Their practice in experiential and mindful travel and their locals’ knack for identifying, explaining and sustaining the distinctive qualities of a place make them the perfect go-to people for travellers looking for unique ways to experience a destination. But sometimes, when travellers prepare to hit the road, they’re not choosy about where they want to go: they’re actively looking only for the best of the best – the best experiences in the best destinations based on information from the best travel experts.

To facilitate that process, whl.travel has announced the winners of its 2011 internal competitive performance review. Based on their work in 2011, four tour operators – one from each of four broad geographical areas – have been singled out as models for a set of whl.travel standards critical to the operation of their own businesses but also fundamental to the success of the global network. Assessment criteria included response times and customer service, maintaining an active social media presence and keeping destination Web portals up to date.

The whl.travel local partner in Malawi: The Responsible Safari Company (left to right: Chimwemwe Siyabu, Kate Webb, Dom Webb, Andrew Kayuni). Photo courtesy of The Responsible Safari Company

Malawi Triumphs in Africa

In Africa, whl.travel is anchored in about 40 destinations across 20 countries. Taking honors on this continent was the Responsible Safari Company, the whl.travel local connection for Malawi. Apart from demonstrating a strong commitment to community development through sustainable tourism initiatives, they have proven that they are serious about client services.

The whl.travel local connection in Boracay, Philippines: Go Discover Travels (left to right: Kristiana Jorjah Espiritu, Trudy Allen and Chaddy Cocjin; not pictured: Helen Atanacio and John Maclang). Photo courtesy of Go Discover Travels

The Philippines Shine in Asia and the Pacific

The whl.travel local partners in Nepal, the Philippines and northeast India stood out from the mix of more than 70 destinations in 26 countries in Asia and Oceania; however, it was the Philippines’ Go Discover Travels, one of the first partners to join the whl.travel network, that came out on top for their whl.travel Boracay Travel website. They also manage portals in the Philippines for Cebu, Palawan and Manila.

The whl.travel local expert in Corfu, Greece: Corfu Sunspots Travel (right to left: Sandra Broedner and Chrysa Tsakalakou; Andronikos Moutos not pictured). Photo courtesy of Corfu Sunspots Travel

Corfu Takes the Limelight in Europe and the Middle East

Corfu Sunspots Travel Ltd, the whl.travel local expert in Corfu, Greece, ranked above approximately 40 other destinations in about 20 countries in Europe and the Middle East. What started as a small family-run business back in 1986 has blossomed into one of Corfu‘s largest, most reputable and successful agencies.

The whl.travel local partner in Santa Marta, Colombia: Las Pleyades (Fabiola Duerig and Oliver Blanco). Photo courtesy of Las Pleyades

Colombia Conquers in the Americas

The whl.travel local connection in Santa Marta, Colombia, was crowned the winner in the Americas, where there are about 50 whl.travel destinations in 15 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The site for Santa Marta is owned and operated by Las Pleyades, a small company that is a big player when it comes to developing social and environmental travel.

“While every network is only as strong as its weakest link, it’s also as ambitious as its strongest,” commented Rob Shortland, CEO of whl.travel. “whl.travel relies on each local operator to help build and develop our shared global brand. If we want travellers to support local companies then it’s essential that their service standards compete with, if not exceed, that of the large global powerhouses. Add in a large dollop of local knowledge and we’re tough to beat.”

Screenshot of the Bahamas page on Gunyah.com, the website shortlisted by the Caribbean Web Awards 2012

An Award for Quality Websites

Unlike most travel awards, the Caribbean Web Awards 2012 focused on the websites that represent the travel companies, not on the travel companies themselves. As stated on the Caribbean Web Awards 2012 website, special attention was given to best practices in online marketing with an eye toward recognizing websites with excellent graphic communication, superb online copy and salesmanship, and laudable examples of strategies and techniques for enhanced site conversion.

Through its recently launched online presence, designed with all of this in mind, Gunyah dishes up memorable short-break package holidays and vacations managed by a dedicated network of passionate people all around the world. With locals in every destination and a clear responsible travel vision, Gunyah is more in tune with what makes a truly authentic local travel experience.

“We wanted to convey the authenticity and inspiration of our short breaks from the moment users started researching their trips, something that combined the spontaneity of independent travel with the comfort of a package holiday,” commented Luke Ford, CEO of Gunyah, about the unique look and feel of Gunyah.com. “The experience begins from the moment they start corresponding with our local operators. We wanted the navigation functionality to be simple and so it’s search by destination, but we also wanted to include a search by experiences for those looking for, for example, diving or a cultural break. We were thrilled to have been shortlisted.”

A screenshot of one of the packages available in the Bahamas on the Gunyah.com website

A Work in Progress

At the present time, Gunyah lists 170 short-break package holidays in 46 countries with an additional 600 contracted or under construction. Gunyah is working with 83 local partners in a total of 78 countries, including developed markets in North America, Europe and Australia, and emerging-market economies across Africa, Asia, South America and elsewhere.

The short breaks – all of which consist of carefully selected accommodation, tours and activities – average four to six days in duration, but can also extend to 12 days. Regardless of length, Gunyah’s goal is to evoke an authentic experience through each package by connecting travelers to the people, communities, food and culture of each destination.

“We are only at the early stages with product development in the Caribbean, but this attention from the Caribbean Web Awards provides us with even more motivation to include more fascinating destinations in the region,” added Ford. “We have some amazing experiences in San Salvador, Bahamas, with diving, fishing, nature and eco walks, history and adventure, something for everyone! Our local partners in the Bahamas deserve credit for all of their hard work developing such unique experiences.”

The kind of idyllic setting found on of the many islands that make up the Bahamas

The Winning Announcement

The TravelMole Caribbean Web Award winners were announced on the eve of the Caribbean Marketplace held in Nassau, Paradise Island, Bahamas. In their second year, the awards were run by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association in association with TravelMole, one of the largest online travel trade communities in the world, and LeadGenerators, the UK’s specialist online marketing agency for the travel industry.

The awards were presented by TravelMole’s Graham McKenzie, who praised the shortlisted websites but called for a stronger focus on online marketing within the Caribbean: “With the obvious exception of the shortlisted sites, the general standard of nominations were very poor and for the benefit of all really needs to improve. The importance of a good online presence for all tourism businesses cannot be overstated and at this time many do not make the most of the opportunities presented.”

The famous Arch and Bay of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, are a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site. Locals call the arch the Window to the Pacific Ocean

No longer a secret, if indeed it ever was, Los Cabos has grown in stature and renown as a holiday destination. Beach bums love the white sand and secluded coves, big-game fishermen idle all day on the water, and divers and snorkelers ogle the teeming marine life. There is, of course, plenty more to see and do in Los Cabos, some of it manmade, a lot of it cultural and delicious, but most of it involving nature in splendid abundance.

Finding Your Way the Right Way

With sights and population centres spread across the peninsula from Cabo San Lucas in the south to La Paz, the state capital, 160 kilometres (100 miles) to the north, and even Los Cabos International Airport 45 kilometres (28 miles) from central Cabo San Lucas, ground transportation is a vital consideration when in the area.

But while there is a solid assortment of transfer services, the eco-friendly qualities of only one of them really sets it apart. In the midst of the natural exuberance of Los Cabos, only the Green Path Transfers local partner provides a ground transportation service that is committed to going green.

Launched in March of 2011, Green Path Transfers is the global, environmentally and socially responsible transport service with a 100-percent carbon-offset policy. And its local partner in Los Cabos is Gray Line Los Cabos.

On the Green Path

Gray Line Los Cabos was launched in 2002 and immediately started offering airport and intercity transfers around Los Cabos in addition to destination management services such as the sightseeing tours and all types of adventure and group experiences.

Gray Line Los Cabos has two Eurovans like the one above. They carry eight passengers and are frequently used on the airport run in Los Cabos, Mexico

For its transportation purposes, the company currently manages two types of vehicles: Eurovans with an eight-passenger capacity and VW Crafters that can comfortably sit 16 passengers. They are the backbone of the famously punctual Gray Line Los Cabos airport meet-and-greet service available 365 days a year and managed by bilingual staff (English and Spanish).

These vehicles run on diesel, reports Karem Matamoros, a sales executive with Gray Line Los Cabos. In keeping with Green Path Transfers sustainable travel values, this means “they emit less carbon dioxide as it’s more fuel efficient,” she adds, but then admits that it’s only a first step until better solutions come along. “In Mexico, hybrids and other alternative vehicles are not popular yet and not many companies manufacture them. The ones that do exist are only compact cars.”

Fortunately, through Green Path Transfers, Gray Line Los Cabos can count on the policy of offsetting 100 percent of carbon emissions. “For now, I am afraid the only way we can contribute is through the carbon offset,” says Matamoros. “We hopes that the car companies start producing options more suitable for us to change our entire fleet.”

Trust a Local Native

In addition to competitively priced earth-conscious transfers, Gray Line Los Cabos promises comfortable recent-model vehicles, insurance and certified bilingual drivers who have completed training through a National-Tourism-Board-sponsored program called moderniza certification. The drivers also take a Red Cross class in first aid.

The main square of San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

These drivers are mines of information and can really bring to life the Los Cabos area in a way only possible through locals. In Cabos San Lucas, they can take you to Medano Beach, a must-see location where people can satisfy all their water-activities desires. In the nearby town of San José del Cabo, the drivers can point out the Art District, where historic and picturesque buildings display the work of creative talents, and the main square is home to an 18th-century Mission.

In neighbouring Todos Santos, the drivers can explain why the National Tourism Board has declared it a ‘Magic Town,’ a title conferred on places that preserve their culture and architecture. Todos Santos is full of art galleries, beautiful old buildings and cosy traditional restaurants. Further away, La Paz, the capital of the state, is a tranquil city with a beautiful Malecón that still holds the Old Baja atmosphere.

Whatever the path taken, “Gray Line Los Cabos brings to Green Path Transfers its transportation services operated by locals who really know Los Cabos and give their customers the best local approach, always ruled by the service standards of the Gray Line family,” adds Matamoros. She concludes: “In return, from Green Path Transfers, we hope to reach visitors who are coming to Los Cabos looking for a safe and affordable way to travel using a responsible company that provides quality transportation service in Los Cabos.”

To learn more about Green Path Transfers and how to be part of carbon-neutral travel arrangements that emphasise responsible actions in a growing number of destinations around the globe, visit www.GreenPathTransfers.com.

We are nevertheless once again proud to present our Photos of the Year – the travel pictures of the year 2011 that most captured the imagination of The Travel Word team and a group of expert external judges. Unlike our Photo of the Year 2010, this year (2011), we had a tie for first place.

Click on the image below for more information about them. See further below for the judges’ comments about them and the rest of the shortlist.

Krishna Mandir on Krishna Janmashtami, Patan, Nepal

Cheetahs Posing, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

About the Photo of the Week and the Photo of the Year

A bit more than two years ago, we started featuring one picture each week (or, lately, every other week) on The Travel Word. We spotlighted favourite images pulled from our growing collections on Flickr.

We then asked the photographer or owner of each selected Photo of the Week to submit a short and revealing text about it – covering the subject of the photo, the general location, the experience of taking the picture, technical aspects of photography etc.

These text-image combinations have proven to be very popular. We believe that this has a lot to do with the special emphasis we have placed on the honesty of the images, all taken or sourced by our partners, who are local travel experts in their destinations. Through their eyes, and given their knowledge of what makes their homes unique, we felt confident that were discovering something special.

The Shortlist

Our methods were decidedly unscientific. For each month, The Travel Word team singled out one photo of the month. To this list of 12 we added afew wild cards that had made a particular impression on us. This shortlist is what we sent to a group of five skilled photographers for their assessment.

Below are the nine images, ranked in order, that caught the judges’ fancies along with their comments. We thank the judges for their contribution and encourage you to learn more about their work.

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+ WINNERS: PHOTOS OF THE YEAR 2011: Krishna Mandir on Krishna Janmashtami, Patan, Nepal AND Cheetahs Posing, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Comments about Krishna Mandir on Krishna Janmashtami, Patan, Nepal, photo and text by Navin M. Shrestha:
“This photo does an excellent job of capturing both the manic movement of the crowd and the ethereal nature of the temple.” — Mike Richards

“Here’s a unique image of the Durbar Square of Patan that not only does a good job of displaying the beauty of the temple of Lord Krisha, but bringing the square to its full cultural context by choosing to photograph it on Krishna Janmashtami (the birth anniversary of Krishna), full of devotees, prayer and a long enough exposure that bleeds the light and gives the scene a more spiritual climate.” — Arog Vila

“This picture is amazing for the fact that at first glance it could reflect a scene dating back centuries. Truly a timeless shot.” — Matt Stabile

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Comments about Cheetahs Posing, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, photo by Ward Graham, accompanying text by Shafina Bandali:
“Luck is the final element, together with well-studied technique, good planning and plenty of patience, that results in this gorgeous golden-hour capture of two cheetahs looking back at us. This image has a rich tonal range accentuated by a pronounced vignette, which in this case does more than spotlight the cheetahs, it completes the interplay of light within the frame.” — Arog Vila

“Great light, composition and pose, it’s almost tells the viewer that these wild cheetahs are longing for some patting.” — Rafael Pinho

“From a technical perspective, the depth of field and vignetting are just right to single out the pair of cheetahs. They appear curious, ominous and regal all at once.” — Mike Richards

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+ RUNNERS UP: Church of Tisco, Arequipa, Peru AND Beautiful Waters of the Bocas Islands, Panama

Comments about the Church of Tisco, Arequipa, Peru, photo by Alberto Gonzalez, accompanying text by Mariel Gonzalez:
“Travel photography at its best evokes faraway experience in a single image, and this shot of a remote Peruvian church does just that: the totemic ochre ornamentations and roaming landscape transport the viewer to the high fields, far from home.” — Linus Gelber

“Just the right amount of grunge and color provide a contemporary artistic take on a classic stone structure.” — Mike Richards

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Comments about the Beautiful Waters of the Bocas Islands, Panama, photo by ATP, accompanying text by Melissa:
“Transparent green water makes any destination appealing, even if it’s all there is to it. This image portrays the dream-like environment all urbanites long for.” — Rafael Pinho

“I’m a sucker for visions of tropical paradise, probably because I so rarely experience tropical paradise. A jetty with amenities, lifted above clear entrancing waters, with balmy skies above – does it get better than this?” — Linus Gelber

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OTHER FAVOURITES OF OUR JUDGES:

+ Sleepy Lions, Kidepo Valley National Park, Uganda, photo by Steve Cunliffe, accompanying text by Nicola Swann

Comment:
“As anyone who has gone on safari knows, finding lions is the ultimate reward, and to find them in such a natural state must have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Oddly enough, this also looks like my family’s living room after Thanksgiving dinner.” — Matt Stabile

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+ The Children of Yakel Village, Tanna, Vanuatu, photo and accompanying text by John Nicholls

Comment:
“Seven strange children range along the ladder entrance to a treehouse home on Tanna Island; they may never hold an Xbox controller or argue the merits of teen fashion, but they smile, gaze, consider and go about their business just like children anywhere else. The wild differences highlight that we are, at heart, pretty much the same.” — Linus Gelber

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+ Smile from a Little Girl, Cusco, Peru, photo by Pieter Roos, accompanying text by Fernando Carrasco

Comments:
“This heartwarming portrait of a little girl is technically sound and beautifully communicative of the colorful personality beyond the girl’s colorful costume. An image that is very easy to connect with, well done!” — Arog Vila

“This girl’s amazing smile reminds me of what is truly great about travel: the people.” — Matt Stabile

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+ Migratory Birds, Lijiang, China, photo and accompanying text by Lily Zhang

Comment:
“A skein of geese, which might have just recently taken off, before forming a V, makes this a chaotic but amusing composition where each element has a certain clumsiness to it.” — Rafael Pinho

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The Judges

We sincerely thank our five judges for the time and effort taken to review our shortlist. We value their opinions and their readiness to share them with us. Please take a moment to check out their work.

Linus Gelber is a photographer from New York City, where he shoots cityscapes and live performances (notably burlesque) and sees way too many movies, if such a thing is possible. His work is represented by Getty Images. Linus would like to go to Antarctica one day, and if you knew how he felt about New York winters you’d think that was weird too.

Born in Brazil, Rafael Pinho took up photography after finishing his architecture studies. He set out as a freelancer in 2005 in Belo Horizonte and spent the following years between Berlin, New York, Reykjavík and São Paulo. His work has been shown at the Florence Biennale (2011) and the Biennale di Roma (2012) and appeared in the The Wall Street Journal, Modern Painters (US), Forum AID (Sweden), FFW Mag! (Brazil), Nýtt Líf (Iceland), Trip and Tpm (Brazil).

Mike Richard is the editor of Vagabondish. He lives in Rhode Island – a spit of land in the northeastern US - where he is a professional web designer and travel junkie with an unhealthy addiction to backpacking, camping, hiking and seeing the world. He enjoys knit hats, small, declarative sentences and speaking in the third person.

Matt Stabile founded and runs TheExpeditioner.com, through which you can read his writings, see his videos, purchase the book he co-edited or contact him via email at any time.

Arog Vila is a New York-based photographer who developed his unique aesthetic and rule-breaking composition studying at the International Center of Photography, the New School and the School of Visual Arts. He delivers crisp and edgy images of photojournalistic human narrative, pointing his camera on the expected from an entirely new angle, then turning to the unusual and connecting it to something familiar and beautiful.

Such too were the reasons why whl.travel, the global online travel-booking network of mindful local travel experts, stepped up to sponsor it, working from within its extensive network of local partners to find fitting ecotourism prize material for the winners.

Participants were given a limit of 1,000 words and five evocative photographs through which to tell their stories. They were also required to provide tips about ecotourism in their selected destinations or reflections about how they might help better preserve that particular destination through ecotourism practices.

See the promotional video here:

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And now the winners have been identified. From dozens of submissions, a shortlist of 10 finalists (determined by public vote) was reviewed by a panel of judges that included representatives from The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), Tourism Concern, MyNatour and the WHL Group, the parent company of whl.travel.

Ethan Gelber, the Chief Communication Officer of the WHL Group, said (see the video directly below) that he was looking for three qualities when determining the best of the ecotourism travel blog contest finalists: the first was “how much time and effort was taken by the person to think about what an ecotourism experience is”; the second was “how carefully they made a choice of the experience they wanted to live through”; and the third was “whether or not the experience was as rich as they thought it would be.”

And now the winners have been announced and decided on their prizes:

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FIRST PLACE: A Garden Lady in India’s Cold Mountain Desert by Shivya

As her prize, Shivya will escape to the highland region of the Albanian Alps. Hosted by Outdoor Albania, the whl.travel local connection in Albania, Shivya will set off on a five-day guided trek through some of the country’s most vivid scenery. With overnights spent in the traditional houses of the Albanian highlanders, daytime activities include a ferry trip along Lake Koman, a visit to the Valbona Valley and a trek to the Theth Valley surrounded by high mountain passes and peaks.

SECOND PLACE: Reef to Rainforest by Hobbers

Hobbers will head deep into Estonia’s Soomaa National Park (soomaa translates more or less as ‘land of the bogs’). Surrounded by vast floodplains and crisscrossed by rivers, she and a companion will enjoy a wilderness experience in an area known for its canoeing, ‘bog-shoeing,’ beavers and berry-picking – all courtesy of Soomaa.com, an operator based out of Estonia.

THIRD PLACE: My Trip to Mali – Halt in Terya Bugu by Mario Difra

Mario will travel from his home in Italy to southwest Laos, a region replete with jungles, raging rivers and outstanding cultural heritage. Once there, he will embark on a high-flying treetop adventure by zipline, followed by a Mekong cruise to the World Heritage Site of Wat Phou – all made possible by Teamworkz, the whl.travel local connection in Laos.

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The three ecotourism packages that were not selected were a rainforest adventure in Ecuador made possible by the Yachana Lodge, the whl.travel local connection in Quito; a Galapagos Island tour through Yacu Amu Experiences, the whl.travel local connection in the Galapagos; and a visit to Sana’a and Soqotra in Yemen with Eternal Yemen, the whl.travel local in Yemen.

The theme this year was ‘Food Prices – From Crisis to Stability’ in an attempt to spotlight the need for global practices that can prevent the devastating price upswings we have seen all over the world. According to the World Bank, over the last year alone the rising cost of food has pushed nearly 70 million people into extreme poverty. It has also brought hundreds of thousands of others together in everything from peaceful rallies for food equity to sadly violent demonstrations against the deeper political, economic and societal issues that affect every part of our lives, especially nutrition and health.

After all, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food…” Sadly, the principles enshrined in those words fall sorely short in practice these days, especially in places where access to food and water is no longer certain and the kind of real political will needed to confront looming crises is in just as appallingly short supply.

Enter: the people and their efforts to chart a clear way forward. In keeping with The Travel Word’s focus on responsible, sustainable and local travel, we believe that popular grassroots efforts – like Slow Food and the local food movements – are on to something. They may not yet have the legs for far-reaching impact (please prove me wrong if I am!), but they espouse values that put people first, not the pursuit of political and economic power.
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So, in recognition of World Food Day and the too-often understated drive to effect real systemic solutions, we would like to look back at some of the fantastic local-food contributions that have been made on The Travel Word.

SPECIAL FEATURE: Local Food: A Culinary World Tour

(which includes a mouth-watering picture gallery)

Thanks to the efforts of our local partners around the globe, we’ve assembled an extensive selection of typical local appetisers, soups and stews, main dishes, vegetarian dishes, desserts, drinks and snacks and street foods, many even with recipes, but all recommended by inside local experts.

Other Great Articles with a Special Focus on Local Food

+ All of our Inside Word articles, which include a section about local restaurants and food

+ Top Five Picks for Mouthwatering Street Food

+ Care for a Fried Tarantula with Your Guinea Pig? Some Foods Are an Acquired Taste

+ Epicureans Rejoice! A Celebration of Food and Drink Festivals from Around the World

+ Savour the Taste of Thailand with Bangkok Food Tours

+ Zabíjačka! Braving a Pig-Killing Feast in Rural Czech Republic

+ Local Food Favourites from the Newars of the Valley of Kathmandu, Nepal

+ Lifting the Lid on Salvador: Exploring Brazil’s Culinary Delights

+ Namibia: A Truly Meat-Loving Country

+ The Undiscovered Festival of Europe: Wine in Moldova

+ Discovering a New Horizon: A Taste of Belo Horizonte, Brazil

+ Photo of the Week: Easter in Lithuania

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We believe that whether you are at home or abroad, you should eat local fare. That means eating what locals eat, sourced from local sources. It’s better for you. More importantly, it’s better for the people and businesses working to help make your experience of their home a remarkable one.

Well, the pace hasn’t lifted. Not long after saluting its six-month anniversary, Green Path Transfers took brief note of its 100th destination and then plunged tirelessly onward. As I write this, the total is already 123 destinations in 44 countries, ahead of the pace needed to meet the goal of being operational in 200 destinations a year after launch.

A Quality Alternative

As we never tire of telling, Green Path Transfers pursues a vision of competitively priced airport transfers and inter-city ground transportation operators by local partners all across the globe committed to environmental sustainability, especially through the use of low-carbon-emission fuels or engines.

Green Path Transfers unifies existing local service-minded businesses around a goal to go ‘green’ and then uses that collective presence to raise the profile of earth-conscious transfer options worldwide, appealing to the growing number of business and leisure travellers wishing to book eco-friendly transport.

By working with carefully selected partners that maintain top-quality fleets and assure comfort, quality and competency, Green Path Transfers also leaves tread marks on the notion that low-carbon-emissions vehicles running on alternative-fuel engine systems can’t deliver a level of price and service comparable with that of non-green options.

Clean Technology

Green tech is here to stay. It better be if we’re going to repair (and halt) the punishment from which our planet suffers. That’s why Green Path Transfers partners use or hope to use vehicles powered by recycled vegetable oil; engines running on renewable, non-toxic and all-natural fuels like biodiesel and ethanol; Ultra-Low and Super Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicles (ULEVs and SULEVs) and alternative-fuel cars using compressed natural gas (CNG); and hybrid cars.

But the latest tools needed for minimising one’s footprint aren’t available everywhere; some local partners do not yet have green-technology fleets (especially in emerging economies). Green Path Transfers therefore guarantees its intentions through a 100% carbon-offset emissions policy. Through verified third-party carbon-offset organisations like atmosfair and Blue Ventures, Green Path Transfers brings customers peace of mind with the knowledge that their trips are helping to fund clean-energy projects worldwide, from solar energy programs in India to hydraulic irrigation systems for rural farmers in China.

“Every little bit helps,” says Adrian Cordiner, CEO of Green Path Transfers. “We hope that, by being an industry leader in the use and support of cleaner technology, both in transfers and through offsets, we will inspire others to follow suit.”

To learn more about Green Path Transfers and how be part of carbon-neutral travel arrangements that emphasise green technology, visit www.GreenPathTransfers.com.

Often also used in conjunction with today's International Day of the World's Indigenous People, this is officially the logo of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (PFII), an advisory body with a mandate to discuss indigenous issues

When is International Day of the World’s Indigenous People? Today! Proclaimed by the United Nations, it’s a day  on which, as UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said, to “celebrate and recognise the stories, cultures and unique identities of indigenous peoples around the world.”

This year the focus is on indigenous designs – celebrating stories and cultures, crafting our own future. According to the UN, it “highlights the need for preservation and revitalisation of indigenous cultures, including their art and intellectual property…. It is also a reminder of the responsibility of individuals as consumers, to understand that there is a story and a personal experience behind every piece of cloth, textile or artwork from an indigenous individual or community.”

In Support of Indigenous Culture

On this special day an in keeping with this year’s particular focus, The Travel Word is very proud to join the world in saluting the cultural roots from which we have all sprung, roots that remain robust but require our admiration, care and protection.

To this end, and given the broad reach of the WHL Group community, of which The Travel Word is a part, we have concentrated for the last two weeks on sharing word from the indigenous people and native communities in our network. Our posts have examined indigenous culture and travel as it relates to:

• an Aboriginal tour guide in Cooktown, Australia
• the indigenous shea-butter-producing communities on the fringe of Mole National Park in northern Ghana
• an arts and ethnography museum in Laos that provides important information about the country’s ethnic groups
• the indigenous Rungus tribes of northern Borneo, Malaysia
• the Tzotzil indigenous people of Chamula, Mexico
• the Maori on the North Island of New Zealand
• the Embera indigenous community of Panama
• the Sámi indigenous people of northern Scandinavia
• the Bassari villages of rural Senegal
• the hill tribes of northern Thailand
• in Vanuatu, a Yakel village on the island of Tanna and the Namba population of Malekula Island
• the aboriginal Pemon people of Canaima National Park in Venezuela

We also have older articles about indigenous culture that explore Bhutan, Colombia, Georgia, Malawi, Mexico, Pakistan and Peru.

Poster announcing Indigenous People's Week, August 8-12, 2011. By planeta.com

There’s More: Indigenous People’s Week

In extended appreciation of indigenous people, The Travel Word is also throwing its weight behind Indigenous People’s Week, which takes place from August 8 to 12, 2011.

According to Ron Mader of Planeta.com, one of the week’s co-organisers, Indigenous People’s Week is “an innovative and fun ‘unconference’ ” that calls for recommendations of educational and engaging videos, podcasts, websites and online resources as part of “a wonderful mixing of cultures – indigenous and non-indigenous – as well as cyber-savvy and friends who simply don’t want a smartphone. We don’t all have to do the same thing or have the same background to contribute to a win-win effort.”

Please start adding links or questions now to the Indigenous People’s Week event pages on Facebook and LinkedIn. When tweeting about this topic, please include the hashtags #indigenous and #ipw.

Responding to a growing interest in independent, experiential and local travel, the Geotourism Development Foundation aims to cultivate community, cultural or environmental projects that link to tourism and derive revenue from visitors. The Geotourism Development Foundation focus on ‘win-win-win outcomes’ – sharing the beneficial results of projects with all stakeholders (local communities, travellers and the travel industry) – by championing undertakings that increase the share of benefits to locals and create new types of tours that result in better, sustainable and more unique connections between hosts and travellers.

“The Geotourism Development Foundation… is both for tourists to have great travel experiences and for tourism to bring more direct benefits to people and places in the destinations visited,” not offshore travel companies, commented John McKenzie, the entity’s president, who spoke at length about the foundation in an interview published yesterday on the Local Travel Movement. With an eye on fostering a fairer, safer and more prosperous world, “GDF therefore funds and supports local projects and initiatives that improve lives and habitats in the places travellers love to go.”

Creating Meaningful Connections

The Geotourism Development Foundation presently works primarily, but not exclusively, in the developing world, where tourism is a major source of revenue and employment. In doing so, it helps generate revenues and jobs for the poorest, while also taking a lead role in efforts to conserve culture and the environment, promote tolerance and understanding between peoples, and broaden minds.

According to McKenzie, the key to the Geotourism Development Foundation’s approach is how it “facilitates three-way partnerships between itself, commercial tour operators and local social entrepreneurs” that benefit both hosts and travellers.

Recent evidence suggests that travellers are increasingly keen to find such connections, to be part of unique, homespun initiatives, especially those that make special contributions to the local communities. “A growing number of independent travellers and those travelling in small groups want more than just a holiday; they want an experience,” said McKenzie.

A farmer in Boracay, Philippines, ploughs his fields using the traditional method of the caribou cart. Even many Filipinos have little knowledge of traditional rural life in their own country, something that a local project supported by the Geotourism Development Foundation is working to change.

For that reason, the Geotourism Development Foundation’s inaugural projects include community initiatives in southern Malawi (read more about it here); homestays in Darjeeling, India (read more about it here); education and agricultural activities in the Ecuadorian Amazon; and traditional farming in Boracay, Philippines.

Through programs like these, travellers find that they gain real insight into the places they visit and often forge personal and enduring bonds. When given a chance to help, travellers are also generous in the support they provide, both on the spot and once they have returned home. This is meaningful to their hosts, who are eager to share their knowledge and stories, showcase aspects of their lives and benefit from the revenue that tourism can bring.

Joining Helping Hands

The Geotourism Development Foundation steps into a space in which it sees several opportunities.

“Many large tour operators and travel companies show their desire to do good by setting aside part of their profits to donate to community, environmental or cultural projects. Now, working with GDF, they can link some of this giving back to their core business… a step that will enhance their brand and add to their customer travel experience, as well as provide the supported project with long term income,” urged McKenzie.

Accordingly, the Geotourism Development Foundation is reaching out to travel companies, charitable foundations and businesses for support and funds. These collaborators assist not only through grants, but also by drawing the attention of a broad community of generous travellers who can contribute directly through the Geotourism Development Foundation website or through customisable donation widgets that will be placed on all partner organisation’s websites.

In the foothills of the Himalayas near Darjeeling, a villager collects and carries tea from the fields. This fair-trade branded tea is distributed to international markets. The Geotourism Development Foundation is working with a homestay network in the vicinity.

The next step is ensuring that the funds raised are put to good use. Fortunately, since, as McKenzie remarked in the Local Travel Movement interview, “Accessing funding for projects is usually a big issue; securing donations and grants can be uncertain,” the Geotourism Development Foundation has “a great opportunity to help complement existing funding channels with loans and with expertise in connecting product to mainstream tourism to ensure additional and regular income from tourism.”

A process has been established that begins with identifying a local partner “doing something that generates social, cultural or environmental benefits, adds to the geographical character of the place and could potentially engage travelers,” as described in the company’s website page about How It Works.

“Trusted locals are the key,” emphasised McKenzie. “A key local partner is a proven and established local tour operator. These local tour operators both understand the tourism market in their region and the marketing and distribution channels that need to be tapped. They in turn know and work closely with local communities and other social entrepreneurs and so join the dots needed to create a win-win outcome and a product which will sell.”

This partner applies for Geotourism Development Foundation funding for a proposed project, which, once approved, becomes eligible for a loan, not a grant. “Inspired by the micro-finance approach, GDF hopes to share in the longterm income streams of its beneficiaries, whilst adding value to their initiatives,” concluded McKenzie. “If we lend to viable projects and help them to derive income, then it is natural that they should repay the loan. Over time, this businesslike approach not only ensures effective use of funds, but also influences the way that the projects are run and care for their customers.”

To learn more about the Geotourism Development Foundation, including its current project, visit www.geotourismfoundation.org.

Far from content to stop there, Green Path Transfers will continue to add scores more partners in the weeks and months ahead with the goal of being operational in 200 destinations just 12 months since it was launched in March 2011.

A Quality Alternative

As a new a new, global, eco-friendly airport transfer and ground transportation network, Green Path Transfers unifies existing local service-minded businesses around a goal to go ‘green’ and then plans to use that collective presence to raise the profile of earth-conscious transfer options worldwide.

By working with carefully selected partners that maintain top-quality fleets and assure comfort, quality and competency, Green Path Transfers also leaves tread marks on the notion that low-carbon-emissions vehicles running on alternative-fuel engine systems can’t deliver a level of price and service comparable with that of non-green options.

Clean Technology

Some of the green technology currently in use by Green Path Transfers partners includes:
* vehicles powered by recycled vegetable oil (Portland, Oregon; San Diego, California);
* engines running on renewable, non-toxic and all-natural fuels like biodiesel and ethanol (Vail Valley, Colorado; Denver, Colorado; Costa Rica)
* Ultra-Low and Super Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicles (ULEVs and SULEVs) and alternative-fuel cars using compressed natural gas (CNG) (Los Angeles, California; San Francisco, California; Santa Marta, Colombia)
* hybrids (Burlington, Vermont; Toronto, Canada; Barcelona, Spain)

To learn more about Green Path Transfers and how be part of carbon-neutral travel arrangements that emphasise green technology, visit www.GreenPathTransfers.com.

If you have not yet heard of Earth Day, it is an annual commemoration of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970 and it ‘has inspired and mobilized individuals and organizations worldwide to demonstrate their commitment to environmental protection and sustainability.’

Students celebrate Earth Day by hugging a tree. Photo courtesy of Flickr/snre

Now, 41 years later, the Earth Day theme is A Billion Acts of Green, a ‘people-powered campaign to generate a billion acts of environmental service and advocacy.’

It calls upon anyone and everyone to declare an act of green and/or start or participate in an Earth Day event.

In this spirit, for the past several weeks The Travel Word has been focusing on the incredible earth-conscious acts of the many conscientious people part of the WHL Group family.

Following yesterday’s blog post sharing our favourite Earth Day videos, and as part of our online Earth Day push to spotlight acts of environmental generosity and sensitivity that could add to the tally of global efforts, we would like again to call attention to a few of them here just from the last month.

+ The theme of The Travel World newsletter for April was biodiversity. In it, we first lamented our world in which the species extinction rate is higher than it has ever been, but then called upon everyone to be part of the solution to species extinction rather than part of the problem. We also looked at

• our Top Five Ways to Experience Biodiversity Hotspots while showing respect for the fragile flora and fauna
• Eco Etiquette for Travelling in the Galapagos
• Brilliant Butterflies in the Kingdom of Bhutan
• the Last Ecological Frontier of Palawan, Philippines
• the Coastal Ecosystems of Paraná, Brazil
• the Benefits of Ecotourism for Children.

+ We have also highlighted efforts to Counter Invasive Coral in Ilha Grande, Brazil.

+ We have profiled some of the ‘green’ local partners of Green Path Transfers, a new global provider of eco-friendly airport transfers and ground transportation.

+ We celebrated Earth Hour 2011.

There is, of course, so much more!

But these are just a few of the millions of stories out there, stories we hope you will share throughout the day today. The goal is to inspire those around you. And to help make our fragile planet more vital tomorrow than it is today.

Happy Earth Day!

Milky Way Rising from Australia

“I love this stop-motion clip of the Milky Way rising, filmed in Coonabarabran, New South Wales, Australia. This clip illustrates how much light pollution affects our ability to see the stars by showing us what’s visible without expensive equipment once you get out into the unpolluted Australian bush. On a personal note, I have regularly spent time in Coona throughout my life, and as an Aussie living in London it’s lovely to see the Milky Way and the Aussie scrub in a familiar context.”
~Jen Campbell, Social Media Specialist at WHL Group

The Playground Earth

“When I first saw the clip, I was simply inspired by it — the beauty of the images, the longing it created to see the places pictured. Now that I have two young sons, one of whom has started asking difficult questions about our place in the cosmos, I find the video even more entrancing. After reviewing with my son an astrology book that zoomed out from the earth to the solar system to the galaxy to the universe, this video let me zoom back in on the earth, so that we could talk about who we are, the terrestrial environment in which we exist and the responsibility we have for it.”
~Ethan Gelber, Director of Media and Communications at WHL Group

This is What Global Warming looks like.

“In this video that highlights how violently the earth ‘fought back’ in 2010, what I find most chilling is that it makes me think about the devastation that natural disasters have caused around the globe in the short few months that have followed the video. To me, it’s a haunting reminder of what to expect if we don’t take action.”
~Jennifer Aston, Africa Regional Office Director, whl.travel

Earth amazing sights

“There are many, but I like the entire series shown here. You cannot help but be overwhelmed by how truly awesome and versatile our planet earth is.”
~Rob Shortland, CEO at whl.travel

Saving the sea: Maldives cabinet meets underwater!

“This video inspires me as it is people like Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed who are leading the charge on climate change awareness. Through videos and novel ideas such as this to raise awareness, I hope that finally world leaders will act, and climate change will cease being a political issue, but rather something we must do, and do now.”
~Shaun Gilchrist, Urban Adventures associate and local partner

The Solar House

“This video captures the spirit of a new way of living – one which connects us with the earth and the communities in which we can live in joyous and fulfilling ways. The fact is that most still see anything “eco” as being uncomfortable, tasteless, boring, and something to be wary of. The reality is quite the opposite and this video is a celebration of that.”
~Len Cordiner, founder and CEO of WHL Group

‘Ice Skating’ Polar Bears – Nature’s Great Events

“I love this clip because it’s full of bittersweet ‘firsts.’ For this polar bear cub, it’s the first time venturing out onto the ice. It may be the first time that the mother has taken her young onto such thin ice, and the first time she’s had to spread her weight more widely. We can see the first signs of adaptation to the new conditions brought about by a warming planet. We’re learning that for the first time, humans have had a hand in climate change. This poignant ‘ice skating’ moment doubles as a call to action.”
~Cynthia Ord, managing editor of The Travel Word newsletter

Maya Lin – Unchopping a Tree

“I saw this video after it was shown at the Copenhagen Climate Summit and I guess it made an impression on me because I never forgot it. I think it really adds some perspective onto the damage we are doing to our planet. It has that inspirational punch that makes me want to get out there and chain myself to a tree!”
~Maureen Valentine, chief content editor at whl.travel

Female Elephants Rescue a Drowning Baby

“I love elephants, so my choice for an Earth Day moment had to be an elephant clip. See how the elephants use different techniques to pull and push the baby out. These great creatures are teaching us a few lessons here. We all can work together no matter how difficult the job. And no matter how little we are we all count and are important to somebody.”
~Sylvia Cordiner, admin support for WHL Group

Lontra Comendo Peixe | Parque Nacional do Iguaçu

“I like this video because it was a wonderful ending to our day at Iguazu National Park. This past Saturday, Wallace, Fabio (Foz do Iguaçu MPO) and I went to the park for a full day of activities. It was an amazing experience! The falls are incredible of course, but the park is also full of life. We had the chance to see a wide range of species, including Tufted Capuchin, Caiman, Common Agouti, Nasua and Toucan. The most exciting was the view of an otter having a dinner. We got really close, and I had the chance to record this cool video. Our guide, who has been working in the park for the past 7 years, said that he never managed to get so close to one for that long. It was definitely an inspiring nature experience.”
~André Franchini, Manager at Hotel Link Solutions

International year of Forests * 2011

“Forests have always fascinated me. My major interest is the trees. I used to spend hours reading about the different species, their reproduction, the seeds, flowering period, the use that the natives make of them, etc. I had the pleasure to travel widely in the Brazilian Amazon and Atlantic Forest. It’s unexplainable the feeling you get near a tree that is 300 or even 500 years old.”
~Wallace Faria, Central and South America Project Manager, whl.travel

Earth Day: Give Earth a Hand

“I like this one because it shows a great concept of giving a hand to make the Earth greener. At the beginning, it expresses Human’s ambitions, focusing just on things (cars and machines) that might cause harm to the Earth and the living environment. The clip’s message, then, is that it’s time the Earth’s inhabitants should switch their needs to something more essential, without side effects like destruction and pollution.”
~Tuan Truong, content approval on the content team of WHL Group

SchoolHouse Rocks Energy

“I grew up watching Schoolhouse Rock videos and although “The Energy Blues” first aired in 1978, the video’s message remains relevant today. Energy: quit wasting it all, will ya?”
~Laura Fornadel, Asia and the Pacific Project Manager, whl.travel

Home

(embedding disabled — click title to view on YouTube)
“With breathtaking footage of earth juxtaposed with astonishing images of defilement, Home takes us on a journey through human history and our ever-changing relationship with our planet. Sit back and get comfortable. This is a full-length documentary.”
~Ashley Hiemenz, product development at Gunyah

We would love to hear about other inspiring video clips about our earth. Share your links and thoughts below in the comment section.

In this spirit and in keeping with a company vision to help build a sustainable and responsible travel industry, Green Path Transfers launched a bit more than a month ago as a global provider of eco-friendly airport transfers and ground transportation.

Global Green Chassis

As the newest subsidiary of the WHL Group, Green Path Transfers leverages five years of expertise in sustainable tourism to answer the needs of leisure and business travellers seeking cost-effective ways to reduce their carbon footprints. Through a straightforward online system showing real-time availability and returning instantly confirmed bookings, Green Path Transfers offers the competitively priced choice of local transfer operators all across the globe committed to environmental sustainability, especially through the use of low-carbon-emission fuels or engines.

Appreciating that some local partners do not yet have green-technology fleets (especially in emerging economies), Green Path Transfers has an additional 100% carbon-offset emissions policy. Through verified third-party carbon-offset organisations like atmosfair and Blue Ventures, Green Path Transfers brings customers peace of mind with the knowledge that their trips are helping to fund clean-energy projects worldwide, from solar energy programs in India to hydraulic irrigation systems for rural farmers in China.

“It’s crucial for us to embrace green and cleaner technologies and modes of transport for the long-term health of the planet,” says Adrian Cordiner, CEO of this far-reaching network of transfer operators. “As transport is a main emitter of carbon, it’s a natural place to start in order to try to make a dent in global carbon emissions.”

The ecoShuttle nine-passenger van heads into the foothills of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon. Photo courtesy of ecoShuttle

Local Green Wheels

As a truly global network of existing service-minded transfer and ground transportation businesses, Green Path Transfers unifies its local partners around a goal to go ‘green’. This takes places without losing sight of maintaining top-quality fleets that assure comfort, quality and competency, even (sometimes against expectations) in the cases where they consist of low-carbon-emissions vehicles run on alternative-fuel engine systems.

The green technology currently in use by Green Path Transfers partners includes:

• vehicles powered by recycled vegetable oil by Portland, Oregon’s ecoShuttle and San Diego, California’s Wherever Shuttle;
• engines running on renewable, non-toxic and all-natural fuels like biodiesel and ethanol in Colorado’s Vail Valley by Green Limousine, Il Viaggio Travel in Costa Rica, and Executive Transportation in Denver, Colorado;
• Ultra-Low and Super Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicles (ULEVs and SULEVs) and alternative-fuel cars using compressed natural gas (CNG) by Los Angeles-based Naturalimo and San Francisco-centred Green Carpet Limousine;
• hybrids on the streets of Toronto under the Eco Taxi label and the calles of Barcelona with Taxi Ecológico.

Going the Whole Green Distance

Green Path Transfers is currently operational in nearly 40 destinations around the world, but contracted to begin service in many more with a target of reaching 100-plus by the end of 2011. This is aided by Green Path Transfers’ discovery of small ground-transportation and transfers operators, often at the very local level, with clean-technology vehicles and/or a desire to move in that direction.

“In designing the airport transfers business, we noted the increasing number of ‘green’ transfer and taxi companies appearing around the world and had the idea to try and bring as many of these into one big global family as we could,” commented Cordiner in a Tnooz Tlabs Showcase of Green Path Transfers. “Doing this we could leverage our collective presence to push a very visible green transfer option to the world. We also saw the chance to take the learning from the developed world to support those in the developing world who were keen to learn about green options but had no access to learning.”

Seth Bounds, CEO of Green Limousine, stands near a Chevrolet Tahoe hybrid before stunning Vail Valley scenery in Colorado

An important goal is then to give “them access to the technology to plug them into global markets.”

“Every little bit helps,” Cordiner adds. “We hope that, by being an industry leader in the use and support of cleaner technology, both in transfers and through offsets, we will inspire others to follow suit.”

Meeting Green Needs

Green Path Transfers is designed for conscientious travellers and businesses keen to hit the road confident that, for rates equal to those of other global providers, their travel to and from airports, ship ports, bus stations, train stations and border crossings, as well as between cities and countries, is in good hands and that they’ve made a beneficial earth-conscious choice.

Perfectly aligned with businesses that have clearly defined Corporate Social Responsibility policies that extend to their choice of suppliers, Green Path Transfers and its strong commitment to environmental sustainability are clear winners.

Leading travel providers, travel agencies and reservations specialists will find even more reasons and incentives to work with Green Path Transfers, including a green transportation alternative offered at competitive prices; the convenience of one central point of contact for contracting and invoicing of a global product; the comfort of full insurance coverage; and attractive commissions for distribution partners.

To learn more about Green Path Transfers and how be part of carbon-neutral travel arrangements that emphasise green technology, visit www.GreenPathTransfers.com.

To be clear: It’s not true.

It’s a prank blog post. In case this is new to you: In many parts of the world, April 1 is called April Fools’ Day, a celebration of practical jokes and foolishness.

We at The Travel Word figured we would enjoy the fun and, perhaps, inspire you to scratch your heads for just a moment, to wonder whether we could be so cheeky and the OED so easily swayed.

We like to think that the former might be true, but certainly not the latter.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/I, IvoShandor

That said, while the specifics of what was written are a fabrication, the underlying concern is genuine: How can the tourism industry as a whole (and the alternative niche in particular) work to draw mainstream tourists and travellers away form unsustainable and painfully disrespectful types of travel?

Let’s look at the extremes of the spectrum. At one end we find conventional tourism, which has for a couple of decades focussed almost exclusively on visitors’ needs, sometimes at the expense of the host communities and sometimes to the point of actually replicating ‘safe’ environments in secure enclosures sealed off from native influences. At the other, responsible, sustainable and local travel (among others) are about connecting with local people, being sensitive to the local environment, respecting local heritage and culture, and spending money locally.

Which way does it make sense for the great majority should lean? I think it’s obvious.

But why is it proving so hard to tip the balance in the direction of what seems so objectively right?

These are questions commonly debated both on The Travel Word (Has the Whole Ecotourism Industry Shot Itself in the Foot?, The Travel 3.0 Era – Local Travel and Why Local Travel? Because We Can Make a Real Difference ) and in plenty of other places.

We will continue to raise them here. We will also not tire of sharing good news of the powerful, meaningful and exemplary travel experiences that are illustrations of the best way forward. The answers to our questions are all around us. We just need to help more people see them.

More importantly, despite the profusion of enticing labels, this kind of nature- and people-conscious travel still represents only a fraction of the overall tourism industry receipts, even when assessed in the aggregate.

Today, however, in a travel-and-tourism first expected literally to turn the industry on its head and mainline the marginal, the WHL Group announced a sweeping shift in paradigm.

Photo courtesy of Flickr/greeblie

Getting in the Good Word

The WHL Group is the largest local-travel company in the world, a key travel-planning and travel-booking tool for ‘alternative’ and independent travellers. After more than a year of backchannel negotiations, a select WHL Group team has been working in secret for the past three months with representatives of none other than the Oxford English Dictionary to rejigger terms that define tourism.

While some of the changes are as small as minor tweaks to industry-specific adjectives, others have resulted in alterations to canonical common nouns.

“It’s been an incredible and enriching challenge to spar with the OED’s gurus of logodaedaly,” said the leading representative of the WHL Group, who asked not to use her name for fear of industry retaliation. “It’s been like fiddling with the foundations of the Westminster Palace without damaging any part of the structure above… until it’s too late.”

“They’re no sesquipedalians,” acknowledged her equally secretive OED counterpart, “but we have been impressed with the WHL Group’s determination to help bring about real and lasting positive change to the world by doing more than just appealing to the traveller’s conscience. These days that sadly apparently no longer suffices.”

Casting a Wider Word Net

The guiding impulse behind the adjustments is to abruptly expunge any stigma or misunderstanding of any form of ‘alternative’ travel by expanding the meanings of the words themselves to be more inclusive and shift the balance of power to the fringe by declaring it the new point of focus.

“The idea is to jury-rig words so that the responsible and ethical qualities of ‘alternative’ travel englobe mainstream travellers who haven’t heard of, or perhaps willfully ignore, the importance of being responsible when they travel,” commented the WHL Group representative. “Now they can travel just as they always have – with a blind eye to the world around them – but still fit under the ‘alternative’ umbrella. It’s a face-saver for unconscientious travellers and a huge boon to the responsible travel industry.”

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/Booksworm

Although the full details of the changes have not been released – the authors of the adaptations prefer to leave the discovery to chance over the course of time – an initial but cursory analysis of a few words has revealed the following:

• local – the distinction between small districts and whole states or countries has been eliminated; being a local now simply means living on the planet earth
• nature – already defined as the external world in its entirety, the sense of ‘external’ has been expanded to include anything that touches air, including manmade constructions
• fair – in examples like paying a ‘fair price’ or buying ‘Fair Trade’, the emphasis had been on honesty and adequacy; it now hinges on the notion of vulnerability to attack or ridicule (as in fair game)
• sustainable – the key notion of a resource not being depleted or damaged has now been supplanted by the broad catch-pot of mainstream methods by which depletion and damage can be avoided

At a Loss for Words

When asked about the breaking news, a mass-tourism representative, who, in light of the image-tarnishing spittle on his lapel, felt that he should remain anonymous, frothily sputtered, “This is completely absurd. You can’t just one day decide that ‘up’ is ‘down’ or that ‘mainstream’ is ‘peripheral.’ These are tectonic disruptions. We’ve budgeted the kind of money – millions of dollars – that only we can afford as way to stake out the centre. One renegade group can’t then press a mere pushpin into different ground and high-handedly say ‘Hey guys, you dropped your stake in the wrong middle. We’ve moved it over here.’ That’s just unethical.”

Chuckling contentedly at this reaction to the carefully orchestrated etymological volte-face, both the WHL Group and OED parties beamed. “It’s good to be the underdog,” mused the WHL Group representative, who noted with pride that one new meaning of the word ‘underdog’ is ‘overlord.’