The Bangladesh Tourism Expansion Forum (BTEF) is organizing a celebration of International Mountain Day 2005 on 11 December in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A colourful rally with the participation of tribal and city people will be organized and followed by a focussed discussion on the significance of International Mountain Day. The programme for the Day in Bangladesh has been devised in association with The Back Packers Community and Bangla Mountaineers and Trekkers Club (BMTC). More
Celebrating International Mountain Day in Italy
The Italian Department of Regional Affairs is organizing a series of celebrations to observe International Mountain Day 2005.
In the morning of 30 November, people or institutions who have made outstanding contributions to sustainable mountain development in Italy will be honoured by the president of the Republic of Italy during a ceremony at the Quirinale. In the afternoon, a panel discussion on this year’s theme – ‘Sustainable Tourism for Poverty Alleviation in Mountain Areas’ will be held at FAO headquarters in Rome. Italy’s Piedmont Region is the host of the Olympic Winter Games 2006 and representatives of the Torino Olympic Committee will participate at the FAO event.
In Palermo, Sicily, the day will be celebrated with an event entitled “Mountains in town” and will be followed by a panel discussion on the future of the mountains in the Mediterranean region.
On 11 December, the actual date designated by the UN as International Mountain Day, Alpine choirs will sing traditional songs in various piazze in Rome to raise awareness of the great variety of mountain cultures in the Italian alpine region. One of the highlights of the observance on 11 December will be a prize-giving ceremony by the Italian Minister of Regional Affairs is going to five projects that have contributed to the development of sustainable mountain tourism during 2005.
Ecotourism Emerging Industry Forum.(1-18 November, 2005). The on-line forum is organized by Planeta and is designed to provide professionally moderated, up-to-date results on small and medium enterprise (SME) priorities for funding and investment decisions for sustainable tourism in developing countries. More than 100 people have registered for this innovative on-line forum. More
The Ecotourism Society of Kenya (ESOK) held a National Ecotourism Conference in Nairobi, from 1st – 3rd November 2005 to review the status of ecotourism in Kenya. The theme of the conference is “Retracing the Eco-path”. Presentations have been structured to highlight the approaches that facilitate effective connections between local communities, the business of ecotourism, the clients, the product and the environment. More
Tourism management in the Alps – Free market or unspoiled nature? National conference and discussion.(Berne, Switzerland 4 November 2005). The Swiss Alpine Museum in Berne is celebrating its 100th anniversary. During the last century the Alpine region has undergone major changes: for economic reasons, new settlements have been continuously constructed away from traditionally inhabited areas. The Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) and Swiss Alpine Studies (ICAS) are using this anniversary as an opportunity to discuss tourism development in the Alpine region. More
Ecotourism Australia’s 13th National Conference with the theme, “Ecotourism: Creating Unforgettable Natural Experiences”, will be held in Tasmania from 28 November to 2 December 2005. More
The 2006 Tourism and Migration Conference will be organized by Planeta (dates will be announced in early 2006). Tourism enterprises are increasingly considered as an alternative to migration and a vehicle to alleviate poverty in developing economies. Likewise, tourists are staying longer in places -- blurring the distinction between tourism and migration. Participants of this conference will share information about current work and coordinate research and collaborative projects in this field. More
Tuxtla Gutiérrez, in the Chiapas region of Mexico, will play host to the second “Forum on Solidary Tourism and Fair Trade” from 23 March to 26 March 26, 2006. The main objective of ‘Chiapas 2006’ is to strengthen the international movement in favour of a more fair and equitable international trade. In addition, the fair trade movement has been built on long-standing attempts to allow consumers to choose to give producers in poor countries a better deal for agricultural products, handicrafts and tourism, in order to achieve social justice. More
Che Guevara Trail Bolivia: CARE Bolivia, the local branch of the international NGO CARE International, is opening up the Che Guevara trail in a new sustainable tourism initiative, which aims to benefit local people. More
Three peaks in Sikkim opened for climbing .Frey's Peak in West Sikkim (5,830 m), Lama Wangden Peak (5,860 m) and the Brumkhangse Peak (5,868m) in north Sikkim, India are being opened for climbing. This was announced by Sikkim Chief Minister Mr. Pawan Chamling in September 2005, on the occasion of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the successful climb of Mount Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest peak (8,586 m). More
Railway track opened between Lhasa and Beijing. A ceremony was held on 15 October 2005 in Lhasa, Tibet to celebrate the completion of this trans-railway after four years of construction. It will now be possible to travel from Beijing to Lhasa in 48 hours. The gigantic project, which has cost US$ 4.7 billion, extends 1,142 kms on the Tibetan plateau and boasts the worlds highest railway station at Tanggula, located 5,068 metres above sea level. More
Rough Guide supported by DFID (The British Department for International Development) recently published 'The Rough Guide to a better world'. This book provides a practical exploration of what it means to travel responsibly. It is available free from all UK Post Offices. More
