild boars can breed all year round, with a litter of 8 to 10

piglets being born after a gestation period of 4 months.

As far as the reproduction is concerned, the males are capable of breeding year round. Female boars are able of farrowing any month. Most of the female boar farrow only once per year, but there are some cases (when food is abundant for example) when some of the

sows may give birth to more than one lit-ter per year. At about one year, permanent tusks start growing; their sexual maturity is reached in their first year of life. They live for around 10 years but there are some cases in which the European wild boar lived for even 27 years.

The boar hunting season starts in Lorraine on the 1st of September and continues to the 15th of April, but hunting yearling and piglets is permitted all year. The best time to hunt wild boar in France is from November to january, when the snow makes the Boar more visible or during a full moon because of the light.

pheAsAnt hunting

Perhaps the most popular out of the various bird hunting trips is pheasant hunting – and it has been that way for hundreds of years, since these birds were first brought to Europe in the 10th century. Although things are very different nowadays, our passion for hunting these creatures remains untouched and to some extent it seems to defy the time. Many explanations can be found but one of the most plausible seems to come from our inner desire to be as free as these beautiful crea-tures are when they fly.

Pheasant hunting in France is an unforget-table experience. Hunt for pheasants in the region of Lorraine and you will not be disap-pointed.

http://www.ritz-resorts.com

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June, 2011

For those who have never undertaken a dove shooting trip in Cordoba, Argentina, it is an experience which must rank as a ‘must do’ in any keen shot’s ‘list of things to do before you die’. quite apart from the sheer volume of doves in Cordoba, the variety of the shooting is staggering.

the dove shooting

Birds fly simultaneously in almost every direc-tion, breaking, banking and swirling with many at heights that will test even the most expert of shots. The birds fly literally in waves, darken-ing the skies and whether you wish to focus on sheer numbers or go for the most challenging shots the options are yours.

Cordoba is rightly considered the dove shoot-ing capital of the world. is the South American shooting lodge that sets the standards for oth-ers to follow. The 100 square mile radius (160 km) around Pica Zuro, the shooting lodge close to Cordoba City, is inhabited annually by over 40 million dove. For the uninitiated this is quite possibly shooting heaven and whether you are a veteran or a relative novice you will be able to find sport to match.

Pica Zuro and its sister lodge La Dormida enjoy 55 privately held shooting fields, all within a scenic drive through the region’s rich

cordoBA – dove shooting cApitAl of the World

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June, 2011

farmland. At all times please remember that this is not just sport for sports sake as the doves in Argentina are considered an endemic plague. Local farmers openly welcome the tiny levels of attrition which shooting parties have on the numbers of these ultra-prolific birds.

The province of Córdoba is centrally located in Argentina and enjoys a mild climate that changes little throughout the year. The thou-sands of acres of grain crops, coupled with

suitable roosting conditions, have produced a dove population that is sustained at 23 million birds. Many shooters return from Córdoba say-ing, "You have to see it to believe it!"

the lodge

Pica Zuro is an elegantly restored 19th cen-tury house traditionally decorated and sur-rounded by wide verandas overlooking gar-

dens, orchards and a lake. There are 9 en suite bedrooms which can accommodate a maxi-mum of 15 guests, a spacious and comfortable sitting room and a well stocked complimen-tary bar. Throughout your stay whether it be in the field or lodge dining room you will have a choice of delicious traditional and interna-tional dishes including the finest quality Argen-tine beef. Carefully selected Argentinean wines complement the dishes.

Best times to go

This is a true all year round location and makes an excellent addition to any other activ-ities you might have in mind during a trip to Argentina or Chile. Combined with the fabu-lous Sea Trout fishing in Tierra del Fuego or Patagonia or indeed golden Dorado fishing in the iberian marsh area it makes for an amazing sporting holiday.

non-shooting options

Pica Zuro is an extremely comfortable lodge and has a full range of facilities both inside and outside the lodge, which includes a swimming pool. Non–shooting guests can happily relax at the lodge morning or afternoon and join the shooting party at some stage during the day should they wish. in addition, guided tours of the historical city of Cordoba can be arranged as well as horse riding trips.

By Justin Maxwell-Stuarthttp://www.wherewisemenshoot.com

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June, 2011

Bow hunting is one of the finest ways to hunt, despite countless developments and an array of modern weapons available to today’s hunter.

going BAcK in time

The bow hunt takes us back thousands of years, connecting us with our Stone Age ances-tors. Even though the bows we have used toady have developed considerably from the ancient willow bows the techniques required and spirit remains the same – making bow hunting both challenging and rewarding.

Modern bows fire further and straighter, and sink deeper into the prey, bows are strong and durable and may include complex sighting. All this gives the hunter added advantage over the prey, however skill, and an expert knowledge of the prey is essential to allow the hunter to get in close to the prey and make the desired clean kill.

The hunter must be cautious to remain up wind, or masking the animal’s sense of smell, sight and sound. Like hunting with rifles, mod-ern bow hunting requires appropriate licensing and planning.

BoW hunting in nAmiBiA

voted by the united Nations as the safest and cleanest country in Africa, Namibia, has been a

bit of a secret for hunters, until now. Situated in the north-eastern part of the country you will find 15,000 acres of pristine, private hunt-ing area, set aside exclusively for bow hunting. This is true bushveld and an African experience awaits you upon arrival.

Bow hunting safari has been organized here since it was legalized in the country back in 1998, making it one of the oldest bow hunting areas in Namibia. Hunting is

conducted by ambush, in areas frequently used by game and/or walk and stalk meth-ods.

All the blinds (elevated and/or pit type), are placed in the best wind direction and are custom built near waterholes or salt licks with average shot distances being around 15 yards. Portable blinds are sometimes set up to ambush game on game trails and on nearby hunting concessions.

BoW hunting: explore nAmiBiA With A BoW in your hAnd

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June, 2011

various other hunting concessions (approx. 50,000 acres) are available within close prox-imity to the main area.

February to end of May provide a lot of cover and an abundance of water in the bush, therefore we recommend spot and stalk at that time. june- September are normally the best months for bow hunting. October and November see temperatures rising but animals can normally be found closer to the

waterholes, which provide very good hunting opportunities.

All animal species available within the hunt-ing area are truly wild African game, ensuring a real challenging hunt.

Enjoy one of the best bow hunting destina-tions available in Namibia.

http://www.africanhuntingholidays.comhttp://www.eurohunt.co.uk

www.caucasusexplorer.com

Mongolia – known for its vast plains, Nomads and cheerful feasts. Discover the country that is opening up to the global tourist offering pristine nature, rocky mountains as well as tours through the modern capi-tal ulaanbaatar.

M o n g o l i a : g o i n g H o t a n d C o l dD e s t i n a t i o n

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DESTINATION mongol ia : going hot and cold

June, 2011

did you Know?• That Mongolians are the only people who

have 54 names for a horse.• That the first National Park in the world was

established in Mongolia? In 1778 the Bogd Khaan moun tain range was declared as a National Park.

• That territory of Mongolia is three times the size of France but its population is 30 times less than that of France.

MongoliaTourism.gov.mn

mongoliA – the Wild lAnd of nomAds

Mongolia is one of the last unspoiled pristine lands on our small planet – wild, splendid and virtually intact vastness.

Snow-capped mountains, ancient volca-noes, virgin forests, placid lakes, pure rivers full of freshwater fish and steppes that are serenely white or multi-coloured from lush green, bronze or yellow grass ... Fauna and flora, although threatened to some extent by the whims of nature or human excesses, are extraordinarily diverse and exuberant espe-cially during warm seasons.

Despite its ceasing resorts of loneliness, it is still an inhabited wilderness, known in its unique recesses only by Mongolians who have roamed the vast plains for centuries. These friendly and cordial people embody the spirit of this harsh nature, to which they belong, love and know so much about.

A half of its 2.5 million inhabitants still pre-serve a nomadic lifestyle, freely migrating in the steppes, mountains and deserts and living on livestock breeding and natural resources, following thousand-year-old traditions.

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June, 2011

Although "urbanized", the other half never loses an occasion to adventure into the infinite steppes both for pleasure and necessity.

Mongols are nomads in the heart. However, unlike other few nomadic nations on earth, their lifestyle is naturally recognized by the country's leaders and compatriots.

Mongolia is a free democratic country where the economy, obviously marked by the col-lapse of a communist system once very firmly established, depends mainly on livestock that is ten times more than the country's popula-tion. Sheep, horse, camel, goat, cow and yak herds graze on rich semi-wild vast pastures triple the size of France.

The two terrible winters of 2000 and 2001 had a severe impact on the country. Many nomadic families who lost their herds migrated to settle in the urban areas, mainly in the capi-

tal city, the population of which has reached over a million in the last two years

independence of this country after centuries of Manchu domination followed by Russian control and survival of a virtually unchanged way of life and culture for centuries is almost a miracle. Proud of their glorious history, Mon-gols live in peace with their powerful neigh-bors joining again their beliefs as Animists and Buddhists.

Despite its geographical enclavement Mon-golia opens to the world, and this opening desired by the majority of Mongols will enable them to test the strength of their identity and to carry a message of peace, harmony and tol-erance by the powerful winds of the steppes.

http://www.e-mongol.com

http://www.olomouc-guide.com

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June, 2011

The global economic slowdown caused a dramatic drop in demand for and prices of Mongolian natural resources. The economy and tourism suffered considerably as a con-sequence. Domestic tourism was impacted

mongoliA’s tourism industry fAcing chAllenges

heavily. Mongolia has felt the impact of the global economic crisis more heavily than most countries in Asia. The number of inbound arrivals fell as weak purchasing power affected both the ability to travel and

the travel choices of international consum-ers.

The number of arrivals and departures declined in 2010. The impact of the global economic downturn caused travel and tour-ism products and services to shrink. The ongoing global economic crisis discouraged many would be travelers in recession-hit markets such as the uS, the uk, japan and Canada.

The number of outbound travelers, which is underdeveloped, fell significantly as Mon-golian consumers stayed at home. With holi-daying still considered a luxury, Mongolian consumers were further discouraged by weak-ened purchasing power, persistent inflationary pressure and a lower exchange rate, and as a result, travelling abroad was low on their list of priorities during 2010.

chinA groWs in importAnce

China has continued to grow in importance as the leading source of inbound arrivals over the review period. China’s growing economic power and geographic proximity have fuelled greater interest in Mongolia. This has helped drive growth in the number of trips to Mongo-lia. Chinese businesses and government have increased their demand for development and investment in the country’s natural resources,

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June, 2011

infrastructure and tourism, including highways and hotels.

government involvement – BeloW the expectAtions

As a developing economy and a small popu-lation the growing interest in Mongolia has lead to an almost exclusive focus on the coun-try’s natural resources, often at the expense of industries with great economic potential. Many industry players feel that the government has not sufficiently promoted Mongolia abroad. At the same time, improvements in the tourism-related infrastructure have been slow. This has created a difficult environment for industry players, with smaller operators especially feel-ing the brunt of the economic downturn.

tourism focus expAnding Beyond ulAAnBAAtAr

ulaanbaatar has long dominated Mongolia’s travel and tourism industry. The capital city is home to the nation’s only international air-port. As a capital city, ulaanbaatar functions as an economic centre for the rapidly expand-ing domestic resources industry and is a politi-cal and cultural hub. Relatively little focus has been placed on significant tourism develop-ments outside of the capital city.

sloW recovery AnticipAted

A slow recovery in Mongolia’s tourism econ-omy is expected. Whilst government support is expected to remain below that seen in neigh-

boring markets, awareness of Mongolia as an appealing holiday destination, particularly for adventure travelers, is set to help stimulate growth in international arrivals. Outbound tourist trips are forecast to recover even later since approvals are needed for outbound trav-els. in the long term, greater infrastructure development by the government will lead to a gradual improvement and expansion of the nation’s road and highway network, which will boost domestic travel and support interna-tional arrivals.

(Executive summary from Euromonitor International’s report )http://www.euromonitor.com

Arrivals to mongolia (‘000 trips)

2009 2010 2011 ForecastChina 204.5 198.4 198.8Russia 51.3 48.8 48.0South Korea 48.5 46.8 46.5Japan 16.2 15.9 16.1USA 10.9 10.4 10.2Germany 8.5 8.2 8.2United Kingdom 5.7 5.4 5.2France 5.5 5.3 5.3©2011 Euromonitor International

— 49 —


June, 2011

Mongolia, the land of endless steppes and nomadic traditions is changing; it is happening very fast but is it a change for good or rather a change for worse?

Mongolia is undergoing an economic change – the land of genghis khan is evolving fast and the country has recently joined the world of rapidly developing nations. Thanks to the abundance of mineral resources, the coun-try has opened itself up to large global mining

players keen to make the most of its under-ground wealth. The gDP of the country is set to triple over the next few years with its small population (3 million) set to become one of the globally wealthiest per capita within the next 10 years.

This change is apparent the most in the capi-tal city of ulaanbaatar where its citizens sport new Louis vuitton bags, where cars are new and expensive and where ostentatious displays

of wealth are becoming increasingly common. This is also visible in the new luxury skyscrap-ers appearing all over the city and the new shopping malls bustling with expensive goods.

This has both positive and negative impacts on the country and its tourism industry. Among the positive effects is the development of the transport infrastructure. A richer country can invest in improving roads, opening new airline routes and providing incentives to the private sector to invest in hospitality and tourism.

The investments of the private sector can be already seen in the development of interna-tional brand hotels in ulaanbaatar. Shangri-La, Hilton, Best Western, Sheraton and Ramada are all in construction and set to open in the next couple of years. The new Ramada Hotel and Suites will be the first international brand hotel to open in uB in june 2011 in the new Max towers near the gandan Monastery.

This will lead to a new phase in Mongolia’s tourism development since it will allow high-end travelers to make the most of Mongolia’s natural beauty and enjoy its incredible diverse landscape. The country has a unique set of attractions including camels in the gobi, yaks in the endless steppes of central Mongolia, reindeers in the distant northern mountains – all of this mixed with vast lakes, sand dunes and some of the most pristine and untouched natural beauty on earth.

Mongolia is one of the few countries in Asia to have retained its traditional nomadic heri-tage alive as an important part of its daily life. A large portion of the Mongolian population still lives as nomads and it provides an impor-tant basis for its economic development.

mongoliA chAnging tourism lAndscApe

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June, 2011

it is equally likely that the increasing income per capita as well as the opening up of the country to high end tourism will promote the development of adventure sports and recre-ational activities such as flight schools, para-chuting, go-karting, quad biking, hunting and the opening up of dedicated recreational parks and facilities all over the country.

it is hoped that within a few years, Mongo-lia will be able to develop its tourism sector towards winter activities, thereby enabling the tourism sector to remain active throughout the year and allowing those working within it to become professional tourism operators instead of amateurs who consider it as a sum-mer job.

Of course, large scale mining operations scar the earth and destroy the natural beauty of Mongolia. Even responsible mining will leave

a visible impact in the countryside. The posi-tive impacts of Mongolia’s economic devel-opment far outweigh the negative damage though. Most important of all the develop-ment of Mongolia’s tourism sector will allow the country to obtain a diversified source of wealth which does not involve mining activi-ties as well as employ a significant portion of the population.

The challenge for Mongolia will be to man-age carefully the enormous increases in rev-enues and not ruin its existing potential for the sake of cheap tourism or pleasing international operators looking for a more sterile environ-ment for the tourists.

By Christopher de Grubenhttp://www.mad-mongolia.com

— 51 —


June, 2011

Like nearly one half of the Mongolian popu-lation, the capital city of ulaanbaatar is a nomad. The city has changed locations more than twenty times over the past 350 years before taking root in its current location in a sweeping valley bounded by four sacred peaks, including the Bogd khan mountain in the south.

Besides its location the capital has also changed its names several times over the years, having been called urguu from 1639 to 1706, ih Huree from 1706 to 1911, Niislel Huree from 1911 to 1923, and finally ulaan-baatar since 1924 (meaning “Red Hero”). But despite its many transformations, Mongolia’s capital has remained constant as the political, economic, and cultural center of the nation, and as a city rich in both character and con-trast. indeed there aren’t many world capitals in which you can ride a horse, visit a nomadic family, and enjoy fine dining and luxurious spa treatments all in the same day.

ulaanbaatar today is a vibrant city of more than one million residents. The city reflects a close and sometimes amusing juxtaposition of nomadic traditions and modern society, per-haps best summarized by its skyline dotted with both gers (felt tents) and towering skyscrapers. The city’s contrast can also be found among those who call it home, from traditional-cloth-ing-clad herders, to Armani-suit-wearing busi-ness men and women, to a growing number of ex-patriots hailing from nearly every corner of the globe. Only in ulaanbaatar you can find a horse cart bouncing down the central avenue alongside a Mercedes Benz, or a market selling both livestock and designer clothing. in short,

ulAAnBAAtAr: tents And sKyscrApers

— 52 —


June, 2011

there is something for everyone, and always a site to behold in ulaanbaatar.

if cities have a heart, and they certainly do, then the heart of ulaanbaatar is Sukhbaatar Square. This sprawling plaza situated in front of the capital building, is the place where residents and visitors gather for celebrations, exhibitions, and concerts, or just for a leisurely stroll with friends. Running along the southern edge of the square is Enkh Taivny Orgon Choloo (Peace Avenue), ulaanbaatar’s main thorough-fare, which spans from East to West across the city. On Peace Avenue, you’ll find a myriad of shopping hotspots, selling everything from cashmere, to antiques and souvenirs, to high fashion couture. You’ll also find a surprising variety of restaurants, bars, and cafes, serving up italian, French, korean, Chinese, Turkish,

American, and Mongolian cuisine, to name but a few.

Besides serving as the jumping off point for all travel throughout the country, ulaanbaatar has much to offer its visitors. The city’s eight museums are bursting at the seams with trea-sures such as 3,000 year old Hunnu artifacts, prehistoric dinosaur bones, and genghis khan-era armor and weapons. Dozens of cultural venues throughout the city present daily per-formances of dance, theatre, music, and con-tortionism. The city is also home to one of the world’s largest open air markets, Narantuul, with more than 2500 vendors selling every-thing under the sun.

http://www.mongoliatourism.gov.mn

Take the chance to welcome new

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Moscow September 2011

— 53 —


June, 2011

Mongolia boasts of being the last and the least traveled tourist destination in the world. As the old saying goes ‘the best is kept to last’ – in 1991 after being hidden behind the commu-nist iron curtain for seven decades, Mongolia opened up for adventurers and travelers. Many dreamed for years to visit the steppes where the great genghis khan was born and ruled the world. These dreams came true. Today, there are approximately one million nomads living in centuries old yurts, herding their livestock and fighting one of the world’s most extreme tem-peratures. Mongolia is rightly called ‘the lost country’ still relatively unknown to vast major-ity of tourists around the world.

Tourism in Mongolia is relatively new com-pared to the rest of Asia and the world. You will not find well developed infrastructure, highly organized tours, neatly preserved tourist sights, and attractions in Mongolia. But these disad-vantages are attracting the global nomads. up until now, Mongolian tour operators were offering almost identical tours in a handful of tourist destinations in the country. The services also had little difference but the price range was noticeable. Due to small window of tour-ist season, the tourist companies were literally bidding for their clientele. The old systems were still strong with the same old leaders, thus, the old business environment left no chance for average tourist businesses to survive.

tourism in mongoliA: getting reAdy for visitors

— 54 —


June, 2011

However, there are good signs and stats that show the growth of tourism in Mongolia. The biggest trend is the collaboration between the government and private sectors. Though the socio-economic and political systems of the country are still in transition stage, the gov-ernment started supporting tourism in macro levels, providing the same opportunities to all, promoting better business environment and cooperation versus competition. Finally, every-

one in the industry understands that we all together can succeed.

There is a growing trend of specialization or niche products within the tourism sector. The growing numbers of companies specialize in their own fields such as cultural events, adven-tures trips, fishing, hunting etc. As the tourism develops, there will be more and more diver-sification in products, all working toward the same goal.

The last trend is the significant shift of the use of social media marketing as opposed to traditional websites. Without exceptions the majority of tourist related companies have glowing flashy websites with zero to minimal traffic. However, some companies sensed the global trend in social media marketing on time, if not too late.

So if you are planning to visit Mongolia, look for companies that provide services that you are interested in. if you are a true adventurer, the well known Mongol Rally is a must-see attraction. Mongolia provides a wide range of sights for naturalists. Search Facebook, Twitter for your niche.

Today’s tourists can explore the country under much better conditions than the early visitors. Things change and they do change fast in Mongolia. And if you already experienced Mongolia in person, please, help spread the word out in your spheres of influence and cir-cles of friends. Help us to make Mongolia bet-ter and brighter.

By Tsogt-Erdene Khorloohttp://www.mongolia-attractions.com

T R A V E l / T o U R I s m I N J U N E 2 0 1 1 b y R E G I o N s

Fairs & Exhibitions

More events related to Travel/Tourism can be found here If you are an event provider you may consider to place your event in the above category, please click here If your event already is in the list you may consider using the enhanced listing. For replacement just click here

— 56 —

FAIRS & ExHIbITIONS June, 2011

Western europe

euroAl: lAtin AmericAn And europeAn fAir of tourism, Art And culture

Location Spain / Torremolinos (Málaga)

Start / End 02 June 2011 / 04 June 2011

Provider Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones Torremolinos

Contact [email protected]

luonto & erä

Location Finland / jyväskylä

Start / End 10 june 2011 / 12 june 2011

Provider jyväskylä Fair Ltd.


vivre côté sud

Location Aix-en-Provence


Provider Côté Maison (groupe Express-Expansion, Express Roularta)

Contact [email protected] et

etonnAnts voyAgeurs Location France / Saint-Malo


Provider Festival international du livre et du film


gAme fAir 2011 Location France / Chambord


Provider Lariviere Organisation


World heAlth tourism congress Location Spain / Murcia


Provider grand Aurum Marketing and Aura Events


posidoniA seA tourism forum Location Greece / Athens


Provider Posidonia Exhibitions S.A.



— 57 —


AfricA/middle eAst food & hotel ArABiA

Location Saudi Arabia / Jeddah

Start / End 29 May 2011 / 01 June 2011

Provider Al Harithy Company for Exhibitions Limited


KAriBu trAvel & tourism fAir

Location Tanzania / Arusha


Provider karibu Trade Fair Limited


7th AtlAs AfricA conference 2011

Location Uganda / Kampala


Provider ATLAS



— 58 —


iAcp 2011 conference

Location USA / Austin, Texas


Provider international Culinary Tourism Association


destinAtions shoWcAse chicAgo

Location USA / Chicago, IL


Provider Destination Marketing Association international


online mArKeting in strAtegies in trAvel usA

Location USA / Miami, FL


Provider EyeforTravel


hsmAi’s AffordABle meetings West

Location USA / Long Beach, CA


Provider HSMAi


spA & resort/medicAl Aesthetics

expo & conference

Location uSA / New York City, NY


Provider Reed Exhibitions


nBtA sports trAvel conference

Location USA / Indianapolis, IN


Provider NBTA


north AmericA


— 59 —


fiexpo lAtinoAmericA

Location Uruguay / Montevideo


Provider Fiexpo


exphore: expo -hoteles y restAurAntes

Location Costa Rica / San josé


Provider EkA consultores


cultour, internAtionAl culturAl trAvel

fAir

Location Ecuador / Quito


Provider g.S.A.R. Marketing


centrAl And south AmericA


— 60 —


AsiA & pAcific

KotfA: KoreA World trAvel fAir

Location South Korea / Seoul


Provider korea Tourism Association


qingdAo internAtionAl tourism expo 2011

Location China / qingdao


Provider qingdao international Exhibition & Trade Co.,LTD


thAilAnd trAvel mArt plus

Location Thailand / Bangkok


Provider Tourism Authority of Thailand


mice, Business & incentive trAvel expo

Location China / Hong Kong


Provider TkS Exhibition Services Ltd


AsiA luxury trAvel mArKet

Location China / Shanghai


Provider Reed Exhibitions


BeiJing internAtionAl tourism expo

Location China / Beijing


Provider CEMS


guilin internAtionAl tourism expo 2011

Location China / Beijing


Provider National Tourism Administration, CEMS


hosfAir

Location China / Guangzhou

Start / End 30 June 2011 / 02 July 2011

Provider guangzhou Huazhan Exhibition Company Limited, Canton universal Fair group Limited


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tourism review online magazine - 06/2011

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