The New 7 Wonders of the World were unveiled this past weekend in Portugal. The initiative was started in 1999 by Bernard Weber and 50% of all net revenue raised by the foundation will be used to fund restoration projects worldwide. UNESCO has distanced itself from the effort. Initially asked to participate or collaborate, UNESCO declined citing the many aspects used to determine World Heritage status. UNESCO uses scientific and educational criteria to determine what sites should be included on the World Heritage List as opposed to the popular opinion sought by New7Wonders.com.
The New 7 Wonders Foundation also acknowledged that it had no control over people voting more than once for their favorite site. UNESCO likened The 7 New Wonders of the World to a lengthy media campaign that supports the opinion of anyone with internet access rather than that of world opinion.
If 50% of net revenue goes to funding restoration projects, where does the other 50% go?
Angkor Wat loses to Christ Redeemer, are you kidding?
I almost voted but decided that there are many more than 7 wonders in our world and that this was some kind of marketing ploy so why bother when I can vote for something 25 times. There is no validity.
http://www.new7wonders.com
http://www.unesco.org
Filed under: New 7 Wonders, Specialty Travel, World Heritage Sites
One of the sites inscribed during the meeting is: Twyfelfontein or /Ui-//aes The site has one of the largest concentrations of rock petroglyphs, in Africa. Over 2000 figures have been documented at the site and most of them are well preserved. They include rhinoceroses, elephants, ostriches, and giraffes. There are also drawings of human and animal footprints. The site is located in Namibia and is the first World Heritage Site in the country. http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/359
The Galapagos Islands were moved to the List of World Heritage in Danger. The concern is that increased tourism has produced increased immigration and the inter island traffic has introduced invasive species in some areas. The number of days spent in the area by tourists has grown by 150% over the past 15 years.An interesting decision made by the Committee was the changing of the name “Auschwitz Concentration Camp” (so listed since 1979) to the new title of “Auschwitz Birkenau” and the subtitle of “German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp (1940-1945).” The Committee also adopted a “statement of significance” for the site. Read here. It is a powerful statement and lays it all out. http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/363
The Committee also took the unprecedented step of removing The Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman from the World Heritage List because Oman reduced the area of the Sanctuary by 90%. The population of Oryx in 1996 was 450, today it is 65 and of those, only four breeding pairs remain. This rare antelope will probably not survive due the actions of the State Party of Oman encouraging hydrocarbon prospecting as well as their inaction in controlling poaching and site degradation. This is the first time a site was removed because the obligation to conserve was not fulfilled.
I read a quick article in one of my trade magazines about the Galapagos Islands being placed on the Danger List and went to the website to read about the Heritage Sites and the Danger List.
Since the Committee is holding their meeting this week, they are releasing quite a few press statements about what they are doing. There is a site (Dresden Elbe Valley, Germany) that is in danger of being removed because of the possibility of a four lane bridge being built. Germany has been warned that it has four months to come up with a satisfactory alternative or the site faces removal at next year’s meeting. My original thought of a quick look see at World Heritage Sites turned into an hour of reading through some press releases, viewing some of the sites and thinking about the stand they have taken with the Auschwitz name change and statement as well as the importance of conserving these sites.
Filed under: Specialty Travel, Travel Industry, World Heritage Sites
Cunard announced today that the QEII has been sold to Dubai World, a holding company for the Dubai government. The plan is that the QEII will be turned over to Dubai World in November, 2008 and will become a tourist destination for the The Palm Jumeirah.
The Palm Jumeirah is the largest man made island in the world and is located in Dubai.
Filed under: Cruise Industry, Specialty Travel, Travel Industry, cruises
I’ve been identifying honeymoons that are unique and out of the ordinary. A Volunter Honeymoon is one such experience.
Global Volunteers has been sending volunteers on community development projects since 1984. To date they’ve sent 20,000 volunteers to more than 19 countries. Global Volunteers has been granted Special Consultative Status with the United Nations and has always sought work projects that were locally initiated and maintained.
Can you mix travel AND volunteering and end up being happy and satisfied? It’s an exciting way to experience a destination as a “non-tourist” while serving as a valuable resource in the host community. For volunteer-spirited clients, this truly is an unbeatable combination of two “loves”: International travel and service.
When a couple spends all or part of their honeymoon participating in a volunteer service program, they give and take from the experience. First and foremost, they have the ability to help others. In addition, they believe that they have grown on a personal level as well as a couple. A volunteer service program offers the unique opportunity of observing a side of life that most of us never see.
Because of my travel company’s partnership with Global Volunteers, We have been able to offer two different volunteer honeymoons to our customers. One project is in Italy and the other is in the Cook Islands. Details can be found at TravelEco.
Volunteerism allows us to give back to society. Global Volunteers helps us to give back in unusual and unconventional settings and the life experiences we gain are invaluable.
Filed under: Cook Islands, Italy, Specialty Travel, Travel Industry, Volunteer Vacations, honeymoon, unique honeymoon
One of my often used phrases has been “camping, do I hafta?” After seeing these photos and reading about Abercrombie & Kent’s version of camping, called “Glamping”, I’ll rephrase and say “glamping, do I hafta? Yes I do!”
Stylish tents offer a taste of glamorous camping on private tented safaris in Kenya’s Masai Mara Reserve, on the Laikipia Plateau and in Samburu National Park. The spacious accommodations offer large arched windows, luxurious bedding and colorful accents of traditional African Kuba cloth.
The tents are huge with verandah fronts and are made of heavy duty canvas. The tents measure 28 feet long by 14 feet wide and 9 feet high, with a sewn-in floor and large windows made from netting. The bedding is 100% Egyptian cotton, 200 thread count, with duvets for cool nights. Each tent is furnished with two full-size single beds, bedside tables, a dressing table with mirror and wash basin and a private en suite shower and toilet. (A&K is one of very few travel companies to offer flush toilets in mobile tented camps in East Africa)
Because the camp is mobile and self-sufficient, you aren’t restricted to locations with game lodges. On private land, game walks, horse and camel back safaris, and night game drives are possible. Other activities may include fishing on Lake Victoria, bird watching and hot air ballooning.
Abercrombie & Kent is regarded as the “World’s Leading Luxury Specialist Tour Operator” by travel professionals from over 80,000 travel agencies in more than two hundred countries. When I take my African Safari, guess who I’ll use?
Filed under: Abercrombie & Kent, African Safari, Specialty Travel, escorted tours, tour operator
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