Well, the Christmas break is behind us, and no doubt we’re all getting ready for a fantastic 2017, planning our travels and vacations for the year ahead.
As the editor of our travel bulletin, I’d like to take the chance to thank you, the interested subscribers of Online Travel Consultant, for your ongoing support of this initiative.
I really want to encourage you to tell us what you’d like to see in future newsletters by replying to this message. That way, we can make the next edition even better and more closely tailored to your needs.
Tourism is changing the environment very quickly indeed.
While this results in many positive impacts, there is a price to pay, particularly in terms of the environment.
These impacts include pollution, depletion of resources, changing landscapes with infrastructures, and increased carbon fooprints.
As a response, the industry is looking at more responsible options – green travel, sustainable travel and responsible travel are among such responses.
Another word you should think about is “ethical travel.” It is about “mindful travel,” where you think about the local and global implications of what you do during your visits.
Whether you choose a super liner or a smaller, more intimate vessel, cruising is like a bug that is fast spreading. You shouldn’t miss the opportunity to see the world from a deck of a cruise ship.
Modern day cruise ships are like floating hotels with amenities comparable to a 4 or 5-star hotel.
Year after year, cruise companies continue to add more ships to their fleet, some large, some small.
The ongoing “war” among cruise companies works to the advantage of cruise passengers.
For people with a little difficulty travelling, know that cruising is also among the most popular modes of travel now for the elderly, the differently-abled, and families with young wards in tow. If you are on the verge of planning a trip in the near future, find out what makes a cruise great for you and your family or ward with a handicap.
Two years ago, the United Nations General Assembly resolved to mark 2017 as the International Year of Sustainability Tourism for Development.
It was expected that this declaration would advance the contribution of the tourism sector to the three pillars of sustainability – economic, social and environmental.
However, since its adoption of the UN resolution in 2015, there have been a number of significant changes in the world’s political climate.
The President-Elect of the United States, Donald Trump, has broadcast what may be seen as heralding a pull-back on support from the US in the workings of the United Nations.
The success of the Brexit vote in the UK will almost certainly lead to significant changes in the structure and operations of the EU.
The winds of right wing political change already seem to be blowing in many European countries, and there is certainly more to come.
What will happen to sustainability in this changed world order?
We will need to wait and see whether 2017 will indeed enable tourism to take its place in global business as a force for good.
