Category Archives: Benefits of travel’

Biking the Great Allegheny Passage trail with Rails to Trails Conservancy. The trail is part of the Great American Rail-Trail that ultimately will create a transcontinental network of trails 3,700 miles from Washington DC to Washington state. Find a trail near you on Celebrate Trails Day, April 26. © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

By Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com

Rails to Trails Conservancy is hosting its Celebrate Trails Day on April 26. This annual spring celebration of America’s trails, which Rails to Trails has organized since 2013 on the fourth Saturday of April, invites one and all to “come outside to experience the joy and impact of America’s trails”.

Every Celebrate Trails Day, RTC teams up with partners—trail groups, agencies, nonprofits, businesses, brands, clubs and every other type of organization in between—to offer scores of events and activities that encourage physical activity, stewardship, community engagement and opportunities to see how fun it is to switch a car trip for a walk or a bike ride and help lower their individual carbon footprint.

*Bike or walk the 2-mile long trail alongside New York’s Cuomo Bridge for a spectacular view of the Hudson River © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

“Celebrate Trails Day creates a unique opportunity to show off the many ways trails are essential to communities across the country,” said Ryan Chao, RTC’s president. “Thousands of people get outside with us to send the message that when we connect trails, good things happen.”

*Cycling over what used to be a railway bridge from Peebles Island at the end of Parks & Trails NY’s eight-day, 400-mile Cycle the Erie Canalway biketour © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

What good things? “The nation’s 42,000+ miles of multiuse trails on the ground nationwide lay the foundation for 150+ trail networks in development means we have space to move our bodies and be active outside, which is good for our physical and mental health. We support our local economy and create new connections in the neighborhoods where we live. And we can get around safely without a car. These spaces bring incredible value to our everyday lives, improving the quality of life where people live, work and play. When we show up on trails, we send a message loud and clear that these spaces are essential to our communities.”

*Biking over the famous Rosendale Trestle on the Walkill Valley Trail, now part of New York’s 750-mile Empire State Trail network © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

RTC has curated resources to help you plan a day of biking, walking, hiking, running and/or exploring outdoors. These include an interactive map to find events near you (more events being added all the time). Using the map, you can find hikes, spring cleanups, group rides, fun runs, family-friendly festival. You can also find organizations hosting events and events where complimentary non-alcoholic beverages are being provided, courtesy of Athletic Brewing Company, the premier sponsor for Celebrate Trails Day. Go to the website, https://www.railstotrails.org/celebratetrailsday/. (You can also find out how to win prizes for participating.)

Find Trails: Any day of the year, you can find trails near you around the nation using RTC’s free trail-guide app and website, TrailLink.

Impact of Trails for People, Places and the Planet

*Biking the Delaware-Lehigh Trail on a Rails to Trails Conservancy’s Sojourn © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Many of the more than 240 events taking place on Celebrate Trails Day highlight the return on investment as the nation’s more than 41,000 miles of multiuse trails are connected into trail networks that make it safer and easier for people to be active outside where they live, with the potential to deliver more than $138 billion to the economy each year in health cost savings, climate savings and direct spending.

Last year’s Celebrate Trails Day was a celebration of unprecedented opportunity for trails, walking and biking – in part made possible by the Biden Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – and demonstrated the widespread demand and benefit of dedicated and sustained investment in the nation’s trail networks.

The Highline, the urban art park trail created out of a highway on Manhattan’s west side, is now one of the most popular and used attractions in New York State, and a main artery in a neighborhood it spawned the size of a city © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Participants in Celebrate Trails Day reported mental health benefits of time spent being active on the trail (97% of people agree that using trails makes a difference for their mental health and well-being) and the majority say that having events or programming on the trail motivates them to be physically active (85%). More than three-quarters (78%) indicate that they would use trails as part of their everyday routine (e.g., going to the store, school, work or for exercise) and 76% of respondents indicated they chose to swap a car trip for a walk, bike ride or other active transportation on Celebrate Trails Day and at other times in their day-to-day routines.

“Everyone gains from staying active and should have safe and convenient access to trails. It’s also great when these places include green space, welcome all ages and abilities, and include activities like culturally inclusive programs,” said Ken Rose, MPA, physical activity and health branch chief at the CDC. “Good walking and biking trails can help us stay physically and mentally fit by making physical activity a part of our routine. They also bring communities closer together by giving us spaces to meet up and socialize.”

The Centers for Disease Control, which finds increasing physical activity is one of the best things we can do for our health and recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a day, reports that only about 1 in 4 adults do. Connected trail and active transportation infrastructure makes it possible for more people to incorporate physical activity into routine, everyday activities, like getting to work or school or running errands. Outcomes from Celebrate Trails Day underscore the impact of park, trail and greenway infrastructure improvements—combined with additional interventions, such as events and programming in these spaces—to increase awareness, enhance access and encourage participation as outlined in recommendations by the Community Preventive Services Task Force to increase physical activity.

*The Centennial Trail from Washington State into Idaho goes through downtown Spokane © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Since 1986, Rails to Trails Conservancy, a nonprofit organization with one million members, has been “dedicated to creating a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people.”

“We reimagine public spaces to create safe ways for everyone to walk, bike and be active outdoors.”

RTC’s most ambitious program to date is the creation of the Great American Rail-Trail, that will ultimately connect more than 125 multi-use recreational trails 3,700 miles across the continent, from Washington D.C., through 12 states, to Washington State. (https://www.railstotrails.org/site/greatamericanrailtrail/)

Some iconic trails are already in place along the Great American Rail-Trail route, while communities, nonprofit partners, state agencies and volunteers are working to build trails to benefit their local area by linking up to the trans-continental network.(See the full list here, https://www.railstotrails.org/site/greatamericanrailtrail/content/route/)

As of January, 2025 the Great American Rail Trail – America’s first trans-continental network – is 55% complete with 2,059 miles of trails out of the total 3,700 miles.(see: https://www.railstotrails.org/resource-library/resources/great-american-rail-trail-route-assessment-2024/)

Rails to Trails Conservancy, 2445 M Street, NW, Suite 650, Washington, DC 20037, 866-202-9788, railstotrails.org.

Bike Tour Companies Embrace Rail Trails

Several bike tour operators offer itineraries on segments of the Great American Rail-Trail:

Wilderness Voyageurs already has tours on many segments of the Great American Rail-Trail – indeed, it is actually headquartered on, the famous and picturesque Great Allegheny Passage, one of the primary building blocks of the east-to-west route.

With the addition of the Iowa Trestles Tour in 2021, Wilderness Voyageurs offers supported rides on more than 820 miles of the route. Its multi-day, inn-to-inn, bike tours on the Great American Rail-Trail visit 14 different trails in eight states These include:

*Biking through the Pinkerton Tunnel on the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP), a key part of the Great American Trail 3700-mile transcontinental network Spokane © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) is an iconic rail-trail that runs 150 miles from Cumberland, Maryland, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was built in partnership between state agencies and many local trail groups and volunteers. The GAP is featured on three different trips: a four-day Great Allegheny Passage tour from Pittsburgh to Cumberland; six-day Pittsburgh to D.C. tour, and Pennsylvania and Maryland Easy Rider tour. (Wilderness Voyageurs is headquartered right next to the trail in Ohiopyle, Check out the Great Allegheny Passage for info and travel tips.)

The C&O Canal Towpath from Cumberland to Georgetown is featured on a six-day Pittsburgh to D.C. bike tour Following the Potomac River, the C&O Canal Towpath traverses the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park for 184.5 miles. Hundreds of original features – locks, lock houses, aqueducts and other canal structures – are reminders of the canal’s role as a transportation system during the Canal Era, which peaked in the mid-19th century. The C&O actually connects with the GAP.

Its Pittsburgh to D.C. bike tour includes an optional ride on the Capital Crescent Trail, a paved trail that parallels the canal towpath. The 11-mile trail follows the former route of the Georgetown Branch rail line of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.

Both its Gettysburg and the Civil War bike tour and Shenandoah and Skyline Drive bike tours visit part of the towpath near historic Harpers Ferry.

The Cincinnati to Cleveland Tour features a corridor that will ultimately connect the Ohio River in Cincinnati to Lake Erie in Cleveland. Of its planned 326 miles, more than 270 miles of trail are complete visiting six different trails and many beautiful small towns. Besides knocking out a big chunk of the Great American Rail-Trail, you visit Cuyahoga National Park, one of the newest national parks.

The Iowa Trestles Tour is a 4 day meander that cycles 3 different trails that are part of the GART: the High Trestle Trail, the Heart of Iowa Nature Trail and the 2021 inductee to the Rail Trail Hall of Fame, The Raccoon River Valley Trail.

Idaho’s Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, part of the Great American Trail network, is featured on tour programs of Wilderness Voyageurs and Discovery Bicycle Tours, among others © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

The Idaho Coeur d’Alenes and Hiawatha tour spends time on the NorPac Trail that follows the old right-of-way of the Northern Pacific Railway (hence the trail’s name) in western Montana and the Idaho Panhandle, crossing Lookout Pass. The trail runs from Idaho near Mullan at the trailhead for the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, past the East Portal of the Route of the Hiawatha (south of Taft, Montana) and on to the small town of Saltese. The entire trail offers spectacular views of the forested Rocky Mountains as well as lakes and streams.

The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes covers nearly 72 paved miles through scenic mountains and valleys in Idaho’s Panhandle. The area has a rich mining, railroading and Native American history, and hugs the Lake Coeur d’Alene shoreline, rolling foothills in the Palouse prairie, and goes over the impressive Chatcolet Bridge.

The Washington Olympic Peninsula tour cruises the Olympic Discovery Trail, which is the western terminus of the Great American Rail-Trail. Starting in the Victorian seaport of Port Townsend and ending on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, the ODT is filled with views of snow capped peaks, ocean vistas, fast flowing rivers and pristine lakes, and everywhere the majestic forests of the Pacific Northwest. Olympic National Park, which was established in 1938 by President Franklin Roosevelt, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park is truly special, with 922,650 acres of rain forest, old-growth forest, glacier-topped peaks and alpine meadows. Its forests are home to cougars, bears, deer, woodpeckers, golden eagles, mountain goats and peregrine falcons nesting above the trail on Pyramid Mountain.

(Wilderness Voyageurs has trips on many rail trails in New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Florida, Missouri, Wisconsin, Michigan, South Dakota, Idaho and Washington. (See a complete list of rail-trail bike tours)

Wilderness Voyageurs, 103 Garrett Street. Ohiopyle, PA 15470, 724-329-1000, 800-272-4141 wilderness-voyageurs.com

Discovery Bicycle Tours, similarly, offers several trips on rail-trails that are part of the Great American Rail-Trail: C&O Canal Trail; Great Allegheny Passage, Pennsylvania; Silver Comet Trail; the Centennial Trail, the Hiawatha Trail and the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes on its Idaho Trails tour), as well as many others.

*Biking the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, Idaho on Discovery Bicycle Tours’ six-day Idaho Trails trip © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Other Discovery Bicycle Tours rail trail trips include 200 miles of the Empire State Rail Trail from Battery Park, Manhattan to Albany (part of the 750-mile long Empire Trail Network that goes from Battery Park on the southern tip of Manhattan up to the Canadian border, and east-west on the 360-mile-long Erie Canalway from Buffalo to Albany); the longest rail trail in New England, the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail; Appalachian rail trails of Virginia and West Virginia; Mickelson Trail, South Dakota, 6-Day Washington Cascades Trails, and the P’tit du Nord rail trail in Quebec.

*Bike from Battery Park in Manhattan along the Hudson River Greenway, up to Albany, on Discovery Bicycle Tours’ Empire State Rail Trail tour © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Discovery Bicycle Tours, 2520 W. Woodstock Rd., Woodstock, VT 05091, 888-459-3265, [email protected]

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Benefits of travel', International Travel, Travel Industry, Travel Trends

Travel Trends 2025: Industry Responds to Growing Demand for Purposeful, Mindful, Experiential Travel

March 5, 2025 krubin723

Discovery Bicycle Tours’ biking in Vietnam trip taps into an array of travel trends: the desire for purposeful, mindful, experiential travel that immerses you in local people’s lives, culture and environment, that maximizes the benefit and minimizes the damage of tourism and that focuses on emerging destinations which also afford value for dollar © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

By Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com

A clear indication that the U.S. economy is (and has been) strong is how robust the demand and spending for travel has been and is anticipated to be for 2025. Americans are traveling in surging, even record numbers, looking further afield, being more purposeful, mindful in their quest for life-changing, life-enhancing experiences, giving truth to the adage: it is the journey, not the destination.

In fact, special events – like the Taylor Swift Eras concert tour, the Paris Olympics, Formula 1, even the Total Eclipse of the Sun – are driving travel purchases, with people building trips around the events.

“People are traveling for their passions, for experiences – lifestyle, activity, food, entertainment, adventure,” observed Mandy Gill, Marriott International’s Vice President Global Marketing, US & Canada, at the Travel Media Summit. She was among the travel professionals who cited Taylor Swift’s Eras tour as a major boost to business in 2024; indeed, the tour -149 shows across 51 cities and 21 countries – sold 10,168,008 tickets, totaling $2.1 billion (boosting the GDP of countries), making it the highest-grossing tour in history.

*Major events like the 2024 Total Eclipse of the Sun, enjoyed at Long Lake, New York, are inspiring millions of people to travel © goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Some 12 million people traveled into the path of totality that crossed 15 states to experience the once-in-a-lifetime April 8, 2024 solar eclipse – making it the largest mass travel event in the United States in 2024. The next total solar eclipse, on August 12, 2026, will be visible in Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia, and part of Portugal, https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/) and travel companies are ready – AdventureSmith, specializing in small ship adventure cruising, is offering seven solar eclipse cruises.

“Travelers increasingly are looking for alternative and authentic destinations, new destinations and adventure travel,” said Erik Evjen, Executive Vice President, Tourism Economics, at the 2025 Travel Media Summit. “Whereas in the past, people would go to a hotel, now they go for ‘what is important to me.’”

“What is important to me” is increasingly determined by “influencers” and social media, with FOMO overriding any skepticism that might arise if travelers appreciated that influencers they trust may well be paid to promote destinations (what used to be termed “advertorials”).

Influencers are the new power brokers in travel, playing a critical role in shaping consumer decisions, noted Rashaad Jorden at the Skift Megatrends event in New York. “Platforms like Expedia have already integrated influencer marketing into their booking process, allowing curated recommendations to be directly bookable. Kayak plans to employ a mass-market approach, enabling users to share their favorite destinations on social media and earn rewards if bookings are made through their recommendations.

*“Influencers are the new power brokers in travel,” and one of the key Skift 2025 Megatrends © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Influencers are also playing a huge role in stimulating travel by specific interest groups, including Black, women. solo travelers, and travelers with disabilities who now have access to information about places and programs that serve their interest. This in turn, is prodding companies to accommodate these travelers. Even Googlemaps is now taking disability into account in providing directions, thanks to Googler Sasha Blair Goldenson, who became wheelchair bound after an accident , so you can now activate a toggle on Googlemaps app to access 55 million accessible locations.

The AI enhancements that are being incorporated into travel planning apps and making travel experiences accessible. “AI is enabling travel companies to tap into social media as a performance marketing channel,” Jordan said.

Accessibility to information will not only inspire travel, but help travelers better organize their itinerary, packing in more to see and do – a boon to destinations, attractions and lodging, and a key tool to mitigate against the destructive impacts of overtourism and enable travelers to find the life-changing, life-enhancing experiences they crave, fulfilling the increasing demand for experiential travel, educational travel and multi-generational and “skip-gen” travel.

Travel companies are responding to the interest in “experiential travel” that affords opportunities to become immersed in culture, connected with local people and actively engaged in the environment. Companies like Earthwatch (earthwatch.org), Audley Travel (audleytravel.com), Exodus Adventure Tours (exodustravels.com), and Village Experience (experiencethevillage.com) build their programs around experiential travel, while others are incorporating immersive experiences – biking (Discovery Bicycle Tours, VBT Biking, Backroads), hiking (Wildland Trekking, Backroads, REI, G Adventures), walking (Country Walkers, Classic Journeys), camping, adventure, ecotourism (Wild Frontiers), and indigenous tourism (Discover Aboriginal Experiences, discoveraboriginalexperiences.com) – fundamentally provide these experiences.

*“Detour destinations” like Colmar, which are within three hours from such overly popular places as Paris are being discovered © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Travelers are also increasingly looking for sustainable, responsible travel – in hotels, tours, and destinations, and to avoid feeling guilty about contributing to the destructive impacts of overtourism (but beware of “green-washing”). Dubbed “mindful tourism,” these travelers look to avoid the guilt of destroying the most highly prized “bucket list” destinations by looking more to spreading visits to what used to be called “the off season” (there almost isn’t an off-season anymore); relatively “new,” “unexplored,” and “off-the-beaten” track (though even these are becoming well visited) places; and “detour” destinations (places within three hours of the popular destination like visiting Paris but hopping on the train to visit Strasbourg, or staying in Strasbourg and traveling less than one hour by train to Colmar). The added benefit is traveling when places are less crowded and cheaper (better value), especially as price is being used to mitigate over-crowding. Another benefit is the enjoyment of being in the vanguard with photos and social media posts.

“With overtourism putting pressure on major cities, travelers are increasingly turning to lesser-known, less traveled destinations for more authentic and mindful experiences,” said Maryanne Sparkes of European Waterways, in fact helped by the availability of technology that assists with translation, directions, money exchange and facilitates interactions while relieving the anxiety of traveling where English is not common.

Biking in Albania. Travelers are increasingly seeking out new destinations, while easy access to information with tech advancements like AI ease the way to plan trips, and more comfortable to travel to emerging destinations © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

“Places like Albania, Greenland, and Uzbekistan are really having a moment. People are drawn to their raw beauty, unique cultures, and opportunities for immersive, local-focused tourism—whether it’s farm-to-table dining, craft workshops, or guided tours by locals.” Sparkes highlighted the growing trend of seasonal flexibility as well. “Travelers are also exploring destinations in the off-season, which not only avoids the crowds but often comes with lower costs and a deeper connection to the place.”

*Destinations like Galapagos that can be destroyed by overtourism are restricting travel by controlling the allocation of pemits © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Despite the desire to generate tourism revenue, governments, destinations and travel suppliers are also utilizing regulations and implementing policies promoting sustainable, responsible tourism out of realization that overtourism will literally kill their golden goose. Places like Machu Picchu, the Galapagos, many national parks, and experiences like swimming with whales in Australia, are limiting permits, requiring advance, capacity-controlled reservations, and increasing fees, while the limited spaces means higher rates for accommodation, which is itself a form of regulating access. (Here’s an idea: have an allotment of tickets at affordable prices that may be obtained by lottery so these places are not just for the elite.)

“Infinite growth is not possible,” Penny Rafferty, Executive Chair, Luxury Lodges of Australia, told the Travel Media Summit, “Our lives, our economies, our businesses need to be sustainable to survive.”

“We have to protect what we love… We have to think ahead in terms of sustainability, environmentally friendly way to operate ships, and future of cruising,” Lasse A. Vangstein, Chief Communications & Sustainability Officer, Havila Voyages said. “We borrow nature. If future generations want to experience, we need to make a conscious choice how to showcase and spread tourism.”

“Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword—it’s become essential in travel. We’re seeing airlines investing in sustainable fuels and working to offset their carbon emissions, which is such an important step. Hotels are also stepping up, with more achieving certifications like LEED and Green Globe, and even entire ‘green resorts’ running on renewable energy while promoting eco-friendly practices,” Sparkes noted.

Concern for the health and wellness in a destination coincides with continued surging interest in health and wellness tourism, as well as indigenous tourism experiences which blend together wellness and sustainability, nature and culture.

“People have increased understanding that wellbeing is linked to wellbeing of planet- why we seek connection to nature and place,” Rafferty noted.

European Waterways’ hotel barge, Panache, moored for the night in the charming village of Waltenheim-sur-Zorn in the Alsace-Lorraine – an example of the growing popularity of “slow travel” (the barge only goes about three miles per hour © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Slow travel is another trend that meshes with the desire for mindful, experiential, responsible, and sustainable travel: biking, hiking and walking vacations, river and canal cruises on barge hotels and train travel – that provide connections to local people and places and provide a kind of serenity and peace.

“Slow travel is really taking off, with more people choosing longer stays in fewer places to not only reduce their environmental impact but also to truly connect with the local culture. It’s about making travel more meaningful for everyone involved,” Sparkes observed.

The travel industry’s embrace of AI will significantly aid travelers in their quest to find lesser traveled destinations as well as the experiences they crave and the value they want. At the same time, AI gives travel entities like indigenous tourism companies, small, special interest and niche operators and those lesser-known destinations access to customers and markets as never before – a win-win for mitigating the negative impacts of tourism while maximizing the positive economic and social benefits that sustain communities, heritage and sites.

“Technology is breaking down cultural barriers,” Sparkes stated . “Real-time AI translation tools are a huge leap forward. They make it so much easier to connect with locals, whether you’re ordering a meal, asking for directions, or just having a chat. It adds a whole new layer of richness to the travel experience.”

She added, “Technology is transforming every part of the travel experience, making it smoother, smarter, and more connected . Biometric check-ins and digital wallets are taking the hassle out of airports, letting travelers focus on the journey rather than the logistics. Even luggage is getting an upgrade—GPS tracking, self-weighing features, and built-in charging ports are becoming the norm, which is a game-changer for peace of mind and convenience.”

The concern for getting the most bang for the buck is sparking interest in all-inclusives – resorts, cruises, farm and ranch vacations, ski holidays and wellness trips. “There is a huge surge in the use of the all-inclusive filter on the hotels.com app,” noted Melanie Fish, Vice President of Global PR, Expedia Group Brands.

Booking apps like Expedia are also helping travelers save money such as flight price tracker: Expedia just launched a “flight deals departing near you” feature.

Sailing passed the Konigstein Fortress on CroisiEurope’s Elbe Princess, cruising from Prague to Berlin. Cruising is considered the ultimate “all inclusive” vacation. © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Cruising, considered the ultimate “all-inclusive”, is also seeing huge demand and at every level, from the floating resort cities with over 3,000 passengers that are so popular with multi-generational cruisers (NCL, Royal Caribbean, Disney), cruises focused on the destination (Holland America); small-ship and expeditionary cruises (Hurtigruten, Quark Expeditions, Lindblad, Sea Cloud Cruises, AdventureSmith Explorations), river cruising (AmaWaterways, Viking, CroisiEurope, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, Amadeus River Cruises, Delfin Amazon Cruises), barge hotels (EuropeanWaterways), historic windjammers (Maine Windjammer Association) and even self-skippered canal boats (LeBoat.com, EricCanalAdventures.com) and yachts (Dream Yacht).

The travel industry is responding to another key trend: the surge in solo travel. Cruise companies are even offering single cabins or other options for solo cruisers (Norwegian Cruiselines, Holland America, Virgin Voyages, Oceania Cruises, Riviera Travel, Tauck, Cunard Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, MSC Cruises and small-ship Scenic and Emerald Cruises). Tour operators, like G Adventures (gaadventures.com), Wild Frontiers Travel (www.wildfrontierstravel.com), Road Scholar (roadscholar.org), Intrepid Travel (intrepidtravel.com), EF Go Ahead Tours (goaheadtours.com), Exodus Adventure Travels (exodustravels.com) and Western River Expeditions (westernriver.com) are offering some “solo traveler” departures, waiving the single supplement or offering to match single travelers with a companion. Indeed, solo travelers have discovered the benefits of joining small-group tours so they can travel on their own, but not alone.

The rise in “solo travel” coincides with growing availability of women-only travel programs. A rise in female-focused experiences, trips, and hotel packages, empower women to explore the world, whether solo or in small groups. For example: a transformative Women-only Icelandic Adventure with Naya Traveler, while last year, Butterfield & Robinson launched a “Women-Only” collection of biking, hiking and adventure tours (butterfield.com).

*Wild camping in Arch Rock Campground, Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada in a Moterra luxury campervan © Eric Leiberman/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

The industry is also addressing the surge in popularity of outdoor expeditions – especially travelers who want to be out in the wild but not give up their creature comforts. Marriott International, for example, in December acquired Postcard Cabins, a brand of tiny cabins in the woods “to bring the passion of outdoor travel more seamlessly to the consumer.” There has also been a rise in companies offering fully outfitted camper vans, like Moterra Campervans (gomoterra.com) and Roadsurfer (roadsurfer.com), and glamping (luxury camping) with apps like Glamping Hub (glampinghub.com), Glamping.com and hipcamp.com, as well as campgrounds of America (koa.com) and even Airbnb – a trend that took off during the COVID pandemic and has continued.

Cool-cations also are in hot demand, as people seek out destinations to avoid the worst impacts of global warming – golfing in Scotland instead of Phoenix or Miami.

The travel industry was projecting record demand in 2025 (by February, Carnival Corporation said its eight brands, including Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, and Holland America Line, were 75% booked for 2025), but that was before the Trump administration took a chainsaw to the economy, with mass firings and layoffs of federal workers, imposing tariffs that will cost millions of private-sector jobs and reignite inflation and damage regional economies, while injecting insecurity and anxiety into society that already caused consumer confidence to plummet to the lowest levels in years.

Travelers are resilient and will respond to tightened household budgets by staying closer to home, like a camping trip to Watkins Glen State Park in New York State © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

When people are feeling financially insecure and are concerned about future economic prospects, they pull back on spending, and travel spending tracks most closely with consumer confidence. But travelers are resilient and because there are infinite options, opportunities and choices to accommodate any budget, when the economy falls, find ways to scale back spending but still travel. They may substitute long-haul trips by air for shorter roadtrips by car; trade resort stays for Airbnb, a camping holiday or even venture into home exchange (homeexchange.com); and look for value destinations where the dollar goes further.

“Value destinations are among the fastest growing,” said Erik Evjen, Executive Vice President, Tourism Economics, at the 2025 Travel Media Summit.

Kayaking at Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick, Canada, to experience the most dramatic tide changes on the planet. American travelers are likely to take advantage of the strong dollar to visit Canada while Canadians may well cut back on visits to the USA © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Indeed, the geopolitical climate, may well spur Americans to travel abroad even as international travelers shun the USA. The strength of the dollar (and the US economy relative to other countries) helped propel 98.5 million Americans to travel abroad, spending $215 billion, a 34% increase in American travelers’ spending abroad in 2024. The window of opportunity will remain open in 2025 – especially to places like Japan, Canada, Vietnam, and Greece where the dollar goes far, and especially among older adults who have the most time and discretionary money to spend.

For much the same reason, it is likely the US travel industry will also have to respond to a drop in international arrivals, suppressed by the strong dollar, the likely economic strains due to Trump’s tariff war, growing anti-Americanism because of Trump’s foreign policy, as well as ongoing concern (and travel advisories) about America’s gun violence epidemic.

There may well be a significant reversal from 2024, when 77.7 million international tourists visited the US in 2024, a 16.8% increase from 2023, when 66.5 million foreign visitors came, contributing $155 billion to the economy, TravelPerk reported.

Indeed, travel and tourism is a vital industry for the United States, contributing $2.36 trillion to the nation’s economy in 2024, and supporting 18 million jobs across the country.

International tourism has been a boon to such places as Siem Reap, Cambodia, which has a new international airport, new hotels, and has the funds to restore and maintain centuries old sites like Phnom Bakheng © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Travel and tourism has also been a major stimulant to economic development, and yes, world peace around the globe, as travelers become ambassadors for their nations and bring back to their communities newfound familiarity of the people they visit – you can see it in Siem Reap in Cambodia, Hoi An in Vietnam, Cuzco, Peru. 1.4 billion tourists traveled globally in 2024 (140 million more than 2023), spending $1.4 trillion worldwide, according to the World Tourism Barometer from UN World Tourism Organization.

Growth in international tourism was expected to continue at a strong pace in 2025, but that was before Trump’s threats to undermine the global economy by igniting a trade war, threatening to take over Greenland, the Panama Canal and Canada, bullying allies like Ukraine and cozying up to the world’s tyrants and generally and raising the specter of World War III. International travel may still be robust, but travelers from major markets, like China, Canada, United Kingdom and Europe may detour from the USA.

There are already reports that Canadians – the biggest international market for the USA, who made 20.4 million visits to the United States last year and were responsible for $20.5 billion in spending, according to the US Travel Association – plan to pull back on travel to the United States.. Indeed, international travel is an export that contributes to the US trade balance and economy. Even a 10 percent drop in Canadian visitation would cost the US economy $2.1 billion.

“Economic and geopolitical headwinds continue to pose significant risks…. Against this backdrop, tourists are expected to continue to seek value for money,” the UN World Tourism Organization projected.

Indeed, the travel industry, adept at yield management, is also resilient and can be expected to respond to any drop in bookings with incentives, discounts and deals.

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© 2025 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com and travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/. Blogging at goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com and moralcompasstravel.info. Visit instagram.com/going_places_far_and_near and instagram.com/bigbackpacktraveler/ Send comments or questions to [email protected]. Bluesky: @newsphotosfeatures.bsky.social X: @TravelFeatures Threads: @news_and_photo_features ‘Like’ us at facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Benefits of travel', Health, Outdoors Adventures, Travel Trends, Walking Tours, Wellness Travel

Health & Wellness Offerings Expand in Response to Exploding Demand by Travelers

August 14, 2024 krubin723

*The satisfaction of having ascended the 14,000-ft high Dead Woman’s Pass on Alpaca Expeditions’ four-day Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

By Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com

Health and wellness, growing as part of everyday life, have become increasingly integrated into hospitality, travel and tourism behaviors. Wellness Tourism globally has grown to be worth $651 billion annually (out of a $5.6 trillion global wellness economy) and is forecasted to grow annually by an average of 16.6% through 2027.

We used to think of “wellness” mainly in terms of spa retreats, but health and wellness now is figures into everything from the motivation to travel and choices of destinations, accommodations, activities and experiences, even decisions about when to travel.

*Venice is literally sinking with climate change and sea level rise. Setting out platforms for tourists to walk at St. Marks Square has become routine © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Take climate change, for instance. In light of record heat waves, wildfires, flooding, people are choosing their destinations and seasons to travel with more care. “Cool-cations” is one of the emerging new trends in travel – choosing places like Scotland and Quebec for summer holidays, trading cities for mountains, theme parks for dude ranches. There is also an awareness of the fragility of bucket-list destinations and sights like Venice (sinking), islands like the Galapagos and the Maldives (just a foot above sea level), the Great Barrier Reef (coral bleaching), the Dead Sea and the Great Salt Lake (evaporating), even the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor is on the endangered list.

*Clouds of smoke billow over the Acropolis from wildfires just outside Athens © Laini Miranda/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Travelers are also seeking out opportunities to be active outdoors instead of passive sightseers – biking, kayaking, paddleboarding, pickleball, hiking – that are physical, engaging, but also incorporate inner peace. Pilgrimages which involve long walks to places that have spiritual meaning fit the bill of combining physical and emotional benefit, as do bike trips

The wellness motif also figures into a desire for responsible and sustainable travel, where the benefits are mutual for the traveler – providing mental, physical and emotional wellbeing – and the local regional and urban economies that sustain people in their communities and preserve heritage and conserve environment for future generations.

The Global Wellness Institute’s Tourism Initiative team reported on these emerging wellness travel trends.

Climate Adaptive Wellness

Travelers are adapting to climate change and so is the wellness industry along with city planners, Jane Kitchen, editor-at-large of Spa Business, reports.

The impacts are seen in architecture and design: instead of relying on air-conditioning which contributes to climate change, architects and designers are looking at new solutions as well as looking back at ancient ways to cool buildings. More rooftop and vertical gardens, more greenspace, new building materials, heat resilient design incorporated into buildings whether new tech or going back to 1000-year old building techniques – like were used in the Middle East before electricity and air conditioning.

Urban planners are becoming alarmed about the public health dangers of heat for residents as well as visitors who are beginning to shun popular cities like Paris and Athens (experiencing wildfires as we write this) in summer.

Paris spent $1 billion to clean up the Seine so it could accommodate swimming, and provides misting stations and water fountains to keep residents and travelers comfortable during the hot summer © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

The city of Miami created a new position of Chief Heat Officer with Los Angeles, Melbourne, and Athens following suit. Cities are installing cooling stations (like Paris), cleaning up rivers so people can do wild swimming (like Paris which spent $1 billion to clean the Seine), planting more greenery, even using greenery on buildings (like Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s Green Citadel of Magdeburg, Germany, an apartment building and hotel that is literally a work of art and model for new urban design and liveability.

Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s Green Citadel of Magdeburg, Germany, an apartment building and hotel is literally a work of art and model for new urban design and liveability © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Smart tech will also be summoned to help solve the heat crisis – like “cooling clothes – initially for workers that need to work outside, but eventually, becoming mainstream for everyday and for travel. Among the new technologies: inks in fabrics that keep cooler in summer, warmer in winter; therma adaptive textiles; wearable patches that draw heat from body and clothing embedded with smart sensors if at risk of heat stress.

Spa and wellness travel is also adapting with new, fun programs such as nighttime wellness and spa treatments, night hikes and star gazing which have a wellness component but take place in evening when it is cooler; ice baths; and climate adaptive beauty and geo-skin care, based on where you are and the weather connections

Power of Pilgrimage

*The physical, emotional and spiritual satisfaction of hiking Alpaca Expeditions’ four-day Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Journalist Eric Wilson found a “silver lining of the pandemic: people discovered the benefits of walking and walking enthusiasts discovered the benefits of exploring the ancient pilgrimage trails around the world. A record number of trekkers sought out hikes infused with cultural heritage across Asia, Europe, and the Americas (my four-day Inca Trail Trek fits neatly into that trend). A record 500,000 completed the Santiago Pilgrimage Trail in Spain – most who chose the experience not so much in pursuit of faith but for physical and spiritual wellness.

Alpaca Expeditions’ four-day Inca Trail hiking/camping adventure hits on many of the trends in wellness travel: desire for “slow-travel” walks/pilgrimage that activate physical, emotional, spiritual cylinders of well-being, an impromptu yoga session to rejuvenate after ascending the 14,000-ft high peak, responsible/sustainable/eco-friendly travel which mutually benefits travelers and community © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

The trend has impacted a rejuvenation of trails globally to accommodate scores of new, modern pilgrims in “buzzy new destinations” like Sri Lanka, Bhutan, India, Italy and Japan. Governments, interested in promoting holistic tourism, have invested in extensive restorations of these trails – Bhutan opened a 250-mile Trans Bhutan Trail. Walk Japan reported such a surge in demand, there were not enough roadside inns or monks quarters to accommodate the travelers. Wukalina Walk, a multi-award winning Indigenous/Palawa-owned tourism experience, is led by Aboriginal guides who provide a rare window into Tasmania/lutruwita’s aboriginal culture (discoveraboriginalexperiences.com).

Savvy resorts are responding to the rising interest by incorporating a profound version of slow travel movement, linking to ancient pilgrimage trails and offering wellness programs including meditation.

“Pilgrimage is metaphor for the path to enlightenment, the slowest most meditative form of travel, where you experience unexpected encounters with strangers, gain a deeper perspective of place, where question our place in the world.” (I must confess these thoughts came to me on my Inca Trail trek.)

Biking railtrails like the Mickelson Trail in South Dakota with Wilderness Voyageurs has evoke physical, emotional, spiritual and social benefits, as well as a direct connection to engage directly with local people and the environment © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Surging popularity, availability of bike tours: For much the same reason as pilgrimage and walking trips, biking tours are another “slow form” of self-propelled travel experiencing explosive growth in interest and availability. Bike tours similarly evoke physical, emotional, spiritual and social benefits, as well as a direct connection to engage directly with local people and the environment, albeit at a slightly faster pace. And e-bikes now extend a cyclists’ longevity in the saddle,and take away anxiety over being able to handle the hills or the miles. Among the operators offering guided and self-guided itineraries on rail trails around the country and the world (where you are most likely to achieve that level of serenity and inner dialogue because you are not worrying about car traffic): Discovery Bicycle Tours (discoverybicycletours.com); Wilderness Voyageurs (Wilderness-Voyageurs.com); Backroads (backroads.com); VBT Bicycling Vacations (vbt.com) and Boat Bike Tours (boatbiketours.com). Also see Rails to Trails Conservancy (railstotrails.org) and the Adventure Cycling Association (adventurecycling.org).

Wellness holidays with kids are about enrichment

*A nighttime nature walk entrances young people at the Tenaya Lodge, Fish Camp, California, at the gateway to Yosemite National Park © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Families increasingly value travel experiences that support their child’s wellbeing by expanding their education, personal development and worldview. These trips go beyond the traditional family vacation aimed at entertainment or vegging out on a beach and focus instead on immersive experiences that combine fun with learning. Examples include creative and hands-on workshops that focus on local traditions and foods, learning about local biodiversity and marine life conservation as well as personal growth elements that expose children to unexpected situations, teaching them to adapt to new environments and overcome challenges. Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland offers outdoor nature led activities for children while newcomer, Jayasom’s Family Wellness offers family counseling, enrichment activities, virtual reality and outdoor wellbeing excursions including a large hydrotherapy space that families can enter together. Austria’s Reiters Finest Family hosts sustainable family wellness holidays in Bad Tatzmannsdorf, a resort featuring 125 hectares of outdoor space, 400 animals for farm adventures as well as thermal waters, and a health and longevity center that families can enjoy together. 

Sports is playing a bigger role in hospitality

*Playing pickleball on a court on a farm in Sonoma, California © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Sports related travel accounted for 66 million room stays and generated $49 billion in 2021, reported Patricia Ladis of WiseBody Physical Therapy. Enthusiasts are traveling to where they can train or improve their skills, engage in the sport (golf, tennis have long been popular but now mountain biking, cycling, rock climbing, pickleball are among the sports that are motivating travel) as well as to participate or spectate in competitions and tournaments as grand as the Olympics but as basic as a child’s hockey tourney.

People are not only traveling to engage or train in a sport, but for rehabilitation treatments and therapies. SIRO Hotels is one of first luxury hotels to be designed around health, wellness, and recovery. Its new SIRO One Za’abeel Hotel in Dubai delivers a complete experience under one roof, with rooms designed to combat jet lag, 2,000 sq m of fitness and recovery facilities with cutting-edge treatments, personalized nutritional guidance, diverse training options. Dedicated health resorts like Chenot Weggis Palace in Switzerland offer wellness travelers the opportunity to spend a week recharging with the top technologies on hand to future proof your health and wellbeing. 

In Search of Calm

Mental wellness as a travel trend has been gaining significant traction over the past few years, reflecting a broader societal shift towards valuing mental health and self-care. Wellness retreats integrate yoga, breath work, meditation. What is new are the more intensive therapy retreats. For example, equine therapy (with horses) is offered at  Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat in Australia and NIHI Sumba in Indonesia, Re-wilding retreats that immerse into natural settings to support mental wellbeing are popular across the globe: properties like The Dreaming, in the heart of Wales and AroHa in New Zealand.

*Finding calm by wild camping in a Moterra campervan in Nevada © Eric Leiberman/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

This interest in seeking out the wild – getting off the beaten track – to find calm and mental wellbeing is facilitated by the rising availability of luxury campervans, equipped with water, solar-powered batteries, that enable wild camping with maximum calm and minimum stress. Among the companies: Moterra Campervans (gomoterra.com), Blacksford RV (blacksford.com), and Roadsurfer (roadsurfer.com)

Diagnostic Boom as Wellness Travelers Look to Prevention, Longevity

Living longer is one goal of health-and-wellness travelers, but so is living well. There is recognition that quality of life is as important as quantity. Wellness travelers are now seeking out tailored and proactive health approaches, prompting many health and wellness operators to enhance their offerings with comprehensive diagnostic assessments alongside traditional wellness activities. At Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona, you can undergo thorough health evaluations encompassing genetic testing, preventive diagnostics, body composition analysis, and metabolic assessments. The new Longevity Spa at Hotel, Portrait Milano, provides cutting-edge diagnostics like DNA testing and Longevity Molecular Profile, complemented by Integrative Wellness solutions and nutrition plans. KĒPOS by Goco at Daios Cove in Crete, Greece, features diagnostic services such as Metabolic Biometrics and Epigenetics testing alongside wellness programs and spa offerings.

“These offerings empower individuals to gain profound insights into their health status and make informed lifestyle choices while indulging in the rejuvenating benefits of travel. As travelers increasingly prioritize preventive healthcare and holistic well-being, the diagnostic booms in wellness travel are set to continue to reshape the tourism industry by seamlessly blending medical expertise with luxury hospitality,” GWI’s Wellness Tourism Initiative Trends for 2024 notes.

Art and Wellness: A Perfect Pairing

*Finding harmony in nature and art at Red Reflet Ranch, Wyoming © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

An emerging trend integrating art and wellness signifies a harmonious fusion of creative expression and holistic well-being, and is resulting in immersive art-centric activities, therapies and experiences that nourish both the body and the soul. Wellness hospitality operators like Como Shambhala Estate in Bali and Miraval in Arizona along with many small artisans and practitioners globally are hosting wellness retreats that blend yoga and meditation with artistic workshops encouraging guests to explore their inner creativity as a pathway to self-discovery and relaxation, inspiration and rejuvenation. 

Seeking Out Cultural Traditions and Healing

Indigenous healing has gained prominence as part of the broader trend towards holistic wellness and the search for authentic, transformative experiences. These experiences draw on the wisdom and practices of indigenous cultures around the world, offering healing techniques that have been passed down through generations. The interest in and drive behind these retreats are linked to an acknowledgement of the benefits of indigenous healing practices, a holistic approach and reconnection with the land.

***Wukalina Wal****k, a multi-award winning Indigenous/Palawa-owned tourism experience, is led by Aboriginal guides who provide a rare window into Tasmania/lutruwita’s aboriginal culture (photo by Jillian Mundy)*

 At Wai Ariki Hot Springs, in Rotorua New Zealand you can discover the ancient healing methods of these indigenous cultures, from the deeply cultural touch of mirri mirri or romi romi massage to the revitalizing power of blessed stones and herbal remedies – each experience incorporates local healers and wellness practitioners, herbal medicine practice and ceremonies that honor the community and the land. Asian traditional therapies and medicine are growing in popularity for the wellness traveler around the globe. Traditional Thai, Chinese & Ayurvedic Medicinal offerings encompass rich diagnostic protocols, herbal formulas, and treatment techniques as part of the guest experience.

Quest for a Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep tourism is emerging as a trend catering to the growing recognition of the importance of quality sleep for overall health and well-being; travelers are seeking out diagnosis, prescriptions and coaching to improve their sleep. RAKxa Integrative wellness retreat in Thailand, offers a Thai Deep Sleep & Skin Radiant Therapy, which focuses on enhancing sleep quality, integrating traditional Thai Medicine and CBD oils. At the Longevity Hub By Clinique La Prairie in Bangkok visitors are offered Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

More information at globalwellnessinstitute.org.

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© 2024 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com and travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/. Blogging at goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com and moralcompasstravel.info. Visit instagram.com/going_places_far_and_near and instagram.com/bigbackpacktraveler/ Send comments or questions to [email protected]. Tweet @TravelFeatures. ‘Like’ us at facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Benefits of travel', Cultural travel, Day Trips, Heritage Travel, International Travel, Museums and Exhibits, Outdoors Adventures, Places of History, Sustainable Travel, Tips for Travel, Travel & Tourism Industry

Experts at NY Travel Show Offer Tips for Satisfying, Meaningful, Purposeful Travel

January 30, 2024 krubin723

A wedding couple in Hangzhou, China. Travel is how ideas, innovations and progress, improved living standards and quality of life are spread among peoples, as Marco Polo proved. Travel is humanity’s best hope for peace and cooperation as people from different places see and appreciate that we are more alike than different, and appreciate the differences. © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com.

By Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com

It’s like this: travel is humanity’s best invention to promote the advancement of civilization. Travel is how ideas, innovations and progress, improved living standards and quality of life are spread among peoples, as Marco Polo proved. Travel is humanity’s best hope for peace and cooperation instead of zero-sum annihilation, as people from different places see and appreciate that we are more alike than different, and appreciate the differences. Travel is a community’s best hope for providing the economic underpinnings that provide jobs, upward mobility and enable people to stay on ancestral lands, have the funds to preserve and protect the environment, culture and heritage, and yes, make the adaptations and mitigations to prevent the ravages of climate change. Indeed, just as the travel industry has led the way with e-commerce, yield management, and loyalty programs, the industry – the third largest in the world – is leading the way on climate solutions,

Tourism is what provides the economic underpinnings to support jobs and upkeep of such treasures as the Treasury at Petra, Jordan. To avoid crowds, stay overnight and enter the ancient city in the early morning © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Travel also is life-enhancing, enriching, potentially life-changing and among the best therapies against despair – providing a conduit for forging social connections, self-improvement, overcoming fear, anxiety and apprehension by fostering understanding and empathy, broadening perspectives. The experience of travel fosters resilience, self-confidence, self-reliance, adaptability, forges lasting bonds of family and friendship and broadens perspective and outlook.

That’s not just me saying it. It’s what travel experts with collective experience of decades (including myself), have seen and experienced firsthand.

“When we travel, experience the world, it changes us in a deep and profound way,” Pauline Frommer of frommer.com, told a standing room only audience at the most recent New York Travel & Adventure Show at Javits Center. “Right now we live in such a divided word – different facts inform our view but when we travel, we see the truth on the ground, that other countries have something to teach us, we can bring that back, and present an impression of America that is positive in places that may not have positive impression of America. Even with climate change, travel is one of the best tools in our ongoing search for creating world peace. So have wonderful, relaxing vacations, but your trips also can be meaningful and you can make a difference when you travel.”

“Consume news, but don’t let that make you a frightened person,” advises Rick Steves of ricksteves.com. “Be outward looking. If we want world to be peaceful, we have to build bridges. We can be challenged and stimulated by smart people who do things in smart ways. We can celebrate the Moroccan dream, the Bulgarian dream, just like the American dream – there is room for lots of dreams, As a traveler, we get to enjoy them all….[If we want a world of] peace and stability, the most powerful thing we can do as individual Americans is to travel and get to know people.”

Machu Picchu, Peru: travel has the potential to be life-enhancing, life-changing. But don’t put off your “bucket-list” experiences because you never know if there will be a pandemic, a political issue, a climate disaster. “Carpe diem,” says Patricia Schultz, author of “1000 Places to See Before You Die”

The COVID pandemic reinforced the value of travel – the three years of lockdowns and constrained travel upended local economies, while shutdowns that kept people from traveling underscored the human need for connection, for renewal, for new horizons to broaden perspectives.

“A life lesson we took away from COVID and postponed pleasure is that there is never a guarantee that we will be able to travel tomorrow or next year- our health, our need to care for people, political situation, climate disasters. Carpe diem,” says “1000 Places to See Before You Die” author Patricia Schultz. She reflects on the places that she had included but have had to drop off her list recently – Ukraine, Syria, Iran even Jerusalem. “The lesson from this image [of people at the Western Wall] is carpe diem – if some place is on your bucket list and you think, well, the Pyramids will always be there, guess what? Don’t take anything for granted.”

And so with the pandemic in the rearview mirror (at least for now), people are traveling with furor and we are back to worrying about being crowded out and the potential impacts – and actions to prevent – overtourism. COVID-generated technologies and policies for advance purchase, capacity control are here to stay.

The excitement for traveling to the four corners of the globe and in every style, from decompressing on a beach, to joining an expedition to see gorillas in Uganda, to standing up for Ukraine by showing up in Ukraine, was evident at the New York Travel & Adventure Show, where booths were crammed and talks by experts including Rick Steves, Peter Greenberg, Pauline Frommer, on traveling smart, well and meaningfully were standing room only.

But because there is a whole world out there, you can make choices of where and when to travel. Don’t like crowds? Try to visit a destination when less crowded (though there is less of an “off-season” or “shoulder” season these days); find the “hidden gems” that offer as much atmosphere, experience and character; visit attractions either very early or later in the day (to avoid the hoards of cruise passengers and daytrippers); overnight in those charming, historic cities and villages (preferably in or within walking distance of the historic district) so you are there in the early morning and the evenings to enjoy the stillness and light without the hoards of cruisers and daytrippers; and pre-purchase tickets, city/museum/attractions passes so you don’t waste valuable time and money standing in line to purchase tickets. Climate and weather also have become major issues that should factor into where and when you travel.

Their message: By all means, experience the highlights of a place, but go further afield to seek out local experiences, opportunities to visit or stay in neighborhoods. Be a mindful traveler, a purposeful traveler: enhance the experience by learning the background, the stories and back-stories, hire a local guide, take a “free” walking tour (you basically tip the guide), sign up for some volunteer opportunity to give back to the community; seek out those tour programs that provide immersive opportunities to engage with locals.

The Pont du Gard aqueduct, for example, is the most-visited ancient monument in France. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is one of the best-preserved Roman sites in the world. Most people see it as a pretty photo op and do not understand how innovative the engineering was – how the Romans brought water from 30 miles away – and what a difference it made in the lives of people who didn’t have to spend hours of their day in pursuit of water.

*Meet the people who live on Inle Lake, Myanmar © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

“For a lot of tour groups, it is just a pretty bridge, a potty break, a souvenir stand. [But learning the backstory], humanizes this site,” says Rick Steves says. “How to carbonate the travel experience is about how to connect with people..Too many tourists sit on folding chairs watching yodeling on stage, but not connecting, and back in the hotel, only interact with other Americans. It’s a vacation, to be sure, but what is missing is what it means to travel.

Steves urges travelers to “get out of their comfort zone, to see culture shock not as something to avoid, but as the growing pains of a broadening perspective.”

“Become a cultural chameleon – physically change from culture to culture because it’s different.” That means going to where the locals hang out in the evening, drinking Ouzo in Greece, whisky in Scotland, tea in England, red wine in Tuscany, beer in the Czech Republic.” Go three blocks off the main drag to find the restaurants popular with locals; for some meals (breakfast, lunch) go to local groceries and markets and picnic. Seek out the family owned two-star hotel, inn, lodge, hostel or AirBnB – that not only saves money but adds enrichment because of a more “authentic” experience.

Pre-planning is the way to mitigate wasting time and money in line or with crowds.

“There are two types of travelers: those who wait in lines and those who don’t. Think carefully of minimizing lines,” Steves notes.

Crowds in front of the “Mona Lisa” in Le Louvre in Paris. Travel experts at the New York Travel & Adventure Show offered tips on how to avoid crowds and the lines, especially in places like Paris, where advance purchase of tickets to major museums and attractions is essential. In Paris, purchase the “Museum Pass.” © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Before you go: get an idea of the attractions and sites you want to visit (I query “Three days in….” at TripAdvisor and other travel writers to get some idea). Then, go to the attractions’ websites to get all the visitor FAQs (can I take a water bottle into the Vatican; a backpack into Le Louvre – not likely after the latest incident of vandalism against the “Mona Lisa”). As soon as you have your travel dates (that is, your air fare), immediately reserve the tickets– if the attraction is a highlight for you it is a highlight for most others. Your priority places will set the framework for your itinerary, and the time saved by not waiting on line can go to those serendipitous experiences and discoveries. The same with restaurants you have your heart set on frequenting – book a reservation as soon as you settle your dates.

Take advantage of city passes, museum passes (a must for Paris) and attractions passes from companies like GoCity.com and CityPass.com, as well as the passes offered by the cities themselves, like the PragueCoolPass.com. They not only let you breeze through, but give extremely helpful information about current exhibitions, hours, directions, visitor information.

*The PragueCoolPass maximizes your enjoyment of this historic city, like visiting its famous Castle © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com.*

Try to book the earliest opening hour of the day in order to minimize the crowds, but in any case, book the earliest time available in order to have the most amount of time.

If you are visiting an outdoor site like the Acropolis in Athens, avoid mid-day when it is not only hot as blazes, but overrun with thousands of visitors who have come off cruise ships or day trippers. Come either as soon as the Acropolis opens in the morning, when it is cool and uncrowded, or at the end of the day (as I did), when the light is a gorgeous golden, the views of the city are amazing, it is cooler and the biggest crowds have left.

*Visit attractions like the Acropolis at the beginning or at the end of the day to avoid the crowds and the heat and enjoy the golden light © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com.*

This is also the advantage of overnighting in the most charming cities like Bruges, Strasbourg, Seville, Venice, Prague, Amsterdam, Fez and important sites like Petra – choose a hotel in the historic district that is walking distance to everything but you get to enjoy in the early morning and evening when the lights/lighting/colors are so amazing, the canals like mirrors, the city streets are quiet and empty, before the onslaught of cruisers and daytrippers.

Overnighting in the boutique Flanders Hotel in Bruges’ historic district means you get to have this impossibly picturesque city to yourself at night and in the quiet of the morning before the daytrippers overrun it © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com.

Take advantage of “free” walking tours in cities – local guides work for tips. These are great way to get an orientation. Search “free walking tours” and read the reviews.

Also, in major cities like Paris and London, you can buy mutli-day transit tickets for the train/bus (you can also do bikeshare), so that instead of paying the price of a taxi or Uber from airport into downtown, you can purchase the pass that includes the train or tram from the airport, and not have to wait on lines to purchase individual tickets from machines and deal with the confusion of zones and station names.

Searching muiti-day tour finders is a great way to get an idea of how to organize your time, what to see, what you should pay, and find tour programs that might best meet your needs. Frommer recommends Travelstride.com and Tourradar.com. These marketplace sites, she notes, can introduce you to local companies instead of the big-name tour operators.

Considerations for choosing the right tour company: price (per diem) is only one consideration, also consider what is inclusions (all meals aren’t necessarily a good thing, you might prefer to be able to go off and find those local favorites instead of a restaurant that caters to foreign groups); traveling companions (it is fun to travel with people from other countries, not just Americans); expertise of the guide; demographics of the tour company (often there are family itineraries; women-only; solo travelers; small groups (EF Tours, Audley Travel); price (luxury versus mass market) and age such as younger travelers (Contiki) versus older (Road Scholar) (visit www.frommers.com: How to pick the right tour company for you”).

Discovery Bicycle Tours stops at a winery at the end of the day’s ride in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. Bicycle tours are ideal for women and solo travelers © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

To find day tours, attractions, guides: Getyourguide.com; airbnb.com/experiences; tripadvisor.com. Foodies could look to TravelingSpoon and Eatwith. I like contexttravel.com.

Also be sure to pre-book rail (for example, raileurope.com) and bus transportation (flixbus.com is terrific) between cities. Find schedules at Rome2Rio.com.

*Taking the train from Paris to Strasbourg, France. Be sure to book your ticket in advance © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

To find the best airfares (always tricky), Frommer recommends searching Momondo.com/Kayak.com, Skyscanner.com, and CheapoAir.com. Momondo (and Kayak, which are owned by the same entity) tended to consistently find the lowest fares, and have filters that let’s you select for everything from the type of plane (if you wanted to avoid a Boeing 737 Max 9, or if you wanted to find the airlines with the cheapest fares with a checked bag.

But the experts also recommend that after searching for the best fares, you book directly with the airline, ”because if you book through a third party, you can’t rebook as easily as directly through the airlines” if there is some delay, cancellation or need to change. “Search but don’t book,” Frommer says.

Frommer also railed against “drip pricing” – the extra fees that airlines attach (even though Biden has waged a campaign against junk fees.) US airlines average $78 in added fees; European airlines average $58. So for United, the average is 122% of the base fare; for jetblue it’s 147%; but for Sun Country its 201% and for Frontier, its 376%, so the added fees can be higher than the fare.

When you search for an airline, Frommer consistently recommends you “Hide your identity” “Use a privacy setting on the browser, or use a different browser and different computer if you return to search fares” because the airline will track you, gauge your interest and post higher fares.

Also, there are optimum times to search and book:

Purchase airfare on Sundays (6% cheaper domestic travel, 13% cheaper international)
Book 28 days out (“the sweet spot”) for domestic travel (24% savings), 2-4 months out for international (10% savings)
Start your trip on a Thursday (16% savings over flying on a Sunday)
Fly before 3 pm (to avoid the 50% increased risk of being cancelled or delayed)

For best hotel rates, book 3-plus months in advance for resorts like Hawaii, Mexico, Caribbean, Florida but just one week before in business cities (New York, London, Paris, Denver). “It takes courage to wait to book one week before travel, so book a refundable room in advance, then search a week ahead of travel.”

“For first time in 20 years, I am having to research New Jersey hotels for people coming to New York City, because on September 18, the city got rid Airbnb, and all the cheap hotels are filled with migrants. Hotels were charging $900 in December compared to $129 in January for the same room.”

Welcome to Riad el Yacout, built in 1347 for Professor Laharchi, philosophy who taught at the famous Al Qaraouvine university, which stayed in the family until 2000, when it was converted to a 33-room guesthouse, Fez, Morocco, booked on hotels.com © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

To find “secret hotel discounts, Frommer is recommending seeking out travel clubs like RoomSteals, the new Travel & Leisure Club, professional associations’ travel clubs – some which have fees to join – and @Hotel on Instagram (no fee to belong).

How do clubs have “secret: rates? “Hotel companies have contracts with Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity etc. and are not allowed to offer publicly deeper discounts (more than 5-10%) than they give to expedia, orbitz). But if they can’t fill their rooms, they turn to the clubs.” On the other hand, the clubs often do not show as much information as you need about services and the like.

Also, Frommer notes, Airbnb isn’t necessarily a bargain over hotel rates. “Now because so many extra fees, a recent study showed in 48 of 50 states you pay more at Airbnb than hotel (two exceptions are Nevada and Louisiana). But AirBnB is great for groups, families, if you need a kitchen (and want to save money cooking), but on average, you no longer save money on a rental vs. hotel.”

On the other hand, Frommer has always been a big booster for home exchanges – where you actually trade the use of your home for someone else’s – a way to save money but also really live like a local.

“You can go anywhere in the world – a Paris apartment, a houseboat in Sausalito.” Among the exchanges are HomeExchange.com.

Pauline Frommer cautions about getting too cautious – fearful – of traveling abroad,

Pointing to the recent US State Department’s worldwide travel advisory in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, she notes that Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Uruguay, and Venezuela all have travel advisories against coming to the US because of the gun violence epidemic. “Venezuela thinks it is too dangerous to come here.” The State Department’s worldwide caution for Americans, is as if to say, “’Don’t travel anywhere, the world is too dangerous. That’s mind boggling. Yes, listen to the US State Department, read the cautions, but understand the rest of the world is terrified to come here.” There is a lot to listen to, though – such as where women of child-bearing age should be mindful of Zika, or where there is political instability or widespread crime, and urges travelers to enroll in the State Department’s “Smart Traveler” program.

The experts advise purchasing travel insurance and soon after you purchase your flights, so that you are covered if for some reason you have to cancel.

Pauline Frommer suggests looking for travel insurance that covers “Cancel for any Reason” (CFAR), includes medical evacuation and covers pandemics (policies do not necessarily cover “fear of travel” if there is a pandemic but a destination isn’t closed by authorities).

“Say the destination has a new strand of COVID but didn’t shut down, and you decide not to go – if you cancel with regular insurance, it won’t be covered – because ‘fear of travel’ is not included. A CFAR policy allows you to cancel for any reason – it’s more expensive, but will repay 75% of costs.

All the experts discourage purchasing travel insurance from the travel provider (tour operator, cruiseline), but to use apps that give you different policy recommendations based on your needs (date of travel, who traveling, age, destinations) such as Squaremouth.com, Insuremytrip.com and Travelinsurance.com.

“Inevitably the most expensive policy covers the least, but the best is usually in the middle,” Frommer advises. “Never ever buy from the travel company you are going with – if they go belly up, you’ve lost insurance too.”

Angel Castellanos (www.angelestravellounge.com) offered more tips on traveling smart with technology, like Google Fi (which makes its own SIM cards and has free international data roaming in most countries) and T-Mobile (which do not charge roaming fees for international calls; calls are 25c/minute; unfortunately, it is rare to get internet service with T-mobile abroad; you use the available WiFi) instead of having to pay for an international phone/data plan. Also, consider purchasing an international SIM card for $2.

For digital safety, he recommends installing a VPN (a virtual private network) on to mask your identity when you are on a public network, with digital thieves trying to steal passwords. He recommends ExpressVPN which works all over the world.

Flying, definitely register for TSA Precheck (costs $75, good for 5 years, and some credit cards rebate the charge), and CLEAR, which uses biometric data to verify your identify, and let’s you go directly from the kiosk to the front of the line “like a VIP. In certain airports that can make the difference in making the flight.” And several business credit cards like American Express Platinum rebate the cost of Clear.

*Denver International Airport. Use TSA PreCheck, CLEAR, MyTSA, to breeze through the airport © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

You can also install the MyTSA app on your device, a free app that gives real time information for what is happening at airport – how long the security line is taking, if one area of the airport is closed and you need to go through TSA in a different location.

Now, the Homeland Security department offers mobile passport control, even if you are not registered for Global Entry (which is similar). You can enroll by submitting passport information and responses to CBP (Customs & Border Patrol) – the free version requires you to enter passport information each time – answer the questions, then you get to whisk through a third line (the regular line, the Global Entry kiosk, and now the Mobile Passport control).

“Google is one of biggest game changers for international travel,” he notes. You can download maps in advance so they are available when you do not have access to WiFi.

The same is true for languages. “Language is no longer a barrier. You can program a phrase like ‘I’m allergic to peanuts,’ and it will show it written as well as speak. You can download the language in advance so it can translate even when offline. You can use the camera function to translate foreign languages into English.”

Of course this eliminates the delight and satisfaction of finding a local person who can either speak English or mime an answer to “I’m lost, Can you tell me how do I get to….?”

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© 2024 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com and travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/. Blogging at goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com and moralcompasstravel.info. Visit instagram.com/going_places_far_and_near and instagram.com/bigbackpacktraveler/ Send comments or questions to [email protected]. Tweet @TravelFeatures. ‘Like’ us at facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Adventure Travel, Attractions, Benefits of travel', Camping/Hiking/Outdoors, Gift of Travel, Gifts for Travelers

Give the Gift of Travel to Spark that Wanderlust, Check Off that Bucket List, Have a Life-Enhancing Experience and Memory to Last Lifetime

November 24, 2023 krubin723

Looking through the giant clock at Musée d’Orsay to Montmartre. A great gift for a traveler headed to Paris: the Paris Pass (parispass.com), which bundles admissions to this extraordinary city’s major attractions including the Musée d’Orsay, an Eiffel Tower tour, a scenic cruise down the Seine, at up to 50 percent savings, and you skip the walk-up ticket line © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

By Karen Rubin,Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com

What could be a better gift than giving a part of the world, some memorable, life-enhancing, life-changing experience, something from their bucket-list, perhaps? Give the gift of travel.

The gift of travel can be everything from the trip itself (even create a registry so that lots of friends and family can contribute), to pre-arranging some experience or activity to enhance a trip: a dining experience; a spa visit; admission to a museum, attraction or cultural event; a cooking, baking or jewelry making class; a hot-air balloon ride; rock-climbing adventure; walking tour; bike rental, to purchasing a gift-card or gift certificate that can be applied to the bigger-ticket items and give flexibility for when. And what trip doesn’t require some special gear? And if you time it right, you might also be able to benefit from holiday savings, even on the more open-ended gift cards or certificates.

Gift cards can open up doors to travel, or take the sting out of the pinch to a traveler’s, couple’s or family’s wallet. Gift cards can be that extra spark that gets your loved one to finally depart on their bucket-list experience. And more and more travel companies – hotels and accommodations, cruises, tours, theme parks, sightseeing, spa visits, restaurants and dining, and even transportation companies from airlines to Amtrak to Uber to a Maine Windjammer Cruise – now offer gift cards. The beauty is you can give the amount that works best for you and the recipient can choose the date. (And check if you can apply Black Friday/Cyber Monday discounts.)

Here are some examples:

Globus family of brands Gift Certificates, redeemable for tours and cruises, come in denominations of $50, $200 & $500. Gift Certificates may be used in conjunction with any promotion offered at time of booking and they are transferable (https://www.globusjourneys.com/tour-gift-certificate/).

Tauck Tours eGift Cards, available in any amount, are valid for any Tauck land journey, river or small ship cruise and Tauck Bridges family adventures. They can be redeemed by phone or online at Tauck.com. https://www.tauck.com/guest-travel/egiftcard.

Contiki’s gift card can be used on any Contiki trip; the voucher certificates include a personalized message, can be sent electronically or printed, and do not expire. https://www.contiki.com/en-us/resources/travel-gift-card 866-266 8454.

Historic Hotels of Europe, an exclusive collection of independent and unique hotels, castles, palaces, country houses and other properties handpicked for historic importance, quality and unique story, throughout Europe, offers a gift voucher, valid for five years, in amounts from 50-1500 Euros ([email protected], https://historichotelsofeurope.com/gift-voucher).

Rarely do you find a historic hotel that played such an integral role in a nation’s history as the Sofitel Legend Grand Hotel Amsterdam, a member of Historic Hotels Worldwide © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

You can purchase gift cards for stays or amenities at Historic Hotels of America, Historic Hotels Worldwide, Beyond Green and Preferred Hotels & Resorts (all brands of Preferred Hotels & Resorts), through the iprefer.com. Gift Cards can be used for services, experiences, and stays at participating hotels and resorts in hundreds of destinations around the world. Gift cards do not expire. Purchase online at giftcards.iprefer.com.

Noble House Hotels & Resorts gift cards may be used at its collection of hotels, resorts, spas, restaurants, marinas and adventures across North America, among them, the Jekyll Island Club Resort, Jekyll Island, Georgia. (https://www.noblehousehotels.com/gift-card/)

*Jekyll Island Club, Jekyll Island, Georgia, one of the Noble House Hotels & Resorts © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Small Luxury Hotels, with over 500 hotels in more than 90 countries, makes it simple to send an SLH Gift Card – just choose the occasion, select the amount, and finish with a personalized message. https://slh.com/about-slh/gift-cards

New England Inns & Resorts Association gift cards can be redeemed at 300 lodging properties all over New England and can be purchased in any amount you choose. The cards never expire. Make a reservation directly with the property of your choice and let them know you will be using a New England Inns & Resort Gift Card. Present the card at check-in. https://www.newenglandinnsandresorts.com/gift-cards

Independent Collection Hotels & Resorts, a division of HHM which manages 240 properties across North America, offers gift cards for its portfolio of independent Luxury and Lifestyle, Resorts, Premium Branded and Branded Select. Among them: The Rittenhouse, Whiteface Lodge in lake Placid, MacArthur Place, Sonoma, https://www.independentcollection.com/gift-cards

With a Gift Card from Historic Inns of Savannah, choose from six award-winning boutique hotels in Savannah’s famed historic district https://www.historicinnsofsavannah.com/

*Loved my stay at the Hotel Hannong, ideally situated walking distance to everything in Strasbourg, France, booked on hotels.com *© Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*.*

Hotels.com (an Expedia company) gift cards unlock hundreds of thousands of places to stay worldwide, including major hotel chains. The gift cards are available in denominations from $10 to $2,000 and there are no expiration dates or fees. Also, Hotels.com also has a secure gift registry where friends and family can contribute toward a Hotels.com eGift Card – great for honeymoons, babymoons, graduation, or any other group-gifting occasion. Here’s fine print: Usable up to balance only for new hotel bookings at www.hotels.com/gc. Only one gift card can be redeemed per online booking, but multiple gift cards may be combined into one gift card with a maximum value of $2000 by visiting the balance transfer tab found at www.hotels.com/gcbalance. Not redeemable at hotel locations or if you choose the Pay at Hotel option online. Not redeemable toward existing bookings or Packages. https://www.hotels.com/lp/b/giftcards (For balance or information, visit www.hotels.com/gcbalance or call US Toll Free 1-888-999-4468.)

*Use a NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation gift card to book a campsite at Watkins Glen State Park © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

New York State’s Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation gift card is usable at 8,500 campsites, 850 cabins, 135 cottages and 18 golf courses throughout the state. Use for fees associated with camping walk-ups, golf reservations and greens fees, camping supplies, boat rentals provided by NYS Parks (not for vehicle entrance fee, concessionaires, or Department of Environmental Conservation facilities). Purchase online at https://shop.parks.ny.gov/store/gift-cards/ for any dollar amount and have no expiration date. They can be used with the NYS camping reservation system (Reserve America), https://www.reserveamerica.com, 800-456-2267.

Cruiselines also make it easy to purchase gift cards, and even gift registries so that family and friends can contribute to purchasing the cruise:

*Major cruise lines including Royal Caribbean make it easy to purchase gift cards © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

The Royal Caribbean pre-paid gift card is similar to a gift certificate. These digital funds can be used for Royal Caribbean International or Celebrity Cruises cruise bookings and redeemed by booking online. The gift card will be sent to the recipient via email on the delivery date you choose. For same-day delivery, most gift cards are sent within an hour of your purchase. Royal Caribbean (www.royalcaribbean.com/programs/gift-cards, 866-562-7625)

Norwegian Cruise Line makes it possible to gift onboard credit, wine, gourmet treats, spa visits, or create a registry so that bunches of family and friends can contribute toward a cruise (https://www.ncl.com/onboard-gifts).

Also: Disney Cruise Lines (https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/featured/holiday-gift-cruise/); Carnival Cruise Lines (https://carnival.ourgiftcards.com/); Princess Cruises (princess.com/giftcard); Holland America (https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/us/plan-a-cruise/giftcard)

*Maine Windjammer Association provides e-gift certificates that will be honored by any member of the fleet © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Maine Windjammer Association provides e-gift certificates that can be ordered in any denomination, and will be honored by any vessel in its fleet. The gift certificates never expire and can be customized with a special message. Order online. You can have your e-certificate sent immediately or schedule it for a future day. ([email protected],800-807-9463; https://www.sailmainecoast.com/windjammer-sailing-gift-certificates/)

Gift of Experience

Give experiences that turn a trip into a wonder that lasts a lifetime.

*See more of Prague with the Prague Cool Pass © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

You can pre-purchase a city-sightseeing pass that provides admissions to the most popular sights in cities like Prague (PragueCoolPass.com); Amsterdam; Berlin; Dresden; Paris (parispass.com); New York City; Philadelphia. Wilmington, Delaware & the Brandywine Valley’s 2024 Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport provides access to 12 of Greater Wilmington’s top cultural attractions. Check out Go City, which sells passes in over 30 destinations from major metropolises like London and New York to oceanfront oases like Sydney and Oahu – 1,500 attractions, tours, and activities worldwide, saving money over purchasing individual tickets, connected on your smart phone (GoCity.com, 800 887 9103).

Gift certificates from Broadway.com can be redeemed for tickets to any Broadway or Off-Broadway show currently playing in New York City (https://www.broadway.com/gift-certificates/).

Drive an exotic car, learn to fly, rock climb, skydive, bungee jump, take a hot-air balloon ride. Virgin Experience lists some 5000 different experiences in 122 regions from 600 “best in class” partners that their gift card can be applied to: Go to Food & Wine Gifts, Adventures Experiences and other listings. Easy return, no expiration, free exchange (https://www.virginexperiencegifts.com/action-and-adventure, https://www.virginexperiencegifts.com/ (for Black Friday, use GIFT20 for 20% off).

*Context offers walking tours with experts of dozens of destinations including Athens © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Context Travel offers personal walking tours with experts in 60 cities across 6 continents. Skip the line and off-hours access to popular sites in the world’s cultural and historical capitals. Tours range from half-day to 7-days plus. Context Travel also offers the “gift of learning” – virtual and in-person sessions with top experts– you can explore the Colosseum with an archaeologist, uncover masterpieces of the Louvre with an art historian, or explore the palaces of Istanbul with an architect — from home, or in person. Gift cards are redeemable for 100s of tours and experiences in any city, can be e-delivered immediately or at a future date and can be personalized with your message (https://www.contexttravel.com/gift-cards).

Spafinder, a compendium of resorts, wellness centers and day spas, makes it easy to purchase giftcards. Take 25% off $200+ with promo code VIP25; get $20 off $80, Spafinder.com

Theme parks can be a very, very pricey vacation for families. Gift cards can put the vacation in reach or enhance the experience. Disney’s gift cards can be purchased in denominations of $25 to $500 and used for “practically” all things Disney – theme park tickets, resort stays, merchandise, dining and experiences at Disney destinations. Redeemable at shopDisney.com, Disney Store locations in the U.S., participating locations at Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida, Disneyland® Resort in California, Disney Cruise Line®, and Adventures by Disney®. https://www.disneygiftcard.com/.

Also consider gifting some of the really special experiences, like Zookeeper for a Day at Busch Gardens (www.buschgardens.com), or sleepover “Night in the Museum” experiences at places like National Air and Space Museum, International Spy Museum, American Museum of Natural History, Cincinnati Museum Center, California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.

*A great gift is purchasing admission to a major attraction like Harry Potter: The Exhibition, now on view in New York City © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Also think about pre-purchasing tickets to museums and attractions, like Harry Potter™: The Exhibition (50 W. 34^th St., www.harrypotterexhibition.com); The Museum of Broadway(145 West 45th St., www.themuseumofbroadway.com, “Billy Joel- My Life, A Piano Man’s Journey” exhibit at Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (97 Main Street, Stony Brook, www.TheBillyJoelExhibit.com).

For the skier/snowboarder, consider purchasing lift tickets, lessons, rentals, perhaps even a multi-day, regional or local pass (EpicPass.com, IKONPass.com, snow.com, ski.com). Get Ski Tickets is an online marketplace to purchase date-specific discounted lift tickets, lessons, rentals, group lift tickets and season passes (https://www.getskitickets.com/, 970-233-7040, [email protected]) and gift certificates (https://www.getskitickets.com/gift-certificates/).

Fantasy Camp!

There are any number of fantasy camps to satisfy, well, every fantasy. If you can fantasize it, there is likely a fantasy camp to realize it.

Want to play baseball like a major leaguer? There are baseball fantasy camps with teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Atlanta Braves (mlb.com). Basketball: 76ers Fantasy Camp is the inaugural NBA fantasy camp, www.76ersfantasycamps.com).

Hockey goal, Jim Craig’s goalie stick and equipment from the 1980 Olympic gold-winning ‘Miracle on Ice’ on display at the Olympic Museum in Lake Placid, NY. In the Miracle On Ice Fantasy Camp, join players from the gold medal winning 1980 USA Hockey Team and skate and compete in the 1980 Rink © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Join players from the gold medal winning 1980 USA Hockey Team for this annual Miracle On Ice Fantasy Camp, in magnificent Lake Placid, NY – host city of the historic 1980 Winter Olympic Games. Skate and compete in the 1980 Rink – Herb Brooks Arena where USA conquered the Russians and shocked the sports and political world. (https://lakeplacidolympiccenter.com/todo/miracle-on-ice-fantasy-camp/)

Space Camp, an educational camp on the grounds of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center museum near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama, provides residential and educational programs for children and adults on themes such as space exploration, aviation and robotics (www.rocketcenter.com/SpaceCamp, [email protected], 800-637-7223).

Also: Broadway theater (Broadway Fantasy Camp, broadwayfancamp.com), Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp, an interactive musical event that takes place in various locations worldwide involving various Rock Stars on various dates.(rockcamp.com; gift cards available, (https://gift-cards.rockcampevents.com/)

For many, being able to participate in important science research is also a fantasy. Earthwatch makes it possible to support research that responds to global challenges – from climate change to human-wildlife coexistence to sustainability – while engaging local communities, and offers more than 40 field research expeditions around the world, with opportunities for teens and adults and no prior experience needed (Earthwatch.org, [email protected]).

Getting There or Coming Here

*Several airlines, such as Southwest Airlines, have gift certificate programs © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

You can purchase gift cards on many airlines: the Delta Gift Card is redeemable for any Delta Air Lines flight worldwide and for any Delta Vacations package that includes airfare, no expiration date (https://www.delta.com/us/en/gift-cards/overview) and Southwest Airlines (no expiration date, fully transferrable,usable for passenger travel,https://www.southwest.com/gift-card/).

Prefer riding the rails to boarding flights? Amtrak gift cards are available in an amount up to $500. No fees. Never expires. Have it emailed or sent through the mail. Redeem for travel online, in the app, by phone or in staffed stations. (May not be used for onboard purchases) https://www.amtrak.com/giftcards

Memberships Have Benefits

Gifting family memberships in a favorite museum, zoo, aquarium, preserve, historic site or attraction gives a sense of “ownership” and encourages multiple or multi-day visits as well as giving access to benefits – from special access to events and openings, discounts and promotions, magazines.

Think about gifting membership in such stellar institutions as the American Museum of Natural History that transport near and far, back in time and into the future, and ignite a love of travel © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Support important institutions – and find unique gifts – from the American Museum of Natural History (members enjoy free admission, special access and previews of new exhibitions, and discounts on purchases with member ID (get $20 off membership with code MEM22); the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Chicago Museum of Art, any and every important museum, hall of fame, attraction, zoo such as the Wildlife Conservation Society which operates the Bronx Zoo among others (www.wcs.org).

Smithsonian Institution, not only has an excellent store and catalog of excellent expeditionary trips (Smithsonianstore.com), but I treasure the Smithsonian Magazine, which also provides membership benefits, access to gifts; subscribe to the magazine and get gift subscriptions to share with someone else, smithsonianmag.com).

Also check out the memberships and gift possibilities at: Sierra Club (produces an excellent catalog of trips, sierraclub.org); Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (also check out the trail shop for gear like jerseys, trail guides and such, railstotrails.org), Parks & Trails NY (which hosts the annual Cycle the Erie 8-day, 400-mile camping/biking trip, pkny.org); Audubon Society; Nature Conservancy, National Wildlife Federation; World Wildlife Federation).

Not able to visit? Many of the great museums, iconic institutions and organizations offer some of the most interesting, innovative and creative items in their gift shops and you can support their mission by shopping online or through catalogs (check out holiday specials, discounts). It can be the way you bring home a real NASA astronaut’s outfit from Kennedy Space Center (www.kennedyspacecenter.com).

Travel Gear

Also appreciated: the gear, special clothing, photo equipment that a trip (expedition, voyage, journey) entails, but may feel guilty about purchasing or simply tapped out.

Our favorite go-to places (especially when you catch holiday deals, sales and closeouts): REI (top trending gifts, gifts by activity, by price, www.rei.com/s/gifts-for-travelers, 800-426-4840); LL Bean, 888-610-2326, llbean.com; Sun & Ski, sunandski.com, 866-786-3869 (gift cards available); Eastern Mountain Sports, 888-463-6367, ems.com; Tennis Express (gift guide online, TennisExpress.com), Bass Pro Shops, www.basspro.com; Patagonia (Patagonia.com); Paragon Sports (paragonsports.com). And of course, luggage – one great site Luggageonline.com (Save 15%, 888-958-4424).

*A bucket-list, once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Galapagos is all the more memorable with the gift of a waterproof camera © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

What trip doesn’t involve photos! B&H consistently has best inventory, prices and holiday specials, efficient delivery, excellent customer service, delivery and return policies, www.bhphotovideo.com, 800.606.6969, 212.444.6615).

Great stocking stuffers so appreciated by travelers are socks for hiking, running, endurance, skiing, biking, hunting, work and lifestyle: Bombas (get 20% off, https://bombas.com/) and Darn Tough (www.darntough.com).

A subscription to a travel magazine like Travel & Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler (cntraveler.com) is also a great gift to inspire and inform. National Geographic; there is also a National Geo Kids edition. (https://ngmdomsubs.nationalgeographic.com/).

IT’S THE BEST TIME OF YEAR – FOR SNATCHING SAVINGS ON VACATION TRAVEL IN 2024

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© 2023 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com, www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin, and travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/. Blogging at goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com and moralcompasstravel.info. Visit instagram.com/going_places_far_and_near and instagram.com/bigbackpacktraveler/ Send comments or questions to [email protected]. Tweet @TravelFeatures. ‘Like’ us at facebook.com/KarenBRubin

Adventure Travel, Benefits of travel', Ecotourism, Responsible Travel, Sustainable Travel, Travel & Tourism Industry

Machu Picchu, Galapagos are Models for Responsible, Sustainable Tourism Essential for Preservation of Heritage, Environment

November 30, 2022 krubin723

*Getting to know you: Alpaca Expeditions’ “Green Machine” and trekkers on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

By Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com

Machu Picchu, Peru’s jewel, along with the Galapagos, Ecuador’s treasure, are both national parks and UNESCO World Heritage sites. And both are models for the risks of overtourism and the rewards of responsible tourism.

Without tourism, Ecuador would not have the funds to protect the animals or the habitat of the Galapagos.

The Galapagos, Ecuador’s treasure, is a model of responsible, sustainable tourism. Without tourists, the government would not have the money to preserve, conserve and protect the animals, plant life or habitat, but without limits and regulations, the area would be destroyed © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Without tourism to Machu Picchu, there would not be a Machu Picchu to visit, nor any of the other Incan sites along the Inca Trail, resurrected from 400 years of overgrowth. Without tourism, these porters who come from mountain villages would not have the income to supplement subsistence farming to provide a better life for their family. That was clear during the COVID pandemic lockdown.

Both Galapagos and Machu Picchu limit the numbers of visitors, require visitors to visit with a licensed tour company and be guided (otherwise they muck up the place) and, similarly, put constraints on the tour companies, as well as development. In the Galapagos, ships are limited to 100 passengers; in Machu Picchu, trekking companies are limited to groups with a maximum of 16 trekkers, two guides and 22 porters, with each porter carrying a maximum of 25 kilos.

Without tourists and trekkers coming to Machu Picchu, the Peruvian government would not have the incentive to reclaim the Incan sites from their 400-year overgrowth, and would not have the resources to preserve and conserve them. Tourism also creates new job opportunities for locals and the means to improve the quality of life © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

The reality of the benefits of tourism is harshly apparent when it is taken away – as during the COVID pandemic lockdowns, or conflict, or natural disaster – when so many lose their livelihoods and agencies and organizations lose the capital to maintain and preserve the historic, heritage and natural sites.

Tourism goes even further than that. I believe tourism the greatest force for peace, understanding , cooperation and progress that humanity has ever devised. Tourism has provided the funding – and the demand – to unearth these Incan sites, and in the process, sparked a renewed desire for Peruvians to appreciate their heritage.

Tourism has not only provided new career paths for people like our Alpaca Expeditions guide, Lizandro Aranzabal Huaman who explains how the Inca did not have written language but used a system of string and knots, called quipu, but enabled locals to re-discover and appreciate their own heritage *© Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

But yes, tourism has to be kept in balance, to avoid exploitation and the negative impacts overtourism can have. That is what Sustainable, Responsible Tourism is about.

Many travelers these days have Responsible Travel in mind when they choose destinations, experiences and travel companies – down to the airlines, cruiselines, hotels and tour operators. Indeed, Alpaca Expeditions highlights its Sustainability bona fides at its website (alpacaexpeditions.com).

And on this four-day, three-day Inca Trail trek, I could really assess how well Alpaca Expeditions’ fulfilled its lofty promise of being a “sustainable and responsible” tour company, with a “unique service philosophy dedicated to our porter welfare equally to our client services, fair and kind travel, equal employer with a focus on women’s rights in tourism.”

In fact, all of these promises were confirmed during our visit. Alpaca Expeditions can stand as a model of the importance of responsible, sustainable tourism – both in preserving Machu Picchu and the historic sites along the Inca Trail and as a model for other travel enterprises. You can see it in the comparative prosperity of Cuzco, once the capital of the Incan Empire and the epicenter of the Incan world.

*Introducing ourselves to each other – the trekkers and Alpaca Expeditions “Green Machine” © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

So, on the third day of the four-day Inca Trail trek – in the morning before we head out and again this evening – our Alpaca Expeditions guide, Lizandro Aranzabal Huaman, creates opportunities for us to get to know who our porters, chefs and staff are who are making this experience possible, and they to know us. This is what Responsible Tourism is all about – a connection, appreciation and an opportunity to improve the lives of the local community, and, similarly, an appreciation for the guests whose tourism dollars provide them a better quality of life as well as the funds to preserve and protect their heritage.

*Alpaca Expeditions is proud of its efforts to hire women for its staff © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

The porters, chefs and guides – 22 of them to 15 of us (there is actually one fellow who is the “sanitation engineer” charged with maintaining the private portable potty; two of the porters are brothers, aged 62 and 68, and one is a woman, which is still unusual) – come mostly from the same mountain village and leave their families for weeks on end in order to do these treks, but at least they have the camaraderie of their friends.

Lizandro’s own story is illustrative. On our first day of the four-day Inca Trail trek, as we walk through one of the mountain villages, he tells us that village was where he grew up – his family is among 96 who still live there. He used to lead a pack horse on the trail since he was 4.

*Lizandro tells us he grew up in the mountain village we trek through on the Inca Trail, and at the age of 4, would lead a pack horse on the trail © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

“In my community there was no school. My parents sent me for education –I stayed with an uncle for three years until my parents couldn’t pay for school. I met a chef and became a porter at 18 years old, 15 years ago.“ He learned English from the trekkers . His first word, he tells us, was “baby spoon” when he was 18.

“Fifteen years ago, porters were exploited by companies – they hired fewer to make more profit,” Lizandro tells us. “Then, they carried 40-45 kilos; companies didn’t provide uniforms, equipment, back support, not even food. They had to carry their own blanket and did not have a tent. Salaries were 50 Soles for a four-day hike – not even $15.

“My first hike was so difficult, a porter made me take coca leaves. I got 50 Soles for a tip. 15 years ago in Peru, 50 Soles was a lot – 1 sole could buy 20 breads, now it only buys 2 breads.”

*Alpaca Expeditions takes care to limit the weight that its porters carry to 25 kilos © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Then, 15 years ago, the porters organized with the help of the Cuzco government, and got regulations to provide better conditions. Now the porters carry a maximum of 28 Kilos (the first 2 days are still heavier because they are carrying food supplies, and the packs are heavier when it rains, but lighten as we consume food) and guests are restricted to bringing 7 kilos including a sleeping bag in the duffel which is supplied.

“It’s difficult for porters (from mountain village) to be away from family for these periods of time, but typically they come from the same community so have friends. Some commute six hours by bus/train and then 2-3 hours walk back to home, so many prefer to do 5-6 groups and then go home for 5-6 days, do some farming and then come back to hike. Normally, they do 6-7 trips a month.”

When the COVID pandemic forced a lockdown and there were no tourists coming (one Japanese tourist actually had to stay in Peru a full year before he could go back to Japan, which was closed to the outside, and was the first visitor back to Machu Picchu), Lizandro had to go back to his village and do farming.

The government has yet to restore the full numbers of visitors to Machu Picchu after reopening from the pandemic – before, 7,000 were allowed per day; the number had just been increased to 5,000 from 4,000 (only 200 trekkers per day on the Inca Trail). “We thought it would take a couple of years but recovery has been quick,” he said.

Now, even though the porters are protected, some companies still make them carry heavier packs and do not provide hiking boots; some porters still hike in sandals instead of boots, Lizandro says.

Raul Ccolque who founded Alpaca Expeditions, grew up in a small town in the Sacred Valley and while he was studying tourism, worked as a porter (from 2000-2003) and later as a tour guide. Ccolque witnessed firsthand how companies exploited their porters – not only were they poorly paid, but they would also be badly bruised or injured due to carrying heavier loads than necessary, without proper hiking boots or uniforms, sleeping bags. They even had to supply their own food.

Raul set out to create a company that would remedy this inhumane situation.

Inca Trail porters have to travel far distances from their homes, so tend to do back-to-back treks. Alpaca Expeditions has built Porters House for them to have a place to stay © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

“Most of our porters live in a village outside of Cusco – typically 2 to 4 hours away. We cover all entrance fees (45 soles – $15 US per porter) and transportation to and from the trek for our porters, separate from their salary,” the website says. “They are paid directly after the trek, which prevents them from traveling back to Cusco before heading home. Unfortunately, this is an uncommon practice. They receive better wages, health insurance [not a given in Peru] and all of their equipment for free. This includes hiking boots, pants, jerseys, fleeces, jackets, hats, flashlights, sleeping bags, and amazing food to eat. We make sure they have a comfortable bed in a lovely room to sleep before (and after if needed) the trek instead of crashing on a floor like others.” Alpaca Expeditions built Porters House where they stay between trips.

*Whenever the Alpaca Expeditions porters pass us (!!) on the Inca Trail with their heavy loads, we step aside and say “gracias.” © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

“While the government allows each porter to carry up to 25kg, we keep our limit at 20kg. Each porter will carry up to 15kg from the company and 5kg of their own personal stuff. This is why it’s so important to keep your personal duffel within weight restrictions and not exceed our allowed 7kg. You will see other companies carrying more than the allotted weight, but we will not allow our porters to carry this burden. Every year Alpaca Expeditions provides new sleeping bags and sleeping pads for each porter. We provide them all the gear they need along the hike, our jackets, for example, are all lined and warm, and our boots are all waterproof. Our porters eat the same food as the guests; the chef cooks enough for all the trekkers and porters [that’s why our platters are so enormous and there are so many dishes made]. Of course, the porters are carrying the food supplies, so with each day, at least that load gets lighter.”

*Alpaca Expeditions’ chefs make a huge amount of food because they are cooking for the 15 trekkers as well as the staff of 22 © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Also, “In keeping with the Andean concept of ‘ayni’, or giving back to the community, Alpaca Expeditions has numerous social projects,” the company states. “Our pride and joy has been ‘adopting’ the highland villages where our porters’ families have lived for centuries as subsistence farmers. Several times a year we go to these villages to help supply their schools with books, computers and basic hygiene supplies. We have even provided the funds necessary to employ a teacher. We have also started a tree planting project that reintroduced 3,000 of the indigenous, but rapidly disappearing Queuña tree. Alpaca Expeditions is dedicated to improving our community and sharing these social projects.” The company is also working with a local clinic in Cusco to provide dental care and skin examinations for the children of each of its porters’ villages.

*Our guide, Lizandro, tells us that most of the porters and their families have never actually seen Machu Picchu for themselves; Alpaca Expeditions offers them the opportunity* *© Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Lizandro tells us that most of the porters, even though they have done the trek umptium times, along with their families in the mountain villages, have never actually visited Machu Picchu themselves – the porters leave our group early on the last morning to make a 6 am train back to Ollantaytambo. But among the programs that Alpaca Expeditions offers is an opportunity for the porters to visit Machu Picchu with their families.

The company says it has bought land in Cusco to build dormitories, classrooms and teaching kitchens for its team. “We will have English classes, computer classes and cooking classes here for any member of our team and their family to use, free of charge. This is a huge project for us that we are really excited about.”

*The Alpaca Expeditions ‘Green Machine” of porters makes it possible for us to do the Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu, a trip of a lifetime © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

People used to be able to do the Inca Trail trek on their own, doing their own camping. But they left such a mess, the government now requires every person going to Machu Picchu to obtain a permit and go with a licensed tour company. Still, Alpaca Expeditions has found the need to extend its “eco-friendly” and “sustainable” values beyond its own staff and guests. “Not only do we clean up after ourselves, but we even have campaigns where our staff cleans up the messes others have left behind. There is a key concept in the Andean cosmovision known as ‘ayni’. It means ‘reciprocity’ – that as you take, you must give back. We are dedicated to treating our beautiful Mother Earth, known as Pachamama in Peru, with respect and honor in exchange for all the abundance she gives to us.”

When it comes to my turn to introduce myself, I can’t help but reveal that I turned 71 this day, and this “trip of a lifetime” could only be possible because of them. (Later that evening, the chef presents me with the most magnificent, decorated birthday cake, which took three hours to prepare with the camping-style equipment he uses.)

*Alpaca Expeditions Chef Mario shows us how to cook a popular Peruvian dish, lomas latudo © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

At the evening gathering, the night before we will reach Machu Picchu on the Inca Trail, Lizandro suggests that if there is anything that we would leave behind, that we donate it to the porters. Sarah and Eric compile a bunch of their stuff (the Inca Trail trek was the grand finale to six months of their travel odyssey) and bring it to the Alpaca Expeditions office the next day when we are back in Cuzco.

Alpaca Expeditions is clearly on the same page in appreciating the importance of responsible, sustainable tourism. But I would suggest there is still more to do, and perhaps Alpaca Expeditions, because it has become such a leader, could persuade the government to make some changes.

*Alpaca Expeditions porters cheer us on as we head out for the day’s trek to the challenge of Dead Woman’s Pass on the Inca Trail © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

The trekking companies used to only hire uneducated men from the mountain villages – just as Lizandro was – whose opportunities were limited (considering how smart and articulate he is – basically learning English from the trekkers, one can only imagine all the opportunities he might have had if public education was available to him growing up). But not that long ago, the government made public education universal. And as a result, fewer are coming forward to be the porters because other opportunities are open to them. Now I wonder, whether a shortage of porters will inhibit the increase in tourism and trekking, which provides most of the dollars necessary to support the preservation and conservation, and the economic activity and jobs. In fact, all of us trekkers are not just appreciative of the porters, but feel somewhat guilty as we make way for them to pass us (!!) on the trail, thanking them as they go by.

So here’s an idea: the government, which already has campsites with public restrooms, and facilities for the Park Rangers, that they build storage sheds at the campsites so the operators can store the tents, tables and infrastructure for the season. In this way, they can reduce the loads that the porters have to carry. Then, more young people would probably sign up for the experience – if not a career – and in this way, the companies would have enough porters to support the number of trekkers, whose dollars fuel this virtuous cycle. That’s human ecology.

The permits to do the Inca Trail trek are limited to 500 a day for all the trekking companies (which includes 200 for trekkers and 300 for porters and staff) and get booked up months in advance.

More information: Alpaca Expeditions, USA Phone: (202)-550-8534, [email protected], [email protected], https://www.alpacaexpeditions.com/

INCAN SITES OF PISAC, OLLANTAYTAMBO IN PERU’S SACRED VALLEY ARE PREVIEW TO MACHU PICCHU

ALPACA EXPEDITIONS’ INCA TRAIL TREK TO MACHU PICCHU IS PERSONAL TEST OF MIND OVER MATTER

DAY 1 ON THE INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU: A TEST

DAY 2 ON THE INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU: DUAL CHALLENGES OF DEAD WOMAN´S PASS, RUNCURACCAY

DAY 3 ON THE INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU: TOWN IN THE CLOUDS, TERRACES OF THE SUN & FOREVER YOUNG

DAY 4 ON THE INCA TRAIL: SUN GATE TO MACHU PICCHU, THE LOST CITY OF THE INCAS

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© 2022 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com, www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin, and travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/. Blogging at goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com and moralcompasstravel.info. Visit instagram.com/going_places_far_and_near and instagram.com/bigbackpacktraveler/ Send comments or questions to [email protected]. Tweet @TravelFeatures. ‘Like’ us at facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Benefits of travel', Camping/Glamping/RVs, Camping/Hiking/Outdoors, Ecotourism, Responsible Travel, Sustainable Travel, Travel & Tourism Industry

Global Travel Industry Embraces Climate Action

April 26, 2021 krubin723

Great Schooner Race. *Want to save the planet? Go old-school on a historic Maine Windjammer © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

by Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com

The travel industry is often vilified as a contributor to global warming because of its reliance on transportation systems that emit carbon, like airplanes, buses, cars, cruiseships. Just the simple act of going anywhere, it is charged, leaves a carbon footprint –bottled water, toiletries and especially airplane travel. The most scathing attack on reputation comes from climate activist Greta Thunberg, who preferred to cross the Atlantic Ocean during a record season for storms by sailboat rather than fly to the Climate Conference which had been rerouted to Madrid, Spain.

But the calculations are wrong and unfair. A cost-benefit analysis would show that travelers provide the economic underpinnings that protect cultural heritage and fund environmental protection and conservation, and that the industry is among the most aggressive in not just curbing carbon emissions and developing the technology to transition clean, green, sustainable energy and economy, but modeling the techniques that travelers take back to their own homes, communities, and decision-makers. Travelers are not just ambassadors for peace and understanding among peoples, they also serve as ambassadors in the cause of climate action – sharing what they learn after seeing an offshore wind farm off Holland (so popular for its windmills), solar panels on farm houses in Germany, battery chargers for e-bikes in Slovenia, learning the story of energy innovation at the new Museum of Energy in Utica, New York.

*Solar panels on a farm house in Germany, seen from a train enroute to Passau for the start of our trip on the Danube Bike Trail © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

In effect, travel industry companies such as The Travel Corporation, with its wide-ranging brands, Hurtigruten and Lindblad Expeditions are catalysts for climate action in wider society.

After all, the existential threat posed by climate change and global warming poses to the planet – the super storms, wild fires, flooding, drought, sea-level rise, pandemics, famine and conflict – pose an existential threat to the travel industry, too.

Whole segments of the travel industry (largest in the world, generating $9 trillion -10% -to the global economy and 20% of jobs) are dedicated to sustainable, responsible travel.

Hotels, like the Sand Pearl in Clearwater Beach, Florida, are being purpose-built with LEED standards, use low-flow plumbing, cold washing and drying for laundry, farm-to-table dining, and few or no plastics.

Smaller, expeditionary-style cruise ships are being designed with pioneering technology to eliminate carbon emissions.

Expeditionary cruise company Hurtigruten developed the world’s first hybrid battery-powered cruise ship, MS Roald Amundsen, which made its maiden voyage in 2019 through the Northwest Passage (photo by Karsten Bidstrup)

Hurtigruten developed the world’s first hybrid battery-powered cruise ship, MS Roald Amundsen, which made its maiden voyage in 2019 through the Northwest Passage (ironically only navigable because of global warming); its sister ship MS Fridtjof Nansen was launched in 2020. Hurtigruten also pioneered battery-powered, no-emission snowmobiles for use in the Arctic, generating renewable energy from the Arctic winds and the midnight sun. (For Earth Day, Hurtigruten was offering up to 40% off per person on select expedition cruises to remote destinations such as Alaska, Norway, the British Isles and North America in 2021 and 2022, 844-991-1048, hurtigruten.com).

Another expeditionary cruise company, PONANT is launching the first electric luxury polar ship in 2021. It will operate with a mix of liquified natural gas (the cleanest fuel on the market) and electric battery (zero emission and can operate for up to eight hours at a time). Le Commandant-Charcot will be fitted with the latest technology for minimizing environmental impact, as well as a scientific laboratory for conducting operational oceanography missions and research, in which guests will be able to participate.

*In Iceland, see how geothermal energy is turned into a clean, renewable source of electricity and heat © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Indeed, the push to green technology and sustainable practices is throughout the cruise industry, even the mega-ships that are as big as a small city, in effect demonstrating solutions from waste recycling and desalinization to producing energy from food waste. “Green technologies are being incorporated into newly built ships and are sometimes retrofitted onto older ones — think solar panels, exhaust ‘scrubber’ systems that help minimize emissions, advances in hull design that let ships cut through the water more efficiently, cooking oil conversion systems and energy-efficient appliances. Some cruise lines also collaborate with nonprofit organizations and government agencies to collect data about the ocean’s health and climate changes,” writes CruiseCritic.com, in a report on the latest green practices of the major mainstream and luxury cruise lines.

Then again, you can literally go old-school on one of Maine Windjammer Association’s fleet of nine historic sailing ships (sailmainecoast.com).

Great Schooner Race. Save the planet? *Go old-school on a historic Maine Windjammer © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

One of the industry’s biggest enterprises, The Travel Corporation, which owns major travel brands, has gone whole-hog into sustainability, implementing a five-step Climate Action Plan to be carbon-neutral by 2030 and source 50 percent of electricity from renewable sources across the organization by 2025. This includes TTC’s 20+ offices, 18 Red Carnation Hotels, 13 Uniworld ships, six accommodations/facilities, 500+ vehicles and more than 1,500 itineraries operated worldwide by its 40 brands including Contiki, Trafalgar, Insight Vacations and Uniworld.

Among Contiki Holiday’s destinations worldwide is Petra, the archaeological wonder in Jordan, visited on its “Israel and Jordan Uncovered” tour. Contiki Holidays, one of The Travel Corporation’s companies, has declared it will be 100% carbon neutral by 2022 as part of a new five-point Climate Action Plan and sustainable travel policies. Travelers are vital to providing the economic sustenance to preserve sites like Petra, but controls have to be in place to prevent the ravages of over-tourism © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

The goals also include: reduce food waste by 50% across all hotels and ships by 2025; increase the use of local and organic food products by our supply chain by 2025; reduce printed brochures by 50% by 2025; eliminate as many unnecessary single-use plastics from our operations and itineraries by 2022; include at least one MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience on 50% of TTC itineraries by 2025; achieve a 20% increase of itineraries visiting developing regions for select specialist brands by 2025; increase employee and market sentiment regarding diversity and inclusion across brands; complete 30,000 volunteer hours by 2025; and ensure all wildlife experiences across TTC brands adhere to the Animal Welfare Policy by 2021.

Since launching its first sustainability strategy in 2015, TTC has invested in energy conservation and reducing its environmental impact across its portfolio of brands. Advancements to date include installing solar panels in 2020 at the Uniworld head office in Encino, California, implementing a 400kW Tesla plant supplying over 95% of Xigera Safari Lodge’s energy, which opened December 2020 as part of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, and the recent shift to 100% renewable electricity by Contiki’s Chateau De Cruix and Haus Schöneck as well as Red Carnation Hotel’s Ashford Castle.

*Red Carnation implemented a 400kW Tesla plant supplying over 95% of Xigera Safari Lodge’s energy (photo provided by TTC)*

Looking forward, TTC has committed to carbon neutral offices and business travel beginning January 1, 2022, through its partnership with offset provider South Pole. Contiki is moving to become a completely carbon neutral business, meaning unavoidable emissions from all trips departing as of January 1, 2022 will be offset.

As part of its climate action plan, TTC’s philanthropy, TreadRight Foundation, is investing in two new developing, nature-based solutions for removing excess carbon from our atmosphere: Project Vesta‘s mission is to harness the natural power of the ocean to remove a trillion tons of excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and permanently store carbon in rock; and GreenWave is a regenerative ocean farming organization studying how kelp can be added to soil to increase its carbon storage potential while decreasing harmful nitrous oxide emissions on farms. (Learn more at Impact.TreadRight.org.)

Another pioneer in sustainable travel, Lindblad Expeditions offers its passengers an easy way to calculate the carbon footprint of your flights and choose a project to invest in to offset that footprint. “It costs less than you probably think, and it’s an easy and quick way to take climate action.” In addition, Lindblad supports three major National Geographic initiatives including the National Geographic Pristine Seas project (expeditions.com).

*Lindblad Expeditions is resuming voyages to the Galapagos on the National Geographic Endeavor this summer (photo provided by Lindblad Expeditions).*

Off Season Adventures trips (they travel off season to minimize impact) allocates a portion of the tour price to its sister nonprofit, Second Look Worldwide organization, which supports infrastructure projects and improvements in the destinations it visited. The first initiative, Kakoi Water Project, brings a sustainable year-round solar-powered water source to the 15,000 people who live on the border of Tarangire National Park in Tanzania (offseasonadventures.com).

*Biking Albania with aid of e-bikes – many hotels now have charging stations for e bikes © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Travelers should also be mindful when they select travel providers, including hotels, tour companies and operators that they adhere to responsible travel principles. Travelers can also choose the most sustainable styles of travel which exert the least impact on the environment while maximizing interactions with local people and sustaining local economies: biking (biketours.com, pureadventures.com, wilderness-voyageurs.com, discoverybicycletours.com), hiking (www.offthebeatenpath.com, www.nathab.com, www.rei.com), walking (www.countrywalkers.com,), multi-sport outdoor adventures (grasshopperadventures.com, backroads.com, duvine.com, escapeadventures.com); kayaking, canoeing, rafting (www.westernriver.com; www.oars.com), sailing (sailmainecoast.com); use local transportation (find local links at rome2rio.com, flixbus.com); traveling in electric vehicles (hotels like the Inn at Death Valley and the Tenaya Lodge outside Yosemite National Park provide electric charging stations); camping/glamping (koa.com, glampinghub.com) and staying at eco-lodges (andBeyond.com; www.sachalodge.com); and traveling in off-peak times and exploring less traveled, off-the-beaten track destinations.

*Designated parking spots for electric vehicles at the historic Inn at Death Valley* in Death Valley National Park *© Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Great sources are the Center for Responsible Travel (responsibletravel.org) and Green Global Travel (greenglobaltravel.com)

For the travel industry, every day is Earth Day.

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© 2021 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com, www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin, and travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/. Blogging at goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com and moralcompasstravel.info. Send comments or questions to [email protected]. Tweet @TravelFeatures. ‘Like’ us at facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Benefits of travel', Hotels & Resorts, Travel & Tourism Industry, Travel in a Time of Pandemic, Travel Industry

Hotel Industry, Most Hurt by Coronavirus Pandemic, Looks to Help with ‘Hospitality for Hope’

April 27, 2020 krubin723

San Francisco, California hotels are among the 15,000 to sign up for American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) “Hospitality for Hope,” providing temporary housing for emergency and healthcare workers as the COVID-19 public health crisis grows. Over 1,300 California hotels have signed on. © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

by Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com

The hotel industry has been the most severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, but is also an industry in position to be a crucial help to break the logjam between the public health emergency and the economic devastation. As the focus shifts to the dire need to test, trace and then isolate people who are positive for COVID-19, the empty hotels, facing bankruptcy, can be used to house both front line workers including health care workers who now have the daily anxiety of passing the virus to their loved ones, and the people who need to be separated from their own families.

The incidence of the disease has already shown to be disproportionate among communities of color, immigrant communities and low-income neighborhoods where people are likely to be crammed into close quarters, unable to be quarantined.

Similarly, the out-of-work restaurant and hotel workers could be hired as tracers; indeed, the call-centers used for hotel reservations companies hired to do the tracing.

The travel industry can also be put into a wartime footing to solve many of the other problems: farmers destroying their produce because they don’t have the commercial markets of hotels, restaurants and schools? Well, rather than throw bailout billions to farmers (already facing 8 percent bankruptcies because of Trump’s tariff wars), could sell their produce to the government, which could distribute to the very same hotels, restaurants and schools, to be hired to produce food for food pantries and shut-ins.

In fact, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo is doing this – organizing dairy-products producers to purchase the excess milk and converting it into products that the state will purchase and supply to food pantries and needy people.

Meanwhile, places like New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, California that have been hardest hit and most restrictive, need to make accommodation for getting people out in the summer. You simply cannot confine people in tiny New York apartments with three kids when the summer temperatures (the last several years have been the hottest on record thanks to Global Warming) hit 100. Communities – especially urban ones – will need to reopen pools (probably mitigating the risk of reigniting infection rates by restricting admissions to two-hour segments), reopen beaches, state parks, hiking areas; fishing and marinas; kayaking and canoeing; even golf courses; and shut down some city streets for walking, biking, and while promoting grab-and-go style eateries and dining al fresco. If ever there was a time for summer concerts in the parks, it is now. People should be conditioned to maintaining social distance as a new cultural norm.

Cyclists take over Park Avenue, New York City (c) Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

When we visited Central Park we saw people carefully respecting the new safety precautions, very possibly out of fear that if they didn’t, the city would close Central Park. We saw people walking on Jones Beach boardwalk, and on the sand also doing their best to maintain precautions (a couple of the bathrooms were open but closed frequently for cleaning, which is the pattern that other parks and facilities should use).

Governor Cuomo, looking ahead to reopening businesses at least the regions of the state least affected by the coronavirus (with infection rates below 3%), was careful to warn against reopening “attractions” that could become “nuisances” in the sense of attracting people into the area from downstate or neighboring states (the very definition of “travel”). But Cuomo’s reopening/”reimagining” strategy involves individual businesses to come up with plans that take into account the need for properly distance and that should hold true for places that give people necessary respite. Certainly you don’t want areas overwhelmed, but there should be a way to properly allow for people to enjoy – perhaps because parking lots have limits; restaurants that reopen to reduce their capacity (and take reservations) or do grab-and-go eating with outdoor tables for picnicking. And we are hearing about a revival in drive-in movie theaters.

A culture of social distancing seems to be taking hold as New Yorkers are desperate to keep access to the outdoor venues like Central Park (c) Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com.

Hotels and attractions should also be part of that Reopening/Reimagining Strategy to submit business plans that address the needs to continue to control the spread of the infection. This would include changes to working conditions, use of masks and gloves, taking temperature of employees as well as guests, more intense and frequent cleaning, providing hand sanitizer, limiting occupancy in order to maintain adequate social distancing.

Maintaining social distancing on the boardwalk at Jones Beach State Park, Long Island (c) Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com.

The Crisis in Hospitality

Let’s be clear: many communities depend upon the very existence of hotels as a mainstay of their economy – quite literally putting their locality on a map. Local hotels not only bring business travelers in to do their deals and establish connections, but enable local businesses to sell their products; local hotels accommodate tourists who bring an infusion of spending – every $1 a tourist spends generates $4 for a local economy. Hotels provide the venues for family milestone events. Moreover, hotels are a mainstay of the economy, an economic engine that contributes nearly $660 billion to U.S. GDP and supports 8.3 million (1 in every 25) American jobs. All of this has shut down because of the coronavirus crisis.

As COVID-19 continues to devastate the hotel industry, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) released new data showing that 70 percent of hotel employees have been laid off or furloughed as eight in 10 hotel rooms across the nation remain empty.

As this crisis progresses beyond what anyone could have projected, the impact to the travel industry is nine times worse than 9/11, with forecasted occupancy rates for 2020 hitting record lows worse than rates in 1933 during the Great Depression.

“With the impact to the travel industry nine times worse than September 11, the human toll of this public health crisis has been absolutely devastating for the hotel industry. For the hotel industry our priority is rehiring and retaining our hardworking employees who power our vibrant industry,” said Chip Rogers, President and CEO of AHLA. “Hotels were one of the first industries affected by the pandemic and will be one of the last to recover. The CARES Act was an important first step with a lot of supportive measures for the hotel industry, but we need Congress to make important changes to the program to reflect the current economic reality and help the employees in the industries that have been impacted the most.”

Clearwater Beach, Florida. America’s hotels, supporting one out of every 25 jobs, face catastrophe because of the coronavirus health crisis. Over 1,000 Florida hotels are participating in the “Hospitality for Hope” initiative, providing lodging for healthworkers and first responders. © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com.

Due to the dramatic downturn in travel, properties that remain open are operating with minimal staffing. On average, full-service hotels are using 14 employees, down from 50 before the crisis. Resort hotels, which often operate seasonally based on the area’s peak tourism months, averaged about 90 employees per location as recently as March 13, are down to an average of five employees per resort today.

The key findings of the report include:

Impact to travel industry 9x worse than 9/11. (Tourism Economics)
50% revenue decline (projected) for entirety of 2020 (Oxford Economics)
Eight in 10 hotel rooms are empty. (STR)
2020 is projected to be the worst year on record for hotel occupancy. (CBRE)
Forecasted occupancy rate for 2020 worse than 1933 during the Great Depression. (CBRE)
70% of hotel employees laid off or furloughed. (Oxford Economics and Hotel Effectiveness)
$2.4 billion in weekly lost wages due to the crisis (Oxford Economics and Hotel Effectiveness)
Nearly 3.9 million total hotel-supported jobs lost since the crisis began (Oxford Economics)

As travel halted in late February, the hotel industry took immediate action to work with the White House and Congress to help hotel industry employees and small business operators, which represent 61 percent of hotel properties in the U.S.

“The hotel industry is at a critical juncture. We need more resources to survive this unprecedented time,” said Rogers. “Additional funding is vital for small business owners across America, including tens of thousands of small business hoteliers, to help them keep their doors open and rehire and retain millions of employees.”

Hotel Industry Supports COVID-19 Effort

Meanwhile, more than 15,000 hotels have signed up for a new initiative, “Hospitality for Hope,” which identifies hotel properties that have offered to provide temporary housing for emergency and healthcare workers as the COVID-19 public health crisis grows. While the program primarily focuses on housing for the healthcare community, some hotels could potentially be used as “Alternative Care Sites” such as an emergency hospital or a place for those quarantined to stay if needed.

(New York City has contracted for some 11,000 hotel rooms for this purpose and New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has said that the testing-tracing-isolating campaign would also involve using hotel rooms to quarantine people.)

AHLA’s “Hospitality for Hope Initiative” was created to boost collaboration between the hotel industry and local, state and federal governments to help employees, communities across the country, and the industry during this unprecedented health crisis. In the short time since the initiative was announced, participation has grown to more than 15,000 properties. Already, this initiative has identified a total combined 2.3 million rooms located in close proximity to established healthcare facilities.

To help match and streamline the process for willing hotel properties to connect with federal, state, and local governments, AHLA and its state association partners are working to create a national “Hospitality for Hope” database to assist the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, local emergency management and public health agencies. AHLA has also provided a number of resources for members, which can be found here.

“It has been so impressive to see hotel after hotel join this important initiative as a way of giving back to the communities in which they operate,” Chip Rogers, AHLA president and CEO said. “As an industry of people taking care of people, the hotel industry is uniquely positioned to support our communities by caring for the first responders who are on the frontlines of this public health crisis. Hotels have always been an active member of our local communities, and this time is no different. We are proud to work to facilitate partnerships with federal, state and local governments to support the health community during this critical time.”

Local, state and federal government officials will be able to search willing properties based on geographic location. (Click here for a state by state breakdown of the number of hotels signed up).

Hotels partnering with local and state officials offering housing to doctors, nurses, homeless families and quarantined individual are being reported across the country including in Chicago, California, New York, Dallas, Portland and New Orleans.

“The number of hotels wanting to be part of the program is growing by the hour,” Michael Jacobson, CEO and president of the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association said. “Our hotels are answering the call to action, and they want to be helpful to the city and the state.”

“‘Hospitality for Hope’ is just one of the many ways that our hotels are helping those in need in our communities during this time of crisis,” said Kim Sabow, President and CEO of the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association. “We look forward to working with all interested parties, including local and state officials, and the federal government to find innovative solutions to make it through this critical time together.”

Given the unprecedented public health and economic crisis, hotels and the industry as a whole are coming together to support the community and their furloughed employees, as well.

In expanding “Hospitality for Hope Initiative”, the American Hotel & Lodging Foundation, AHLA’s charitable giving arm, rolled out free resources to help industry employees continue their education during this difficult time including free hospitality management online courses, professional development scholarships for AHLA certifications and continuing education online programs. (Learn more about additional training and education efforts through AHLA’s “Hospitality for Hope” by visiting AHLA.com/ahlas-hospitality-hope-initiative)

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) represents all segments of the U.S. lodging industry which contributes nearly $660 billion to U.S. GDP and supports 8.3 million (1 in every 25) American jobs. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AHLA focuses on strategic advocacy, communications support and workforce development programs to move the industry forward. Learn more at www.ahla.com.

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© 2020 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com, www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin, and travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/. Blogging at goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com and moralcompasstravel.info. Send comments or questions to [email protected]. Tweet @TravelFeatures. ‘Like’ us at facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Benefits of travel', Biking Tours, Travel & Tourism Industry, Travel in a Time of Pandemic

Travel in a Time of Pandemic: Tour Operators Tread Uncharted Territory

April 13, 2020 krubin723

Biking in Albania with Biketours.com President Jim Johnson: “Bike touring is simply our chosen mode of world diplomacy. We believe travel brings us all closer together, fosters understanding and growth, and makes the world a better place. We’re also keenly aware of the positive economic impact tourism has on so many places.” © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

by Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com

With travel all but shut down, tour operators are doing their best to keep travelers engaged and protected.

Tour operators are the facet of the global travel industry – which accounts for 10.4 percent of the total GDP worldwide and one out of every 10 jobs – most impacted by the coronavirus pandemic that has brought travel to a standstill and the least resilient. These tend to be small businesses operating on tiny profit margins. And like restaurants which are looking to supporters to purchase gift cards for future visits in order to stay afloat, many tour operators which are juggling booked clients’ trips, are taking reservations for future travel, offering incentives and waiving cancellation penalties, reissue and change fees if destinations become impacted.

“We haven’t been here before,” writes Gabriella Ribeiro, CEO of Explorateur Journeys, a Virtuoso agency that specializes in planning immersive travel itineraries. “Yes, we have seen health challenges in the world such as H1N1 and Ebola and we have weathered them but COVID-19 seems more challenging, more widespread and overall, entirely more concerning to everyone in the world and understandably so. It’s a new time, a new world, a new place, a new destination and just like any new location we find ourselves in, we all need time to explore it and get used to it temporarily.”

Explorateur is representative of travel advisors and tour companies who are constantly restructuring programs and accommodating guests who may already have booked or are looking to book.

“We are inundated with information that changes by the hour and we are doing our level best to keep our clients updated as frequently as possible in line with the world’s leading health organizations.

“The bottom line is that whatever you choose to do, we are here to support you. Changing your travel dates of your bookings with us, converting to new destinations that you may not have thought of for later in the year, or simply just opting to look at 2021. The world is big, bright, beautiful and will be ready for us all to return at our normal pace. In the meantime, we are here to help answer any of your questions and help share information if you’re still daydreaming about the days you can return to your normal Explorateurean pace. Here for you 24/7/365 at [email protected].”

Explorateur is enticing travelers to fulfill their wishlist of destinations to explore, taking advantage of booking incentives, flexible change policies. (http://explorateurjourneys.com/, .973-420-8343)

Pure Adventures president and founder Loren Siekman writes, “Clearly, this is a dynamic situation and the outlook changes daily. Therefore our first recommendation is to take a ‘watch and wait’ approach. While some of our destinations are currently unaffected, others like Italy are under travel advisories. If you have concerns about a trip you’ve booked, we remain hopeful that the efforts of public health officials and governments will bring the spread under control and restore order to a point where travel to affected destinations is once again responsible, relaxing, and fun.

To make the waiting easier, we have been working with our partners abroad to adopt a thirty-day advance notice rebooking and modified cancellation policy. Some airlines too are recognizing the wisdom of this approach and relaxing their rebooking fees. What this means simply is that you can watch and wait up to 30 days prior to the scheduled start of your trip to see if things are good to go as scheduled, or rebook your tour to start later in 2020 or 2021, with no fees. We can in some cases issue a full refund should you wish to cancel altogether.

Our primary hope is that you rebook your trip in the future. This shows support for the many small businesses that contribute to the operation of a trip, across many destinations, and that are adopting more flexible cancellation policies during this challenging time.

If you are considering travel this year and are holding off because of the current uncertainty, we are fortunate that our self-guided model gives us flexibility, so we can work on scheduling trips at the last minute once things clear up, and if you are rescheduling your trip that is already booked we can move it forward even if exact dates are unknown right now.

We are concerned of course for our travelers’ personal safety, but also for your experience of travel to a destination, and in that destination, as well as the return home. If you are to book now for some time in the near future, you have the option of getting added travel insurance, which is time-sensitive from the date of booking. We always recommend travel insurance to our guests, but for added cost and peace of mind, you can add the Cancel for Any Reason option offered by our partners at InsureMyTrip.

While we stay in close contact with our partners on the ground, we’d also like to recommend that people watch credible and reputable sources of information:

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention offers Covid-19 travel updates by country and also has hygiene and prevention tips

The World Health Organization has daily situation reports

The United States Department of State offers travel advisories by country

“We’re travel experts, not doctors, so the best we can do is to help you make an informed decision, and give you the most flexibility we can for you to make a change if necessary. We have been at this for over 25 years and have been through Sept 11, the 2008 economic crisis, and other smaller events. This too shall pass, and we will be here to help you get out and experience the world!”

Pure Adventures offers cycling (including self-guided), hiking, multisport, foodie tours and the opportunity to build your own trip (https://pure-adventures.com/, 800-960-2221)

*The satisfaction at arriving at the end of BikeTours.com’s eight-day Venice-Trieste-Istria self-guided bike tour in Porec, Croatia © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Jim Johnson, president of Biketours.com which brokers guided and self guided bike tours and bike/boat tours primarily in Europe, stated, that besides exercising caution, “we also want to encourage everyone to exercise patience. This is the seventh coronavirus to be identified since the 1960s, and we’re learning more about it every day. We’ve experienced similar situations before, such as SARS and MERS. We hope that this coronavirus is soon a distant memory, too.

“For those of you with pending travel plans, loved ones in distant places, or any other number of less-than-ideal scenarios, we empathize with you. The fear and discomfort of the unknown are unpleasant and stressful, to say the least.

“For those of you who have booked travel plans with us, know that as we continue to monitor the situation, we will advocate for you and keep you informed if your departure or destination is impacted. We want you to be confident and comfortable with your travel.

“Finally, bike touring is simply our chosen mode of world diplomacy. We believe travel brings us all closer together, fosters understanding and growth, and makes the world a better place. We’re also keenly aware of the positive economic impact tourism has on so many places. We’re hoping we don’t see destinations hit twice: first by the virus itself, second by devastating drops in tourism numbers.

“Thank you for being a traveler — an ambassador by bike, as we like to say — for seeing the big picture, and for being part of the BikeTours.com family. We hope that you are safe and healthy. And we hope to see you traveling soon (as soon as it makes sense for you!).” (biketours.com, 877-462-2423)

Butterfield & Robinson suspended all European scheduled small group departures with start dates before May 30.

“We’ve been closely monitoring the virus since it started, reacting to local developments with appropriate local responses in order to protect the safety of all our travelers,” Luc Robinson, President and CEO, writes. ”But now we need to go a step further. As a company, we believe that travel should enrich the soul not foster anxiety. Suspending these trips ensures this ideal continues for all of our travelers.

“Our team of travel advisors is currently getting in touch with everyone booked on impacted departures to review their options. You can transfer your booking to a scheduled small group departure later in the year or in 2021. If you would prefer to cancel outright, we will provide a full refund. Further, if you still do wish to travel, we can discuss options to do so privately – our team is ready to support you with your safety top of mind.

“If you are booked to travel privately before May 30^th, the decision on how to proceed with your trip is yours. Your trip planner will be in touch with you shortly to discuss your options.

“As of now, we are planning to run trips beyond May 30^th as usual. We will continue to closely monitor all travel advisories from the WHO and the CDC, as well as coordinate with our teams on the ground, and revise our plans as necessary. We’ll communicate any revisions on our website and by email.

“Butterfield & Robinson has weathered many crises since we started running trips in 1966. Through decades of experience, we’ve grown to understand that these global events are unavoidable. We are financially prepared, and we will get through this.

“To our dedicated travelers who share our passion for seeing the world, thank you for staying committed to taking the slow road with us. We truly look forward to helping you explore the world again soon. And to all our partners in the travel industry, thank you for rallying together in these tough times. With our communities we remain long-term, steadfastly optimistic.”

Butterfield & Robinson offer programs around the world including biking, walking, hiking, family, small ships, wine, active, safari, wellness, expeditions, self-guided (butterfield.com, 866-551-9090)

Western River Expeditions, which specializes in outdoor adventures – rafting, hiking – in Utah, so far is planning to continue to operate its programs this summer.

“At Western River Expeditions, there is nothing more important than the health and safety of our guests and staff. As an organization, we are continually monitoring developments to make the best decisions regarding our trip offerings and policies. We are sensitive to the impacts the COVID-19 news is having on all facets of our lives, and want to reassure you that we are doing everything possible to prepare and to focus on your safety and welfare,” writes Brian Merrill, Chief Executive Officer.

“It is our goal to operate all trips scheduled for this season. At this time, when we are advised to avoid crowds and enclosed spaces, getting out into the backcountry may just be the perfect way to spend your vacation. As our clients, guests, friends, and family, you have our pledge that we will continue to do everything both prudent and possible to keep you safe and healthy while you enjoy the trip of a lifetime.”

Western River Expeditions is taking care to assure clients of measures to provide sanitary conditions:

“On our river trips, each of our guides holds a backcountry food handler certification. We have thorough and comprehensive sanitation practices.

“In each camp, we set up two hand-washing stations. One near the toilet facility and the other near the kitchen. These stations allow a person to wash their hands without the need to touch any surfaces after the washing is completed. It is our policy that no one may come to the meal table without having first washed their hands with soap and water followed by the use of hand sanitizer.

“Of course, due to this specific virus, we will be even more vigilant in our efforts to keep surfaces clean, require frequent hand-washing, and practice safe handling of food and anything else that has the potential to spread viruses. In addition to our on-river sanitation protocols, all of our equipment is sanitized (including our boats) between trips.

“Our trips occur in remote, backcountry locations. This gives our trip two distinct advantages: 1. We operate in an “open air” environment. Potential contaminants are more naturally dispersed. 2. We rarely interact closely with other groups. These factors give us great control over our immediate environment.”

If a guide or guest develops flu-like symptoms during a trip, per CDC guidelines, the individual will be kept away from the rest of the group, any suspected areas of contamination will be disinfected, and, where applicable, the individual will be evacuated as soon as possible.

If an official travel ban has been issued that does not allow you to travel to or from your point of origin, Western River Expeditions will allow you to use the full value of your non-refundable payments as a credit for a future trip. Credits may be applied to the same trip for any available departure through 2022. No refunds for any unused portion of credit will be given.Once an alternate trip is booked, it will be subject to standard cancellation policies.

As you weigh the possibility of future flight restrictions, you may also want to consider the option of driving to the starting point of your trip.

If Western chooses to cancel a launch due to any reason(s), including closure by a federal agency, governmental intervention, health department requirements, or the decision on our part, Western River will issue a full refund or allow you to use the full value of your non-refundable payments as a credit for a future trip. Credits may be applied to the same trip for any available departure through 2022. Once an alternate trip is booked, it will be subject to standard cancellation policies.

These policies will also apply to new reservations for the 2020 season. Check availability online. Purchasing travel insurance is recommended; you may wish to consider the “cancel for any reason” policy.

The 2020 season along with much of the 2021 season is currently sold out for Grand Canyon, but there is an online waitlist available (add your name to the 2020 waitlist here).

“Thank you for your support and trust. Western River Expeditions has been family owned and operated for 59 years. We consider our employees and our guests to be part of our extended family. These are challenging circumstances, and like any family, we will endure this and any other challenge we face together.”

Western River Expeditions ([email protected], westernriver.com, 801-942-6669).

Discover France Adventures CEO Thomas Boutin writes, “The impact of the virus goes far beyond the persons infected by it. As you may know, some of the hardest hit industries are travel and hospitality. We are no exception.

“Many of you have been very understanding and rescheduled your trips, instead of canceling. This allows us to get through this period with minimal implications to the everyday lives of our team and partners.

“As the situation changes frequently, we want to ensure that you can modify your travel plans accordingly. To this effect, special terms and conditions are applied until the end of June 2020. All you have to do is to get in touch with your dedicated tour consultant, and he/she will take care of the rest.

“Our self-guided tours give you the freedom to choose your departure date, without restrictions – our tour consultants will adapt the practical details to your needs. (Even for last minute bookings)”

Special terms until the end of June 2020:

Groups that re-schedule more than 30 days before the start date, get a travel credit of the full amount paid without any change fees. (normally there is a 200 euro per person fee for changes after a tour is confirmed)

Groups that re-schedule less than 30 days before the start date get a travel credit of the full amount paid minus hotel cancelation fees (if any).

The travel credit does not expire to give you the peace of mind to do your trip when you want.

“With these changes, our aim is let you keep your options open and see how the situation evolves.

“To make informed decisions about your travel, we advise you to follow reliable information from the World Health Organization, and official government travel advisory for your destination.

“We do encourage you to remember the physical and mental benefits of cycling, as well as the joy of discovering new places.

“Stay active and keep dreaming about cycling through exceptionally beautiful natural, historical and cultural regions!”

“While our regular season activities are on hold, other areas are moving ahead rapidly. Our teams are busy working on improving our offering and preparing the company for a comeback in due time.

“Our tour planning team members, Valentine and Sebastien, have been busy on two main projects: Updating existing tours based on your feedback; Creating new tours that are available as soon as traveling is possible again.

“Our tour consultants are staying in touch with all clients with travel impacted by travel restrictions.

“While we are in exceptional times, we are still here for you, ready to answer any questions about travel.” (discoverfrance.com, 800-929-0152)

A source to find well-established tour operators is the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA).Representing nearly $19 billion in revenue, the member companies provide tours, packages and custom arrangements that allow 9.8 million travelers annually unparalleled access, insider knowledge, peace-of-mind, value and freedom to enjoy destinations and experiences across the entire globe. Each member company has met the travel industry’s highest standards, including participation in the USTOA’s Travelers Assistance Program, which protects consumer payments up to $1 million if the company goes out of business. (ustoa.org).

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© 2020 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com, www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin, and travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/. Blogging at goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com and moralcompasstravel.info. Send comments or questions to [email protected]. Tweet @TravelFeatures. ‘Like’ us at facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Benefits of travel', Tips for Travel, Travel Industry, Uncategorized

Travel in a Time of Pandemic – Phase 1: Armchair Travel, Staycations, Planning Bucket List Trips

April 5, 2020 krubin723

To think: exactly a year ago I was embarking on a Global Scavenger Hunt which brought me to the ancient city of Petra, Jordan. Use this time of enforced isolation to plan a trip on your bucket list, take advantage of airline, tour operator and hotel flexible booking, change and cancellation policies as well as discounts and incentives © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

by Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com

Travel is vitally important to rejuvenating one’s body and soul, not to mention providing life-enhancing, experience, new learning and new understanding; it offers a chance for bonding with loved ones, building new relationships. But to mitigate the spread and consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, travel has all but shut down around the globe, creating an unprecedented situation for the worldwide travel industry.

But eventually, it will be safe to venture out, and because travel offers a universe of possibilities, there are options that might better suit the circumstances. Travel suppliers are doing their best to accommodate, offering flexibility in making changes, eliminating cancellation fees, offering credits for future bookings. And with many offering sharp discounts and other incentives for putting deposits down on future bookings, this may well be the opportunity to fulfill that travel bucket list. Indeed, many travel companies are bringing destinations and experiences to you, virtually, to inspire and inform travel planning.

There will be phases and stages of re-entry that will parallel the progress of the coronavirus pandemic, the wider availability of testing and significantly, for antibodies, and the availability of vaccine. The stages might follow in this way: just venturing outside for a walk, run or bikeride in your immediate area; a staycation; getaways within shorter then longer driving distance; a domestic trip by air; longer-haul trips abroad and finally returning to those bucket-list travel experiences.

The situation changes frequently and planning can be for trips months from now. And be aware: once the “all-clear” is given, there will be a surging release of pent-up demand to get out and cure the burning cabin fever; to explore, discover, experience and make up for lost time by building memories for a lifetime. Putting down a deposit on a future booking not only secures a place, but also does your part to assure that the travel companies can weather these uncharted waters.

So make plans with flexible cancellations or change policies; use respected and well established tour operators and travel companies which can adapt quickly on the ground and revise itineraries as necessary and even extract you if conditions warrant, and if traveling abroad, purchase travel insurance that incorporates health coverage (your domestic health insurance does not provide much coverage) and for added protection, insurance that allows for “cancellation for any reason” (New York State just made this kind of insurance available). US Tour Operators Association is an excellent source (ustoa.com).

Conditions are constantly changing – some communities are telling AirBnB hosts not to take bookings, Florida’s Governor (who did nothing to stop Spring Breakers from frolicking on the beaches) threatened to turn back New Yorkers at the I-95 border – but there are still places that are taking guests, recognizing the extreme need for release. For example, the Southhampton Inn on Long Island is inviting guests needing respite (91 Hill Street, Southampton, NY 11968, 631-283-6500, [email protected], https://southamptoninn.com/).

If ever there was a time to rely on travel professionals who are clued in to what is happening on the ground, how to alter and change in order to address changing circumstances, this is it.

Protect your travel investment as you would any other – by seeking professional advice, says Virtuoso. A leading luxury and experiential travel network, Virtuoso has been closely monitoring the impact of coronavirus, collaborating and consulting with its travel agency members across the world as well as its preferred partners.

“It’s important to give my clients all of the facts about their trip, their destination, and the policies of their travel supplier,” says Virtuoso agency executive Amanda Klimak. “I then help them make a decision about travel based on the facts. I also recommend they speak to their personal physician to discuss the risks based on their medical history. Then I let them know I’m here to help, no matter what they decide.”

A travel advisor knows if or when airlines, hotels, cruise lines and tour operators have waived change and cancellation fees (many have): “The entire travel industry is in uncharted territory now due to coronavirus,” says Virtuoso agency executive Mary Kleen. “As travel advisors, our current role is to listen to travelers’ concerns and provide the most up-to-date options so they can make informed decisions at a minimal cost.”

To avoid losing out on future travel opportunities, Virtuoso agency executive Ange Wallace reminds her clients to start planning now. “Book 2021-2022 trips now, because everyone else is and you will have trouble finding space. Many travel companies have relaxed deposits, cancellation penalties and cancel for any reason waivers to encourage those willing to start thinking about the next window of opportunity.”

Grand Canyon: Once the “all-clear” signal is given, there will be an enormous rush to counter cabin fever of enforced isolation © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Travel insurance is always a good idea. While “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) travel insurance policies may partially cover trip cancellations and adjustments related to the coronavirus outbreak, there are some restrictions, and the policy has to be purchased within 21 days of making an initial trip deposit. Make sure you have travel insurance that will cover medical expenses should you become ill while traveling,” Klimak advises. (My go-to travel insurance is worldnomads.com)

Practice good travel hygiene. Wash your hands! As soon as you get through security at the airport, make a beeline to the restroom to scrub, Virtuoso agency executive Tania Swasbrook advises. Cash frequently changes hands, so she also recommends using credit cards that you can wipe down with a sanitizing cloth. While at it, wipe down airplane surfaces and wash your hands before and after using the restroom on the plane.

As a rule, Wallace recommends taking veranda accommodations on any cruise and requesting hotel rooms with a balcony or outside terrace so that you have access to fresh air.

Be prepared. Virtuoso agency owner Cristina Buaas refers travelers to the CDC and U.S. Department of State websites for the latest travel advisories (including health, natural disasters, crime), and Klimak recommends travelers sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which shares your contact information with the nearest U.S. embassy and sends travel alert notifications. The STEP app is worth downloading prior to traveling – and while you’re at it, swipe that phone with an antibacterial wipe.

Plan now, travel later. “Traveling is meant to be fun and educational,” says Wallace. “If you’re going to be worried and anxious about your trip, find something that you’ll be comfortable with and enjoy. If that means you sit out travel in the short term, that’s fine. But while you’re waiting, look forward to the recovery, because it will come, and you’ll need to be ready to jump on that trip you’ve been drooling over.”

(For more information or to find a Virtuoso travel advisor, go to www.virtuoso.com/travel-advisors.)

*Create a “staycation”: Jones Beach State Park is open, but be sure to maintain six-foot separation © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

Context Travel, which specializes in walking tours, is, in addition to new itineraries, is offering virtual travel: “As dedicated lifelong learners, we don’t see any reason why the world has to be off limits when you stay at home. We’re keen to keep our minds lively by bringing Context to you—wherever you may be—through online seminars with our scholars (seminars.contexttravel.com/), podcasts (coming soon!), and ongoing contributions to our In Context blog.”

“Now more than ever, developing a shared understanding of the world around us and recognizing our role in the broader community is critical in being a curious traveler—and a responsible global citizen. We wish you health and understanding, in any form that your travel takes. We’re all in this together.” (800-691-6036, contexttravel.com)

In the immediate term, create your own “staycation.” Find local trails to bike or hike for example Bethpage State Park which has fabulous bike trail and Jones Beach State Park which at this writing was open – being careful to maintain six-foot separation.

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Going Places, Far & Near

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