Clement Samson Correya asked:
India is rapidly climbing up the global tourism ladder and figures prominently among the elite class of tourism hotspots. The landscape of India is especially endowed with a resplendent geography complete with vast expanse of beaches, mountain ranges, waterfalls, whitewater rapids and an extensive network of rivers and backwaters. These geographic marvels combined with the eternal quest for adventure inherent in man have made India, a mandatory pit stop on any adventure seeker’s itinerary.
Kerala, arguably India’s most enchanting state, was recently declared as one of the 50 must-see destinations of a lifetime by National Geographic Traveler. Primarily renowned for its immense cultural contributions to the world, Kerala is steadily emerging as a world player in adventure tourism. The landscape of Kerala is dotted with innumerable mountain peaks, rivers, backwaters, lakes and other natural wonders and nowhere is this more evident than in the beautiful district of Wayanad. The terrain of this breathtaking place poses a challenge to even the most dauntless among adventure seekers.
Trekking, a staple among adventure sport activities, is indeed a challenge anywhere in the world and in Kerala, it takes on new meaning. A trek to Chembra peak, Wayanad, is generally considered a risky proposition which can take up an entire day. The peak at 2100 meters above sea level is the tallest in Wayanad and reaching it is a challenging endeavor fraught with risk, but the reward is a panoramic view of the breathtaking beauty of Wayanad. Tourists can stay for a day or two at temporary facilities maintained by the district tourism promotion council and even set up a campfire to ward off the biting chill of the night in authentic adventure style.
Rock climbing is another sport that is a permanent fixture on the adventure tourist’s to-do list. A watered down version of mountaineering, rock climbing covers a broad range of recreational, sporting and adventure activities and involves the scaling of steep rocky massifs using only one’s hands and feet. Soochipara falls, one of the four prominent waterfalls of Wayanad, is an excellent destination for rock climbing, with the cliff facade providing the ideal terrain for pursuing this exhilarating activity.
For the adventurer who prefers to take to the waters rather than staying on terra firma, Wayanad has a whole range of water-based adventure activities including rafting, canoeing, and white-water surfing. These activities are centered around the picturesque Kabini River, the rapid currents of which will ensure that budding as well as battle hardened helmsmen get their share of action, with the mesmerizing vista of the lush green forests thrown in as a bonus.
Wayanad has not yet been affected by the menace of mass tourism, and has successfully managed to retain its old world charm. The enterprising traveler can indulge his adventurous streak here with élan and be assured of a heady rush of adrenaline in this modern day Narnia.
Andrew Green asked:
Outdoor adventure travel is catching on in a big way and there is a darn fine reason for it too. There are few trips that can be taken that are better than outdoor adventure travel ones. When you are starting to get into adventure travel you have a multitude of choices to choose from and they are all as great as the next one.
Outdoor adventure travel does not have to mean traveling far away or overseas. You can probably find plenty of outdoor adventure travel right in your own area or at least near to it. Your budget does not have to put a damper on real good outdoor adventure travel. Just take some time to look around and what surrounds you and you will probably find all kinds of great and exciting things to do.
If you are having trouble finding some good ideas for your outdoor adventure travel consider talking to your local travel bureau. The thing is that we live in our hometowns and cities with no real idea of what is all around us. Since it is home we take it for granted, most of us don’t bother to investigate all that there really s to do. So check it out, chances are that you will be pleasantly surprised at all of the great outdoor adventure travel ideas that are out there available to you right now as you read.
You can also check the internet for all kind of great outdoor adventure travel ideas. You can take trips all over the world for your outdoor adventure travel if you have the money. These days you don’t even have to have a lot of money, there are hundreds of great travel deals on all year round. No matter what season it is there is a great outdoor adventure travel idea that you can take advantage for a great price, all you have to do is find it. Start looking into outdoor adventure travel on the internet today and you will find out all kinds of great tips to help you save money while you are out adventuring.
Your outdoor adventure travel can consist of all kinds of different activities. For many people outdoor adventure travel trips for skiing are a great way to get the adrenaline pumping. Skiing is fun and it is great exercise and it is full of fast paced action once you get off of the bunny hill! If you like to try things a little more daring then you can always go rock climbing or bungee jumping. They too are loads of fun and thrills. Even hiking and camping on some fantastic mountain trails is a great way to experience outdoor adventure travel.
The next time that you are interested in going on a trip or even when you have nothing to do one day, look into outdoor adventure travel and see what all there is in your area and out of your area to take part in.
Erick Laseca asked:
Elizondo took his calculations from estimates released by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Office of Homeland Security, which projected that 318,000 American travelers would cancel or fail to book trips to Mexico as a result of the passport requirement.
Given that some 5.3 million of the 21.3 million international tourists visiting Mexico in 2006 were Americans traveling by air, spending an average of US$798 per stay, the resulting US$254 million in lost revenue will amount to only 2.2 percent of the US$11.6 billion in international tourism revenues his country expected to post for the year, he explained.
Mexico’s Tourism Secretary added that the number of Americans who traveled to Mexico by air and did not have passports dropped to merely six percent by January 2007, in part due to an informational campaign launched in October 2006 by the Mexico Tourism Board with the support of tour operators, travel agents and other travel industry representatives.
The initiatives implemented or planned by Mexico to educate consumers about the United States’ new passport requirement have included news releases, micromedia flashes; information packets; consumer contests and events; and promotional materials, such as passport holders. The MTB also added the slogan “We want you back in Mexico. Please get a passport” to its advertising in an attempt to entice U.S. citizens to obtain their passports.
In addition to the Mexico Tourism Board’s efforts, destinations that receive large numbers of American tourists are also doing their part to educate Americans about the law. The Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau has launched “V.I.P., Very Important Passport” program encouraging U.S. visitors to spread the word. The campaign will include posters created for high-traffic U.S. vacationer sites that include relevant U.S. passport information and the U.S. Department of State website address. They have also distributed hundreds of thousands of informational coupons about the new passport requirement, some of which are imprinted by local retailers with an individual message of their own, ranging from a discount to special value offer.
“Our campaign will reach virtually every American visitor vacationing in Cancun for the next three months,” said Artemio Santos, chief executive officer for the Cancun CVB. “We are providing tourism businesses like hotels, restaurants, shops, and attractions with the necessary information and tools to reach visitors to Cancun several times during an individual vacationer’s stay. This is a destination-wide undertaking,” said Santos.
Tour operators and travel agents are also strategizing to educate their customers on the new law. Funjet, one of the top U.S. tour operators for Mexico, has created an online program to inform travel agents on the new requirements and how to reach out to their customers proactively regarding passports. The program includes guidelines for organizing “passport parties” for consumers, designed to facilitate passport processing for people who have traveled to Mexico in the past with other forms of identification. Additionally, Apple Vacations has initiated a promotion for a free passport with the slogan, “You fly, we buy.”
The WHTI will not go into effect until 2008 for cruise passengers and 2009 for road travelers. For more information, please visit http://travel.state.gov/passport and www.visitmexico.com.
About the Mexico Tourism Board
The Mexico Tourism Board (MTB) brings together the resources of federal and state governments, municipalities and private companies to promote Mexico’s tourism attractions and destinations internationally. Created in 1999, the MTB is Mexico’s tourism promotion agency, and its participants include members of both the private and public sectors. The MTB has offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America.
FOR PRESS ONLY: For additional ideas, help with a story or general travel and tourism information about Mexico, please contact the MTB’s North American Press Room directly at 1-800-929-4555, by e-mail at northamericanpress@visitmexico.com, or visit our press Web site at www.visitmexicopress.com. To access an online warehouse of free, downloadable b-roll, visit www.thenewsmarket.com/visitmexicopress.
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Erick Laseca
Mexico Tourism Board
312-228-0517 x14
312-228-0515 fax
erick.laseca@bm.com
http://www.visitmexicopress.com
