Travel: 06/09/08

2008/09/06

Campus tour

College Campus Tour is a marketing tool used by the University and/or College to show the campus to prospective students and others interested in the facility. The tours are usually Guided Campus Walking Tours, where the guides are students of the school. In the walking tours, a group of 10-30 visitors are guided by usually one student guide - who typically walk ahead of the group facing the group (walking backwards). The tour typically lasts 30-90 minutes. Other types of tours are Online Tour Online photographic Tour Self Guided Tour Podcast Tour Campus Tours are usually free, as they are marketing initiative by the institution. The student tour guides selected for this job are usually the ones who have high respect for the institution. For prospective students, some schools (especially private), encourage visitors to share meals with the current students. Visiting housing facility is part of general campus Tours. Some tours might include sit in class as part of the tour. Tour guides, some times, informally poll the visitors of the purpose of the visit and find out any specific questions prior to the tour, so that these items are explicitly covered. Campus Tour is another occasion for the institution to share the culture and brag about the healthy revelry with competing institutions - usually in close proximity.

Wine tourism

Wine tourism refers to tourism whose purpose is or includes the tasting, consumption, or purchase of wine, often at or near the source. Wine tourism can consist of visits to wineries, vineyards, and restaurants known to offer unique vintages, as well as organized wine tours, wine festivals, or other special events. Many wine regions around the world have found it financially beneficial to promote such tourism; accordingly, growers associations and others in the hospitality industry in wine regions have spent significant amounts of money over the years to promote such tourism. This is true not only to "Old World" producers (such as Spain, France or Italy), but also for the so-called "New World wine" regions (such as Australia, Argentina, or Chile), where wine-tourism plays an important role in advertising their products. In Argentina, for example, the Mendoza Province is slowly becoming one of the top tourist destinations in the country as Argentine wine strides to gain international recognition. The National Wine Centre of Australia is a tourism venue that showcases the entire Australian wine industry. It is an education hub for tourists, the general public and full time students. The National Wine Centre is a teaching centre for wine-related academic programs of The University of Adelaide, Australia. The University of Adelaide, "the wine university", is one of the top two educators in the world for wine studies along with the University of California - Davis. Flinders University in Australia offers a degree program in food and wine tourism.

Volunteer vacation

Volunteer vacations are vacations which include some activities focused on furthering a charitable cause for which the participant receives no remuneration. The types of volunteer vacations are diverse, from low-skill work cleaning up local wildlife areas to providing high-skill medical aid in a foreign country. Originally most volunteer vacations were undertaken by people with a direct connection to a particular cause and were considered more as short term, intense volunteer projects rather than vacations. [1] Many of these organizations were long-standing international development assistance organizations which placed short-term volunteers on community development project sites. During the 1990s the travel industry developed niche products and firms to provide volunteer vacations to people who had no previous experience with a cause, and to cater to the increasing number of young people taking gap years.[citation needed] These providers expanded the market but also drew criticism for the impact of their methods. At the same time, the first edition of "Volunteer Vacations" by Bill McMillon was published, featuring under 200 non-profit organizations which facilitated such service opportunities. According to the Travel Industry Association of America, more than 55 million Americans have participated in a volunteer vacation, and about 100 million more are considering taking one. [2] While some experts on volunteerism welcome the expansion of volunteer vacations as an opportunity to provide more resources to projects and to encourage a volunteer ethic in people,[citation needed] others have pointed out that the business methods used by tour operators, such as exclusivity deals, and catering to the needs of the volunteer rather than the volunteer project, exploit the communities the projects are intended to help. [3]

Staycation

A staycation (or stay-cation, or stacation) is a period of time in which an individual or family stays at home and relaxes at home or takes day trips from their home to area attractions. Staycations have achieved high popularity in current hard economic times in which unemployment levels and gas prices are high[1][2]. Common activities of a staycation include use of the backyard pool, visits to local parks and museums, and attendance at local festivals [edit] Etymology The word "staycation" is a portmanteau of stay (meaning stay-at-home) and vacation[3][4]. The term "daycation" is also sometimes used[2]. The word "staycation" may have been coined by Canadian comedian Brent Butt. [5] The term is central to the plot of an episode of Butt's hit Canadian television comedy series Corner Gas. In the episode "Mail Fraud," Butt's character, who owns a gas station in the small town of Dog River, sends postcards to family and friends which appear to be from various exotic locales. In reality, however, he is actually on "staycation" in a field across the street. The episode originally aired in October 2005. [edit] Benefits of a staycation Staycations are far less costly than a vacation involving traveling. There are no lodging costs and travel expenses are minimal. Costs may include gasoline for local trips, dining, and local attractions[6]. "The American Automobile Association said the average North American vacation will cost $244 per day for two people for lodging and meals... Add some kids and airfare, and a 10-day vacation could top $10,000"[6]. Staycations do not have the stress associated with travel, such as packing, long drives, or waits at airports [7]. Staycations may be of economic benefit to some local businesses, who get customers from the area providing them with business. [edit] Risks of a staycation As staycationers are close to their places of employment, they may be tempted to go to work at least part of the time, and their bosses may feel their employees are available to be called into work. Staycationers also have access to their email at home as they would regularly, allowing them to be contacted, and feeling the temptation to keep up with this contact[7]. Staycationers may spend money they had not planned as retailers and other advertisers offer "deals" to encourage staycationers to spend money[8][9]. These may include hotels making package deals in hopes of luring planned staycationers to do some travel

Sustainable tourism

Sustainable tourism is a form of tourism that follows the principles of sustainability. Sustainable tourism in its purest sense, is an industry committed to making a low impact on the natural environment and local culture, while helping to generate income and employment for locals.[1] Global economists forecast continuing international tourism growth, ranging between three and six percent annually, depending on the location. As one of the world's largest and fastest growing industries, this continuous growth will place great stress on remaining biologically diverse habitats and indigenous cultures, which are often used to support mass tourism. Tourists who promote sustainable tourism are sensitive to these dangers and seek to protect tourist destinations, and to protect tourism as an industry. Sustainable tourists can reduce the impact of tourism in many ways, including: informing themselves of the culture, politics, and economy of the communities visited anticipating and respecting local cultures' expectations and assumptions contributing to intercultural understanding and tolerance supporting the integrity of local cultures by favoring businesses which conserve cultural heritage and traditional values supporting local economies by purchasing local goods and participating with small, local businesses conserving resources by seeking out businesses that are environmentally conscious, and by using the least possible amount of non-renewable resources Increasingly, destinations and tourism operations are endorsing and following "responsible tourism" as a pathway towards sustainable tourism. Responsible tourism and sustainable tourism have an identical goal, that of sustainable development. The pillars of responsible tourism are therefore the same as those of sustainable tourism – environmental integrity, social justice and economic development. The major difference between the two is that, in responsible tourism, individuals, organisations and businesses are asked to take responsibility for their actions and the impacts of their actions. This shift in emphasis has taken place because some stakeholders feel that insufficient progress towards realising sustainable tourism has been made since the Earth Summit in Rio. This is partly because everyone has been expecting others to behave in a sustainable manner. The emphasis on responsibility in responsible tourism means that everyone involved in tourism – government, product owners and operators, transport operators, community services, NGO’s and CBO’s, tourists, local communities, industry associations – are responsible for achieving the goals of responsible tourism.[citation needed] [edit] Ecotourism Further information: Ecotourism Ecotourism, also known as ecological tourism, is a form of Sustainable Tourism, differing by its focus on ecology. Ecotourism focuses on volunteering, personal growth, and learning new ways to live on the planet; typically involving travel to destinations where flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. Responsible ecotourism includes programs that minimize the negative aspects of conventional tourism on the environment, and enhance the cultural integrity of local people. Therefore, in addition to evaluating environmental and cultural factors, an integral part of ecotourism is in the promotion of recycling, energy efficiency, water conservation, and creation of economic opportunities for the local communities.[2] Such changes have become a statement affirming one's social identity, educational sophistication, and disposable income as it has about preserving the Amazon rainforest or the Caribbean reef for posterity.[3][4] [edit] Coastal tourism Many coastal areas are experiencing particular pressure from seachange growth in lifestyles and growing numbers of tourists. Coastal environments are limited in extent consisting of only a narrow strip along the edge of the ocean. Coastal areas are often the first environments to experience the detrimental impacts of tourism. Planning and management controls can reduce the impact on coastal environments [5] and ensure that investment into tourism products supports sustainable coastal tourism. [6] [edit] Community-based management There has been the promotion of sustainable tourism practices surrounding the management of tourist locations by locals or more concisely, the community. This form of tourism is based on the premise that the people living next to a resource are the ones best suited to protecting it. This means that the tourism activities and businesses are developed and operated by local community members, and certainly with their consent and support. Sustainable tourism typically involves the conservation of resources that are capitalized upon for tourism purposes, such as coral reefs and pristine forests. Locals run the businesses and are responsible for promoting the conservation messages to protect their environment. Community-based sustainable tourism (CBST) associates the success of the sustainability of the ecotourism location to the management practices of the communities who are directly or indirectly dependent on the location for their livelihoods. A salient feature of CBST is that local knowledge is usually utilised alongside wide general frameworks of ecotourism business models. This allows the participation of locals at the management level and typically allows a more intimate understanding of the environment. The use of local knowledge also means an easier entry level into a tourism industry for locals whose jobs or livelihoods are affected by the use of their environment as tourism locations. The involvement of locals restores the ownership of the environment to the local community and allows an alternative sustainable form of development for communities and their environments that are typically unable to support other forms of development.[citation needed] [edit] Stakeholders Stakeholders of sustainable tourism play a role in continuing this form of tourism. This can include organizations as well as individuals. [edit] Non-governmental organizations Non-governmental organizations are one of the stakeholders in advocating sustainable tourism. Their roles can range from spearheading sustainable tourism practices to simply doing research. University research teams and scientists can be roped in to aid in the process of planning. Such solicitation of research can be observed in the planning of Cat Ba National Park in Vietnam. Dive resort operators in Bunaken National Park, Indonesia, play a crucial role but developing exclusive zones for diving and fishing respectively, such that both tourists and locals can benefit from the venture Large conventions, meetings and other major organized events drive the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Cities and convention centers compete to attract such commerce, commerce which has heavy impacts on resource use and the environment. Major sporting events, such as the Olympic Games, present special problems regarding environmental burdens and degradation. But burdens imposed by the regular convention industry can be vastly more significant. Green conventions and events are a new but growing sector and marketing point within the convention and hospitality industry. More environmentally aware organizations, corporations and government agencies are now seeking more sustainable event practices, greener hotels, restaurants and convention venues, and more energy efficient or climate neutral travel and ground transportation. Additionally, some convention centers have begun to take direct action in reducing the impact of the conventions they host. One example is the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California, which has a very aggressive recycling program, a large solar power system, and other programs aimed at reducing impact and increasing efficiency. [edit] Tourists With the advent of the internet, some traditional conventions are being replaced with virtual conventions, where the attendees remain in their home physical location and "attend" the convention by use of a web-based interface programmed for the task. This sort of "virtual" meeting eliminates all of the impacts associated with travel, accommodation, food wastage, and other necessary impacts of traditional, physical conventions. Travel over long distances requires a large amount of time and/or energy. Generally this involves burning fossil fuels, a largely unsustainable practice and one that contributes to climate change, via CO2 emissions. Air travel is perhaps the worst offender in this regard, contributing to between 2 and 3% of global carbon emissions [7]. Given a business-as-usual approach, this could be expected to rise to 5% by 2015 and 10% by 2050. Car travel is the next worst offender. Mass transport is the most climate friendly method of travel, and generally the rule is "the bigger the better" - compared to cars, buses are relatively more sustainable, and trains and ships are even more so. Human energy and renewable energy are the most efficient, and hence, sustainable. Travel by bicycle, solar powered car, or sailing boat produces no carbon emissions (although the embodied energy in these vehicles generally comes at the expense of carbon emission).[citation needed]

Space tourism

Space tourism is the recent phenomenon of tourists paying for flights into space pioneered by Russia. As of 2008, orbital space tourism opportunities are limited and expensive, with only the Russian Space Agency providing transport. The price for a flight brokered by Space Adventures to the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz spacecraft is now $20 million. Flights are fully booked until 2009. Among the primary attractions of space tourism are the uniqueness of the experience, the thrill and awe of looking at Earth from space, the experience's notion as an exclusive status symbol, and various advantages of weightlessness. The space tourism industry is being targeted by spaceports in numerous locations, including California, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, Alaska, Wisconsin, Esrange in Sweden as well as the United Arab Emirates. Some use the term "personal spaceflight" as in the case of the Personal Spaceflight Federation. Early dreams After initial successes in space, much of the public saw intensive space exploration as inevitable. In people's minds, such exploration was symbolized by wide public access to space, mostly in the form of space tourism. Those aspirations are best remembered in science fiction works (and one children's book), such as Arthur C. Clarke's A Fall of Moondust and also 2001: A Space Odyssey, Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, Joanna Russ's 1968 novel Picnic on Paradise, and Larry Niven's Known Space stories. Lucian in 2 A.D. in his book True History examines the idea of a crew of men whose ship travels to the Moon during a storm. Jules Verne also took up the theme of lunar visits in his books, From the Earth to the Moon and Around the Moon. Robert A. Heinlein’s short story The Menace from Earth, published in 1957, was one of the first to incorporate elements of a developed space tourism industry within its framework. During the 1960s and 1970s, it was common belief that space hotels would be launched by 2000. Many futurologists around the middle of the 20th century speculated that the average family of the early 21st century would be able to enjoy a holiday on the Moon. The end of the Space Race, however, signified by the Moon landing, decreased the emphasis placed on space exploration by national governments and therefore led to decreased demands for public funding of manned space flights.[1] [edit] Precedents The Soviet space program was aggressive in broadening the pool of cosmonauts from the very beginning. The Soviet Intercosmos program also included cosmonauts selected from Warsaw Pact members (from Czechoslovakia, Poland, East Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary, Cuba, Romaina, Mongolia) and later from allies of the USSR (France, Vietnam) and non-aligned countries (India, Syria, Afghanistan). Most of these cosmonauts received full training for their missions and were treated as equals, but especially after the Mir program began, were generally given shorter flights than Soviet cosmonauts. The European Space Agency took advantage of the program as well. The U.S. Space Shuttle program included payload specialist positions which were usually filled by representatives of companies or institutions managing a specific payload on that mission. These payload specialists did not receive the same training as professional NASA astronauts and were not employed by NASA, so they were essentially private astronauts. NASA was also eager to prove its capability to Congressional sponsors, and Senator Jake Garn and (then-Representative, now Senator) Bill Nelson were both given opportunities to fly on board a shuttle. As the Shuttle program expanded, the Teacher in Space program was developed as a way to expand publicity and educational opportunities for NASA. Christa McAuliffe would have been the first Teacher in Space, but was killed in the Challenger disaster and the program was canceled. During the same period a Journalist in Space program was frequently discussed, with individuals such as Walter Cronkite and Miles O'Brien considered front-runners, but no formal program was ever developed. McAuliffe's backup in the Teacher in Space Program, Barbara Morgan, trained and flew aboard STS-118 as a fully trained NASA payload specialist and spoke to many students as an educator during the trip. With the realities of the post-Perestroika economy in Russia, its space industry was especially starved for cash. The Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) offered to pay for one of its reporters to fly on a mission. For $28 million, Toyohiro Akiyama was flown in 1990 to Mir with the eighth crew and returned a week later with the seventh crew. Akiyama gave a daily TV broadcast from orbit and also performed scientific experiments for Russian and Japanese companies. However, since the cost of the flight was paid by his employer, Akiyama could be considered a business traveler rather than a tourist. In 1991, British chemist Helen Sharman was selected from a pool of public applicants to be the first Briton in space.[2] As the United Kingdom had no human space program, the arrangement was by a consortium of private companies who contracted with the Russian space program. Sharman was also in a sense a private space traveler, but she was a working cosmonaut with a full training regimen. [edit] Orbital space tourism At the end of 90s, MirCorp, a private venture by then in charge of the space station, began seeking potential space tourists to visit Mir in order to offset some of its maintenance costs. Dennis Tito, an American businessman and former JPL scientist, became their first candidate. When the decision to de-orbit Mir was made, Tito managed to switch his trip to the International Space Station through a deal between MirCorp and U.S.-based Space Adventures, Ltd., despite strong opposition from senior figures at NASA. Space Adventures remains the only company to have sent paying passengers to space.[3][4] In conjunction with the Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation and Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, Space Adventures facilitated the flights for the world's first private space explorers: Dennis Tito, Mark Shuttleworth, Gregory Olsen, Anousheh Ansari and Charles Simonyi. The first three participants paid in excess of $20 million (USD) each for their 10-day visit to the ISS. The Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination: a specially-designed space-travel currency. On April 28, 2001, Dennis Tito became the first "fee-paying" space tourist when he visited the International Space Station (ISS) for seven days. He was followed in 2002 by South African computer millionaire Mark Shuttleworth. The third was Gregory Olsen in 2005, who was trained as a scientist and whose company produced specialist high-sensitivity cameras. Olsen planned to use his time on the ISS to conduct a number of experiments, in part to test his company's products. Olsen had planned an earlier flight, but had to cancel for health reasons. After the Columbia disaster, space tourism on the Russian Soyuz program was temporarily put on hold, because Soyuz vehicles became the only available transport to the ISS. However, in 2006, space tourism was resumed. On September 18, 2006, Anousheh Ansari, an Iranian American (Soyuz TMA-9), became the fourth space tourist (she prefers spaceflight participant). On April 7, 2007, Charles Simonyi, an American billionaire of Hungarian descent, joined their ranks (Soyuz TMA-10). In 2003, NASA and the Russian Space Agency agreed to use the term 'Spaceflight Participant' to distinguish those space travelers from astronauts on missions coordinated by those two agencies. Tito, Shuttleworth, Olsen, Ansari, and Simonyi were designated as such during their respective space flights.[5] NASA also lists Christa McAuliffe as a "Space Flight Participant" (although she did not pay a fee), apparently due to her non-technical duties aboard the STS-51-L flight. [edit] List of flown space tourists Space tourist Mark Shuttleworth All five space tourists flew to and from the International Space Station on Soyuz spacecraft through the space tourism company, Space Adventures:[6] Dennis Tito (American): April 28 - May 6, 2001 Mark Shuttleworth (South African / British): April 25 - May 5, 2002 - First African in Space Gregory Olsen (American): October 1 - October 11, 2005 Anousheh Ansari (Iranian / American): September 18 - September 29, 2006 Charles Simonyi (Hungarian / American): April 7 - April 21, 2007[7] [edit] Future space tourists The following people have been named as possible future commercial passengers on Soyuz spacecraft to the ISS: Richard Garriott (United States). Expected to fly on Soyuz TMA-13 in October 2008.[8][9] Garriott is a developer of video games whose father, Owen Garriott was an astronaut with NASA. If the mission goes as planned, Garriott will be returning with an astronaut who will also be a second-generation space traveler.[10] Vladimir Gruzdev (Russia). Expected to fly in 2009.[11] Gruzdev is a United Russia pro-presidential party member. The United Russia party may pay the estimated $25 million for the flight from the party funds. Gruzdev has had a medical examination and been given approval to begin the cosmonaut training program. Gruzdev previously participated in the Arktika 2007 mission, which placed a Russian flag on the seabed near the North Pole. Sergey Brin (United States). Expected to fly in 2011.[12] Brin, co-founder of Google, is a firm supporter of space tourism and future space travel. Additionally, as of November 2007 Virgin Galactic had pre-sold nearly 200 seats for their suborbital space tourism flights, according to the company's president.[13] [edit] Suborbital flights More affordable suborbital space tourism is viewed as a money-making proposition by several other companies, including Space Adventures, Virgin Galactic, Starchaser, Blue Origin, Armadillo Aerospace, XCOR Aerospace, Rocketplane Limited, the European "Project Enterprise",[14] and others.[citation needed] Most are proposing vehicles that make suborbital flights peaking at an altitude of 100-160 kilometres.[15] Passengers would experience three to six minutes of weightlessness, a view of a twinkle-free starfield, and a vista of the curved Earth below. Projected costs are expected to be about $200,000 per passenger.[16][17][18][19][20] [edit] The X Prize The X-Prize being awarded to the Scaled Composites team On October 4, 2004, the SpaceShipOne, designed by Burt Rutan of Scaled Composites and funded by Virgin Galactic, won the $10,000,000 X Prize, which was designed to be won by the first private company who could reach and surpass an altitude of 62 miles (100km) twice within two weeks. The altitude is beyond the Kármán Line, the arbitrarily defined boundary of space.[21] The first flight was flown by Michael Melvill on June 21, 2004 to a height of 62 miles, making him the first commercial astronaut.[22] The prize-winning flight was flown by Brian Binnie, which reached a height of 69.6 miles, breaking the X-15 record.[21] [edit] Virgin Galactic Main article: Virgin Galactic Spaceship One, the first private space tourism spaceship to fly above the 100 km Karman Line Virgin Galactic, one of the leading potential space tourism groups, is planning to have passenger service on its first spaceship, the VSS Enterprise (Scaled Composites SpaceShipTwo), with the inaugural launch in 2008 and main flights beginning in 2009.[23] The price is initially set at $200,000. Headed by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group, Virgin Galactic will be the first private space tourism company to regularly send civilians into space, by training them for 3 days before their launch. The SpaceShipTwo spaceship was built as a result of the Ansari X Prize (which was won by SpaceShipOne); both SpaceShipOne and SpaceShipTwo were designed by Burt Rutan. Launches will first occur at the Mojave Spaceport in California, and will then be moved to the permanent spaceport in Upham, New Mexico, near Truth or Consequences. The spaceships used will go 360,000 feet (109.73 km, or 68.18 miles) high; this goes beyond the height of 100 km, which is the internationally defined boundary between Earth and space. Space flights will last 2.5 hours, carry 6 passengers, and reach a speed of Mach 3. SpaceShipTwo will not require a space shuttle-like heat shield for atmospheric reentry as it will not experience the extreme aerodynamic heating experienced during reentry at orbital velocities (approximately Mach 22.5 at a typical shuttle altitude of 300 km, or 185 miles).[24] The glider will employ a "feathering" technique to manage drag during the unpowered descent and landing. SpaceShipTwo will use a single hybrid rocket motor to launch from mid-air after detaching from a mother ship at 50,000 feet, instead of NASA's Space Shuttle's ground-based launch. [edit] Project Enterprise Main article: Project Enterprise Project Enterprise [25] was launched by the German TALIS Institute in 2004 and is the first project of its kind in Europe. The goal is to develop a rocket propelled spaceplane by 2011 that will carry one pilot and up to five passengers into suborbital space. The plane will launch from the ground using rockets, and will return in an unpowered flight like Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo. The prototypes and finished spaceplane will be launched from an airport near Cochstedt (Germany; Saxony-Anhalt). Since 2004, the TALIS Institute has gained many industrial partners, including XtremeAir [26], who will manufacture the airframe, and Swiss Propulsion Laboratory SPL [27], who will deliver the propulsion components. XtremeAir is well known for their acrobatic airplanes and SPL has designed and tested liquid propellant rocket engines since 1998. Current work is focusing on the first prototype, the "Black Sky": An existing acrobatic airplane will be fitted with a single rocket engine and a new wing. The rocket engine will deliver a thrust of 10 kN. The test program for this engine started in 2007 at SPL. [edit] Legality [edit] United States In December 2005, the U.S. Government released a set of proposed rules for space tourism. Under current US law, any company proposing to launch paying passengers from American soil on a suborbital rocket must receive a license from the Federal Aviation Administration's Office of Commercial Space Transportation (FAA/AST). The licensing process focuses on public safety and safety of property, and the details can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 14, Chapter III.[28] This is in accordance with the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act passed by Congress in 2004.[29] [edit] Orbital flights, space stations and space hotels EADS Astrium, a subsidiary of European aerospace giant EADS, announced its space tourism project on June 13, 2007.[30] SpaceX is a private space company which develops their own rocket family called Falcon and a capsule named Dragon, capable of sending up to 7 people to any space station, either ISS or a possible station by Bigelow Aerospace. Falcon 1 has already undertaken testflights and is on the way to its first commercial flight, Falcon 9 (which would be the rocket for the Dragon capsule) is currently at the test facility and will take its first testflight later that year. The Dragon capsule is slated to enter service 2009. Constellation Services International (CSI) is working on a project to send manned spacecraft on commercial circumlunar missions. Their offer would include a week-long stay at the ISS, as well as a week-long trip around the Moon[citation needed]. Space Adventures Ltd. have also announced that they are working on circumlunar missions to the moon, with the price per passenger being $100,000,000.[31] They are currently developing spaceports at the United Arab Emirates (Ras al-Khaimah) and in Singapore. Orbital space tourist flights are also being planned by Excalibur Almaz, using modernized TKS space capsules. Several plans have been proposed for using a space station as a hotel.[32] American motel tycoon Robert Bigelow has acquired the designs for inflatable space habitats from the Transhab program abandoned by NASA. His company, Bigelow Aerospace already launched the first inflatable habitat module named Genesis I in 12 July 2006. The second test module, Genesis II was launched 28 June 2007. It is also currently planning to launch a prototype space station module by late 2008, and plans to officially launch the first commercial space station by 2010 (tagged Nautilus) which will have 330 cubic meters (almost as big as the ISS's 425 cubic meters of usable volume).[33].[34] Bigelow Aerospace is currently offering the America's Space Prize, a $50 million prize to the first US company to create a reusable spacecraft capable of carrying passengers to a Nautilus space station. Other companies have also expressed interest in constructing "space hotels". For example, Excalibur Almaz plans to modernize and launch its Soviet-era Almaz space stations, which will feature the largest windows ever on spacecraft. Virgin's Richard Branson has expressed his hope for the construction of a space hotel within his lifetime. He expects that beginning a space tourism program will cost $100 million.[16] Hilton International announced the Space Islands Project, a plan to connect together used Space Shuttle fuel tanks, each the diameter of a Boeing 747 aircraft.[35] A separate organization, Space Island Group[36] announced their distinct Space Island Project (note the singular "Island"), and plans on having 20,000 people on their "space island" by 2020, with the number of people doubling for each decade.[37] British Airways has expressed interest in the venture. If and when Space Hotels develop, it would initially cost a passenger $60,000, with prices lowering over time.[38] Fashion designer Eri Matsui has designed clothing, including a wedding gown, intended to look best in weightless environments. [edit] Advocacy, education, and industry organizations Several organizations have been formed to promote the space tourism industry, including the Space Tourism Society, and others.[39][40][41] More information about the future of Space Tourism can be found at Space Tourism Lecture, which is a free online Space Tourism Lecture handout collection. Since 2003 Dr. Robert A. Goehlich teaches the world's first and only Space Tourism class at Keio University, Yokohama, Japan. [edit] Opinions of commercial space tourism A web-based survey suggested that over 70% of those surveyed wanted less than or equal to 2 weeks in space; in addition, 88% wanted to spacewalk (only 74% of these would do it for a 50% premium), and 21% wanted a hotel or space station.[42] The concept has met with some criticism from social commentators and politicians, notably Guenter Verheugen, vice-president of the European Commission, who said of the EADS Astrium Space Tourism Project "It's only for the super rich, which is against my social convictions"[43]. [edit] Objection to "Space Tourist" terminology Further information: Astronaut#Terminology Dennis Tito, Mark Shuttleworth, Gregory Olsen and Anousheh Ansari have all preferred to be called something other than "space tourist". In each case, they explained their preferences by pointing out that they carried out scientific experiments as part of their journey. Tito has asked to be known as an "independent researcher"[citation needed]. Shuttleworth proposed "pioneer of commercial space travel"[44]. Olsen preferred "private researcher."[45] Ansari prefers the term "private space explorer".[46] Alone among those who have paid to go to orbit so far, Charles Simonyi seems to have no concerns about calling it "space tourism", even in reference to his own experience. Asked in an interview "Do you foresee a day when space tourism is not just the province of billionaires - when it will be as affordable as plane travel?", he did not object to the implicit categorization of his own trip, but rather answered "Yes, the only question is when ...."[47] Although many space enthusiasts subscribe to the notion of space tourism as a potential burgeoning industry that could further the development and settlement of space, some of these same enthusiasts object to the use of the term "space tourist". Rick Tumlinson of the Space Frontier Foundation, for example, has said "I hate the word tourist, and I always will .... 'Tourist' is somebody in a flowered shirt with three cameras around his neck."[48] Others with perhaps less enthusiasm for space development seem to agree. Alex Tabarrok has categorized it as a kind of "adventure travel". The mere fact of people paying for a travel experience does not, in his view, make that activity "tourism". At best and for the foreseeable future space travel will remain akin to climbing Everest, dangerous and uncommon. Yes, we might see 100 flights a year but that's not space tourism - tourism is fat guys with cameras.[49] [edit] See also Armadillo Aerospace Bigelow Aerospace Blue Origin Commercial astronaut Launch loop List of private spaceflight companies MirCorp Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination Space Adventures Space colonization Space Tourism Society Space Transport Corporation (STC) Spaceflight participant Virgin Galactic

Sex tourism

Sex tourism is travel to engage in sexual intercourse or sexual activity with prostitutes, and is typically undertaken internationally by tourists from wealthier countries. The World Tourism Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations, defines sex tourism as "trips organized from within the tourism sector, or from outside this sector but using its structures and networks, with the primary purpose of effecting a commercial sexual relationship by the tourist with residents at the destination".[1] The U.N. opposes sex tourism citing health, social and cultural consequences for both tourist home countries and destination countries, especially in situations exploiting gender, age, social and economic inequalities in sex tourism destinations.[1][2][3] Attractions for sex tourists can include reduced costs for services in the destination country, along with either legal prostitution or indifferent law enforcement and access to child prostitution. [edit] Destinations National destinations for sex tourists include Thailand,[4] Brazil,[5][6] Sri Lanka,[7][8][9] Dominican Republic,[10][11] Costa Rica,[12][13] and Cuba.[14][15] An individual city or region can have a particular reputation as a sex tourist destination. Many of these coincide with major red-light districts, and include Amsterdam in the Netherlands; Zona Norte in Tijuana, Mexico; Boy's Town in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico; Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket in Thailand; Vladivostok in Russian Far East, destination for Asian sex tourists [16], and Angeles City[17], the site of a former United States military base in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. In the United States, prostitution is largely illegal, with the exception of certain areas of the state of Nevada; these have become a sex tourist destination for some Americans. To a lesser extent, several other large cities in the U.S. are also domestic sex tourist destinations despite legal sanctions on prostitution. Many of the Iraqi women fleeing the war in Iraq are turning to prostitution. In Syria alone, an estimated 50,000 refugee girls and women, many of them widows, are forced into prostitution just to survive.[18] Cheap Iraqi prostitutes have helped to make Syria a popular destination for sex tourists. The clients come from wealthier countries in the Middle East - many are Saudi men.[19] High prices are offered for virgins.[20] Conversely, prostitution is a legal activity in a growing list of other nations worldwide, including in many (but not all) of these destinations. [edit] Female sex tourism destinations Main article: Female sex tourism The primary destinations for female sex tourism are Southern Europe (mainly Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey, Greece, and Spain), the Caribbean (led by Jamaica, Barbados and the Dominican Republic), parts of Africa (Tunisia, Gambia, Kenya [21]), Bali,[22] and Pattaya or Phuket in Thailand. Lesser destinations include Nepal, Morocco, Fiji, Ecuador and El Salvador. Female sex tourism differs from male sex tourism, in that women do not usually go to specific bars. Women usually give clothes, meals, cash and gifts to their prostitutes, but not all (especially in Southern Europe) expect compensation. [edit] Adult sex tourism Main article: Adult sex tourism Sex tourism is a multibillion dollar industry that supports an international workforce estimated to number in the millions.[23] [edit] Child sex tourism Main article: Child sex tourism [edit] Legal issues in the United States Federal law (see PROTECT Act of 2003) prohibits United States citizens or permanent residents to engage in international travel with the purpose or effect of having commercial sex with a person under the age of 18, or any sex with a person under the age of 16; facilitating such travel is also illegal. Arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement are becoming common; however, prosecutions under this law are still very rare. As of 2005, there has been one effort to prosecute a sex tour operator: Big Apple Oriental Tours of New York was prosecuted for "promotion of prostitution" by the New York State Attorney General after lobbying by feminist human rights groups, however the case has been thrown out twice. HR 972, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 reauthorizes the 2000 law, but it also gives U.S. law enforcement better tools to study human trafficking within the United States and to prosecute those who purchase sex acts. The measure authorizes $50 million for grants to state and local law enforcement to investigate and prosecute persons who engage in the purchase of commercial sex acts.[24] [edit] Legal issues in the United Kingdom The Sexual Offences Act 2003 enables British citizens and residents who commit sexual offences against children overseas to be prosecuted in the UK.[25] Some of the offences carry penalties of up to life imprisonment and anyone found guilty will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register. The UK police and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre and Interpol are actively involved in monitoring child sex tourists and will prosecute where necessary. Witnesses can report it to the local police, hotel manager, tour representative or tour operator. People can also call Crimestoppers. Overseas the number is +44 800 555 111. Witnesses can also call Crimestoppers when they return to the UK, the number is 0800 555 111 a cash reward may be available. [edit] Legal issues in Canada Canada has included in its Criminal Code provisions that allow for the arrest and prosecution of Canadians in Canada for offences committed in foreign countries related to child sex tourism, such as child prostitution, as well as for child sexual exploitation offences, such as indecent acts, child pornography and incest. Convictions carry a penalty of up to 14 years' imprisonment.[26] [edit] Legal issues in Russia In 2005, approximately 20 pedophiles from Russia who tried to travel to tsunami ravaged countries were stopped under the rules of the new Australian child sex offender register. The convicted offenders had to tell police of their plans to travel, and their travel details were sent by police to Indonesian and Thai authorities, who refused them entry. Child Wise director Bernadette McMenamin confirmed that authorities had known pedophiles would be targeting children in countries that had been hit by the tsunami. She said it was well known that when countries experienced natural disasters or military crises pedophiles exploited the instability."Post-tsunami we expected that a lot of Australian child sex offenders would target these countries," she said. Further plans to cancel passports of recidivist pedophiles to prevent child sex tourism in general, and exploitation of natural and political instability in countries targeted by sex tourists in particular, are in the works in Australia. [27] [edit] Academic study University of Leicester sociologists studied this subject as part of a research project for the Economic and Social Research Council and End Child Prostitution and Trafficking campaign. The study included interviews with over 250 Caribbean sex tourists.[28][29] Among their findings: Preconceptions about race and gender influenced their opinions. Economically underdeveloped tourist-receiving countries are promoted as being culturally different so that (in the Western tourist's understanding) prostitution and traditional male domination of women have less stigma than similar practices might have in their home countries. [edit] Documentaries Canadian film makers have been active at reporting on sex tourism. Documentary titles include: Falang: Behind Bangkok's Smile by Jordon Clark (2005) (this title at the Internet Movie Database), set in Thailand CBC series the Lens episode "Selling Sex in Heaven" (2005) (this title at the Internet Movie Database), set in the Philippines. Channel 4 Cutting Edge episode "The Child Sex Trade" (2003),[1] set in Romania, Italy [2] [edit] See also ECPAT Cuban jiniterismo Prostitution in Thailand Prostitution in the Philippines Tourist apartheid Trafficking in human beings [edit] References ^ a b (17-22 October 1995) "WTO Statement On The Prevention Of Organized Sex Tourism". Adopted by the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization at its eleventh session - Cairo (Egypt), 17-22 October 1995 (Resolution A/RES/338 (XI)), Cairo (Egypt): World Tourism Organization. Retrieved on 2006-12-20. ^ U.N. Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI) Gender Mainstreaming Mandates ^ U.N. Congress On The Prevention Of Crime And The Treatment Of Offenders Press Release New Global Treaty to Combat Sex Slavery of Women and Girls ^ Cruey, Greg. "Thailand's Sex Industry". About: Asia For Visitors. About, Inc. (The New York Times Co.). Retrieved on 2006-12-20. “Nowhere else is it so open and prevalent.” ^ "Brazil". The Protection Project. Archived from the original on 2006-12-20. Retrieved on 2006-12-20. “Brazil is a major sex tourism destination. Foreigners come from Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Latin America, and North America ...” ^ Gentile, Carmen J. (2006-02-02). "Brazil cracks down on child prostitution", San Francisco Chronicle, Chronicle Foreign Service. Retrieved on 2006-12-20. "... young prostitutes strut in front of middle-aged American and European tourists ..." ^ "Sri Lanka - Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2004" (in English). Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (2005-02-28). Retrieved on 2007-11-17. “... Boys and girls were victims of commercial sexual exploitation by pedophiles in the sex tourism industry ...” ^ "Child exploitation not new to stricken region" (in English). CNN. Retrieved on 2007-11-17. “... some resorts in Thailand and Sri Lanka, were so-called "sex tourist" destinations ...” ^ "Child sex tourism spreading in Asia" (in English). CNN. Retrieved on 2007-11-17. “... established sex tourist destinations like Thailand, the Philippines and Sri Lanka ...” ^ "Dominican Republic". The Protection Project. Archived from the original on 2006-12-20. Retrieved on 2006-12-20. “The Dominican Republic is one of the most popular sex tourism destinations in the world, and it is advertised on the Internet as a "single man's paradise."” ^ Scheeres, Julia (2001-07-07). "The Web, Where ‘Pimps’ Roam Free". Wired News. CondéNet Inc. Retrieved on 2006-12-20. ^ Kovaleski, Serge F. (2000-01-02). "Child Sex Trade Rises In Central America", Washington Post Foreign Service, Washington Post Foreign Service. Retrieved on 2006-12-20. Archived from the original on 2006-12-20. "... "an accelerated increase in child prostitution" in the country ... blamed largely on the unofficial promotion of sex tourism in Costa Rica over the Internet." ^ "Costa Rica". The Protection Project. Archived from the original on 2006-12-20. Retrieved on 2006-12-20. “...has come to rival Thailand and the Philippines as one of the world’s leading destinations for sex tourism.” ^ "Cuba". The Protection Project. Archived from the original on 2006-12-20. Retrieved on 2006-12-20. “Cuba is a popular destination country for sex tourists from Canada, the United States, and Europe.” ^ Zúñiga, Jesús. "Cuba: The Thailand of the Caribbean". The New West Indian. Retrieved on 2006-12-20. ^ "Across the Siberian Wastes" (in English). Jim Rogers. Retrieved on 2007-11-17. “... swarms of Russian prostitutes and Japanese johns on sex holidays ...” ^ Fr. Shay Cullen (2005-03-03). "Sex Tourism Is Big Money for Pimps and Politicians". imc-qc (philapinas). QC Independent Media Centre. Retrieved on 2007-04-08. “Angeles City, two hours north of Metro Manila, is the home of the most organized sex industry in the Philippines. Thousands of sex tourists from all over the world go there to look for cheap sex, much of it with under age minors.” ^ '50,000 Iraqi refugees' forced into prostitution ^ Iraqi refugees forced into prostitution ^ Desperate Iraqi Refugees Turn to Sex Trade in Syria ^ Clarke, Jeremy (2007-11-25). "Older white women join Kenya's sex tourists". Reuters. Retrieved on 2007-11-30. “Hard figures are difficult to come by, but local people on the coast estimate that as many as one in five single women visiting from rich countries are in search of sex.” ^ Kuta Cowboys: The rodeo is in town everyday in Bali ^ http://www.drclas.harvard.edu/revista/articles/view/53 ^ Full copy of HR 972 ^ Travelling Child Sex Offenders Foreign & Commonwealth Office ^ Child Sex Tourism: It's a Crime ^ "Predators barred from tsunami countries". Sydney Morning Herald (2005). Retrieved on 2008-06-05. ^ Sex Tourism in the Caribbean by Jacqueline Sanchez Taylor, University of Leicester. Chapter for Tourism, Travel and Sex, eds. Stephen Clift and Simon Carter, 1999 ^ The New West Indian Sex tourists: survey

Sex tourism

Safari

This article is about an overland journey. For the internet browser, see Safari (web browser). For other uses, see Safari (disambiguation). Look up safari in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Map of Africa 1890 A safari (pronounced /səˈfɑri/) is an overland journey. It usually refers to a trip by tourists to Africa, traditionally for a big-game hunt and in more modern times to watch and photograph big game and other wildlife as a safari holiday. There is a certain theme or style associated with the word, which includes khaki clothing, belted bush jackets, pith helmets or slouch hats, and animal skins—like leopard's skin. Contents[hide] 1 Etymology 2 Touristic usage 3 As a cinema genre 4 Fashion and architecture 5 See also 6 References 7 External links // [edit] Etymology Entering the English language in the late 19th century, the word safari means "journey" in Swahili. Originally from the Arabic سفر (safara) meaning travel [1] The verb for "to travel" in Swahili is "kusafiri", the noun for the journey is "safari". These words are used for any type of journey, e.g. by bus from Nairobi to Mombasa. The person generally attributed to having used the word in English is Sir Richard Francis Burton, the famous explorer. The Regimental March of the King's African Rifles was 'Funga Safari', literally 'Halt the March', or, in other words, stop work for the day. Funga safari, funga safari. Funga safari, funga safari. Hamari ya nani? Hamari ya nani? Hamari ya Bwana Kapteni, Hamari ya keyaa. Halt the march? On whose orders? On the order of the boss captain On the order of the KAR. On Kenya's independence from Britain, Funga Safari was retained as the Regimental March of the Kenya Rifles, successor to the K.A.R. [edit] Touristic usage Although the word safari came to popular usage in reference to hunting and touring expeditions in East Africa, it is now used generally to mean any long or adventurous journey or expedition, e.g. whale watching safaris, photography safaris, eco-safari etc. [edit] As a cinema genre The safari provided countless hours of cinema entertainment in sound films from Trader Horn (1931) onwards. The safari was used in many adventure films such as the Tarzan, Jungle Jim, and Bomba the Jungle Boy film series up to The Naked Prey (1966) where Cornel Wilde, a white hunter, becomes game himself. Also, safaris and the safari genre films were parodied in the Bob Hope comedies Road to Zanzibar and Call Me Bwana. An instant 15-minute helicopter safari was shown in Africa Addio where clients are armed, flown from their hotel and landed in front of an unlucky and baffled elephant. [edit] Fashion and architecture Many items worn on safari became fashion statements such as bush hats, pith helmets, bush jackets, with the costume eventually becoming a safari outfit. The 1998 book Safari Style by Natasha Burns with photographs by Tim Beddow features interior and exterior design inspired by African safari lodges.

Sacred travel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Sacred travel, or metaphysical tourism, is a growing niche of the travel market. It attracts New Age believers, primarily middle-aged women, and involves tours and travel to "spiritual hotspots" on the Earth. Destinations are often ancient sites where there is a mystery concerning their origin or purpose, such as Machu Picchu in Peru, The Pyramids of Egypt, or Stonehenge in England. Some Christian sites such as the locations of the Black Madonnas and the Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland are also popular. These travelers see the journey as more than just tourism and take the trips in order to heal themselves and the world. Part of this may involve rituals involving, (supposedly), leaving their bodies, possession by spirits (channelling), and recovery of past life memories.[1]

Pilgrimage

In religion and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a sacred place or shrine of importance to a person's beliefs and faith. Members of many major religions participate in pilgrimages. A person who makes such a journey is called a pilgrim. Buddhism offers four sites of pilgrimage: the Buddha's birthplace at Kapilavastu, the site where he attained Enlightenment Bodh Gaya, where he first preached at Benares, and where he achieved Parinirvana at Kusinagara. The Holy Land acts as a focal point for the pilgrimages of many religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Bahá'í Faith. In the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the visitation of certain ancient cult-centers was repressed in the 7th century BCE, when the worship was restricted to YHWH at the temple in Jerusalem. In Syria, the shrine of Astarte at the headwater spring of the river Adonis survived until it was destroyed by order of Emperor Constantine[citation needed] in the 4th century. In mainland Greece, a stream of individuals made their way to Delphi or the oracle of Zeus at Dodona, and once every four years, at the period of the Olympic games, the temple of Zeus at Olympia formed the goal of swarms of pilgrims from every part of the Hellenic world. When Alexander the Great reached Egypt, he put his whole vast enterprise on hold, while he made his way with a small band deep into the Libyan desert, to consult the oracle of Ammun. During the imperium of his Ptolemaic heirs, the shrine of Isis at Philae received many votive inscriptions from Greeks on behalf of their kindred far away at home. Although a pilgrimage is normally viewed in the context of religion, the personality cults cultivated by communist leaders ironically gave birth to pilgrimages of their own. Prior to the demise of the USSR in 1991, a visit to Lenin's Mausoleum in Red Square, Moscow can be said to have had all the characteristics exhibiting a pilgrimage — for Communists. This type of pilgrimage to a personality cult is still evident today on people who pay visits of homage to Mao Zedong, Kim Il Sung, and Ho Chi Minh. [edit] Effects on trade Pilgrims contributed an important element to long-distance trade before the modern era, and brought prosperity to successful pilgrimage sites, an economic phenomenon unequalled until the tourist trade of the 20th century. Encouraging pilgrims was a motivation for assembling (and sometimes fabricating) relics and for writing hagiographies of local saints, filled with inspiring accounts of miracle cures. Lourdes and other modern pilgrimage sites keep this spirit alive. [edit] Pilgrimage centres in various times and cultures [edit] Antiquity Many ancient religions had holy sites, temples and groves, where pilgrimages were made. Karnak, Egypt. Thebes, Egypt. Kurukshetra, India Delphi, Greece. Oracle. Dodona, Epirus, Greece. Oracle. Ephesus Temple of Diana, Turkey. Baalbek Lebanon. Jerusalem, Israel. [edit] Bahá'í Faith Main article: Bahá'í pilgrimage Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, decreed pilgrimage to two places in his book of laws, the Kitáb-i-Aqdas: the House of Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdad, Iraq, and the House of the Báb in Shiraz, Iran. He, later, prescribed specific rites for each of these pilgrimages in two other religious texts. Later, `Abdu'l-Bahá designated the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh at Bahji, Israel as a site of pilgrimage, for which there are no rites.[1] Since Bahá'ís do not have access to the original two places designated as sites for pilgrimage, Bahá'í pilgrimage currently consists of visiting the holy places in Haifa, Acre, and Bahjí at the Bahá'í World Centre in Northwest Israel. Bahá'ís can apply to join an organized nine-day pilgrimage where they are taken to visit the various holy sites, or attend a shorter three-day pilgrimage.[1] [edit] Buddhism Main article: Buddhist pilgrimage Ancient excavated Buddha-image at the Mahaparinirvana Temple, Kushinagar. Tibetans on a pilgrimage to Lhasa; they are kow-towing every few steps of the way. Gautama Buddha spoke of the four sites most worthy of pilgrimage for his followers to visit:[2] Lumbini: birth place (in Nepal) Bodh Gaya: place of Enlightenment Sarnath: (formally Isipathana) where he delivered his first teaching Kusinara: (now Kusinagar, India) where he attained mahaparinirvana (died). Other pilgrimage places in India and Nepal connected to the life of Gautama Buddha are: Savatthi, Pataliputta, Nalanda, Gaya, Vesali, Sankasia, Kapilavastu, Kosambi, Rajagaha, Varanasi. Other famous places for buddhist pilgrimage in various countries include: India: Sanchi, Ellora, Ajanta. Thailand: Sukhothai, Ayutthaya, Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Doi Suthep. Tibet: Lhasa (traditional home of the Dalai Lama), Mount Kailash, Lake Nam-tso. Cambodia: Angkor Wat, Silver Pagoda. Sri Lanka: Polonnaruwa, Temple of the Tooth (Kandy), Anuradhapura. Laos: Luang Prabang. Myanmar: Bagan, Sagaing Hill. Nepal: Bodhnath, Swayambhunath. Indonesia: Borobudur. China: Yung-kang, Lung-men caves. The Four Sacred Mountains Japan: Kansai Kannon Pilgrimage, Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, Shikoku Pilgrimage, Mount Kōya. [edit] Christianity The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Christianity. Some European pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela in 2005. Pilgrims on their way to the shrine of St. Thomas Becket, Canterbury Cathedral. Pilgrimages were first made to sites connected with the birth, life, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Surviving descriptions of Christian pilgrimages to the Holy Land date from the 4th century, when pilgrimage was encouraged by church fathers like Saint Jerome. Pilgrimages also began to be made to Rome and other sites associated with the Apostles, Saints and Christian martyrs, as well as to places where there have been apparitions of the Virgin Mary. The crusades to the holy land were considered to be mass armed pilgrimages. The second largest single pilgrimage in the history of Christendom was to the Funeral of Pope John Paul II after his death on April 2, 2005.[citation needed] An estimated four million people travelled to Vatican City, in addition to the almost three million people already living in Rome, to see the body of Pope John Paul II lie in state. World Youth Day is a major Catholic Pilgrimage, specifically for people aged 16-35. It is held internationally every 2-3 years. In 2005, young Catholics visited Cologne, Germany. In 1995, the largest gathering of all time was to World Youth Day in Manila, Philippines, where four million people from all over the world attended. The major Christian pilgrimages are to: The Holy Land, location of many events in the Old Testament and New Testament: Jerusalem, site of the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus. Bethlehem, birthplace of Jesus and King David. Nazareth, hometown of Jesus Sea of Galilee, site of Jesus' early ministry. Mount Tabor, site of the Transfiguration Bethany, site of the resurrection of Lazarus Rome on roads such as the Via Francigena. Site of the deaths of Saint Peter, Saint Paul and other early martyrs. Location of relics of various saints, relics of the Passion, important churches and headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. Constantinople (today Istanbul, Turkey). Former capital of the Byzantine Empire and the see of one of the five ancient Patriarchates and first among equals among the Patriarchs of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Hagia Sophia, former cathedral and burial place of many Ecumenical Patriarchs. Lourdes, France. Apparition of the Virgin Mary. The second most visited Christian pilgrimage site after Rome. Santiago de Compostela in Galicia (Spain) on the Way of St James (Galician: O Camiño de Santiago). This famous medieval pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint James is still popular today. Fátima in Portugal. Our Lady of Fatima is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary. She appeared to three shepherd children at Fátima on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917. Other important Christian pilgrimage sites[hide] Assisi, Italy, St. Francis of Assisi and St Clare, relics Ávila, Spain, St Theresa of Avila, relics Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza, Spain. It's reputed to be the first church dedicated to Mary in history. Basilica of the Vierzehnheiligen, Germany. Canterbury Cathedral associated with Saint Thomas Becket. Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec, Canada in honour of Our Lady of the Cape. Caravaca de la Cruz, Region of Murcia, Spain Carey, Ohio to the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation. Catholic pilgrims from the Middle East journey here to mark the Feast of the Assumption.[3] Cathedral of Chartres, France. Miercurea Ciuc, Transylvania, Romania. Whit Sunday gathering of (mostly ethnic Hungarian) Catholics. Croagh Patrick, Ireland. Saint Patrick. Conques, France Cologne, Germany. Relics of the Three Magi. Częstochowa, Poland.Black Madonna of Częstochowa is housed permanently in theJasna Góra Monastery Etchmiadzin (Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin), Armenia. Etchmiadzin is the spiritual and administrative centre of the Armenian Apostolic Church Glastonbury, England. St Joseph of Arimathea. Goa, India. St. Francis Xavier Hill of Crosses, Lithuania House of the Virgin Mary, Turkey. Pope John-Paul II declared the Shrine of Virgin Mary as a pilgrimage place for Christians. [4] Issoudun, France. Notre-Dame du Sacré-Coeur Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Poland Kapel in 't Zand, Limburg Kevelaer, Germany Knock, Ireland Lakefield, Ontario, Canada La Salette, France, Our Lady of La Salette Licheń Stary, Sanctuary of Our Lady of Licheń Lisieux, France. Saint Therese of Lisieux, burial place. Lourdes, France. Apparition of the Virgin Mary. Place of healing. Mariazell, Austria. Marian Shrine to Austria and Hungary Međugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Apparitions of the Virgin Mary at the present. Montserrat, Catalonia, Spain. The Virgin of Montserrat is housed permanently in the monastery of Santa María de Montserrat. Mount Athos, Greece. Orthodox monastic centre. Mount Nebo, Jordan. Traditional site of the death of Moses. Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai, Egypt, traditional site of the Burning Bush and the reception of the Ten Commandments has been commemorated since the time of Constantine the Great Nidaros, Trondheim, Norway. Shrine of St. Olav. 4th most visited pilgrimage site in Middle Ages. Padua, Italy, St Anthony, relics Paris (Sacred-Heart Basilica Basilica of the Sacré Cœur; and Saint Catherine Labouré) Rosslyn Chapel, Scotland Sacri Monti, Italy. The Sacred Mountains of Piedmont and Lombardy. San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy, St Pio from Pietrelcina Guadalupe, Spain Santo Toribio de Liébana, Cantabria, Spain El Santuario de Chimayo, New Mexico, USA Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City. Apparition of the Virgin Mary. St. Andrews, Scotland, it is said that Saint Andrew was given, by God, directions to the location of St. Andrews St. Patrick's Purgatory, Donegal, Ireland St. Thomas Mount, India. Place where St. Thomas was martyred. Taizé Community, France, modern monastery that actively encourages pilgrimages to it Święta Lipka, Poland Trondheim, Norway. Nidaros Cathedral, shrine of St. Olav. Turin, Italy. Holy Shroud. Vatican City, Italy Vailankanni, India. 16th-century Marian apparition site. Walsingham, England. Virgin Mary apparition site. Wittenberg, Germany. Church of Martin Luther and centre of the Protestant Reformation. Žemaičių Kalvarija, Samogitia, Lithuania. [edit] Hinduism Pilgrim in Pashupatinat. Hindus are required to undertake pilgrimages during their lifetime. Most Hindus who can afford to go on such journeys travel to numerous sites described in the following list. Hindu Pilgrimage Sites[hide] Allahabad Amarnath Arunachala Ayodhya Bhavani, Erode Benares Chidambaram Dakshineshwar Dharmasthala Dwarka Gaya Guruvayoor Hampi Haridwar Kalahasti Kanchipuram Kanyakumari Kateel Kollur Kumbakonam Kukke Subramanya Kunrakudy Madurai Mahabalipuram Marudamalai Mathura Mandher Devi temple in Mandhradevi Mayapur Mount Kailash Nashik Nathdwara Palani Pazhamudircholai Puri Pushkar Puttaparthi Rameswaram Rishikesh Sabarimala Shirdi Sikkal Sivagiri, Kerala Somnath Sringeri Srirangam Swamimalai Swamithope Talapady Tanjavur Thiruchendur Thiruparamkunram Thiruthani Thiruvannamalai Tirupati Ujjain Udupi Malai Mandir Vaishno Devi Vayalur Viralimalai Virpur Vrindavan Badrinath Gangotri Kedarnath Yamunotri Dayaram Ashram, Nanadiya, Junagadh The last four sites in the list together comprise the Chardham, or four holy pilgrimage destinations. It is believed that travelling to these places leads to moksha, the release from samsara (cycle of rebirths). The holy places of pilgrimage for the Shaktism sect of Hinduism are the Shakti peethas (Temples of Shakti). [edit] Islam Main article: Hajj The pilgrimage to Mecca – the Hajj – is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It should be attempted at least once in the lifetime of all able-bodied Muslims who can afford to do so. It is the most important of all Muslim Pilgrimages. Many Muslims also undergo ziyarat, which is a pilgrimage to sites associated with the prophet Muhammad, his companions, or other venerated figures in Islamic history, such as Shi'a imams or Sufi saints. Sites of pilgrimage include mosques, graves, battlefields, mountains, and caves. Local Pilgrimage traditions - those undertaken as ziarah visits to local graves, are also found throughout Muslim countries. In some countries, the grave sites of heroes have very strong ziyarah traditions as visiting the graves at auspicious times is a display of national and community identity. Some traditions within Islam have negative attitudes towards grave visiting. The third religiously sanctioned pilgrimage for Muslims is to the Al Quds mount in Jerusalem which hosts Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. Another important place for Muslims are the city of Medina, the second holiest place in Islam, in Saudi Arabia, where Muhammad rests, in Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (the Mosque of the Prophet); and the district of Eyüp in Istanbul (fourth holiest place) is where Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (Turkish: Eyüp Sultan), the standard-bearer of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, died during the Arab assault on Constantinople in 670. [edit] Judaism The Wailing Wall is all that remains of the Western wall of the Temple in Jerusalem. See related article Three pilgrim festivals. Within Judaism, the Temple in Jerusalem was the center of the Jewish religion, until its destruction in 70 CE, and all adult men who were able were required to visit and offer sacrifices known as the korbanot, particularly during Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot. Following the destruction of the Second Temple and the onset of the diaspora, the centrality of pilgrimage to Jerusalem in Judaism was discontinued. In its place came prayers and rituals hoping for a return to Zion and the accompanying restoration of regular pilgrimages (see Jerusalem, Jews and Judaism). Until recent centuries, pilgrimage has been a fairly difficult and arduous adventure. But now, Jews from many countries make periodic pilgrimages to the holy sites of their religion. The western retaining wall of the original temple, known as the Wailing Wall, or Western Wall remains in the Old City of Jerusalem and this has been the most sacred site for religious Jews. Pilgrimage to this area was off-limits from 1948 to 1967, when East Jerusalem was controlled by Jordan. Some Reform and Conservative Jews who no longer consider themselves exiles, still enjoy visiting Israel even if it is not an official "pilgrimage." [edit] Secular pilgrimage In modern usage, the terms pilgrim and pilgrimage can also have a somewhat devalued meaning as they are often applied in a secular context. For example, fans of Elvis Presley may choose to visit his home, Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee. Similarly one may refer to a cultural center such as Venice as a "tourist Mecca". [edit] Communism In a number of Communist contries, secular pilgrimages were established as an "antidote" to religious pilgrimages, the most famous of which are: USSR: Mausoleum of Lenin in Red Square, Moscow PRC: Mausoleum of Mao Zedong in Tiananmen Square, Beijing Germany: Birthplace of Karl Marx, Trier [edit] Fascism The mausoleum of Italian Dictator Benito Mussolini in Predappio, Italy serves as a pilgrmage site for Italian Neo-Fascists. [edit] See also Burial places of founders of world religions Category:Religious places Junrei Monastery Most Holy Place Romeria Pilgrim World Youth Day [edit] Notes ^ a b Smith, Peter (2000). "Pilgrimage". A concise encyclopedia of the Bahá'í Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 269. ISBN 1-85168-184-1. ^ The Buddha mentions these four pilgrimage sites in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta. See, for instance, Thanissaro (1998)[1] and Vajira & Story (1998)[2]. ^ Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation official website ^ House of the Virgin Mary listing at www.Ephesus.US [edit] Further reading al-Naqar, Umar. 1972. The Pilgrimage Tradition in West Africa. Khartoum: Khartoum University Press. [includes a map 'African Pilgrimage Routes to Mecca, ca. 1300-1900'] Coleman, Simon and John Elsner (1995), Pilgrimage: Past and Present in the World Religions. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Coleman, Simon & John Eade (eds) (2005), Reframing Pilgrimage. Cultures in Motion. London: Routledge. Jackowski, Antoni. 1998. Pielgrzymowanie [Pilgrimage]. Wroclaw: Wydawnictwo Dolnoslaskie. Margry, Peter Jan (ed.) (2008), Shrines and Pilgrimage in the Modern World. New Itineraries into the Sacred. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. Sumption, Jonathan. 2002. Pilgrimage: An Image of Mediaeval Religion. London: Faber and Faber Ltd. Wolfe, Michael (ed.). 1997. One Thousands Roads to Mecca. New York: Grove Press. Zarnecki, George (1985), The Monastic World: The Contributions of The Orders. pp. 36-66, in Evans, Joan (ed.). 1985. The Flowering of the Middle Ages. London: Thames and Hudson Ltd. [edit] Literature Kerschbaum & Gattinger, Via Francigena - DVD- Documentation, of a modern pilgrimage to Rome, ISBN 3200005009, Verlag EUROVIA, Vienna 2005 [edit] External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pilgrimage Pilgrims and Pilgrimage - An Online Teaching and Learning Resource Eurovia-Association for the Estblishment of European Pilgimage Routes The official site of the Santiago de Compostela cathedral How to be a pilgrim General Theory & Practice Catholic pilgrimages Buddhist Pilgrimage in India Buddhist Pilgrimage in Sri Lanka The Canadian Company of Pilgrims A non-profit group providing advice to pilgrims of the way of Saint James Wiki on European pilgrimages Pilgrim forum on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela Sacred Destinations Sacred sites and pilgrimages. French pilgrimage routes from 1000 CE till 1500 CE Spanish pilgrimage routes from 900 CE till 2000 CE From Jerusalem to Sacred Mounts History of the nine Sacri Monti included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Pilgrimages and Cultural Heritage programmes in Romania, Europe VEDA: Holy Places Walking the Camino de Santiago, A Guide The Camino de Santiago has more than 100,000 pilgrims walking the various paths each year. Images of pilgrimages at fotolia.de (Royalty-Free) Italian Lakes Pilgrimage. The nine Sacro Monte of the Italian lakes were developed for pilgrims in the 15th and 16th centuries as an alternative to traveling to the holy land. Not for profit organisation, mapping pilgrimage routes and promoting eco-friendly travel Detailed accounts of pilgrimages to Santiago and Rome on horseback Account of pilgrimage to Nidaros (Trondheim) in Norway on Olav's Way. With useful page about kit. Information and Maps of the UNESCO World Heritage Registered Pilgrimage to Kumano in Japan.

Perpetual traveler

[edit] Background In practical terms, perpetual travelers (PTs) are people who live in such a way that they are not considered a legal resident of any of the countries in which they spend time. By lacking a legal permanent residence status, they seek to avoid the legal obligations which may accompany residency, such as income and asset taxes, jury duty and military service. For example, while PT's may hold citizenship in one or more countries that impose taxes based solely on residency, their legal residence will most likely be in a tax haven. PTs may spend the majority of their time in other countries, never staying long enough to be considered a resident. [edit] Rationale Some PT's are wealthy individuals whose primary motivation is tax avoidance. It is possible for a non-national to live for several months, and in some cases even own property, in many countries without paying income tax. For example, most European countries allow tourists to spend up to three months (and in some cases six months) in the country without being considered a resident or being required to file a local tax return. Similarly, one can spend up to 122 days each year in the United States without being considered a resident -- or being required to file a US tax return. This workaround is appliable only for non-US citizens who are not permanent residents and earn no income in the United States. In general PT's can, by moving between countries on a regular basis -- be able to legally reduce or eliminate their tax burden. Other PT's and itinerants may adopt this lifestyle for primarily self-ownership reasons, seeking to be free from government authority, interference and "The System". [edit] Five Flag Theory Perpetual travelers may attempt to organize their affairs around the "Five Flags" theory[1][2][3], arranging for different facets of their lives to fall under the jurisdiction of separate countries, or flags. This is an extension of W.G. Hill's original "Three Flags" approach. Whether to minimize governmental interference (via taxes or otherwise), or to maximize privacy, the theory proposes that you arrange for each of the following to be in a separate country: Passport and Citizenship - in a country that does not tax money earned outside the country Legal Residence - in a tax haven Business Base - where you earn your money, ideally somewhere with low Corporate tax rates Asset Haven - where you keep your money, ideally somewhere with low taxation of savings interest and capital gains Playgrounds - where you spend your money, ideally somewhere with low consumption tax and VAT The Five Flag Theory although meaningful, is overkill with respect to the way the world really works Many Caribbean nations and South Pacific Forum states are (so called) tropical resort nations. These nations historically have had such weak currencies (vs the AUD, CAD, EUR and USD) that the VAT argument holds little meaning. These nations have been playgrounds for the wealthy for the past 50 years. Asset and residence havens can be the same, if you can afford to live there: The Cayman Islands or Bermuda for example. Only a fool puts their assets and investments in a single tax haven. Use of multiple tax and havens (usually just 2 or 3) has been standard procedure for the past 40 years. Tax havens themselves are relative, for example a UK national and resident could use Australia (where they would have to have permanent residence) as a tax residence. This was done by a few UK entertainers in the late 1960s to mid-1970s. Australian tax law has since changed and this is no longer possible. Minor modifications to the Three Flag Theory, something like a 3.5 Flag Theory would suit most of the people that need to live this way and can afford it. Investment and tax havens can be the same, providing precautions are taken with respect to moving money between countries. The Five Flag Theory also works with respect to inheritance (or estate) taxes. Canada and many other non-European nations have ceased having inheritance taxes. Thus (for example) a Canadian Permanent Residence status (and permanent tax residence) at time of death could save potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars of US estate tax (depending on how the assets are structured). See: Taxation_in_Canada#Inheritance_tax People can use offshore corporations and trusts (in general) to hold and move their assets (and investments) around the globe. A lot of the 3 Flag and 5 Flag theories ignore this basic work around. [edit] Philosophy On the surface, perpetual tourists have some things in common with world citizens, in that they see themselves as untethered to any one nation. However, PT's generally seem to eschew the humanistic and utopian overtones of world citizenship. Many PT's align themselves closely with the libertarian or anarchist schools of thought, which advocate individual sovereignty - sovereignty vested in the individual rather than in nation-states. [edit] References ^ Three Flag Theory for Expats "Some PTs add even more flags to create a five flag theory..." ^ Amazon Book Description "To succeed as a PT you will compartmentalize your life under these FIVE FLAGS..." ^ Five Flags Theory "Persons utilizing this philosophy are called 'PT's..."

Pop-culture tourism

Pop-culture tourism is the act of traveling to locations featured in literature, film, music, or any other form of popular entertainment. Popular destinations have included: Los Angeles, California film studios. The Dyersville, Iowa cornfields featured in Field of Dreams New Zealand after The Lord of the Rings was filmed there Tom's Restaurant which is known to many as Monk's from Seinfeld Prince Edward Island, in which the Canadian novel Anne of Green Gables takes place, is a popular attraction for tourists, notably from Japan. South Korea because of the recent Hallyu phenomenon in East Asia. Japan for japanophiles or lovers of Japanese pop-culture. North Bend, Washington and in particular Twede's Cafe where much of the television show Twin Peaks was shot. Roslyn, Washington, which stood in for Cicely, Alaska in the television show Northern Exposure. Tunisia, location of the filming of the Star Wars movies. Pin Oak Court, Vermont South, Victoria, a suburban Melbourne shooting location for internationally popular soap opera Neighbours Santa Ynez Valley in Central California where much of Sideways took place. Forks, Washington, The Primary Setting of the Twilight series Pop-culture tourism is in some respects akin to pilgrimage, with its modern equivalents of places of pilgrimage, such as Elvis Presley's Graceland and the grave of Jim Morrison in Père Lachaise Cemetery. Another pop-culture tourism destination is Vulcan, Alberta Canada. In the early 1990s this small rural community began to explore ways it could capitalize on the coincidence of the Town's name being the same as popular Star Trek Character, Mr. Spock's home planet: Vulcan, to develop its local tourism industry.

Naked hiking

Naked walking also known as naked hiking or Freehiking is a sub-set of the modern form of social nudity. For some people, naked hiking may appear to be some form of energetic sport; however, for most it is simply a pleasant recreational pastime. Context Naturism has traditionally been an activity engaged in a private space or landed club environment. Modern naturism is moving towards a public space, as well including a more active component. Although naturists have always been interested in health and fitness, indeed this was a prerequisite to many early gatherings, and most clubs have volleyball nets and table tennis tables, there has always been a slight reluctance to walk, run or cycle naked. One reason for this has been the secluded nature of the early clubs, private from prying eyes and textiles, and the limited area in which the early pioneers had to work with. Modern naturism in nude-tolerant societies is moving out of the private enclosure and towards the arena of public nudity, where it is deemed ok to be not only naked in public, but where it is also ok to be active (from a stroll to action sports) in the nude. The point about being active is that many people appear to find static nudity acceptable, for example in the media (porn magazines or page 3 girls in newspapers), and theatre (non-moving Greek-statue-like nudity), but moving nudity, in contrast, seems to generate heated feeling. [edit] Attention and opinion Nude hikers go out of their way to be discreet, and are to be seen walking in remote mountain areas, through quiet forests and woods, across distant fields and scrubland, and not in densely populated areas, often not meeting anyone else at all, e.g. in remote areas in Alaska[1]. In the United Kingdom, Steve Gough, known as The Naked Rambler, received much media coverage for walking naked from Land's End to John o' Groats in 2003–2004 and again in 2005–2006. He was arrested and imprisoned several times during both his walks, but this does not happen to everybody who hikes naked. Indeed, in both 2005 and 2006 the European Alps were crossed naked during a one week hiking (tour), there was little media coverage, no-one was arrested or troubled, and there was no police involvement whatsoever. Most naked hikers report friendly reactions from people they meet [2], however the risk of being booked for a trumped up charge, such as public indecency, (and whatever that may actually be is usually defined per individual), may be present when hiking in the nude and one should try to keep away from population centres where practical. [edit] Special considerations Although extremists might insist that naked hiking should be all-naked, and nothing but naked, as in all things one should remain practical and sensible about such activities. Sensible footwear might mean bare feet on the beach, but wearing mountain boots in the mountains. Sunstroke or sunburn is a danger by any activity, naked or not, but naked hiking in the high mountains exposes the body to an increased level of sunshine not found at sea level, so sunscreen and a sun hat are essential items. Bugs, such as mosquitoes and midges, can be particularly troublesome, especially in sensitive areas, so anti-bug formulas are often needed by participants in this activity. Walking through a bunch of stinging nettles, or a field full of high thistles, can be an interesting experience (even with shorts on). Naturally, extra care must be taken.

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