In late 2021, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU mandated the Commission to accelerate Ocean and Water health conservation and restoration worldwide. The resulting EU Mission is a coordinated effort to pool the necessary financial, scientific and operational resources.

The three organisations were among the first in the world to endorse the Mission Charter, which aims to create a sustainable, carbon-neutral, circular blue economy that plays a key role in achieving climate neutrality, since the oceans are major carbon sinks, protect biodiversity and foster economic prosperity, being expected to generate €2.5 trillion per year by 2030. The Mission 2030 targets include a 30% reduction in marine microplastics and the deployment of EU carbon neutral, circular blue economy communities.

In a message of congratulations to mark the signing, Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, Institutional President of the Philippe Cousteau Foundation, remarked: “It gives me great pleasure to see our Foundation and country involved in this landmark agreement. It is not only an important early milestone in the EU Mission to help restore the balance between human activity and the health of our planet. It is also an important commitment to the values of peace, as recognised by the involvement of the World Peace Forum, including directly in the person of its President, José Félix Bentz Oliver. As such it is a source both of inspiration and of hope.”

Rafael Lobeto Lobo, Secretary General of the Philippe Cousteau Foundation and former Director General of the Spanish Merchant Navy, commented: “Life on Earth depends on the health of the connected system of the oceans, seas and inland waters, which cover around 75% of the Earth’s surface. It regulates our climate and provides oxygen, drinking water, clean energy and food. Yet man-made changes are putting our ocean and waters at serious risk, with pollution and global heating causing biodiversity loss and extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and heatwaves.”

Swan Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito noted: “These ambitions are embedded in our DNA. All of Swan Hellenic’s ships are equipped with cutting-edge green technologies, including the latest generation tier III diesel engines with urea injection, dynamic positioning systems to avoid anchoring in delicate seabed locations, and advanced wastewater treatment plants. We have also increasingly eliminated “single use plastics” on board as supported by supply chain availability in remote areas.”

All three organisations in fact already have their own individual Mission Charter commitments, with the Philippe Cousteau Foundation promoting ocean literacy in schools and among fishermen and seafarers, SDG4MED making the “LIFE4MEDECA Knowledge Center” available to municipalities to pursue a shared action plan, and Swan Hellenic continuously investing in the latest green technologies and operations.

Their new partnership is significant in recognising that individual initiatives, though commendable, are not sufficient, as SDG4MED President Mario Dogliani explained: “Acting together will greatly amplify what we are able to achieve through our efforts. This partnership offers us a vital tool – Swan Hellenic’s ships and their destinations – to collect data on ocean health with previously inconceivable reach and granularity. Data collected in rarely accessed ocean areas will improve the accuracy of scientists’ assessments of ocean health and its evolution. Moreover, the direct involvement of Swan Hellenic crew and guests paves the way for a new era of sustainable, ecologically aware cruising.”

“Oceans are like humans,” observed Zito. “A full picture of health parameters enables effective medical treatment. Using commercial ships as sensors of Ocean Health is just common sense and I am pleased that Swan Hellenic is able to help make this a reality and best practice. Our new commitment with this partnership is in many ways a natural extension of our existing practice of inviting cruise guests to actively contribute to a series of leading “Citizen Science” programmes, providing data on the environment and marine life, while building their awareness and knowledge of scientific initiatives”.

The article Swan Hellenic, Philippe Cousteau Foundation and SDG4MED join forces to restore ocean health first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

From the autumn of 2023 the energy company EnergyVision will start installing 66,200 solar panels at Ostend-Bruges Airport. EnergyVision, which is responsible for installation, maintenance and financing, is investing 35 million euros in the installation of the solar panel park. The solar panels at the airport will account for an annual production of nearly 37,000 MWh. The production of solar energy will also save 9,600 tons of CO2 on an annual basis.

Green power for the airport and the neighborhood

The generated energy will initially be used to supply electricity for the entire airport site. Thanks to this project, the airport can operate on 100% green electricity. However, with an annual electricity production of almost 37,000 MWh, the airport will generate much more electricity than it can consume itself. Therefore, part of the green power generated will be diverted to Antwerp Airport. The remaining power generated will go directly to local residents.

“In addition to greening our own power consumption, the remaining energy we get from the solar panels will be able to be used by nearly 10,000 families in the area. For us it is important that our neighbors can also benefit from this,” says Eric Dumas CEO of Ostend-Bruges Airport.

In a next phase, energy storage capabilities will also be added. EnergyVision and Ostend-Bruges Airport are also already looking into the further future. Here, the installation of kinetic tiles is being investigated whereby travelers can generate their own electricity as they step. In this way, they literally get on the plane full of energy.

More than 60 soccer fiels full of solar panels

The solar panels will be placed at three different locations at the airport. The two largest zones are located on the airport’s grass areas next to the runway. The third zone is located on aircraft parking Apron 2. The zone where passengers walk from the gates to the aircraft will be completely covered and roofed with solar panels. This allows passengers to walk to the aircraft in comfort even when it is raining and also generates energy. The total area of the solar park is about 303,864 m2. That corresponds to 61 soccer fields full of solar panels. Ostend-Bruges Airport thus becomes the second largest solar park in Belgium.

Sustainability objectives Ostend-Bruges Airport

In the context of sustainable development, Ostend-Bruges Airport wants to further commit to its sustainable ambitions and further develop into a modern mobility center. “Every new, green and innovative decision we take also has a positive impact on economic growth in the region. With this, the airport aims to create added value not only for travelers by focusing on smooth and fast service, but also for its environment,” said CEO Eric Dumas.

The introduction of solar energy at the airport is an important step to further reduce the airport’s carbon footprint. We are actively participating in the Airport Carbon Accreditation program, which aims to make airports worldwide carbon neutral by 2050. With this project, the airport is immediately taking a big step in the right direction.

The article Ostend-Bruges Airport to become Belgium’s second largest solar park first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

The Hotels for Trees Foundation partners with hotels to convert daily room cleaning during hotel stays into newly planted trees. Since its founding in 2021, Hotels for Trees has contributed over 132,500 trees to (re-)forestation projects in the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Uganda, Madagascar, Mexico, Borneo, Vietnam, Bolivia and Ghana and is continuing to expand its global footprint.

“We are proud to team up with Hotels for Trees and actively promote their cause to our users. The partnership will open a new avenue for RoomRaccoon, with the help of our clients, to give back, make a tangible difference and create a more sustainable hotel industry,” says Tymen van Dyl, CEO and Founder of RoomRaccoon.

To celebrate the start of the partnership, RoomRaccoon is funding the planting of 100 trees on behalf of each of its employees. RoomRaccoon will actively promote Hotels for Trees to thousands of users around the world, and see the company give back to the cause on behalf of its users in the form of donations.

Floris Licht, Chief Tree Planting Officer of Hotels for Trees, shares: “With our current 152 partners in 20 different countries, we´re planting on average 400 trees a day and with the support of partners like RoomRaccoon the aim is to plant at least 1 million trees per year by 2025. We are very excited about this partnership and look forward to planting many trees together and contributing to a greener hotel world.”

The article RoomRaccoon partners with re-forestation NPO Hotels for Trees first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

Due to increasing urbanization and incomes, outdoor recreational activities, solo travel, and immersion travel are becoming more and more common. This development in popularity can be ascribed to the worldwide ecotourism business. The finest hotel chains are also utilizing cutting-edge techniques to build eco-lodges and camps, plan trails, and coordinate excursions in addition to investing in social media marketing. In order to provide locals with work, they are examining the ecological and cultural effects of ecotourism and working on initiatives that support recycling, put an emphasis on energy efficiency, and reuse water.

The market is expanding as a result. In part, because many national governments are actively promoting the sector through public education, training programs, data gathering and analysis, and corporate collaborations, growth in the global ecotourism market is anticipated.

One of the nations attributed with delivering the growth elements in Nepal, which is at the forefront of distinctive sustainable tourist places worldwide and which saw a stunning 24% increase in passengers in 2020, totaling 1,172,052 at the end of the year. In a similar vein, almost two million tourists visited Kenya in 2019, an increase of 35.7% from the year before. The trend for sustainable tourism is leading in places like Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands, and Panama.

An increase in foreign visitors has also been attributed to governments’ renewed focus on tourist security, which has in turn helped the sustainable tourism sector.

Ecotourism Demand Analysis (2018 to 2022) Vs Market Outlook (2023 to 2033)

The ecotourism industry is anticipated to grow at a 15% rate between 2023 and 2033, according to current data from Future Industry Insights. Three-time periods could be used to categorize the market outlook: short, medium, and long.

Consumers are becoming more conscious of the potential harm that tourism might do to the environment, including concerns like pollution, climate change, and wildlife protection, in the near future (2023 to 2025). As a result, a lot of tourists are looking for environmentally friendly travel experiences that reflect their values and enable them to have less of an impact on the environment.

Within the next five to ten years (2025 to 2028), many companies will have integrated sustainability and social responsibility into their business practices. This includes eco-friendly hotels, carbon offset plans, and conscientious travel habits that give the neighborhood and environment top priority. Through these activities, businesses can stand out from the competition and attract socially conscious tourists.

Long-term (between 2028 and 2033): Many governments are promoting ecotourism as a way to encourage long-term economic growth and safeguard natural habitats. Examples of the kinds of assistance that can be given include infrastructure investment, financial incentives for companies to adopt sustainable practices, and PR campaigns for sustainable tourism hotspots. With more than 25% of its land area now protected, Costa Rica is an excellent example of a nation that has effectively promoted ecotourism as a way to aid in conservation efforts.

How does eco-traveling tourism affect the expansion of the ecotourism industry?

Travelers have a variety of ways to experience eco-tours. There are numerous strategies to increase the trip’s sustainability. For instance, market penetration for eco-lodging tourism is growing. Eco-tourists favor lodging options that were constructed with sustainability and the environment in mind. In eco-lodging tourism, travelers can take advantage of staying in a variety of settings, including eco-resorts, natural settings, hostels, and hotels made of sustainable materials. Even for the tourists, there is a great possibility for them to enjoy different ecotourism activities like hiking, kayaking, or bird viewing.

Due to easier access to information via the Internet and several government-sponsored awareness initiatives, people are more aware of sustainable tourism. Ecotourism promotes sustainable community development while allowing the preservation of the natural environment.

Many nations are also transforming their towns into eco-tourism hotspots that not only create job possibilities but also protect the environment, native cultures, and animals. Dubai, Doha, and Manama are prominent examples of them.

The demand for ecotourism is anticipated to grow in the upcoming years, fostering the expansion of the ecotourism sector.

How Will Improvement in Regional Infrastructure Drive Ecotourism Industry?

To get ready for the arrival/departure of a big number of tourists in the future, many nations, like the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, the USA, Qatar, France, Oman, and others, are investing in improving their airports.

Additionally, these nations have been working to rebuild some of their infrastructure and heritage sites. The UAE and Qatari art galleries have also been attempting to offer fresh exhibits and works. Such construction projects aim to draw tourists and are predicted to support the expansion of the ecotourism industry.

Among the most well-liked destinations for eco-tourists are historical landmarks. According to the Saudi Geological Survey, some of the region’s ancient caves are 30 million years old. In Saudi Arabia, 250 caves have been found, which is boosting the country’s sustainable tourist industry.

How can Manufacturers/Service Providers Scale their Businesses in the Ecotourism Market?

Establish partnerships with local communities and conservation organizations:

• This can help to build trust with local stakeholders and ensure that ecotourism activities are aligned with the needs and values of the community.
• By working with conservation organizations, manufacturers and service providers can promote conservation efforts and create unique sustainable tourism experiences that highlight the natural environment and wildlife.

Focus on sustainable transport options:

• Promoting sustainable transport options such as electric vehicles, bicycles or public transport could help reduce the carbon footprint and make the tour more attractive to eco-conscious travelers.

Offer educational and cultural experiences:

• Offering educational and cultural experiences like local cooking classes, language classes, or visiting cultural landmarks can help travelers to gain deeper insights into the destination and foster a connection with the local community.

Implement responsible tourism practices:

• To promote responsible travel practices, manufacturers and service providers should aim to minimize their environmental impact, support local communities, and promote conservation efforts.
• This can include reducing waste and emissions, supporting local businesses, and engaging in responsible travel wildlife viewing practices.

Leverage technology:

• Manufacturers and service providers can leverage technology such as virtual reality, augmented reality, or 360-degree videos to provide a more immersive experience for potential customers.
• They can also use data analytics to gain insights into customer preferences and behavior, which can inform product and service development.

Ecotourism Market Competitive Landscape

Market players are adopting various strategies to navigate through a highly competitive environment. With an aim to gain a competitive edge, some of the leading ecotourism market players are focusing on mergers and acquisitions. Companies are also actively engaging in strategic collaborations and partnerships to gain a competitive advantage.

For instance, Big Five Tours & Expeditions Inc. was incorporated in Nairobi, Kenya, and thereafter shifted its head office from Kenya to Florida, USA. The company offers customized luxury, and adventure tours for travelers around the globe. The company also launched several websites for sustainable travel around the world, which include galapagos.com (Latin America), safaritours.com (Africa), and visibleasia.com (Asia).

Recent Developments

Wetravel, Inc. has teamed up with Tourism Cares to offer a new academy course titled Introduction to Sustainable Tourism in June 2022. The recently released training provides tourism businesses with an entry-level course that is expected to help them stay informed, actively participate, and advocate for change.

• In July 2022, Rabbie’s, a major UK tour operator, introduced two eco-friendly itineraries in Scotland. The newly introduced tours are a part of the company’s ‘We Care About There’ initiative, which promotes responsible and sustainable tourism by providing a unique and meaningful experience for its customers.
• Italian global cruise line MSC Cruises launched nearly 1,400 sustainability-themed summer tours in May 2022 to highlight the company’s commitment to environmental responsibility. The new itinerary was created to promote “nature-positive” pursuits and lessen the negative effects of tourism.

The article FMI analysis: How is eco-longing tourism contributing towards ecotourism market growth? first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

Trapping monkeys, Vallée-Pitot (credit: Mr Seenath Abedeen).

While welcoming the action taken by the police and officers from the Ministry of Agro-Industry in seizing the monkeys in Jin Fei, Action for Primates is extremely concerned about the welfare and well-being of the monkeys. We are calling on the authorities for full transparency regarding the current situation and fate of these unfortunate individuals, including allowing a visit by a representative from an independent animal welfare group to assess the conditions in which they are currently being held at the Biosphere Trading facility.

Concerns from the authorities that the monkeys have lost their ability to find food in the wild are misplaced. Dr Nedim Buyukmihci, professor emeritus of veterinary medicine at the University of California-Davis, who has been working with non-human primates for many years, responded to this concern: “There is no question that these monkeys are wild animals, despite having been in cages for the last several months. I know from long experience that such individuals retain their ability to live and find food in their natural homes. These monkeys have already suffered greatly as a result of being trapped, removed from their homes and imprisoned in cages. They need to be shown compassion by releasing them back to their homes where they can reunite with family and friends.”

Action for Primates hopes that the current widespread interest and concern for these monkeys in Mauritius will raise awareness about the plight of long-tailed macaques in the country. The trade in monkeys has expanded in recent years, with almost 12,000 individuals exported from Mauritius in 2022 to the US and Europe for research and toxicity (poisoning) testing. Many of these individuals were caught in the wild and supplied to US laboratories. The continuing exploitation and persecution of macaques in Mauritius is highly disturbing. Regardless of any negative perceptions or how they arrived on the island, they are still living, sentient beings. Action for Primates believes that they deserve protection and to be treated humanely, not killed or captured to be exported to suffer and die. The international reputation of Mauritius as a holiday destination is tarnished by its cruel trade in monkeys’ lives.

The article Call on Mauritius government to return 440 monkeys to the wild first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

Gut Guntrams is a true organic retreat. Originally, the estate was purely agricultural. Today, the cozy Guesthouse Flora, the 19th-century Villa Tranquillini, and the “floating” Garden Lofts offer guests the opportunity to vacation among the old fruit trees and enjoy fresh organic produce on the property – for breakfast in the Café “Veranda” and at the 24/7 Honesty Bar. Plus: You can stock up on fresh and “refined” products for home at the farm store.

Another highlight is the “Crystal Garden”, a nature museum featuring more than two dozen geological specimens including crystals, semi-precious stones, and fossils. In addition to the rock exhibits, visitors will also discover heirloom fruit varieties grown and preserved by the Guntram’s Ark Foundation.

Families, couples, and business travelers alike will enjoy the exceptional accommodations.

The article New Green Pearls Hotel in Austria: Naturhotel Gut Guntrams near Vienna first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

Measurement of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is key for climate action. However, the tourism sector as the value chain is complex, diverse and overlapping, making sure measurement challenging. The new report “Climate Action in the Tourism Sector: An Overview of Methodologies and Tools to Measure Greenhouse Gas Emissions” was developed by UNWTO with support from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection of Germany (BMUV) and is released in collaboration with UN Climate Change (UNFCCC). It focuses on three areas – accommodation, tour operators and destinations – with the following findings:

• Accommodation has the largest number of methodologies and specifically-designed tools, followed by tour operators
• Destinations face the greatest challenges when it comes to engaging in measurement
• There is little consensus over the differing responsibilities and boundaries of stakeholders, or over metrics used when organisations measure emissions

Recommendations for better GHG measurements

While noting that measurement of GHG emissions in tourism is still in its early stages, the report found a new generation of tools and resources is emerging. These focus on enabling easy access and making use of commonly available data sources, showing progress towards integrated measurement and targeted guidance for more efficient reporting and more effective decarbonization efforts.

Among its key recommendations, the report calls for:

• Tailored guidance for different stakeholder groups (destinations, accommodation, tour operators) to be developed
• Achieving a balance between the need to be able to accurately measure and the priority to scale up engagement, efficiency and progress
• Promoting the benefits of measurement by showcasing evidence-based changes in practices and advancing climate risk valuations to mobilize support
• Advancing tourism knowledge

The overview builds on the results of the first Global Survey on Climate Action in Tourism, which led to the identification of more than 50 methodologies and tools, with their subsequent assessment against a set of criteria and in-depth interviews and working group sessions with experts from across the sector. With this new report, UNWTO aims to provide guidance regarding the measurement of GHG emissions, accelerate climate action and to support the implementation of the commitments launched in November 2021 through the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism.

The article New report to support climate action in the tourism sector first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

A series of new tourism developments have been authorised within the ‘Highly Ecologically Sensitive Zone’ of the Victoria Falls National Park (VFNP), a long-standing ‘no new infrastructure’ zone, including a proposed riverside ‘tree lodge’ development (a significant new 57-room development on a 40 hectare concession stretched along the riverside fringe within the VFNP and already widely promoted within the tourism industry) and a riverside restaurant development (currently under construction immediately above the Falls).

There are also concerns over the allocation of Zambezi National Park Kandahar Camp for development as a lodge concession as this site is also recently identified in management documents as within the ‘Highly Ecologically Sensitive Zone.’

The report calls for an immediate halt to construction of the riverside restaurant and ‘tree lodge’ developments, all impacts on the sites mitigated and their lease concessions with National Parks rescinded, and further recommends that the World Heritage Committee requests a total moratorium on all developments in and surrounding the WHS until suitable management plans and maps are in place and agreed by all parties and all issues relating to the World Heritage Site management zone boundaries are confirmed and clarified.

Conservation Concerns

The riverine forest fringe is a protected feature of the WHS and noted for its importance to wildlife and wider scenic value. The vulnerability of this habitat is also recognised in the 2016-2021 Joint Integrated Management Plan:

“The Zambezi River, in common with all rivers in tropical Africa, has a distinct fringing vegetation of gallery or riparian woodland. The Riverine Forest is found along the banks of the Zambezi, Songwe and Maramba Rivers and on some islands. On the riverbanks it is with a width rarely more than 20-100m wide from the high water mark (Fanshawe, 1975, Meynell et al., 1996). At its best development, riparian forest is a three storeyed forest with a closed evergreen canopy attaining 21m in height… This habitat houses the highest concentration of animals and is the most sought and threatened by human developments.” (State Parties, 2016, p.18-9)

The draft Management Plan, circulated in November 2022, identifies the forested riverine fringe as being particularly at risk from tourism developments, the river, islands and gorges, together with the springs and drainage lines which flow into the river, being under very high risk from development (ZPWMA, November 2022, p.19). Yet despite the vulnerability to this habitat being widely recognised in management documents, tourism developments continue to impact and threaten the river corridor, especially in the upstream section of the site, the draft report of the recent Reactive Monitoring Mission concluding:

“For the area upstream from the Falls, the mission observed that the rationale for the 1989 recommendation to focus on the riverine strip of the National Parks remains justified, with most pressure actually felt by the NP areas near the river that are most relevant to the integrity of the site. While MoTNP and ZNP have been identified as buffer zones, the tourism developments have shown that the status of National Park has not provided the envisaged protection” (UNESCO, 2022).

Zoning Issues

The text of the 2007-12 JIMP clearly identifies the riparian vegetation above the Victoria Falls as within the ‘Highly Ecologically Sensitive Zone’ (State Parties, 2007, p.39). The supporting map (State Parties 2007, p.38) is unclear in showing the zonation of the property in the upstream river corridor.

The 2016-21 JIMP detailed revised zones for the property, although the text description again indicates that the riverine vegetation is included in the ‘Highly Ecologically Sensitive Zone’ (Block 6) and is described as “…following the Victoria Falls Rainforest, thence up the Zambezi River covering the riverine vegetation strip to where it joins the Zambezi National Park boundary” (State Parties, 2016, p.29).

The 2016-21 JIMP identifies the boundary with ‘Medium Ecologically Sensitive Zone’ (Block 7) as extending along Zambezi Drive road.

“The zone covers the Victoria Falls border and the Rainforest car park area and continues from the Victoria Falls Rainforest VIP entrance gate, thence along the Zambezi Drive Road to beacon R11, thence westwards following the boundary beacons to where it joints Zambezi National Park boundary” (State Parties, 2016, p.29).

This clearly indicates that the ‘Highly Ecologically Sensitive Zone’ includes the entire area of the land between Zambezi Drive road and the river – the area commonly known as the riverine fringe or strip – extending along this whole section of the river immediately above the Falls. This interpretation is also consistent with the historical management of this area which has been part of a strict ‘no new infrastructure’ policy since its management was taken over by National Parks in the early 1950s.

It follows that the land from the road away from the river is considered to be within the ‘Medium Ecologically Sensitive Zone,’ an area which is described in the 2016-21 JIMP as including the road and rail transport corridor which dissects the site below the Falls.

The supporting map presented in the 2016-21 JIMP (State Parties, 2016, p.27) confuses the issue by not clearly showing the line of the river above the Falls and appears to incorrectly show the riverside fringe within the ‘Medium Ecologically Sensitive Zone’ (yellow area). The confusion, or error, is more clearly apparent in the map presented in the 2012 Retrospective Inventory (Image 6), which while clearly indicating the line of the river and area of the upstream riverine fringe covered within the VFNP and WHS, mistakenly identifies the area as being in the ‘Medium Ecologically Sensitive Zone,’ an error which is repeated in the most recent map of the property, presented in the 2021 State of Conservation Report (State Parties, 2021, Appendix 2a, p.2).

We believe that all these maps are clearly incorrect in not showing the area of riparian fringe as protected within the VFNP and WHS as being within the ‘Highly Ecologically Sensitive Zone,’ as indicated by the text of the JIMP documents. For this section of the riverine fringe to be in anything other than the ‘Highly Ecologically Sensitive Zone’ would be a significant shortcoming in the administration and management of the site. For it to be within the ‘Medium Ecologically Sensitive Zone’ – the same zone as the rail and road transport corridor and visitor car parking area – would be a serious neglect of Parks core conservation aims and its international obligations under the 1972 World Heritage Convention.

It should also be noted no management zonation is detailed for the upstream area of the ZNP which is included in the WHS in either of the JIMP documents – a significant omission which subsequently allowed the development of two lodges along this section of riverine fringe, the Victoria Falls River Lodge (opened in 2012) and the Old Drift Lodge (opened in 2018). Although the river upstream to Kandahar Island is identified as being within the ‘Highly Ecologically Sensitive Zone’ (State Parties 2007, p.39) this still did not prevent the development of lodge units on Kandahar Island (opened in 2017, part of the Victoria Falls River Lodge development). The revised zonation map subsequently presented in the 2021 State of Conservation Report shows the whole WHS area of the ZNP within the ‘Highly Ecologically Sensitive Zone’ (State Parties, 2021).

The 2016-21 JIMP also presented revised guidelines for permitted activities and developments allowed within the management zones. The original 2007-12 JIMP prohibited all new infrastructure developments (with the exception of existing facilities) the both the High and Medium management zones (State Parties, 2007, p.39-41). The 2016-21 JIMP, while still prohibiting all new infrastructure development within the ‘Highly Ecologically Sensitive Zone,’ permits the development of ‘semi-permanent facilities’ within the ‘Medium Ecologically Sensitive Zone’ (State Parties, 2016, p.32).

Urgent Implications

The errors and discrepancies shown in the management zonation maps are of particular concern in relation to three developments along this stretch of the river – the riverside restaurant (with on-site construction well under-way), the new National Park structure (constructed in early 2022) and the proposed riverside ‘tree lodge’ (again with preparatory work already underway on the ground). The developers of the riverside restaurant are falsely claiming that their site is located within the ‘Orange’ (Medium) management zone and therefore an allowable development.

As it appears certain that the area of the VFNP upstream river corridor and riverine fringe is within the ‘Highly Ecologically Sensitive Zone’ which prohibits all new infrastructure construction there must be an immediate halt to construction of the riverside restaurant (and also by implication the ‘tree lodge’ development), all impacts on the sites mitigated and their lease concessions with National Parks rescinded.

There are also questions over the allocation of Kandahar Camp for development as a lodge concession as the 2021 State of Conservation zonation map shows this site within the ‘Highly Ecologically Sensitive Zone’ – where no new infrastructure or facilities are allowed.

The article New report highlights urgent concerns over Victoria Falls World Heritage Site first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

A letter has been sent to His Excellency Governor Ajamu G. Baly by Dr Nedim Buyukmihci, co-founder of Action for Primates and a veterinarian with many years practical experience working with non-human primates, including reproductive control, as well as advising on education and humane methods of resolving issues related to negative interactions between people and non-human primates. In the letter, Dr Buyukmihci points out the inhumanity of the capturing and killing of hundreds of vervets, as well as the ineffectiveness of using such lethal means to resolve the issue of conflicts between the monkeys and people. In particular, he noted:

• “It is stated that the vervets in question will be trapped and killed over the next three years. But, as this is being done over this length of time, there will be an increase in pressure for the vervets to reproduce. It is almost certain that there will be a surge in births, increasing the number of individuals.”
• “Regardless of the timeline, however, given the Sint Maarten terrain, it is highly unlikely that every vervet will be captured, allowing those remaining to continue to reproduce.”
• “There is also the issue of vervets residing in neighbouring French St Martin. There will be nothing to keep them from expanding their range into Sint Maarten.”

Instead, Dr Buyukmihci advocates the adoption of measures that can be taken to humanely reduce the negative interactions between vervets and people without having to resort to killing the vervets, and provides a comprehensive review of the issue. Considerations for non-lethal resolution include reproductive control such as sterilisation combined with education programmes to help the public deal with and prevent negative interactions with monkeys.

Rather than dismiss vervets as a ‘pest’ or a nuisance and killing them, Action for Primates appeals to the government and communities of Sint Maarten to adopt a humane approach to the situation. The fact that vervets are non-native is irrelevant. Not only have they been on Sint Maarten for over 400 years, having been brought there by people, and are now part of the ecosystem, they are living, sentient individuals who share many of the important characteristics we value in ourselves. They experience pain, suffering and distress similarly to people. It is not their fault that they are there and they should not have to pay for this human-caused problem with their lives. With the globally growing acknowledgement of the negative impact human activities are having on the planet and its inhabitants, it is more important than ever that we reassess the way we not only treat non-human primates, but how we humanely resolve negative interactions.

The article Primate protection group appeals to Governor Baly to abandon plans to kill monkeys on Sint Maarten first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

Elephant riding, selfies with tiger cubs and swimming with dolphins were some of the cruel wildlife activities on offer by these travel brands, according to the Real Responsible Traveller report. The study reviewed 9 leading travel companies on their commitment to animal welfare and wildlife friendly tourism with the aim to help holiday makers plan a wildlife friendly holiday.

Thousands of wild animals every year are forced to perform for tourist entertainment or be subjects for tourist “experiences” that are incredibly unnatural and stressful for them. For example, elephants in entertainment are captured in the wild or born into captivity and taken from their mothers at an early age. They are then subjected to violent training regimes causing huge physical and psychological harm.

Dolphins used for entertainment are mostly bred in captivity, (although some are still captured from the wild) and kept in barren tanks a tiny fraction of their natural home range which creates huge distress for these wonderful animals.

Travelling responsibly means never including captive wildlife entertainment or experiences on your itinerary and refusing to book your holiday with travel companies which may claim to offer responsible, sustainable travel, while continuing to profit from wild animal exploitation. The report also shows the travel companies who have made significant, positive steps for wildlife over recent years including Airbnb, and Booking.com. Expedia has improved in some areas, having stopped selling captive dolphin entertainment in 2021.

Katheryn Wise, World Animal Protection, Wildlife Campaign Manager, said: “Holiday makers have made it clear; they don’t want tour operators selling animal suffering, but the reality is, suffering is still being sold under the guise of entertainment. Who you book your holiday with matters. TUI Musement, Jet2holidays, GetYourGuide Trip.com and Attraction Tickets.com are STILL exploiting captive wild animals.

“World Animal Protection is urging responsible travellers to join us in challenging these companies to do better for animals. Real responsible travellers have the power to act and create lasting change for wild animals by refusing to support companies that still treat wild animals as commodities who they can exploit for profit.

“For more information on how you can make a difference visit our Real Responsible Travel Page at www.worldanimalprotection.org.uk/real-responsible-traveller.

“We are also urging the UK government to take action by passing the Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill, which sees its second parliamentary reading take place on February 3rd. This important bill intends to stop the sale and advertising of activities abroad which involve low standards of welfare for animals.”

The Real Responsible Traveller report builds on World Animal Protection’s 2020 Tracking the Travel Industry report, which assessed Airbnb, AttractionTickets.com, Booking.com, DER Touristik, Expedia, Flight Centre, GetYourGuide, Klook, The Travel Corporation, Viator, Trip.com and TUI Musement.

World Animal Protection commissioned the University of Surrey who independently analysed the public commitments travel companies have, and haven’t, made.

Companies were scored across four key areas:

1. Commitment: Availability and quality of published animal welfare policies and how applicable they are to all their brands
2. Targets and performance: Availability and scope of published time bound targets and reports on progress towards meeting animal welfare commitments
3. Changing industry supply: Availability and quality of engagement with suppliers and the overall industry, to implement wildlife-friendly changes
4. Changing consumer demand: Availability and quality of educational animal welfare content and tools to empower consumers to make wildlife-friendly travel choices

World Animal Protection then checked to see if they offered any of the five “animal attractions”:

• Elephant rides, feeding and washing
• Feeding or petting primates
• Selfies, shows, petting or walking with big cats
• Swimming with captive dolphins and dolphin shows
• The sale of any interactive “experiences” involving any captive wild animals (including for example sea lions, crocodiles and alligators)

1. World Animal Protection commissioned Savanta in 2022 to complete a global online survey of 23,726 people across 15 countries (Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, the UK, Spain, South Africa, Kenya, China, India, Thailand, Canada, the USA, Australia, and Brazil) on their attitudes to wildlife used in the tourist industry.

The article World Animal Protection says the travel company culprits still exploiting wildlife first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.