Wildlife: Is Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater About to Hit Bottom?

Beyond Green Travel is a blog written by Global Travel Editor Costas Christ. Read more NGA travel news in First In. 

If Noah’s ark had off-loaded into a massive version of Yankee Stadium, the result would have looked a lot like the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. The 102-square-mile caldera corrals great herds of zebras and gazelles and all of Africa’s Big Five. But recently, Tanzania’s chief tourist draw has started to buckle under the pressures of fame. 

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Photograph by Nicholas Parfitt/Getty Images

Donald Trump's Battle of Balmedie, Scotland–Mass Tourism Style

Beyond Green Travel is a blog written by Global Travel Editor Costas Christ

What Donald Trump wants, he gets–but maybe not all of it this time. 

Since I first blogged last year about the struggle between environmentalists and local residents opposed to Trump’s plans to build a mass tourism development on an unspoiled stretch of Scottish coastline (see my blog entry of July 4, 2008), the battle has become hotter, grabbing the attention of the New York Times, who reported this month on Trump’s progress in turning 1,400 acres of fragile natural habitat and rural countryside in Balmedie, Scotland, into 950 vacation homes, two golf courses, a 450 room hotel, 500 single-family houses, a conference center and a golf academy. The only thing now standing in Trump’s way is not investment money in these bad economic times (he recently boasted that he sold a house in Palm Beach for $100 million) but rather, a local fisherman named, Michael Forbes. 

Despite mounting pressure, Forbes has refused to sell or move off of his 23 acre farm, where he has lived for 41 years and which sits right in the middle of Trump’s mass tourism building site, which also includes an ecologically sensitive area designated for migratory birds. 

Seven local community officials who voted against Trump’s project were declared “traitors" in news headlines and then overruled by the Scottish Government. Martin Ford, the locally-elected Chairman who cast the decisive vote against Trump’s plan, was ousted and stripped of his chairmanship, causing him to lose half his annual income. And, after refusing to give up his land to Trump, saying he would not move, no matter who wanted him to, Michael Forbes has found himself subject to an odd series of inspections from authorities who showed up at his home to see if he was abusing his farm animals (he was not), if he had a proper license for his shotgun (he does), and other similar random investigations. 

Trump, who usually flies into the area on his private jet and makes statements, has called Forbes’ 23 acre coastal farm, a monstrosity that ought to be cleaned up or condemned. But Forbes is not giving up his land and home easily, if at all. Locals who understand the need for economic development, particularly in hard economic times, have made the case that this is not the right place for a project as big as what Trump plans. But as I reported in my blog on January 13, 2009, government permission has already been granted to Trump to proceed with his mega-tourism development. Only Michael Forbes now stands in his way. This is Scotland, where bravery is part of cultural heritage. Stay tuned.

Real Budget Travel: Top 10 Do-It-On-Your-Own Countries

Beyond Green Travel is a blog written by Global Travel Editor Costas Christ

The travel media seems filled these days with articles about the economic crisis and "tips" on how to take a budget holiday, usually mentioning some tour company that is offering a great 50 percent discount. Well, here is a budget travel tip that the advertising revenue-driven media usually doesn't offer up: Just pack your bag and do it on your own. It's the ultimate budget trip, and when it comes to sustainable tourism practices, your dollars will go right into the local economy—often to those who need it most, like family-owned guest houses, street market vendors, and small local restaurants. In fact, many of the destinations on this kind of a budget trip were green before it was a movement, such as that thatched hut built with local materials and owned by the village grandma using kerosene lanterns for light, or the original way to "car pool" that reduces carbon emissions (also known as riding the country bus to get between towns and villages), or back street eateries where the food is always sourced from local farmers. 

What about safety when you travel without a tour company to take you around? Let common sense be your guide. When I travel, the local people have always been my risk management plan. They are the ones who really know what's going on—where to go, when to go, how safe it is—and they have repeatedly come to my aid when help was needed (after I bashed my head open on an underwater rock surfing in Indonesia, it was the villagers who pulled me out of the water and got the doctor who stitched me up). 

The world really is a good place, filled by a vast majority of kind people who want to help others. It is a fact that gets lost in all of the fear-driven and crisis news coverage these days. And there is no better way to experience the world with less money then to set out with an easy-to-carry bag in hand, inspired by the feeling of adventure that awaits. Your biggest expense will be your air ticket to the more far-flung locales. But once there, you can make it up by staying, eating, and traveling the local way. Here's my personal list of the top 10 countries (not in any particular order) for taking the good old fashioned—and most affordable—way to travel.

Canada - Consider doing North America's true ecotourism haven one section at a time. French culture and northern wilderness doesn't get any better than in Quebec. Start in Montreal and slow travel your way among the towns, villages, and forest outposts that connect 27 national parks, including off-the-radar Nunavik.

Ecuador - The diversity in Ecuador is astounding: beach, jungle, snow peaks, vibrant indigenous markets, cobblestone towns. Most people do not even know that you can go to the Galapagos on your own and stay in small inns and hotels on Santa Cruz island, making daily forays to some of Darwin's famous sites.

Balkans - Sure it is easy to travel in Europe on your own, but not for $5 a day anymore. The Balkans—Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, Kosovo, Albania—will get you closer to old Europe's prices and its less-trodden experiences.

India - India has been the ultimate do-it-on-your-own country, ever since the Beatles headed there in the 1960s. Lodging can run as low as a few dollars a night, and some great meals are even less than that. Make the intense big cities quick transit points while spending your time in the smaller towns and villages.

Belize - This Central American country is close to the U.S., easy to get around, and has lots of tiny villages to welcome you. Plus there's plenty of nature activities spanning coral reef lagoons to dense rain forest. 

Nepal - Nepal's travel industry was literally created by backpackers. Start by spending a week in Kathmandu. On day seven you will be acclimated and have all the up-to-date information needed from others travelers coming and going, to set out on your own mountain trek.

Philippines - In the run up for friendliest people on Earth, the Filipinos could take the crown. Don't delay in Manila when there is so much else to see. Build extra time (or take all of your time) for exploring Palawan.

Morocco - Travelers are still riding the "Marrakech Express" to a country that is a bastion of tradition, authenticity, and affordability. Stay in small riad guest houses and live on excellent street food for pocket change.

Laos - Okay, you could also substitute Thailand, Cambodia, or Vietnam, but if I had to pick just two of the sub-Mekong region quartet, it would be Laos and Thailand—the former for its rich cultural and natural heritage, the latter for its lesser known islands in the south.

Australia - Simply put, the Aussies are fun people to hang out with. Period. That they also have their own continent is pretty cool, along with the fact that they have been global leaders in sustainable tourism. Ask around for the cheap places to stay, eat, and travel. No worries mate. This is where Lonely Planet was born.

Is This the Golden Age of Green Travel? Plus: Five Bargains on Five Continents

Beyond Green Travel is a blog written by Global Travel Editor Costas Christ

Photo courtesy of Black Sheep Inn

Over the last 12 months, a lot of progress has been made in sustainable travel: The World Travel & Tourism Council has issued a ten-point action plan to combat climate change; four international airlines have tested their first bio-fuel supported flights; the United Nations Foundation has launched the world’s first set of Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria; and Americans have elected their first president who equates going green with economic growth. It is tempting to think that, if it were not for the economic recession, we would be entering the Golden Age of sustainable tourism right about now. But here’s another thought: Maybe we already have?

Gone are the days when environmentally and socially responsible practices were the hallmark of just a few jungle lodges and safari operators. Today, we have reached a tipping point where sustainable tourism practices are being more widely accepted across the full spectrum of the global travel industry. (Who would have imagined that Marriott Corporation, one of the largest hotel companies in the world, would be spearheading the protection of 1.4 million acres of Amazon rain forest, or testifying before the U.S. Government to gain support for biodiversity conservation—they are doing both.) The very term “ecotourism”—which was originally coined to describe conservation-minded mom and pop lodges before it was applied to $500-a-night jungle resorts—has also come full circle. Small outfitters are again setting the pace for tourism done right. So, when contemplating whether to shelve your travel plans until the stock market picks up, consider this: Your dollars will stretch farther today, and do more good, than ever before.

Here's a sampling of four places on four continents, that are committed to the Earth, to benefiting local communities, and to offering more affordable travel. See the list >>

Beyond Green Travel with Costas ChristDubai's New Guidelines Restrict Dancing, Kissing, Handholding

Text by Global Travel Editor Costas Christ

Last week, Dubai issued new behavior guidelines for travelers. Since one of the tenants of sustainable tourism is to be respectful of the local culture, this announcement got me thinking about what happens when the local culture tells tourists to respect their way of life, a way of life that the tourists might consider offensive or even morally wrong. Dubai now has told visitors that dancing or playing loud music in public will be banned. Travelers on holiday, or even a couple on their honeymoon, who kiss or hug each other in public—even just momentarily—could face fines and detention. The new rules, which also include no wearing of short skirts or skimpy shorts in public (keep in mind that Dubai is one of the world's top tourism destinations with beaches and luxury resorts), have been issued for visitors "to respect Dubai's culture and values." 

In many places around the world, tourists have been known to act disrespectful to the local way of life, seeming not to understand that they are guests in another country. Last year in Dubai, a British couple were arrested and convicted after having sex on a beach. The new behavior guidelines now make it clear that you might be arrested and detained even if you are just holding hands. Sustainable tourism advocates that a country or cultural community should set the rules that tourists must follow to be respectful to the values of the local people, even if visitors do not agree with some or even all of those values. 

Is this a case of going too far? Let us know what you think in the Comments section below.

Read my previous post on Dubai here >>

Beyond Green Travel with Costas Christ Albania: The Untouched Mediterranean

Text by Global Travel Editor Costas Christ

Albania’s isolation from the rest of the world for decades during the Cold War had an unintended consequence: The country today retains its wild landscapes, uncrowded historical sites, and traditional villages in a region that is one of the most crowded tourism destinations on the planet—the Mediterranean.

I recently joined a group of 64 Albanians in the coastal town of Durres to discuss a sustainable tourism plan, one that would help protect the natural and cultural heritage, while improving the livelihoods of the local people. The fact that Albanians are coming together to talk seriously about sustainable tourism as a means of economic development puts them ahead of many nearby countries that followed the path of mass tourism development, which has left behind damaged ecosystems, polluted beaches, and vanishing local culture (think Santorini in Greece, Provence in France, or the Costa del Sol in Spain). While uncontrolled tourism has already spread to some parts of Albania (the coastal town of Durres suffers from chaotic concrete block hotel development, a glut of tourist bars, and litter in the streets), much of the rest of the country still offers a chance to experience traditional Mediterranean life that has become increasingly rare in the region. 

During my trip, the Albanians I met were friendly, the prices cheap, the local food excellent. Traditional music thrives, and the rugged mountains provide truly off-the-beaten-trail Mediterranean hiking.

Continue reading this story and see recommended tour operators >>

Beyond Green Travel with Costas ChristTravel to Save the Planet—The (Near) Future of Flying

“We cannot solve problems using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them...” – Albert Einstein

When Heathrow Airport opened its new Terminal 5, well-meaning environmental protestors tried to shut it down by chaining themselves to the building and calling for an end to air travel to stop global warming before it is too late. I was with them in spirit—I also want to stop global warming—but not in practice. The issue at hand is counter-intuitive. If we could magically stop all air travel tomorrow, far from saving the Earth, we would unleash a global conservation crisis.

Without the foreign exchange generated by tourism for developing countries, places like the Serengeti, home of the last great migration of plains animals on Earth, would rapidly succumb to human settlements. The Pantanal in Brazil, the largest wetland in the world and already facing pressures from cattle ranches, would become one giant holding pen for the global beef industry, now kept at bay by a mosaic of private nature reserves and ecolodges serving Brazil’s tourism economy. Governments in the coral triangle of Southeast Asia, location of the planet’s highest concentration of marine biodiversity,  would have little incentive to support the creation or protection of marine reserves that keep out shark-finning poachers and commercial boats that drag every fish they can net from the sea, no matter how small or large.

The challenge is not how to stop travel, but how to get it right. The movement in sustainable tourism is helping to make this happen, as more travelers demand environmental accountability from travel companies. During the last 12 months, we have seen the first test flights of commercial aircraft using partial biofuel, including Virgin, Continental, and Air New Zealand. British Airways has notched it up by officially stating that they will cut their net C02 emissions by 50 percent by 2050, a bold position for any major air carrier. The airline industry fear is that they could become the “new tobacco” in public minds ( ie "this product is dangerous to your health”) if they do not take action on sustainable solutions. While the airline industry is certainly not the largest contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions linked to climate change, the majority of scientists have now made it clear that we have a 20 year window, at most, before hitting a tipping point of irreversible global warming damage. We need all hands on deck now. 

As I write this, the top 100 travel and tourism companies, with input from scientists and conservationists, are working on a joint report to lead the way forward to a low climate-risk travel industry, while maximizing the positive impact of sustainable tourism in protecting the natural and cultural heritage of our planet. It is not too late—yet. Which is why, when we take a trip, each of us can make a big difference by giving our hard earned dollars to those companies—on land, water and in the air—that are committed to sustainable tourism in action. (Check out the sustainability scores in our 2009 Adventure Ratings.)  

Postscript to my July 4 blog Paving Paradise for a Better Future: Sadly, both of these mass tourism mega-development projects were granted permission to proceed.

Beyond Green Travel with Costas ChristTop Ten Worst Green Travel Destinations

Text by Global Travel Editor Costas Christ

When NBC's TODAY Show Travel Editor Peter Greenberg asked me to contribute a list of the top 10 places people should avoid when they travel, to include in his new book, Don't Go There! (www.PeterGreenberg.com), I was a little reluctant at first. I am a firm believer that travel, no matter the destination, can be a powerful learning experience. In fact, some of my worst trips have been among the most interesting. They are the places I still tell stories about. But when looked through the lens of sustainable tourism principles—being environmentally friendly, helping to protect cultural and natural heritage, supporting the well-being of local people—there are some places that stand out, and its not for the better. So here is my top 10 must-avoid travel destinations list (or at least consider this warning so that you know what you are getting into before you go).

Cancun, Mexico -  In the 1970s, Cancun was a small, coastal island with fishermen, local merchants and a few small pensions. Today it is a stretch of high-rises sporting some 30,000 hotel rooms. Mangrove forests were cut to accommodate this megadevelopment, clear-water lagoons were filled in, and wildlife disappeared, along with any sense that you are still in Mexico. Stand on Cancun's miracle mile of tourism and wet T-shirt contests and Jell-o shot bars pass for today's local culture. Mexico is one of the greatest travel destinations in the world, but Cancun is pure generic mass tourism.

Santorini, Greece - One of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean has become a text book example of paving paradise. Sure, it has amazing views and spectacular sunsets—just be prepared to share them with as many as 15,000 cruise ship passengers, all off-loading at the same time during the summer and pushing past each other for the best spot to take a photo. Condo, hotel, and tourist sprawl are spreading like a fungus over the landscape. Talk about killing the goose that lays the golden egg—find your Greece island inspiration elsewhere.

Orlando, Florida - It really is a small world after all. Every family in America would do better to experience it first hand by having a genuine cross-cultural experience of learning and discovery, rather than get taken for a ride by the marketing engine of overdeveloped and environmentally unfriendly theme parks.

Kuta, Bali - Take an unspoiled tropical beach, add a vibrant ancient culture, cap it off with friendly local villagers eager to share their rich heritage, and then trample it all with a parade of western brands such as Hard Rock Cafe, T.G.I. Friday's, and KFC. Certainly, tourism destinations change over time, but that does not mean they should be trashed beyond recognition. Skip this one and instead consider Bali's artistic capital, Ubud, where a more balanced path embraces the local culture rather than conquers it.

Dubai City, United Arab Emirates - Just one of Dubai's golf courses requires a million gallons of desalinated water a day to keep the grass green under the scorching desert sun. And it takes more than a gallon of crude to make one gallon of desalinated water. And that is before powering the air-conditioned indoor ski slopes, the gilded shopping malls, and the giant man-made islands shaped like palm trees just off shore that are causing sedimentation runoff onto fragile coral reefs. Is this really the way to make the desert bloom? Seek an alternative.

Myanmar - Aung San Suu Kyi, the only Noble Peace Prize winner living under house arrest for courageously opposing one of the most brutal military regimes in history, has called for international travelers to boycott Myanmar. Nelson Mandela did the same while under arrest during the height of apartheid rule in South Africa. Some tour operators run trips to Myanmar (formerly Burma) with the justification that giving the local people an opportunity to interact with the outside world is a good thing;  meanwhile, they are making a business profit. Follow the real leaders and respect the travel boycott.

Antarctica - This is a "must see" on everyone's travel list, and that's the problem. Rapidly increasing tourism—some 40,000 tourists in 2008—to one of the most fragile and untouched environments on the planet could have a devastating impact. For instance, 49,000 gallons of fuel spilled into the waters of Antarctica when one cruise ship sank. (No one was hurt.) Another ship ran aground. Now major cruise companies want to bring in even more tourists on ever larger ships—Princess Cruises' Star Princess carries 3,800 passengers to Antarctica in one voyage. Time to call on the 46-nation Antarctic Treaty System to set limits before it's too late. Until then, think twice before making the trip.

China Beach, Vietnam - Local and foreign investors have scooped up nearly the entire vast tract of beautiful China Beach in central Vietnam, including ancestral burial grounds found there. Villagers have been forced to break open the coffins of their ancestors and take out the remains before the bulldozers level and bury the place, all in the name of building a parade of new mass tourism resorts. Do you really want to sleep in a hotel built right on top of a traditional burial ground where villagers honored dead ancestors for centuries and then, grief-stricken, were forced to remove their remains? Things did not have to go this route, so let's not reward it.

Costa Rica's Over-Developed Coast - There is a battle going on in Costa Rica, once the darling of ecotourism. The battle is between those who are working overtime to make the country a true green travel destination, and unscrupulous developers who like marketing the green label, but couldn't care less about practicing the principles. The latter are winning in Tamarindo, Jaco, and a string of other coastal areas that have succeeded in carving up the landscape into large condos and megahotels. Your travel choice makes a difference in this struggle. The Costa Rican Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST)  helps identify the good guys.

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania - Definitely stay on the crater rim in one of the great safari lodges and sip a gin and tonic while looking down into what naturalists have called the Eighth Wonder of the World—an ancient, unflooded, collapsed caldera that forms a natural zoological garden—if it survives, that is. Don't drive into the crater, unless you like your wildlife viewing in a parade of 4x4 vehicles.  Save the up-close wildlife encounters for the 5,700 square miles of neighboring Serengeti National Park and let the inner crater have time to heal from tourism's wounds.

Do you agree with these selects? Do you have destinations to add? Let us know by posting your comments below.

Beyond Green Travel with Costas ChristArabian Oasis: Oman

Move over, Dubai—Oman's rugged riches are catching on.

Text by Global Travel Editor Costas Christ; Photograph Courtesy of Six Senses Resorts and Spas Oman

When I asked the late explorer Wilfred Thesiger how to retrace his 1949 route across Oman, he recommended setting out during the same month he did, in December. It was sound advice. Winter brings crisp nights and pleasant (read: not hot) days, making it an ideal time to scramble along the Hajar Mountains’ sunbaked wadis and trek across the sand dunes of the Empty Quarter. Oman, as I found, is more than the sum of its desert parts: The country’s 1,300-mile coastline boasts world-renowned diving, and its laid-back monarch, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, makes a point of safeguarding traditional cultures and the environment.

The best way to explore this emerging destination in good style is Six Senses Hideaway Zighy Bay (villas from $870; sixsenses.com). Located on the Musandam Peninsula, the 82-room retreat sits between jagged mountains and a stretch of pristine white-sand beach (guests arrive via paraglider; a 4x4 follows with their luggage). Guides are on standby to lead hikes into the Ru’us Al Jibal plateau—one of the last remaining wild areas on the Arabian Peninsula—while offshore, the sky blue Gulf of Oman draws kayakers into a maze of hidden caves and secluded coves. Sixty-one years after Thesiger’s journey, off-the-beaten-path Oman still awaits discovery.

Must-Do: The monthlong Muscat Festival kicks off in January, a day’s drive from Zighy Bay. Wander amid clouds of frankincense and myrrh while taking in Arab music, art, and cuisine (muscat-festival.com).

See more World Class recommendations from Costas Christ >>

Beyond Green Travel with Costas ChristGreen Dictionary: Navigating the Eco-Lexicon Jungle

For the green-minded traveler, it's easy to get lost in the jungle of new terms. Ecotourism, geotourism, voluntourism, sustainable tourism—more names keep popping up all the time, threatening to confuse even the most savvy globetrotter. By focusing on the well-established terms listed below, you can understand what really matters in the global movement to make travel an opportunity for protecting the Earth's cultural and natural heritage.

- Ecotourism
- Sustainable Tourism
- Geotourism
- Voluntourism
- Agrotourism
- Responsible Travel
- Greenwashing

Read the definitions of these green travel terms >>


Photograph by Stephan Brueckner/Courtesy of Namibrand Safaris