How to Plan Eco-Friendly Travel

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The dawning of the commercial jet age in 1958 revolutionized travel. But at the same time, it made journeys less eco-friendly than in the days of ships, propeller and piston-engine aircraft, and other less fuel-intensive means of getting around. (See References 1) If you want to be an eco-friendly travel planner, you can find ways to blend jet-age convenience with responsibility to the planet. You might be surprised at how many options you have to maintain your "home" values of eco-friendliness on the road.

Find your hotel in Barcelona on a city map and book online.
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Eco-friendly travel tips

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Traveling is a great opportunity to see the world and experience other cultures. Whether you’re traveling domestically or going abroad, there’s always something to learn when leaving your comfort zone and seeing how people in other areas live.

Travel can also be a way to learn about protecting the environment. Parents traveling with children can use their trip to teach kids about how to travel in an eco-friendly way, while executives traveling on business also can take steps to reduce their carbon footprint while on the road. The following are a handful of tips for those people who want … Read the rest

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10 New Eco-Friendly Travel Gadgets

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Call us cranky, jealous of yesteryear’s freewheeling jet-setters, or just plain old-fashioned, but these days, “getting away from it all“ just doesn’t feel the same. Courtesy of 2008’s ADD-afflicted world of buzzing BlackBerries, text-messaging iPhones, and jangling Bluetooth headsets, even pleasure seekers can seldom afford to unplug from the grid.

With 71 percent of Americans determined to shrink their carbon footprint, but only 18 percent of the nation’s annual 2.5 million tons of consumer electronics waste being recycled, what’s today’s eco-enlightened traveler to do?Happily for those tired of getting the stink eye every time they innocently whip out their … Read the rest

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The Middle East: to go or not to go?

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Egypt

Travel can now continue as normal. Security has improved significantly.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO, fco.gov.uk): The travel ban has been lifted, but a few warnings are still in place. Avoid public gatherings and disturbances (particularly on Fridays, when most take place). Adhere to the midnight-6am curfew currently in place nationwide except for the Red Sea resorts and Luxor.

Tourist board: It is business as usual, with hotels and resorts operating normally. All cultural sites are open. There are no areas in Cairo that should be avoided (egypt.travel).

Tour operators: Lots of deals available to encourage tourists to … Read the rest

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How to plan a trek along the Abraham Path

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A new series of walking trails through the Middle East is opening up trekking opportunities in a region more often seen solely as a historical destination. The Abraham Path traces the journey of the Prophet Abraham (revered as the father of monotheism by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike) from his birthplace in Sanl?urfa, Turkey, to his final resting place at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Traversing little-visited rural areas, half-forgotten ruins, and glorious, sweeping countryside, walking part of this trail shines a spotlight on the cultural and natural diversity of this ancient … Read the rest

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The Negev desert wine route

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Like most Middle Eastern deserts, the Negev is usually associated with sand, rock and the odd camel. However, this seemingly dry and arid region in southern Israel is now home to a burgeoning wine route, thanks to a group of pioneering 21st-century farmers and their use of computerized drip irrigation.

The Negev gets less than 100mm of rain per year, most of which is washed away in flash floods down mountainsides, so the use of irrigation is not necessarily new. The Nabataeans – the ancient desert nomads who built their capital in Petra in the Hellenistic period – were … Read the rest

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Snow causes more travel and school disruption

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Heavy snow is causing travel problems for a second day, with schools shut, roads closed, and trains - including Eurostar services - cancelled.

The cross-Channel train operator said it had cancelled all services due to bad weather in France and Belgium.

Air travel is also being disrupted due to snow in parts of Europe, and Jersey and Guernsey airports remain closed.

Meanwhile, hundreds of schools across East and West Sussex, Kent and the Channel Islands are closed.

Eurostar, which runs trains between London, Paris and Brussels, has advised passengers not to go to their departure station for the remainder … Read the rest

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Snow causes travel and power disruption

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A man has died as severe wintry weather disrupted transport and power supplies across much of the UK.

The body of the 27-year-old man was found in deep snow in farmland near Burnley in Lancashire, police said.

A number of roads and airports were shut and many sport fixtures cancelled, after Friday's snow left some motorists trapped in their vehicles overnight.

A Met Office warning of snow covers Northern Ireland, much of England, northern Wales and south-west Scotland.

The body of the man, who has not been named, was found by a farmer in Brierfield, near Burnley, Lancashire, at … Read the rest

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Snow Report: Look north for next season’s top ski destinations

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The current ski season is in full swing, and still looking good for snow cover almost everywhere, but already news for 2013-14 is starting to appear.

The big announcement, so far, is that a new gondola link from the Arlberg region of Lech and St Anton will connect to the ski slopes of Warth, creating one of the world's five biggest ski areas with 340km of piste.

The large tour operators already have their 2013-14 programmes on sale, and are announcing their new destination choices. There's a common theme: Scandinavia.

Before charter air travel and fast French motorways arrived … Read the rest

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Heavy snow and flooding bring travel disruption to UK

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Britain faces a day of severe disruption as heavy snow, flooding and blizzard conditions blight the country.

Emergency services are already responding to a surge in weather-related call-outs, with government agencies issuing a string of warnings urging the public to take care on the roads.

More flooding is expected in the south-west as Thursday's heavy rain continues to pour throughout the day and overnight.

Snow is expected to blanket everywhere north of the M4 corridor, with up to 20cm (8in) hitting the worst-affected areas of north-west England, north Wales and south-west Scotland.

Higher areas could even see up to … Read the rest

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Snowboarders have always copped a raw deal

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I must disclaim I am a skier but that doesn't mean I have any more "right" to be on the mountain than a snowboarder.

Snowboarders started life as chairlift crashers sneaking into ski resorts after last lifts to try their hand on the snow from which they were originally banned. When resorts finally understood they, like skiers, were just looking to enjoy the freedom of sliding down snow and let them in, along came Ross Rebagliati at the 1998 Winter Olympics.

Rebagliati won the first snowboarding Olympic gold medal in history, only to have it taken away when marijuana … Read the rest

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Top 5 Air Travel Trends

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1. Carbon offsets and carbon neutral flights
When I started talking to people about carbon offsets and carbon neutral flights at the beginning of 2007, I usually was greeted by puzzled looks. Now, in the course of just a few months, the greening of air travel is a much better known concept and a lot of airlines are offering options to purchase carbon offsets to neutralize their affect on the environment by contributing to a wind power project or tree planting for example. A few airlines even include the cost of carbon offsets in their ticket prices, and even … Read the rest

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Carbon Neutral Flights

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Air travel has long been lambasted, particularly by environmental groups, for the amount of gas emissions that flights release into the atmosphere, and contributing to global warming. There is a growing movement to make a smaller environmental imprint, by becoming carbon neutral - effectively paying for the pollution we cause by contributing to projects that do not contribute noxious gas and toxins into the environment. The air travel industry has begun to join this trend.

Global warming is believed to be mainly caused by carbon dioxide emissions that are released when using fossil fuels such as coal, gas and … Read the rest

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Air Travel and the Environment – Climate Crisis, Climate Change and Carbon Taxes

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The impact of air travel and the environment is increasingly being noted by air travelers and also by airlines. In an effort to reduce the damage caused by air travel, a few airlines are looking at carbon offsets of their own, to neutralize the effects of their flights on the environment. As travelers, there are hundreds of projects that you can buy carbon offsets to neutralize your footprint on the global climate.

Several major airlines in the US have no carbon offsetting plans. However, these are the carbon offset programs and options available through the major airlines in the … Read the rest

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Air Travel Trends Report

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Whether you think 2012 has been a good or bad year for air travel likely depends on where you stand—or, to be more precise, where you’re flying from.

The past two years have seen a basic reordering of priorities among major airlines. Fueled by financial uncertainties and volatile oil prices, they’ve decreased capacity by about 11 percent in the past five years, and are focusing on routes that provide the highest revenue, especially those that most efficiently feed into the growing number of big domestic hubs with high-yield international business traffic. At the same time, brand-name airlines are increasingly … Read the rest

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Circuit: Torres del Paine and San Pedro de Atacama, a unique experience

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Ten days of a world wide unique contrast : San Pedro de Atacama, located in the worldwide driest desert and Torres del Paine Nacional Park : a wonder of mother nature, between rivers, lakes and glaciers. An incredible experience
Itinerary

Validity: October to March.

Departures: Under request.

Day 01: Santiago

Reception at Santiago airport. Transfer to Hotel. Lodging.

Day 02: Punta Arenas – Otway Penguin colony - Puerto Natales

(we recommend the first flight to reach Punta Arenas before 12:00 hrs.). Reception at the Punta Arenas. At 16:00 hrs. app. visit to Otway pinguin colony at 15:30 hrs (visit … Read the rest

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Circuit: Santiago, Easter island and Lakes Crossing to Bariloche

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Complete 12 days circuit visiting attractions such as Santiago, Concha y Toro and Santa Rita vineyards, Easter island and Chile Lakes district, where we’ll begin the wonderful lakes crossing through the Andes Mountains range until Bariloche, Argentina.
Itinerary

Day 01: Santiago City Tour

Reception at Santiago airport. Transfer to choosen hotel
City tour in Santiago visiting the main tourist attractions, such as, old district, Club Hipico, San Francisco church built between 1572 and 1618. Government Palace, Main square, Central Post office, Santa Lucia Hill founded in 1541, majesticly located in the center of the city. The trip follows until … Read the rest

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Circuit: The Best of Chile : Torres del Paine, Lakes and Atacama Desert

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The best of Chile in only one full circuit, visiting Lakes district, South Patagonia and worldwide driest desert, the Atacama desert. A travel program with a unique contrast and extreme landscapes.
Itinerary

Day 01 Santiago City Tour

Reception at Santiago airport. Transfer to choosen hotel
City tour in Santiago visiting the main tourist attractions, such as, old district, Club Hipico, San Francisco church built between 1572 and 1618. Government Palace, Main square, Central Post office, Santa Lucia Hill founded in 1541, majesticly located in the center of the city. The trip follows until San Cristobal Hill where a panoramic … Read the rest

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Circuit: Santiago, Valparaiso and Easter Island

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Eight days circuit visiting the Chilean Central Valley and the mystic Easter island. City tour by Santiago, excursion to Valparaiso port and Veramonte Vineyard, finishing in the middle of the pacific ocean, at Easter island.
Itinerary

Day 01: Santiago City Tour

Reception at Santiago airport. Transfer to choosen hotel
City tour in Santiago visiting the main tourist attractions, such as, old district, Club Hipico, San Francisco church built between 1572 and 1618. Government Palace, Main square, Central Post office, Santa Lucia Hill founded in 1541, majesticly located in the center of the city. The trip follows until San Cristobal … Read the rest

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Canary Islands

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The following islands make up the Canary chain:
Gran Canaria — The largest island by population, its capital city (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) has the shared title of capital of the Canaries. Green and steep in the north, dry and flat in the south.
Fuerteventura — windsurfer's mecca
Lanzarote — Low lying and arid, with a spectacular volcanic landscape in the west of the island (National Park of Timanfaya). The capital is Arrecife and has its own airport (ACE code). Lanzarote is also of volcanic origin. The island, along with others, emerged after the breakup of the African … Read the rest

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FRUGAL TRAVELER; A Canary Island, Away From the Flock

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IF there is such a thing as tourist hell, it might look something like the view from my taxi as I rode from Tenerife Sur airport in the Canary Islands to the ferry dock: a wall of anonymous concrete-box condos along a beach covered with a thousand blue deck chairs, lined up like parading soldiers. I smiled, for this tourist was only passing through on her way to a place she was pretty sure would be paradise, just an hour's hydrofoil ride away.

The Canary Islands, which belong to Spain, have become well known as a haven for mass … Read the rest

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Lanzarote

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WHY GO NOW Lanzarote's other-worldly volcanic landscape is one of the most dramatic on the planet and is in danger of being consumed by package-deal tourism. While vast expanses of Lanzarote are protected by a national park and several preserves and Unesco designated it a Reserve of the Biosphere in 1994, there is still the quiet creep of development.

The easternmost of the Canary Islands, part of Spain about 100 miles off the coast of Africa, Lanzarote is nearly 40 miles long, culturally rich and blessed with an average temperature of 72 degrees, which may be why its expatriate … Read the rest

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Asia: Nine Raffles Hotels showcase local artistry

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In Singapore, guests view paintings by emerging artists; in Cambodia, they can catch a puppet show; in the Seychelles, they see work by a painter, the only one on the island of Praslin.

It’s all part of the local art scene on display at the nine Raffles Hotels & Resorts.

“Art is very much in the DNA of Raffles,” said Diana Banks, vice president of sales and marketing. “We encourage our hotels and our hotel partners to develop a concept for their art collection that reflects local culture, and to be in character with Raffles’ nature of authenticity and … Read the rest

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Daily Deal: Malaysia and Bali from $1,999 a person

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Sayang Holidays, in conjunction with Tourism Malaysia, is offering the Wonderful Malaysia with Bali package for travelers to visit Malaysia and Bali, starting at $1,999 per person.

The deal: For a limited time travelers can book an eight-day, six-night package to Malaysia and Bali starting at $1,999. The price is per person, based on double occupancy, and includes round-trip economy flights on Singapore Airlines, accommodations for three nights in Kuala Lumpur at Hotel Novotel, and accommodations for three nights in Bali at Aston Bali Beach Resort and Spa.

The package price also includes airfare from Kuala Lumpur to Bali, … Read the rest

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