Responsible Tourism Guide to the Mekong » News

Mekong ‘Responsible’ Site Wins ‘Gold Award’

David Gillbanks — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:06:30 +0000

This site, the ‘Responsible Tourism Guide to the Mekong’ at ExploreMekong.org/responsible has won the 2009 Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Award in the website category.

This year’s PATA Gold Awards program attracted 236 entries from 120 organisations worldwide. Each PATA Gold Award is judged by a panel of industry experts.

“This Award sends a message of support, encouragement, and inspiration to responsible tourism operators in the Mekong,” said Mekong Tourism Executive Director Mason Florence. “They now have an opportunity to be featured[...]

… And is Eligible for the ‘Spotlight Award’. Vote Now!

David Gillbanks — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 04:05:06 +0000

[Update: Ecotourism Laos garnered the highest popular vote and won the 2009 Ecotourism Spotlight Award. Congratulations Laos! The landlocked nation is part of the Greater Mekong Subregion and is a leader in global responsible tourism, particularly ecotourism.]

Voting is open for the 2009 Ecotourism Spotlight Award. Government websites that educate visitors about ecotourism and responsible travel options are eligible. Vote ‘Mekong’ now.

Nominees include the ‘Responsible Tourism Guide to the Mekong’ (Mekong Tourism’s PATA Gold Award-winning website), plus websites from Ireland, Laos, and[...]

World of wetlands – Thanh Nien Daily

Google News — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 09:19:24 +0000

Thanh Nien Daily

World of wetlands
Thanh Nien Daily
U Minh Thuong National Park is among the most precious flooded forests of Southeast Asia and is a “green lung” of the Mekong Delta. ...

World Eco-Tourism Conference 2009 highlighted rare tourism products – eTurboNews

Google News — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:08:00 +0000

World Eco-Tourism Conference 2009 highlighted rare tourism products
eTurboNews
Lao PDR Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh mentioned in his opening speech that the country is the acclaimed “Jewel of the Mekong River” by offering World ...

Vote Mekong for Ecotourism Spotlight Award

David Gillbanks — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 02:17:38 +0000

Voting has opened today, July 20, for the 2009 Ecotourism Spotlight Award.

Nominees for this year’s award include Quito Visitors’ Bureau, Responsible Tourism Guide to the Mekong (this site) Ecotourism Laos, Failte Ireland and Mexico’s National Commission of Natural Protected Areas. Vote now.

Contenders have made the most of the Web in 2009 to engage locals and visitors. Examples of best practices include Failte Ireland’s ecotourism handbook for all 16,000 Irish tourism businesses and Quito’s documentation of eco activities including weekend bike[...]

Voting opens for Ecotourism Spotlight Award – Planeta.com

Google News — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:55:09 +0000

Voting opens for Ecotourism Spotlight Award
Planeta.com
Web 2.0 tools are showcased on the Mekong site and multi-lingual information is showcased on the Mexico parks website. Two-time Ecotourism Spotlight Award ...

Authors of report on dolphins will not face charges, official says – Phnom Penh Post

Google News — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:56:49 +0000

Authors of report on dolphins will not face charges, official says
Phnom Penh Post
Touch Seang Tana, chairman of Cambodia's Commission to Conserve Mekong River Dolphins and Develop Eco-Tourism, said Wednesday that he reached his decision ...

Mason to Talk Development, Marketing at Ecotourism Event

David Gillbanks — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 05:32:06 +0000

Mason Florence

MTCO Executive Director Mason Florence will be a panelist during the special session entitled “Development & Marketing of the Greater Mekong Sub-region”, July 17, at the World Ecotourism Conference 2009 (WEC2009) in Vientiane. The GMS session is designed to “provide industry leaders with a strategic framework to plan for the sub-region and to enable them to understand and respond to strategic trends and developments”.

WEC2009 is an attempt to bring global ecotourism players together to network, collaborate and share their[...]

Sustainable Best Practices Handbook for SMEs

David Gillbanks — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 05:22:14 +0000

The English PDF version of a full-colour illustrated handbook of good practices for tourism operators is available for download. ‘Sustainable Tourism Management in Thailand: A Good Practices Guide for SMEs’ was first published in 2007 to help hotels, restaurants, and nature and culture-based activity operators in Thailand take easy steps towards sustainable management.

The handbook comprises tips on how to lower electricity and water consumption, manage waste in an eco-friendly way, and interact positively with local communities. These tips are illustrated[...]

Informed Passengers Will Pay a Carbon Premium

David Gillbanks — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 05:17:05 +0000

Flight search data reveals 57% of airline travellers are prepared to pay a premium for flights with lower carbon emissions. The use of the Carbon Friendly Flight Search tool demonstrates that travellers will choose carbon-efficient flight options, with 57% of users selecting the lowest cost /lowest carbon option, even if it is up to 19% more expensive than the lowest cost/higher carbon option.

The flight search tool developed by Global Travel Market (GTM) and The Carbon Consultancy in association with the International Centre for[...]