The Logbook. July 019. by TheLostExecutive

THE LOGBOOK J U L Y

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Contents

Beachhouse Gerroa ..................................................42

Editors note...................................................................... 4 Jail time for review fraudsters................................. 6 Glampinghub’s July Best............................................ 8 Tiger Beer.......................................................................14 From Capsule Hotels to Tiny Houses and Boats…..............................................................................16 Asian Countries Dominate as UK and US Passport Power Declines........................................ 20 Makoye Safaris, Tanzania.........................................26 Pishon Tours..................................................................29 Green World Safaris................................................. 30 Freebird Madagascar Tours................................... 32 Geotours del Guaviare............................................. 34 Andes Nativo................................................................ 36 Traversing Africa......................................................... 38

Ecolodge Isla de Pascua .......................................... 46 Villa Sungai..................................................................... 50 Villa Gris in Sanur........................................................52 Pousada do Parque Ecolodge................................ 54 Castle Blatná................................................................ 56 Wasipunko Ecolodge, Peru..................................... 58 Nimmu House Ladakh Hotel................................. 60 Refugio la Roca Colombia........................................62 Wild-Hart....................................................................... 68 Red Sky Tent Company.............................................72 Pulse Africa....................................................................76 Bushtec Safari...............................................................78 Pods by Future Rooms............................................. 84

Editors note

As eco-tourism in hospitality and safaris becomes a major industry movement in its own right, with many parallels to the glamping philosophy, we have looked closely at the businesses around the world that are doing their part to engage and educate travellers. Business stories are always unique and special, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve highlighted the most inspiring and heartfelt ones in our thirteenth issue. Highlighted destinations and suppliers in South America, UK, the United States, Mexico, Australia, Africa and Madagascar. Travel and hospitality is an industry as diverse and complex as any, with a vast spread of businesses feeding into it and as such we are also excited to mention that in addition to The Logbook, we will soon be launching an additional monthly magazine which will be specifically focussed at businesses involved in this vast and ever changing landscape. Looking at not only how people travel for leisure but how they travel for business and what business and business travel means today. It is a very exciting time and it is very exciting to be able to offer it to you all.

Stay safe. Travel well. Be good.

The Team Published by The Lost Executive LTD Co-founder and Creative and Editorial Director Don Campbell Co-founder Jerome Smith Head Writer Donnie Rust Copy proofreader Daemon Sands Magazine Designer Louise Smith

Working with Glampinghub.com

JAIL TIME FOR REVIEW FRAUDSTERS By staff writer

TripAdvisor®, the global leader in online review fraud prevention, today commended the result of a pivotal legal ruling in Italy which saw a persistent online review fraudster sentenced to jail. In one of the first legal cases of its kind, the Criminal Court of Lecce ruled that writing fake reviews using a false identity is criminal conduct under Italian criminal law. The owner of PromoSalento*, which sold fake review packages to hospitality businesses in Italy, was sentenced to nine months in prison and ordered to pay approximately 8,000 Euros in costs and damages. Paid review fraud – when companies or individuals ‘sell’ fake reviews to business owners – is a violation of the law in many jurisdictions, but this is one of the first cases of enforcement resulting in a criminal conviction. TripAdvisor supported the prosecution of PromoSalento as a civil claimant by sharing evidence from its extensive in-house fraud investigations and providing support from its Italian legal counsel. Review fraud is something TripAdvisor takes extremely seriously, employing advanced tracking technology and a dedicated team of investigators to catch paid review companies and prevent them from operating on the site. More information on TripAdvisor’s inhouse investigation into PromoSalento can be found here. TripAdvisor welcomes the opportunity to work with enforcement authorities, including the UK Competition and Markets Authority and the US Federal Trade Commission, to share information and support their efforts to tackle online fake reviews. Brad Young, VP, Associate General Counsel, TripAdvisor, said: “We see this as a landmark ruling for the Internet. Writing fake reviews has always been fraud, but this is the first time we’ve seen someone sent to jail as a result.”

“We invest a lot in fraud prevention and we’re successful at tackling it – since 2015, we’ve put a stop to the activity of more than 60 different paid review companies worldwide. However, we can only do so much alone, which is why we’re eager to collaborate with regulators and law enforcement authorities to support their prosecutions.”

“Online reviews play a major role in tourism and consumer purchasing decisions, but it’s important everyone plays by the rules,” said Mr Pascal Lamy, Chairman, World Committee on Tourism Ethics, UNWTO. “Fake reviews clearly contravene the World Committee on Tourism Ethics guidelines, which we published last year to guide the responsible use of ratings and reviews on digital platforms. The recommendations were developed in collaboration with TripAdvisor, Minube and Yelp and we know that industry collaboration has an important role to play in tackling review fraud.”

or individuals offering fake reviews should not engage with them but share that information with TripAdvisor directly at paidreviews@tripadvisor. com. All reports made to our Content Integrity team will be investigated and any information, no matter how minor, can help. TripAdvisor has recently launched a new online information resource where people can learn more about how the company moderates reviews and protects its content. New articles will be added regularly addressing popular topics such as how TripAdvisor moderates reviews, or determines whether a review is biased. The site also features a behind-the-scenes series profiling the vital work of our review fraud investigators, with new investigation cases studies added regularly.

The global travel community is a vital partner in the fight against paid review fraud and evidence shared by business owners approached by paid review companies is particularly valuable. Anyone approached or contacted by companies

GLAMPINGHUB’S JULY BEST Fantastic Glamping Dome Nestled in Appalachian Mountains, Georgia

FACILITIES This property’s facilities include kitchens, fire pits, comfortable beds, soaking tubs, private baths, and outdoor showers.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND 2 night’s stay minimum 1 unit PRICE: $143.81 WIFI: Cell signal

UNITS This luxury dome in the Appalachian Mountains provides guests with an unusual camping experience in Georgia. The dome has no straight walls and can accommodate up to five guests with three beds and comfortable rustic bedding. It has a private bathroom, an outdoor bathtub, and a fantastic outdoor shower. The interior is uniquelydecorated and consists of wooden furniture, including a table for four.

LOCATION This wilderness glamping site is tucked away in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Surrounded by forests and streams, the atmosphere of this vacation rental is serene and peaceful. The enormous Carters Lake is just a few minutes away, offering guests the chance to fish, boat, and more on over 3000 acres of wildlife. The city of Ellijay is known for treasure hunting, and it is only 15 minutes away. It has several dining options and a yearly Apple Festival.

Guests should note that the dome is like a large tent. During the summer, it gets warm inside (while guests are out exploring) and cools down nicely in the evening. It has a series of fans that create a cool evening breeze during the summer nights. The covered “cowboy kitchen” has a two-burner gas camping stove, a charcoal barbecue, a toaster, a coffee maker, pots and pans, plates, cups and utensils, and a picnic table.

Conveniently located only 15 minutes away from the historic city of Ellijay, guests can attend the annual Apple Festival, visit vineyards, apple orchards, or enjoy Carters Lake, which is only minutes away from the property. This area offers

There is a two-night minimum stay at this glamping dome in Georgia. Rates are for a double occupancy. Additional guests have a charge of $25 per person, per night.

FACILITIES

hiking, mountain biking, scenic drives, fishing, boating, rafting and kayaking on more than 3,000 acres of wilderness.

This property has a stunning deck area and guests will find a private hot tub where they can relax after a long day and watch the sunset or count the stars overhead at night. Other features of the accommodation include Wi-Fi, a television, and a DVD player. Guests will have access to everything they will need to relax in style.

This isn’t just any old retreat, as the experience will transform glampers and take them away from daily stresses, which will, in turn, set them on a journey of self-discovery. WEBSITE: https://glampinghub.com/ unitedstatesofamerica/southeast/georgia/ellijay/ luxury-dome-georgia/

There is also a pizza grill, for which guests are encouraged to bring their own fixings. Guests can take advantage of the fresh herbs grown right on site.

Safari Tent Near Water Springs, San Diego, California

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND No children allowed. Adults, couples and honeymoons. PRICE: $213.79 per person per night. WIFI: YES

LOCATION San Diego, California.

UNITS This luxury camping accommodation can sleep two guests and boasts a queen-sized bed with a heated mattress and lovely forested, mountain views. The 16-by-20-foot safari tent is made from recycled materials, including native incense cedar trees saved from the Cedar Fire of 2003. All of the furniture is either handmade or was found and brought back from the hosts’ travels.

WEBSITE: https://glampinghub.com/ unitedstatesofamerica/pacificwest/california/ sandiego/safari-tent-camping-california/

Inviting Cabins in the Trees Surrounded by Redwoods near Big Sur, California

The bathroom and kitchen were crafted from repurposed pine planks from a previous remodelling project. In the bathroom, there is a clawfoot bath tub with unparalleled views of the surrounding area, as well as a shower, a sink, and toiletries. There is a fully equipped kitchen, in addition to a charcoal barbecue with a pizza oven attachment for guests to make homemade pizzas. In the living room, there is a fireplace to cosy up around during the nights.

UNITS There are two glamping cabins available at this luxury site: The Serenity cabin and the Morning Lite cabin. The Serenity cabin was given its name for the peace and quiet—and cool shade, great for summer—that the surrounding redwoods provide.

baths, and from guests in the second cabin. The only part of the baths that are covered from rain is the toilet, and for obvious reasons. Also, we live in a quite moderate climate, and even in the lowest temperatures we experience here, generally in the mid-40s, it can be quite invigorating to soak in the hot tub for long periods (both cabins have a separate hot water heater, so all the hot water one needs is available, as well as bubble bath for ultimate enjoyment).

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

Morning Lite is so named for its tree house-esque style with no redwood canopy above it, which will offer glampers an ample amount of the welcoming California morning sunlight every day.

Couples and Family Friendly 2 nights minimum stay. PRICE: $165.85/night

Both cabins can sleep up to four people, though there is an additional fee for more than two guests. They have a one-room, open floor plan concept and include a queen-sized bed, as well as a queen-sized sofa bed. The bathroom is located on the deck, featuring a luxurious clawfoot bathtub for taking long soaks while staring out into the redwood forest. Towels, linens, and bathrobes are included.

WIFI: Unknown

A fully equipped kitchen and dining table allow guests to cook all their own meals as if they were at home. High-tech heaters that look like real wood-burning fireplaces keep these cabins nice and cosy. Wi-Fi can be requested for glampers who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to feel disconnected during their stay.

LOCATION The city of Carmel, whose full name is Carmel-bythe-Sea, has a rich history for Native Americans, Spaniards, and Americans alike, dating back to the mid-1500s. In the early 1900s, it became known as an artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; colony and continues to be an epicenter for art and culture today.

FACILITIES This property spans a full 19 acres, which gives glampers an expansive, secluded area to explore at their own pace. The cabins are surrounded by the Big Sur redwood forest, and there is a creek that runs through the property below the accommodations. The cabins are very secluded from each other and are at least 150 yards apart from each other.

WEBSITE: https://glampinghub.com/ unitedstatesofamerica/pacificwest/california/ carmel/luxury-cabin-treehouses-california/

Beautiful Yurt Rentals in Upstate New York

Many of our first-time inquiring guests ask about the privacy of our outdoor baths, and their use in inclement weather.

UNITS

These outdoor baths on the cabin decks are the most highly popular features of our rentals. They are private, both from others inside the cabins being able to see other guests when they use the

The yurts are located in Granville in Upstate New York. They are securely designed in a circular formation from wooden frames with sturdy cables supporting the structures, encircled by insulated

canvas covers. There is a total of four yurts on the property: a 30-foot yurt, a 24-foot yurt, and two 20-foot yurts. Inside the yurts, glampers will find a kitchen area equipped with a refrigerator, a

PRICE: $137.39 microwave, a coffee maker, a toaster oven, and dinnerware. Each yurt includes beds, a heater and a fan, a sofa, a DVD player, and electricity mod cons for the glamper’s utmost comfort. Although the TVs in each yurt play music and DVDs, it does not play normal TV. Free Wi-Fi is available in the yurts. Every yurt has a picnic table outside, as well as a fire pit. Glampers will also find a welcome pack that includes ice cream or ice-lollies, milk, water, coffee, tea, and cookies with every reservation. The host will do their best to accommodate special preferences.

WIFI: YES.

LOCATION This site is located in quaint East Hartford, Granville, a quick 25-minute drive to Manchester, Vermont, and 40 minutes to Lake George. The historic glamping site is a great place to spend time with loved ones, in the company of lovely maple trees and a large dazzling pond. It is delightful to unwind with family and friends around the fire-pit while taking in the area’s natural beauty. A local diner serves food all day, and Stewarts is the local store where glampers can find gas and other essentials.

Bathrooms are just 20 yards away from the yurts. The bathroom block has male and female restrooms, three individual showers, and a bathroom and shower with wheelchair access. There is also a washer and a dryer, and a sink to wash dishes, as well as potable drinking water.

WEBSITE: https://glampinghub.com/ unitedstatesofamerica/midatlantic/newyork/ granville/yurt-glamping-upstate-newyork/

Unique Underground Camping Pod Rental on Crop Farm for Vacation near Nashville, Tennessee

FACILITIES Close to the yurts are new bathrooms and free individual showers. A laundry room houses a washing machine and dryer, as well as a sink for portable water. Guests will be provided with kitchen supplies however you do need to bring your own food and charcoal for the fire pit and grill. A large campfire is lit every Saturday, weather permitting, and all are welcome to sit and enjoy. This camp also accommodates tents, just in case any groups require a tent site.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND Pets are allowed if they’ve had vaccinations and certifications.

UNITS

LOCATION

These underground pod rentals will provide glampers with a completely unique camping vacation experience on a farm near Nashville in Tennessee. The red and yellow pods are for glampers to sleep in, and the green pod is a small kitchen/dining room for guests to use. The red pod sleeps up to four guests comfortably and has a queen-size Murphy bed, in addition to two twin-size beds, and the yellow pod can sleep between three and four people and includes one queen-size bed, one twin-size bed, and a twin-size, pop-up mattress. Access to all pods and the farm is included in each booking. These unique rentals are the perfect retreat for glampers to immerse oneself in this small eco-system.

Located in Tennessee, this unique glamping site is less than an hour away from the lively city of Nashville. The glamping site is a Tennessee food forest, growing organic fruits, nuts, vegetables, and herbs. They strive for high diversity among their produce to mimic the natural patterns of nature thus creating less need for outside inputs. Guests can discover the beauty of the nature that surrounds this glamping property and if they so choose, can alternatively explore the cities that surround the site, all while returning to the comfort of their cosy pod rental. The community is a rural area located right next to the Natchez Trace Parkway. Many people who live here are quiet and always there for a wave. There are several other farms that are located near the property, as well and some traditional general stores ready to be explored.

FACILITIES While staying on the farm, glampers will have access to all three of the underground pods, as well as a bathhouse with two and a half baths, and a laundry room within, all within walking distance. Glampers will be able to enjoy the wildlife around them and when the season is just right, the fruits, and veggies.

WEBSITE: https://glampinghub.com/ unitedstatesofamerica/south/tennessee/santa_fe/ unique-vacation-rental-nashville-tennessee/

There is parking at the front of the site, as well as a roundabout by the pods, for overnight stays. Most of the property is a natural forest environment and walking shoes are a must.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND No pets No smoking PRICE: $347.75 WIFI: Cell phone reception

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TIGER BEER BRINGS LIVE MUSIC, PHOTOGRAPHY TO DUBAI INTER AIRPORT WITH NEW TIGER STRE Providing airport downtime like never before, Tiger Street Den uncages creativity and offers up and coming talent a unique platform to showcase their skills

are innovating by creating new ways to make music • Street Art Exhibitions: with unconventional artists who use their talents in ways that have never been explored before

Tiger Beer, Asia’s number one international premium beer, today announced the launch of Tiger Street Den in Dubai International Airport (DXB). Tiger Street Den is Tiger Beer’s first experiential concept store outside Singapore, fusing cool food and even cooler brews together with art and design.

• Artistic Photography Displays: giving photographers who challenge the status quo through art, a platform to express themselves

Created to be the new home of live music, art and photography, Tiger Street Den offers passengers a pre-flight experience like never before, designed by up and coming talent recruited via the Tiger Roar Collective platform.

Venus Teoh, Director of International Brands Tiger®, Heineken Asia Pacific, says: “As a brand born and brewed in Singapore, we are excited to bring our Tiger Street Den concept from Singapore to its first international location in Dubai, giving visitors from all over the world a taste of Singapore. Following our launch at Jewel Changi Airport in Singapore earlier this year, this new addition in DXB will be our second global lighthouse and will be a great space for us to stretch our boundaries and uncage creativity”.

Connecting people through culture, Tiger Street Den will bring the flavours of Singapore to visitors, whilst uncaging creativity and providing a platform for talent that are pushing boundaries. Serving up its classic Tiger Beer lager, the Singaporean brew will be accompanied by a mouthwatering menu created by Chef Peter Reffell. Taking the spirit of Singapore and translating it into a menu that boasts of the country’s culture, Chef Reffell was inspired by his spent time in Singapore that helped him truly understand the food scene, values and unique flavours. Alongside the inspired food and drink options, other experiences on offer to guests include:

Tiger Street Den is located at the heart of the Asian Street Kitchen in Terminal 3 Concourse A, and is open 24 hours a day. Asian Street Kitchen is

• Live Music Performances: with artists that

ART AND RNATIONAL EET DEN

DXBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s airside dining destination, made up of four street food and drink styles, that offers a variety of Asian inspired food and drink options. To keep up with what Tiger Beer is up to, follow us on social media via these hashtags: #TigerStreetDen #TigerBeer

FROM CAPSULE HOTELS TO TINY HOUSES AND BOATS… Booking.com presents the ultimate guide to unique property types that travellers won’t want to miss… From modern reinventions of camping classics to space-age pods providing a comfortable place to rest, travellers today have more options than ever when it comes to booking their next getaway. As the global leader in connecting travellers with the most diverse range of unique places to stay, Booking.com offers access to alternative accommodations all around the world. Recent research conducted by Booking shows that over half of global travellers (51%)* reveal they would like to visit somewhere that’s unique and that none of their friends have been to. Additionally, over a quarter of global travellers (26%) like statement accommodation that is unique, so they can seem like trendsetters or different from the crowd. SO, here is the definitive guide to some of the most talked about and on the rise accommodation types around the world.

CAPSULE HOTELS From one small stay to another, capsule hotels offer perfectly formed accommodation options for budgetconscious travellers. These extremely small “rooms” are often found in more casual accommodation offerings and are stacked high, side-by-side with steps for access and is also one of the fastest growing categories of accommodation on Booking.com. Where to stay: Capsule hotels first appeared as a low-budget option in Japan, and the country remains ahead of the trend, offering increasingly chic and high-tech pod options. The Capsule Hotel Astil Dotonbori offers the perfect experience in Osaka. All capsules come fully equipped, with a mobile phone charger, USB port and even nightwear, towels and slippers for their guests.

TINY HOUSES The tiny house movement sees people embracing a smaller and simpler existence. A property that’s less than 500 feet would technically constitute a tiny house and these small dwellings are popping up for travellers across the globe to provide a peek into the trendy and eco-conscious way of living that’s simple, uncomplicated and cosy.

Where to stay: Tiny House Siesta in Florida may be small but proves a big hit with visitors. Travellers can stay in self-catering tiny houses situated at the holiday park not far from Siesta Key Beach. Open floorplans connect a dining area, seating area, and sleeping area. Some of the bookable tiny houses at Tiny House Siesta even offer have two levels and an outdoor shower.

BOATS While staying off-shore may not be a new travel trend, accommodation options that are permanently moored offer visitors a unique place to stay while taking in their chosen destination. Booking.com currently offers is now home to over more than 1,700 boat properties across the globe. Where to stay: The floating superyacht The Sunbourn is found in Royal Victoria Dock and offers a uniquely luxurious base from which to explore London. Less than a minute›s walk from ExCeL London, this boat stay is also primed for business travellers to the area looking for something a little different, with meeting rooms available, the latest communications technology and a centralised multimedia system.

LUXURY TENT For some, camping instils fond childhood memories and presents an opportunity to embrace the great outdoors. For others, it means the dread of an outdoor toilet and a rough night’s sleep. Driven by the desire to make camping a more enjoyable experience for everyone, recent years have seen a significant increase in interest for glamourous camping – or glamping – with almost a third of global travellers (31%)* stating that they prefer unique and quirky accommodations while on vacation, such as luxury tents. Indeed luxury tents are amongst the fastest rising in relative popularity of accommodation types on Booking.com*, connecting travellers with the great outdoors without having to give up modern luxuries. Where to stay: Identified as one of 2019’s emerging destinations, Wadi Rum, Jordan, is also home to Memories Aicha Luxury Camp. These luxury tents offer the perfect balance of opulence and outdoors, situated in the heart of the desert for incredible landscapes and scenery. The camp features a restaurant, barbecue facilities, a garden and a terrace. This is camping like you’ve never experienced it before.

HOLIDAY HOMES While traveling is often about branching out and seeing new places, some of us still look for a few home comforts. For many travellers a holiday home offers the best of both worlds and the opportunity truly embrace their chosen destination. Almost a third (30%)** of travellers will be looking for a holiday home or villa for their 2019 getaway, both of which are amongst the fastest rising in relative popularity of accommodation types on Booking.com. Where to stay: They say home is where the heart is, but when you’re venturing away from yours on your travels, why not head to Spain, which is one of the top destinations for holiday homes with over 27,000 property options on Booking.com. In Granada the Mirador De San Cristóbal holiday home offers tastefully decorated accommodation in the charming Albaicín neighbourhood of Granada, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with impressive views of the city near the famous Alhambra.

CHALET As picture perfect as a souvenir postcard, a chalet offers an alternative alpine accommodation. The wooden houses with overhanging eaves often form part of skiing resorts. In fact, cabins and chalets are the desired accommodation for almost a fifth (16%)* of global travellers and are also amongst the fastest rising in relative popularity of accommodation types on Booking.com.

Where to stay: Ticking off two of the ski resort essentials, hot tub and ski storage, the Chalets de la Ferme de Belline is perfectly located in Briançon in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region for your next trip down the slopes. The property offers a range of chalet sizes, with some featuring a dining area or terrace for guests to enjoy après-ski.

APARTMENTS With 30%* of travellers planning to stay in an apartment in 2019 and one of the fastest growing accommodation types being booked by global travellers on Booking.com*, it’s clear they are as popular as ever. These self contained units often provide the perfect balance of escape and home comforts for city living. Where to stay: As one of the most iconic skylines in the world, why not experience the bustle of New York City from an apartment right in the midst of it. Located walking distance from the Rockefeller Centre, Radio City Apartments offer rooms equipped with a kitchenette and cable TV.

RIAD Stemming from the Arabian term for garden, a riad is a type of traditional Moroccan house or palace built around an interior courtyard. These palatial stays offer beauty in their architectural and floral design. Booking.com has over 1,200 riads available, so you’ll be spoiled for choice when looking for a place to spend those Arabian nights. Where to stay: Being the riad’s origin, Morocco is a must stay place when planning a stay. Riad Al Makan is one of the top picks in Fès and offers the perfect base to explore the bustling nearby street markets and attractions such as the Blue Gate. This beautifully designed property also boasts a terrace overlooking the old Medina.

ASIAN COUNTRIES DOMINATE AS UK AND US PASSPORT POWER DECLINES By staff writer

BREXIT, THE EU, AND THE LINK BETWEEN VISA-OPENNESS AND PROGRESSIVE REFORM

Moving into the third quarter of 2019, Japan and Singapore hold onto top spot on the Henley Passport Index, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 189. This latest ranking of passport power and global mobility – which is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) – marks the culmination of an 18-month long winning streak for both countries, after they unseated Germany from its long-held 1st position at the beginning of 2018.

Throughout most of the index’s history, the UK has held one of the top five places in the ranking. However, with its exit from the EU now imminent, the UK’s once-strong position looks increasingly uncertain. The Brexit process has not yet had a direct impact on the UK’s ranking, but new research using exclusive historical data from the Henley Passport Index indicates that this could change, with consequences that extend beyond a decline in passport power.

Falling from the 1st place spot it shared last quarter, South Korea now sits in 2nd place along with Finland and Germany, with citizens able to access 187 destinations without a prior visa. Finland’s ascent is due to recent changes to Pakistan’s formerly highly restrictive visa policy. In the hope of attracting tourists and boosting its struggling economy, Pakistan now offers an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) to 50 countries, notably excluding the UK or the US. With a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 183, the UK and the US now share 6th place – the lowest position either country has held since 2010, and a significant drop from their 1st place spot in 2014.

Political science researchers Uğur Altundal and Ömer Zarpli, of Syracuse University and the University of Pittsburgh respectively, have found that that there is a link between visa-openness and progressive reform, and that a county’s ranking on the index reveals far more than simply the number of destinations its holders are able to access.

Denmark, Italy, and Luxembourg sit jointly in 3rd place on the index, each with a visa-free/visaon-arrival score of 186, while France, Spain, and Sweden are in joint 4th place, each with a score of 185. In significant shifts elsewhere in the rankings, the United Arab Emirates has entered the index’s top 20 for the first time in the index’s 14-year history, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 165. Over the past five years, the UAE has more than doubled the number of destinations its citizens are able to travel to without a prior visa. Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the global mobility spectrum, with its citizens able to access only 25 destinations worldwide.

Altundal and Zarpli’s unique research shows that even short-term travel mobility, which represents 85% of all cross-border movements, can positively influence political liberalization and democratization. Conversely, countries moving towards nationalist isolationism and away from policies that encourage visa-openness are likely to drop in the Henley Passport Index rankings and incur geopolitical consequences for themselves and their neighbors.

pre-condition not only for economic growth, but also for social integration and progressive political change. With nationalism on the rise, and global powerhouses like the UK and the US embracing policies that limit freedom of movement, this new research indicates that associated impacts on political rights, rule of law, security and democracy could be profound. Commenting on these developments, Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners and the creator of the passport index concept, says: “With a few notable exceptions, the latest rankings show that countries around the world increasingly view visa-openness as crucial to economic and social progress. Discussions of passport power and global mobility tend to focus on the benefits

Altundal and Zarpli observe that “the prospect of visa-waiver agreements with the EU has encouraged neighboring countries to adopt important reforms in areas such as civil and political rights, rule of law, and security,” and note that freedom of movement appears to be a vital

for the countries with the strongest passports. However, this latest unique research appears to confirm something that many of us already knew intuitively: that increased visa-openness benefits the entire global community, and not just the strongest countries.”

Partner of FutureMap and author of The Future Is Asian: Global Order in the Twenty-first Century, says, “Brazil’s new government has come in at a time of economic crisis and seeks to accelerate an economic rebound. It needs to send a signal that it is open for business and cleaning up. Despite years of opposition to visa waivers for countries such as the US on a non-reciprocal basis, it seems Brazil has now caved in. To attract the capital and investor interest the country needs as part of its turnaround, it has taken this step to open up to important capital exporters such as Canada, Japan, and the US.”

INTEGRATION AND ECONOMIC PROGRESS: AFRICA, THE MIDDLE EAST, AND BRAZIL The connection between visa-openness, economic control, and social progress is exemplified by changing attitudes in African countries regarding strengthened diplomatic relationships on the continent and beyond. Discussing the shift towards visa liberalization within the African continent, Ryan Cummings, Director of Signal Risk,says: “The nexus between border openness and economic performance on the African continent has been exemplified by Rwanda. Last year, it was one of the countries to receive the highest degree of foreign direct investment. The country’s Trade and Industry Minister links this to their robust visa openness policy, noting that Rwanda – which initiated a visa-on-arrival policy for citizens of all African countries in the beginning of 2018 – views freedom of movement as a vital component for economic integration.”

INVESTMENT MIGRATION COUNTRIES SECURE STRONG POSITIONS Countries with citizenship-by-investment (CBI) programs continue to perform strongly on the Henley Passport Index, and demonstrate a similar connection between passport power and economic and social progress. Moving up from the 8th place spot it held last quarter, Malta now sits alone in 7th place with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 182, just one spot behind the UK and the US. Cyprus retains its 16th place on the index, with a score of 172, while the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda is now in 29th place, rising 11 places over the past decade. Dr. Juerg Steffen, the CEO of Henley & Partners, says: “Citizenship- and residence-by-investment programs are becoming more sought after, and these latest results make it easy to see why. Look at Malta’s position on the index, for example. For wealthy investors, the acquisition of a passport that gives its holders visa-free access to 182 destinations around the world is genuinely lifechanging. And we know now that the benefits of these programs go both ways. Since the introduction of its citizenship-by-investment program, Malta has attracted significant foreign direct investment, dramatically reduced its overall debt levels, become one of the most financially dynamic countries in the EU, and created employment opportunities that have improved the lives of all its citizens.”

Commenting on this approach in light of the growing connections between African countries and Middle Eastern states, particularly in the Gulf, Froilan Malit, an Associate at the Gulf Labour Markets, Migration, and Population (GLMM) program and a Fellow at Centre International de Formation des Autorités et Leaders (CIFAL), says: “By establishing deeper relationships with these states, African countries are not only able to secure trade and investment benefits and employment opportunities for their nationals locally and in the Gulf countries, but also to develop stronger diplomatic relations. These particular strategies can have transformative effects on Africa’s economic growth and development and may play an essential role to rapidly modernize their economy, trade, and investments in the long term.” Experts predict that recent changes to Brazil’s visa policy are likely to have similar effects – the country has implemented a visa waiver for citizens of Australia, Canada, Japan, and the US. Dr. Parag Khanna, Founder and Managing

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Safaris 24

MAKOYE SAFARIS, TANZANIA Great safaris are all about the personal touches

our business is completely customer-centric and that we must provide adequate information and advice even before they leave their own country.”

Having been an active and successful tour guide since 1996, Vicent Makoye Sana founded Makoye Safaris in 2017 with his family from the United States. Along with a team of seven staff, their business has been providing tailored safaris aimed at not only offering engaging experiences for their clients but creating cherished lifelong memories. “Safari is much more than just seeing nature and wildlife,” Vicent explains, “Coming to Tanzania often represents a lifelong dream for our clients to explore Africa. It is our responsibility to treat that with the respect it deserves and ensure that what they experience exceeds their expectations.”

He goes on to explain that there are some things that visitors take for granted when visiting Africa and going on a safari. To ensure that their clients are fully prepared they have a list of important FAQs as well as advice that Vicent has garnered over the last two decades.

Fortunately, Tanzania is a vibrant and vast country offering enthralling wildlife and ageless culture in equal measure. When combined with the 23 years of experience that Vicent brings to the table, clients can be confident that they will see things they could never have dreamed of.

“The journey of our clients begins before they step on the plane,” Vicent reveals, “It has always been a principle of ours that

“An easy way to keep a client happy,” he says, “Is make sure that everything runs smoothly and is catered for. This includes the journey over to Tanzania. Clients need to be reminded of requirements for passports, medication, they need to be reminded to bring extra sun screen, mosquito repellent and hats. By providing them a list of things needed, it means they arrive prepared and things can move along smoothly as planned.”

THE SAFARIS 25,000 large animals. This is one of the best locations to see “The Big Five” including the elusive Black Rhino. Also, guests will see the Maasai tribes in their natural habitat and view their large boma communities.

Makoye Safaris tours visit the five main safari areas of Tanzania where each offers a distinct flavour of the country. Allowing clients to get a complete taste of the spectacular landscape, the variety of animals and the culture of the country. These include the national parks of Arusha, Tarangire and the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and the Oldupai Gorge. Visits to each of these locations are tailored to get the very best out of each one.

The Serengeti National Park is one of the ten natural wonders of the world, the Serengeti is renowned for Tanzania’s largest lion population and a perfect location to observe over 70 large mammals in their natural environment. Every year the great wildebeest migration moves through the Serengeti National Park heading north to the Masai Mara reserve in Kenya.

The Arusha National Park is a few miles northeast of City Arusha and the Kilimanjaro National Airport and is famous for its diverse landscape and abundant wildlife which ranges from land and water predators, to birds and copious monkeys.

The Oldupai Gorge is the most famous archaeological location in East Africa and one that has the most importance to humanity at large. Archaeologists Louis and Mary Leakey located remains which demonstrate the earliest signs of mankind. Public viewings of the excavation sites and a museum containing fossils and human artefacts are an option for those visitors with an appetite for historic prehistoric discoveries.

The Tarangire National Park is the sixth largest national park in Tanzania and is famous for having the biggest of everything. It is a perfect spot for seeing the baobab trees, which are some of the biggest in the world, mighty herds of elephants and giant termite mounds that dwarf people when standing next to them. Wildlife includes lions, elephants, wildebeest, cape buffalo, waterbuck, gazelle and approximately 500 species of birds!

GOOD SAFARIS AND GREAT SAFARIS

Ngorongoro Crater. Before entering the Serengeti, visitors experience the ever impressive sight of the Ngorongoro Crater. Recognized as a World Heritage Site the crater is the largest intact volcanic caldera and was formed over three million years ago. Two thousand feet deep and covering 100 square miles it is home to approximately

According to Vicent, as all safari and tours companies in Tanzania have the same opportunities and destinations to work with, it’s what makes them unique that is really valuable. He says that any safari in Tanzania can be good, but great safaris are down to the personal touches.

Vicent reflects, “But you need to decide what you want your business to stand for and how clients will speak about it afterwards. These principles end up shaping everything included the destinations and the way you engage with your clients.”

THE SAFARIS Safari length and scope all depends on what the customers are looking for and is determined right at the start. Vicent says that there is no limit to the number of days a safari can last, however most commonly the safaris last from a single tour to as long as fifteen days. There have been a few that have gone on for even longer.

Makoye Safaris has had the opportunity to work with some incredible people and be involved in a number of important moments. Vicent recalls one in particular. “Once, after meeting clients on a tour, they decided to have their daughter’s wedding the following year with our company,” he says, “My team designed a ten day wedding safari with twenty four people, and a professional photographer captured the journey to share.”

“Usually customers are the ones who decide which places to be covered during their visit and what they want to see,” he says, “Many have an idea of what they are looking for and this provides us with a skeleton to work with, allowing us to add many interesting and unique surprises along the way. But we’ve also catered for some unusual requests.”

To Vicent its important moments like these that he cherishes, and it is opportunities like this, to really be involved in his client’s lives that inspires him to always do better and improve on his business and what it can offer.

PRICE: see website WEBSITE: www.makoyesafaris.com COMPANY ADDRESS: Arusha, Tanzania TELEPHONE: +255 786 169 857

“It has taken five years to build up our business and we want to expand the tours that we can offer to all peoples across the globe,” he says, “Tanzania is beautiful but it is fragile and the best way to protect it is to get more people to experience it first-hand. Not just with their eyes, but with all of their senses.”

EMAIL: info@makoyesafaris.com

DECIDING TO BE TRULY UNIQUE Insuring a truly unique experience was why Vicent chose to build his own safari business. He had spent too long working with people who didn’t understand the value of this industry and were only interested in bottom-line profits. When he, Babra and Michael decided to launch their safari they sat down and took the time to decide on what the product was going to offer. Carving in stone the principles of their business and choosing how their product was going to be packaged and marketed. “A mistake of smaller safari companies is to think that it is enough to just drive around Tanzania,”

REVIEW

PISHON TOURS In Michael’s opinion, these sorts of business relationships are the pillar to any business entity especially in the competitive tourism industry. The better the relationship with partnered businesses the more customers a business will attain and retain due to good recommendations and reviews.

Pishon Tours was founded in year 2018 by Michael Kosani and his wife who have worked and enjoyed the tourism industry for over ten years. They decided to launch their business to inspire more people to visit unforgettable Tanzania and to experience the wildlife, nature and cultures of the country. Right from the start they also chose to support the tourism industry through the sustainable selling of Tanzania’s national treasures and by properly training those individuals who have a passion for tourism.

He also believes in building strong relationships with clients directly, which include what he considers the basics of good relationship development. This includes acknowledging the client’s choice and sharing with them openly the information about the services offered; focusing on exceptional communication and maintaining trust and above all exceeding the client’s expectations.

“People come on safaris because they want to be surprised,” Michael says, “They want an adventure.”

THE SAFARIS Safari tours last on average from one day up to twenty and can take on small and large groups with a diverse selection of clients. Depending on what the client is looking for a typical Pishon Tour could take a group across a range of national parks, mountains and craters; on a game tracking safari to see the native wildlife or on a culture tour to see the people who live in this unique environment. As they tailor every tour it is all down to the desires and budget of the client.

KEEPING THINGS FRESH To make sure that their safaris are as fresh as possible, Pishon Tours update themselves depending on the type of season. Be it peak, high or low. Safaris are massively directed by seasonal changes with each one creating something unique and valuable to see. Pishon Tours stands out in this area as knowing the best places to go irrespective of the season.

The tours are supported by five locally employed and highly trained staff members who are responsible not only for the design of the safari but also for its operation. These staff members stand out as they are able to offer tours in a variety of languages.

There are also some new developments taking place, one of which will be the opening of their new camp Karatu Tanzania this year which will create a new offering for their current and new clients. PRICE: The average price range per person depends on the chosen safari package, number of days and nights that will be spent during the safari, safaris to be visited and the respective tourism season of the year. Prices can all be found on the website or via contacting Pishon Tours directly.

THE ACCOMMODATION Having dedicated themselves to offering the most complete package to their clients, Pishon Tours are very selective with the overnight accommodation partners that they use. As such, accommodation is always either with Sopa Lodges, Ngorongoro Rhino Lodge, Gran Melia Hotels or Serengeti Acacia Camps.

EMAIL: info@pishontours.com WEBSITE: www.pishontours.com

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GREEN WORLD SAFARIS Green World Safaris combine the wild life and natural landscape of Uganda, Rwanda and the DR Congo with the many cultures and communities living there. These amazing and unique safaris cater for all travellers including families, solo travellers, groups and volunteers and can be tailormade or traditional depending on the needs and budget of the visitor.

PRINCIPLES OF CUSTOMER FOCUS Their packaged holidays create the balance of nature, culture and authentic travel experiences that are based on the guidelines of ecotourism and responsible travel. As such the safaris are updated every 6 months and as a business they keep abreast of all new information regarding ecotourism.

In 2009, Betty Ddumba and Vidgis Bjonoy established Green World Safaris to provide a higher standard of tour company in Uganda. One that could pioneer eco-conscious tourism and educate their clients on the importance of sustainability of these eco systems and protecting the cultures and communities living there.

The length of each safari depends on the client’s time and budget, but there is no actual limit. As an eco tour operator, how their tours and safaris impact the environment is an important factor and clients can be confident that all the tours will follow an appropriate course.

Understanding that the choice of travel company is as important as the choice of where to visit, Betty and Vidgis were adamant that their company would not only offer the highest quality but be held to the highest standards as well. As such they are a fully registered safari tour operator based in Kampala, Uganda and are one of the most respected and professional companies in the country, hosting both local and international tourists.

ACCOMMODATION There are a host of safari lodges where visitors will be able to stay as part of their tour and these destinations are carefully chosen by Green World Safari for their values and their standards of hospitality. Irrespective of the budget available, guests must feel comfortable and looked after.

THE SAFARIS TESTIMONIALS AND REVIEWS

Providing a personalised service and creating a distinctive and memorable safari for each client, Green World Safaris’ tour routes take clients through places such as Bwindi, Kibale, Murchison Falls, Lake Bunyonyi, Semulik, Kidepo, Elgon and Sssese Island.

Green World Safaris have been extensively reviewed and praised for their approach and customer focus, their attention to detail and the overall value of their tours. Regularly mentioned, is their flexibility and accommodating nature when it comes to arranging tours and ensuring that each guest receives the best trip available. Another aspect mentioned repeatedly, is the quality of service provided by the Green World Safaris’ team, ensuring that visitors feel supported, looked after and engaged from the moment they enquire into the tours to when they arrive back home afterwards.

According to Betty, one of the major goals of their business is to promote and grow responsible tourism in Uganda and other East African destinations. It is only through sustainable tourism than mountain trekking and great ape tracking, nature trails and wildlife safaris can be the kind of adventures that future generations can also enjoy as well.

BOOKING Bookings and enquiries can be made on the website. PRICES: See website for full details. WEBSITE: www.greenworldsafaris.com COMPANY ADDRESS: Najja Shopping Center2nd Floor Entebbe Road TELEPHONE: +256772676558 EMAIL: info@greenworldsafaris.com

REVIEW

FREEBIRD MADAGASCAR TOURS

He explains that the island, filled with such cordial and happy people and such an abundance of exotic wildlife, deserves to be seen. It is unique and isolated and one of the few remaining Edens to be explored.

Fabrizio Campagna fell in love with Madagascar in 1998 when venturing across the island with a friend. After several additional visits, he met the woman that would become his wife, they had twins and chose to settle permanently. He founded Freebird Madagascar Tours to introduce people to the wild and colourful beauty of this untamed island which had so completely captured his heart. This was in 2012.

THE TOURS Working with one assistant and several freelance drivers and guides, Fabrizio believes in employing locally and relying on the home-advantage of experience to provide the best trips for his clients.

FREEBIRD A graduate from Tourism School in Italy, Freebird Madagascar Tours is Fabrizioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first endeavour into the industry and enabled him to combine his love for the island with his talent for entertainment. As it turns out, while living in Italy, he was a rock and roll musician and a DJ, working in many musical events and shows where he learnt how to package and market a top experience.

Tours can vary from 8 to 21 days, and there is a wide variety of different ways to enjoy them. Fabrizioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s client list includes ardent adventurers, who relish the hard-off-road treks into jungles and landscapes unexplored, and holiday makers wanting to luxuriate in a five-star ecolodge observing lemurs in the trees while floating in a sparkling pool on a Lilo.

According to him, this is what makes Freebird Madagascar Tours unique. His direct relationship with his clients that allows him the opportunity to arrange tailor-made trips for them, suggesting ideas that they may not have considered. With this in mind, many clients come to him with challenging requests which he has built a reputation for meeting.

THAT PERSONAL TOUCH Being customer focused is key to Fabrizio’s way of working. Being involved directly with his clients, finding out their needs and desires and arranging the best way to give them the perfect experiences. This is what he started his business for.

“Especially for tours lasting more than a single day, you can’t overvalue the importance of getting a good night’s sleep,” Fabrizio says, “It’s no secret that people have a better time and are happier when they’re well rested.”

His way of working is to open up communications through email, WhatsApp and Skype and have regular conversations. This way, when a client finally arrives to Madagascar, they already know each other and are ready and excited for what’s to follow.

2020 In 2020 Fabrizio wants to introduce a new product. A series of tours focussed around the northeast of the country, a land of big vanilla plantations and hidden forests that has not been visited by many tourists.

Generally, even his average tour takes clients to see an astonishing variety of wildlife, plant life and cultures with a range of landscapes indicative of the various weather patterns affecting this oceanlocked country.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND There are a few things for newcomers to the island to keep in mind Fabrizio says, mostly that Madagascar has its own unique flow of time. On the island, it moves at its own speed and this usually slow. Visitors have to synchronize to it, otherwise they can miss the essence and the beauty of the country. At the welcoming briefing he always says:

ACCOMMODATION A good night’s sleep is the best way to end an exciting and adventurous day and Madagascar does have some of the most specialized and beautiful luxury lodges and boutique hotels in some amazing locations. The accommodation used has to meet Fabrizio’s own personal standard, so irrespective of budget, clients will have great showers and comfortable beds.

“Impossible situations are easily and magically resolved but easy tasks can take days in Madagascar!” PRICE: Roughly €2000 per person for two weeks. COMPANY ADDRESS: LOT AB 97 Ankadindravola, Ivato, Antananarivo, MADAGASCAR TELEPHONE: 00261 32 4048139 EMAIL: info@freebirdmadagascar.com WEBSITE: www.freebirdmadagascar.com

REVIEW

GEOTOURS DEL GUAVIARE

The nature and tourism champion Geotours Del Guaviare, was founded in Colombia in 2013 by Mr. Julian Eduardo NiĂąo and Milton Yesid NiĂąo. Forming part of an endeavour to empower the local communities through tourism it was created during a time when Guaviare was beginning to emerge as a must-visit destination in Colombia.

young entrepreneurs can create a tour including eco-guides and ethno-tourism, farm stays, canoeing and hikes, caving and dolphin watching. Accommodation, logistics and medical and travel insurance can also be handled inhouse, allowing clients to enjoy the unique and memorable experience in a destination full of magical realism.

A precision operation involving six coordinators, four logistic support personnel and ten guides, the staff are all locals with experience in community tourism and the best of what Guaviare has to offer.

Locked in an area not greatly known for its different seasons, tours can operate every day of the year making it a great destination for bucket list adventures and last minute jaunts.

The growth of the tourism industry in Guaviare has benefitted the communities here greatly and has been the root cause for many business developments and expansions. Creating transportation and logistics businesses, restaurants, hotels, guide and tour associations and rural service providers excited to offer their services to tourists.

THE TOURS As a nature tourism agency, Geotours offer a complete package that caters for tourists and travellers wanting to gain the most adventure with as little difficulty as possible. Their team of

Julian explains that the tours offer a mix of experiences from many destinations in Colombia. For example, they have Macarenias plants such as those of Caño Cristales, cave art that’s over 10,000 years old at the national park Chiribiquete and freshwater dolphins in their natural environment in Bolivia and Leticia.

ACCOMMODATION Where you stay can make all the difference and there is a choice of hotels in the city of San José del Guaviare for those who long for a hot shower and a deep mattress after a day of touring. While, for adventurers and nature lovers there is an even wider range of options of cabins and rural farms that offer an excellent overnight experience.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND The yellow fever vaccine is not mandatory, but it is recommended.

EXPERIENCES THAT COUNT

It is advised to bring cash as well.

Customer service is important to Geotours because not only are they building a business, but they are representing a country. Furthermore, their aim is to turn clients and tourists into friends who will return for future trips and recommend their services to their friends and family.

PRICE: $180-$500 per person COMPANY ADDRESS: Street 10 N 28A -101 MZ L CS 26 TELEPHONE: 3208815678 EMAIL: travel.geotours@gmail.com

2019/2020

WEBSITE: https://geotoursdelguaviare.negocio. site/?m=true

This year, Geotours will be offering flights to the Chiribiquete National Park from the 25th28th October. Five days and four nights at the Guayanes Shield where two days will be spent in Caño Crystals, two days in Guaviare and the last day the overflight.

REVIEW

ANDES NATIVO

Specialists in a la carte travel, family and special orders, Andes Nativo offers bespoke tours tailored to the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s particular tastes. With over eighteen years in the industry, Edmundo has a diverse itinerary and a gift for connecting the dreams of his clients to locations and adventures.

Inspired by the majestic mountain range of the Cordillera de Los Andes which gave life to ancient civilizations, and the impressive landscapes of the region carved into the rock by wind, water and time, Andes Nativo was founded in Nasca Peru by Edmundo Watkin. Edmundo comes from a background starting with 4x4 expeditions in Patagonia in Argentinian and Chilean territory as well as tours in Bolivia, the Atacama Desert and Peru throughout the late 1990s.

THE TOURS Working with an immediate team of three and partnering with colleagues in different regions Edmundo is an advocate of employing locally. Along with this he provides in-depth staff training to ensure he makes use of the local-knowledge while maintaining his businessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; standards.

He explains that the sheer vastness of the mountains and the matching depth of culture and tradition he found in the people living in these Andean landscapes had a profound influence on him. He chose to create a business that could educate and engage visitors to the region while respecting the environment and its unique biodiversity. A business centred around promoting a responsible and sustainable tourism approach and creating lasting memories for clients.

Tours are highly varied depending on capabilities, budget and particular client needs. He reveals that his shortest tour is roughly five hours long while others can last many days. According to him landscape tours are always popular but there is a growing interest for being introduced to and engaging with the native communities of the region such as in Titi Caca lake and the Argentinian northwest communities.

2020 Edmundo reveals that he has been developing community tourism and trekking in the northwest of Argentina and Iguazu Falls. This will offer a new and exciting option for his new and current clients. PRICE: See website COMPANY ADDRESS: Sargento Cabral Los Reartes Cordoba Argentina Panamericana Sur km 462 Lodge Wasipunko Nasca PerĂş TELEPHONE: 0054 93535649690

ACCOMMODATION

EMAIL: info@andesnativo.com

Not all of the available tours include overnight accommodation and Edmundo points out that it is very much dependent on the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wishes. If a tour is overnight, stays can be arranged in an assortment of establishments that he has personally qualified to his standards. These include hotels, camping and glamping sites and nights at native community lodgings.

WEBSITE: www.andesnativo.com

Accommodation and tour itineraries are being updated all the time as he searches for more new and original destinations to explore. And they are involved in the creation of natural reserve and native communities.

WHAT A CLIENT CAN EXPECT To Edmundo setting the mood is very important and is a valuable tool to promote responsible tourism, so his focus is on developing his small but capable team. By developing his teammates he knows that they will in turn look after his clients and make sure they have the best possible experience.

REVIEW

TRAVERSING AFRICA Africa for the Family Kirsty Perring earned her diploma in travel and tourism and spent twenty three years working in the industry before she decided to launch Traversing Africa in December 2018. Believing that travel is transformational, she was determined to offer something that was uniquely hers. A chance to provide clients with curated journeys that were inspiring and memorable instead of template or textbook.

involved in a budget-aware safari that also offers the benefits of being in a social group experiencing something great for the first time. A variety of lodges are available along the way and Kirsty travels as much as she can to these locations in order to gain a personal insight into how they will contribute to a safari.

GIVING BACK According to Kirsty, one of the aims of Traversing Africa is to encourage people to give back to local communities, be conscious of their carbon footprint and make a difference through travel. Parents travelling with children may think of a safari as just an interesting and exciting experience for their family, without considering the deep and powerful impact that such an experience will have on their kids. Installing a sense of importance and value of the natural world in today’s children can help save the it for the future. Traversing Africa also supports a number of important groups including Project Rhino, Uthando, Pack for a Purpose and Seedballs. Seedballs in particular is helping the natural vegetation across Eastern and Central Africa to recover by burying seeds in balls of charcoal so they’re not eaten by animals and have the essential minerals needed for growth and then dispersing these Seedballs in a host of interesting and innotive ways. It’s recently gone viral online.

NOT ONLY FAMILY ORIENTATED SAFARIS Traversing Africa has a focus on family travel and specializes in the logistics that come alongside travelling with children of all ages. Each safari lasts between seven and ten days and Kirsty creates an immersive experience that will engage all participants on an individual and family basis. Predominantly, the safaris are by nature, bespoke, however there are also group safaris available, allowing solo travelers or those on a budget to get

WHAT CLIENTS CAN EXPECT Client relationships is extremely important to Kirsty, who says that it may be a cliché but people do business with those they know, like and trust. In order to maintain life long clients it takes constant effort to make all clients feel like they are the most important to you and this includes valuing everything they have to say and cherishing the dreams that they want you to turn into a reality. She adds that it’s all in the small details. Because their safaris are bespokely designed for the client, knowing and understanding what the client wants in the finest detail helps them provide the very best experience. This includes the important aspects like what the client wants to see and experience to whether there are any health concerns such as allergies that need to be considered. Sometimes it’s about paying attention to the finer details that a client may mention only once, like wanting to see a giraffe run, or a leopard chilling in a tree.

OTHER TOURS Traversing Asia, Traversing South America and Traversing Europe, are all destinations that are available. Kirsty reveals that many of her clients prefer to come back to her to arrange their tours and adventures irrespective of where they are going, and that these brands were added after she had created the same standard of tours in these different continents.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND Kirsty suggests that is is important to always travel with an open mind. Put aside any preconcieved ideas about a destination. Be mindful of local customs and always show the utmost respect when visisting someone elses country. We are guests after all. PRICE: $10-$15000 per person WEBSITE: www.traversingafrica.com COMPANY ADDRESS: 55 York Street #1103, Toronto, Ontario, M5J 1R7 TELEPHONE: 001 6479240674 EMAIL: kirsty@traversingafrica.com

Destinations 40

BEACHHOUSE GERROA Life is a Scrapbook. Get some Gerroan snapshots. Gerroa, New South Wales. Australia.

If life is a series of scrapbook moments, like an album of pages holding the snapshots of our lives, then Beachhouse Gerroa deserves a full page just for itself. Right on the Gerroa coastline of Australia the beachhouse, which launched in May 2019 after extensive renovations by new owners Greg and Bernadette Cooper, seems to have been designed with the purpose of capturing that perfect moment.

THE COOPERS The Coopers have been operating high end luxury family rentals for a number of years through their other property Berry Beach Farm, but when the opportunity came along to buy the Beach House this took their business to a whole new level. Greg was formerly a finance executive and the whole family has lived and travelled around the world, including Hong Kong, London, Singapore and of course Sydney over the last thirty years.

To say that the Coopers were ready for this property is an understatement. The purchase of the property that would become Beachhouse Gerroa was finalized in February 2018, and the renovations took slightly over a year and opened in May 2019.

IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS Bernadette is the designer behind the property and explains that the beachhouse is decorated in a Coastal Hamptons style with a relaxed holiday feel. Working closely with their daughter and their builder, the renovations really began from this design.

“We love the south coast and have always kept an eye out for the right property to come along on the Gerroa headland,” Greg says, “This property was one of only two on the headland that had the vista from every room so it’s quite unique and we didn’t hesitate when we got the chance to buy it.”

THE BEACHHOUSE GERROA With a massive entrance area, sandstone fireplace, lounge room, balcony and dining table for twelve, this house is an entertainer’s dream. Making it perfect for family gatherings, corporate functions or exclusive getaways. “There is a large back living room with another sandstone fireplace and drink-fridges,” Greg says, “Naturally, there is the essential outdoor barbeque and a massive rear deck with a hot tub overlooking the ocean. Perfect for the enjoyment of evening barbecues, and morning barbecues and afternoon barbecues too.”

“We started with the shell of the existing house and a vision,” she says, “To get there it needed considerable renovation, so it was basically stripped back to its bare shell and then rebuilt from there.” She says that they knew exactly what they wanted to do with the property and what they wanted the outcome to be, “The design was heavily influenced by our global travels and some of the beautiful properties we have stayed in around the world.” The Coastal Hamptons style is a perfect fit for the space, making full use of the abundant natural light and taking advantage of each room possessing a view of the ocean vista. Which makes for some terrific experiences with the weather on this part of Australia.

ACCOMMODATION There is space for ten guests to stay comfortably, but the house can hold events with up to fifty people. The busiest times of the year is around Christmas, the January holiday period and Easter.

“What could be better than sitting by one of our two beautiful sandstone open fireplaces watching the ocean?” Bernadette asks, “Or relaxing in the hot tub as the storm rolls in towards you?”

That being said, Gerroa is getting increasingly busy all year round as people realize it’s not just a summer destination. For some visitors the summer temperatures, which usually average at around 25-35 degrees Celsius, with the occasional spike to 40 degrees, aren’t as attractive as the cool, wet winters. Winter temperatures are milder but with just as much sunshine and this is attracting a different range of guests. Weekends are becoming very popular with visitors coming down from Sydney or Canberra, and the Coopers are also seeing more interstate and international visitors. There are three queen sized bedrooms with bathrooms and dazzling views, and a kid’s bedroom with four bunkbeds with the main bathroom just across the hall. Linen, bedclothes, robes and all the usual amenities are provided for, but guests will need to bring their own food and drink.

GERROA Gerroa is a small town and part of the Kiama Municipality, considered to be the southernmost town in the Illawarra region of the New South Wales coastline in Australia, roughly 130 km south of Sydney. It’s a beautiful area characterized by impressive views of the beach and Mount Coolangatta and according to the Coopers guests typically leave feeling that they have barely scratched the surface of this small but engaging area. The townships of Berry is a Sydney favourite, and there are beautiful wineries in the hinterland and of course the beach right out the front.

guests. “We have a longstanding relationship with our cleaning team who regularly inspect and update aspects of the property,” Greg says, “As one example of the suppliers we use, they’re brilliant at dealing with the small details.”

ACTIVITIES In the beachhouse, guests cannot get any closer to the sea without getting their feet wet. According to Greg and Bernadette it is as close to a perfect beach as you can get.

For them, they believe that the smallest details affect the highest standards and that guests notice these things. Little things like making sure that the chrome on the faucets is always sparkling, that there is never any dust on the porcelain and that the windows are always clear and clean.

“Gerroa is a great beach with a more gentle wave for kids and families yet the wide open vista of Seven Mile Beach right ahead of you,” Bernadette says, “There are also lots of little secret beaches and beach walks that people don’t know about which is always a worthwhile adventure for families, friends and couples.” Gerroa township is quite quaint and there is a natural limit to the number of people who can stay there as the population is only 673 people, yet it’s close to the great restaurants and shopping of Berry township and the surf vibe of Gerringong. It has in fact spawned some legendary surfers including the likes of Sally Fitzgibbons and Tyler Wright.

“For guests we also provide bikes, surfboards and stand up paddleboards so they can get out and enjoy the water,” Greg says . WHAT GUESTS CAN EXPECT The Coopers run their business themselves and have sought to build strong relationships with local suppliers and feel that this is an important part of providing the best quality service and stay for their

“Many of our clients are repeat guests because of the standards,” he says, “If you create a guest experience that surpasses their expectations, on the little and big details, it can generate that feeling that you just have to come back.”

2020 As the Beachhouse Gerroa is their latest project, The Coopers want to continue to grow this in conjunction with their sister property Berry Beach Farm. They are also particularly interested in renting out the use of the property for events and photo shoots alongside holiday stays.

IDEAL FOR Good for those seeking a relaxing weekend with some outdoor activities, perfect for group outings when entertainment is the priority. This is designed to be a welcoming and hospitable place and Bernadette has simply excelled in creating something beautiful. Interested in booking? See contact details.

PRICE: Prices range from $1600 per night normally to $2000 per night in the high season over Christmas and January. There is a minimum two night stay on weekends and seven nights in School Holiday periods. WEBSITE: www.beachhousegerroa.com.au COMPANY ADDRESS: 64 Burke Parade, Gerroa, NSW, 2534 TELEPHONE: +61 448 276 587 EMAIL: beachhousegerroa@gmail.com

ECOLODGE ISLA DE PASCUA A refreshing change to easter island hospitality

Easter Island, known locally as Rapa Nui, is one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world and is possibly more famous for the incredible Easter Island statues, the moais. Its long history and intricate culture have beckoned travellers for many years, seeking to find themselves a sense of mystery and awe.

Nui. Later, in 1984 it would change its name to Hotel Chez Joseph. Two generations later under the management of José, who is the founder’s grandson, a new corporate image was envisioned and applied on July 1st, 2014, which saw the hotel’s name change again to Hotel Rapa Nui. “In 2017,” José says, “Based on the interests of visitors to Easter Island and the geo-cultural development of the area, a strategic change was made in the name of the brand and we became the definitive Easter Island Eco Lodge.”

So, while pondering these sublime mysteries, why not spend some time doing so in an eco-lodge with a long and detailed history of its own? We spoke with José Pakomio Torres, CEO and co-founder of Easter Island Eco Lodge ( Ecolodge Isla de Pascua), a lodge that has been welcoming travellers to the island since the 1960s.

With this name change they updated their goals to not only offer residence, but to position Rapa Nui as a cultural tourist destination. This gave them the opportunity to establish sustainable tourism and preservation techniques to protect the local flora and fauna and safeguard the cultural significance of the island.

DIFFERENT NAMES. SAME LEGACY Easter Island Eco Lodge began its activities in February 1967, under the name Hotel Tahara’a and was the first residential establishment of Rapa

INSPIRED José, together with his wife, have been lodging expeditionary groups of anthropologists and geologists travelling to Rapa Nui to study the origin of moais for many years. When he took control of the then Hotel Rapa Nui in 2014, he wanted to maintain his grandfather’s legacy which was to warmly welcome those who decided to visit the island. This is a fulfilling experience, creating a comfortable environment and sharing the Rap Nui history and culture which includes the various gastronomy dishes, the dances and the many more charms that this island has to offer.

All the rooms come with the general amenities the modern traveller has come to expect, including hairdryer, safe, telephone, fridge and bar, bath towels and robes. Comfortable beds, hot showers and thick pillows. “Our focus is not to keep our guests in their rooms day and night,” José says, “After all, what makes us special is the central location in the town of Hanga Roa which allows guests easy access to the many various attractions there.”

HANGA ROA The main harbour town, Hanga Roa is the capital of Easter Island. Located in the lowlands between the extinct volcanoes of Terevaka and Rano Kau, in the southern part of the island’s west coast. In 2002, it comprised of 87 percent of the total population and is the best example of Easter Island way of life.

ACCOMMODATION Easter Island Eco Lodge has thirty rooms and the capacity for sixty guests. The decoration of all the surroundings both inside the rooms and in the common areas is a mixture of rustic and minimalism. This mix is deliberate, and José reveals that the building is made with a varied mix of natural materials, the essentials being native wood and volcanic stone.

A PIONEER IN THE LOCAL TOURISM INDUSTRY José explains that while Rapa Nui has always attracted healthy tourism, the environmental impact of the hotel industry on the island is very high. This is in part due to Easter Islands’ remoteness and historical political uncertainty which has meant that hotel growth was often not framed by considerations for responsible and sustainable tourism. This is how Easter Island Eco Lodge is different.

“There is a welcoming charm that rustic designs create,” José says, “That allows guests to relax and connect with nature and the mystery of this island. This is something that is very difficult to perceive when in large industrialized cities but is a good nourishment for the mind and the soul.”

“Through a number of actions such as changes to LED lighting, the complete elimination of stationery and paperwork, reforestation of native flora, garbage treatment, use of fair trade products and others we have made Easter Island Eco Lodge the only ecological hotel in Rapa Nui,” José says.

This is backed up by the international sustainability certifying authority Biosphere, Ecolider by Tripadvisor and S seal by SERNATUR. Easter Island Eco Lodge also holds itself to the highest standards in quality, hygiene and cleaning, ensuring compliance with all the necessary authorities for the benefit of their guests. They are also part of ACHS (Chilean Association of Security) that supports them by training their staff on procedures of security and quality. They are also recipients of the seal Q which is the Seal of Tourist Quality. “We focus our efforts on providing quality and safety services, taking care to minimize our operations that can affect the natural environment, as well as protecting the local history and culture,” José says, “All while offering the finest comfort and accommodation for our guests.”

“Touring the island via bike is one of the most rewarding ways to see the sites,” José says, “Allowing guests the freedom to take in everything from this remarkable island at their own pace.”

WAYS TO SEE THE ISLAND

And, as far as hiring bikes is concerned, almost all of the businesses on the island receive payments via card, however visitors are recommended to bring in some local currency which is the Chilean peso.

There are only two ways to get to Rapa Nui, the first is from Santiago de Chile via LATAM, the only airline that flies to the Island. The second way is from Papete, which has a stopover on the Island. José recommends that travellers should buy their tickets as early as possible for the best price since the air tickets to the island will be the most expensive part of the trip. Having the opportunity to visit the island, is for many a dream come true, and with good reason as everything about the island seems magical. From its isolated location surrounded on all sides by miles of ocean to its mysterious giant stone statues (Moai) and its ancestral culture. All of these things make a trip to Rapa Nui an unforgettable experience.

COMPANY ADDRESS: Avareipua s/n – Hanga Roa TELEPHONE: 56 32 2703141 EMAIL: info@eiecolodge.com WEBSITE: www.eiecolodge.com

RAPA NUI PLAY During 2019, José explains that they incorporated an innovative application on the island, which is still in development but by October visitors will be able to make use of this service that will be free for the guests of the lodge. “Connecting to ‘Rapa Nui Play’ will be easy for all guests,” he says, “They can connect to the internal Wi-Fi network for free and access can be gained through any mobile device. This will give them access to a collection of over 50 books, 250 movies in 3 languages, music and games for children.”

CONSIDERING BOOKING? Be warned, it is easy to fall in love with the island and its irresistible charm and many of those who travel to Rapa Nui do not want to leave. If you want to take the chance, visit their website for a calendar booking. PRICE: USD $369 per night

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VILLA SUNGAI

with emerald terraces of rice, tropical forests and ancient temples all around.

Opened at the turn of the twenty first century by the current owners, Villa Sungai was created to offer guests a more personal, bespoke hotel experience than had been previously available in Bali in a private villa. A place where any one of the twelve staff members will recognize a guest on sight, know their name and special food and beverage requests, and be able to provide a full concierge service including arranging restaurant and in-house spa bookings or offering advice on where to go for those spur of the moment outings.

Villa Sungai features off-white terrazzo, traditional Balinese thatched roofing and vast ceilings. Extravagant netted over-sized four-poster beds in all the three rooms, exotic indoor and outdoor bathrooms with luxury Chopard and bespoke bathroom goodies. European double baths and tapware, imported mattresses, pure white Egyptian cotton sheets, thick white cotton bath sheets and enormous Ploh pillows. All the rooms are also air conditioned however the doors can also be left open to enjoy a deep sleep with the freshest breeze drifting over you.

THE VILLA Here contemporary style meets classic character for the ultimate in 5 star ‘exclusive-use only’ luxury Bali villas. Guests can immerse themselves in an island escape cocooned in a tranquil, local style and contemporary sophistication. Positioned just inland on the fashionable west coast near Canggu, Villa Sungai Bali has everything you expect from the finest hotels, with the added bonus of exclusivity. Sungai’s private world of tranquillity and indulgence lies in the midst of the traditional village of Cepaka. Village and villa sit within the most dramatic setting of the volcanoes of Bali,

CUSTOMER SERVICE With Villa Sungai having guests returning multiple times and booking future stays during their visits, means that Villa Sungai is challenged to continually refresh the product so repeat guests are always surprised when they arrive. PRICE: www.bali-villasungai.com/deals-and-rates/ COMPANY ADDRESS: Cepaka, Canggu, Bali, Indonesia TELEPHONE: +61 400233468 (reservations) EMAIL: info@bali-villasungai.com WEBSITE: www.bali-villasungai.com

CEPAKA’S AUTHENTICITY The cultural benefits of staying within a beautiful traditional village are compelling. The packaging of culture is inevitable with mass tourism, and in Bali, visitors typically encounter it through carefully choreographed performances. However you won’t find anything staged in this authentic village. But that doesn’t mean guests won’t witness a temple ceremony or an even more intimate rite of passage in someone’s home. It really just depends on what’s happening that day.

THINGS TO DO There is a wealth of cultural and natural wonders to see and guests have the opportunity to be shown around the rice fields by the manager MADE, including a visit for children to the local primary school, and maybe even a visit to his own family temple and compound. MADE’s knowledge of the village and island is laced with folk wisdom passed down through the generations. The Balinese take the mundane and elevate it to a celebration, giving thanks for every aspect of their life. The amazing thing about being in Bali is that guests feel part of the culture and can’t help but be caught up in the spirit.

STAYS Guests usually stay between seven and fourteen days, and range from couples to families, single travellers and groups, all looking to enjoy the spectacular peace that such a solitary and breathtaking location can offer.

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VILLA GRIS IN SANUR A Villa Finder villa

Located in the south of Bali, Sanur is a peaceful seaside fishermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s village where visitors can get around on foot or by cycling and have access to a host of restaurants, cafes and shops. It is a popular location for families with kids as the sea is usually quite calm. For the more adventurous visitors there is a range of water sport and water based activities. On the other hand, for those visitors wishing to relax and sunbathe and spend some time on Instagram, Sanur is also the gateway to Lembongan island. A gorgeous little island of crisp white sand and a colourful abundance of marine life which is only a 30 minute boat trip away.

There is also a private en-suite with a full sized bathtub.

This is the location of the incredible Villa Gris. Hidden away, this three bedroom holiday home with a swimming pool blends the tropical charm of the island with the modern comforts one would expect from a hotel. Luxurious and exclusive it is only a fifteen minute drive from the Sanur beach. Bali is called the island of the Gods, and surely, they would probably book out Villa Gris too.

THE VILLA Three staff look after the guests at Villa Gris, offering the famously warm Balinese hospitality, there is housekeeping available and WIFI is complimentary. First time guests are greeted with a traditional Balinese entrance with teak, wooden carved doors that lead into the private walled, sunny garden of Villa Gris. The inviting private swimming pool is surrounded by a stone sundeck where guests can soak up the sun, catching that all important tropical island tan.

THE ROOMS The three bedrooms are spacious and fill of natural light, featuring a high airy ceiling, a teak floor and a queen-size bed with crisp white sheets. Glass sliding doors open straight onto the villaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s garden and is perfect for an early morning dive in the pool.

The combined living and dining pavilion of Villa Gris is covered by a high thatched roof and

to these destinations can expect to receive the same care and service from the Concierge team and find themselves staying in the similar sort of luxury as Villa Gris. And enjoy the benefits of having a concierge team ready to serve.

furnished with gorgeous rustic wooden furniture. There is a fully equipped open-plan kitchen, a teak dining table for family dinners and a comfy lounge corner, furnished with white sofas around a flatscreen television. Satellite channels give guests access to all their favourite shows and movies for those evenings after theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve soaked in all the sun and want to relax.

PRICE: The villa can be rented as a 2-bedroom or 3-bedroom rental. For 2-bedroom: from USD 221/night. For 3-bedroom: from USD 245/night. COMPANY ADDRESS: 35B Pagoda Street, Singapore 059194 TELEPHONE: +65 6871 8993 WEBSITE: www.villa-finder.com Villa Gris: https://www.villa-finder.com/en/sanur/ villa-gris

VILLA FINDER Villa Finder is a Singaporean start-up that has grown fast from three young gentlemen covering one single destination, to thirty employees dealing with five. Relationship building between Villa Finder, the villas and the guests has been the very foundation of their business and they have a fully trained team to take care of the clients from the moment they make a request on the website. The Villa Finder Concierge team are responsible for arranging and assisting guests in the planning and logistics of their holidays. Offering guidance and insight into what is available and the best things to do and even arranging parties for special occasions or massages for some personal selfindulgence.

Recently, the Villa Finder website has been completely revamped and they are expanding their incredible offering to more destinations in Asia Pacific such as Vietnam, Australia, Japan, Myanmar, New Zealand and Cambodia. Travellers

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POUSADA DO PARQUE ECOLODGE

A triumph for eco-tourism, Pousada do Parque Ecolodge was founded in 2003 by Oswaldo Murad, a lawyer and environmentalist who deactivated an old rice farm and livestock grow and replanted the local vegetation to support this vision.

views over the entire Park, and several trails for the enjoyment of nature lovers. If that isn’t cool enough, also keep in mind that there are no fences between the Lodge and the 35,000 hectares of the National Park so you are truly in the thick of it.

This was part of the inspiration behind the project and played a large part in the preservation of local fauna and flora and significantly aided the National Park of Chapada dos Guimaraes by refocusing the land usage to something less destructive and wasteful. It now stands as a symbol of eco-tourism allowing guests to savour the natural beauty that occurs when people just allow themselves to stop and admire it.

THE ECOLODGE There are ten staff at the lodge maintaining the eight separate rooms, communal areas and serving the guests during their stay. The rooms are split into six double suites and two triples and all the accommodation follows a rustic design that makes use of local woods and sustainable resources. This includes things like roof tiles that are made of recycled milk boxes and water that his solar heated. According to Oswaldo the whole idea was to use the local material and hand crafts made by locals, to promote sustainable preservation among the region. Pousada do Parque Ecolodge has hit the perfect balance between sustainability and high-end hotel luxury. All of the rooms come with air-conditioning and en-suite bathrooms. The leisure area features a veranda, swimming pool, mini gym, seated area, sauna and hammocks.

THE LOCATION The lodge is a National Park’s neighbour and to get there visitors need to cross the Parks Gate and drive in for 5km. Strategically located on the border of Chapada dos Guimarães National Park and at an altitude of 750m, the lodge sits in 500 hectares of private land. This land holds its own gems, including two seasonal waterfalls, amazing

There is a lounge area with fireplace and the restaurant and bar “Teta da Loba” offers a delicious and varied local menu.

WHAT GUESTS CAN EXPECT

You won’t find any televisions or minibars in the rooms because Pousada do Parque Ecolodge is not suitable for people wanting to stay inside. Surrounded by such pristine nature, visiting here offers the chance to get out and explore, enjoying the many walking trails around the lodge or the opportunity to hang around in the hammocks before going for a swim.

GETTING THERE The closest airport is in Cuiabá, 70 Km away from the lodge, from there guests can either drive to the lodge which is 15 km from the city of Chapada dos Guimaraes, or by bus. Either way it is important to let the ecolodge staff know when you will be arriving so that they can arrange access to the National Park, as the gate is otherwise closed. PRICE: R$ 490/ US$ 125 Average price range per person COMPANY ADDRESS: Estrada do Parque Ecológico s/n – Chapada dos Guimarães, Mato Grosso, Brazil. – ZIP code 78195-000 TELEPHONE: +55 65 99671-6876 EMAIL: pousada@pousadadoparque.com.br WEBSITE: www.pousadadoparque.com.br

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CASTLE BLATNÁ

and works with between 20-50 members of staff depending on the season.

For visitors to the Czech Republic, Castle Blatná offers a real insight into the history of the country that dates back to the year 1235, when the fortress was first mentioned as the seat of Vyšemír, a member of the nobility. Today, as accurately as a geologist can map the movements of the landscape by observing the lines of sediment in a cliff, visitors and history lovers can observe the past within the design of this beautiful fortress.

Maintaining the castle is not only a matter of family heritage, but also patriotic pride to the long history and distinct architectural style that the Castle Blatná represents. As one of three surviving water castles in the Czech Republic, the others being Švihov and Červena Lhota, it is the best preserved and this is a legacy worth maintaining.

HISTORY Castle Blatná was acquired by the Hildprandt family at the end of the 18th century and after the turbulence of the communist regime the castle was finally handed back to the family to be reopened to the public in 1992. The current owners are Jana GermenisHildprandt, who is the daughter of the original owner from whom the property was confiscated by the Communist regime some 70 years ago, and her son Stephanos Germenis.

THE CASTLE

Jana spent her life in Ethiopia and Greece before returning in the early 1990s to take over the estate following restitution. Stephanos who has spent most of his life in Greece and the UK took over management of the estate a few years ago

The architectural and historical development of the chateau are striking examples of the changing artistic styles over the centuries, and since it was mostly held by members of the high nobility over the years, Blatná was one of

quality level of visitor experience.

the places where Central Europe’s history was written. But its presence goes back much further as archaeological findings indicate that the knoll in the middle of the marshes, known as blata – from where Blatná’s name derives was settled in prehistoric times and the area has always been either lived in or travelled through ever since.

At the institutional level, they cooperate closely with the Ministry of Culture and its Heritage Authority, as well as with their private sector partners, in order to develop the estate further. Equally importantly, at the local and community level, they believe in their responsibility to promote culture and heritage; it is great to see the public embracing and sharing their vision toward this end either directly or via social media which is used extensively as a tool to reach people.

These details and many more are worked into the very substance of Castle Blatná. As an example, Jaroslav Lev, who owned the castle in 1446, held several high government posts at the court of Bohemian King Jiří of Poděbrady to whom he was related by marriage. Between 1465 and 1467, he led a diplomatic delegation of forty Bohemian lords and knights who traversed the continent seeking to broker peace between the courts of Western and Central Europe. The influence of his travels is reflected in the late Gothic renovations he made to the castle’s distinctive entrance tower and the beautiful frescoes that survive in the Rožmital Palace.

ACCOMMODATION Within an hour’s drive from Prague, the castle is a perfect weekend destination. Although currently they are unable to provide overnight accommodation on-site, there are plenty of hotels nearby that act as a great base for exploring Castle Blatná and the surrounding Bohemian countryside, which is filled with lakes, cycle-paths, and other castles.

2019/2020 The 2019/2020 season is an exciting time for Castle Blatná as they are launching a series of long-term projects that include expanded museum tours to the newly restored areas of the castle and for the first time, intimate candle-lit dinners in the English deer park. Alongside these new projects, they are continuing to host their programme of hugely popular concerts in the courtyard, bringing musicians from across Europe to Blatná throughout the summer.

FAMILY LEGACY Castle Blatná has survived political upheaval, war and the trials of time thanks to the dotage of those who have owned and been inspire by it over the centuries. Understanding that for its outstanding prominence to continue for future generations to enjoy, Stephanos has sought to restore and maintain the estate in a sustainable, self-sufficient and eco-conscious manner. Supporting the cultural heritage, safeguarding its relevance to the future and keeping it accessible to the general public.

WEBSITE: www.castle-blatna.com COMPANY ADDRESS: Castle Blatná, Na Příkopech 320, 38801 Blatná, Czech Republic TELEPHONE: 00420 383 422 934 EMAIL: info@castle-blatna.com

LOOKING AFTER CUSTOMERS AND VISITORS As Castle Blatná is part of a wider symbiotic system within the greater community, customer service and relationship building have played an imperative role in their mission to maintain a high-

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WASIPUNKO ECOLODGE, PERU

are all focused on experiential tourism. Including hosted tours across gorgeous, mythic landscapes and community social experiences, organized camping, vineyard tours and adventures through the natural reserves of Nasca, San Fernando and Pampa Galeras. And for those visiting in June, the Chaccu.

Framed by the Peruvian desert landscape, wrapped in magical colours and evenings characterized by countless stars upon clear night skies, Wasipunko Ecolodge is was founded and is owned by artist Olivia Watkins. Born in Nasca, Olivia has dedicated her work in recent years to preserving, protecting and respecting the traditional culture of the area and developing the eco-tourism to keep it in harmony with nature.

THE CHACCU The Chaccu is a yearly event where vicuñas, the wild relatives of the llama, are sheared for their wool. It occurs in the final week of June at Pampa Galeras-Bárbara d’Achille Natural Reserve in Ayacucho.

ACCOMMODATION Wasipunko Ecolodge has everything that is necessary to make visitors feel comfortable and de-stressed as they’re surrounded by the sounds of the wind and trees, the chirrups of birds and the flighty attention of the butterflies. The lodge offers comfortable rural style accommodation with each room having a private bathroom, solar powered heating, gas and hot water 24 hours a day.

During it, a human fence of participants encircles the vicuña herds and through music, singing, chanting and dancing movements drive the animals into a funnel where trained shearers are waiting. The animals are sheared, obtaining this valuable natural fibre and then released without injury. It is a mutually beneficial activity that dates back to pre-Hispanic times, stopping the animal hair from getting overgrown which can lead to parasites and providing an important material for the local community.

ACTIVITIES Wasipunko is part of a select group of Peruvians who are rescuing the traditional cuisine and cultural festivities of Nazca. Staying at the Ecolodge also comes with available tours which

restaurants and lodgings offering samples, information and insights. Alan explains that it helps pisco producers generate additional income and highlight the existence of this historic wine industry. According to him, the market is incredibly competitive at the moment and selling bottles of wine is no longer enough to sustain the traditional methods and values that make these businesses so unique and special. Alan decided to create a tour that delved into this industry because he saw value not only in the product created, but in the story that these businesses have to tell. The tour offers a full account of what goes into the creation and manufacture of these wines from the grape, through the harvest, manufacturing and finally bottling . It culminates at Wasipunko which has 6.5 hectares of their national pisco grape vine variety, Quebranta.

ENOTOURISMO. WINE AND LIQUOR TOURS

WEBSITE: www.wasipunko.com

A revamped tourist concept focussed on wine production areas and wine tourism led by Alan Watkins, Olivia Watkinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son, enotourism has proven incredibly popular. This tour takes guests through the production areas between Pisco and Nasca passing through vineyards, wineries,

COMPANY ADDRESS: Panamericana Sur Km 462 TELEPHONE: 51-56-754 224 EMAIL: info@wasipunko.com

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NIMMU HOUSE LADAKH HOTEL

culture while enjoying an unbeatable comfort in this remote region of the Himalayas.

Situated at ten thousand feet above sea level and 45 minutes from the capital of Ladakh, is nestled a charming eco-resort called Nimmu House. Since 2012 it has been providing the ideal spot for trekkers and adventurers wishing to explore the Himalayan paths and discover the wealth of culture in this region. There is more to see in the Himalayans than just mountains.

ACCOMMODATION There are five heritage rooms that are perfectly designed in respect of the Ladakhi culture and seven deluxe glamping tents in their orchard. Each accommodation has its own private bathroom and wherever possible everything is supplied by local regional businesses.

WHAT GUESTS CAN EXPECT Guests are encouraged to visit the monasteries in the area, go trekking on the Himalayan paths or simply relax in the hammocks and recharge. Take your time and enjoy the one-of-a-kind hospitality

Nimmu House is an emblem of the region and contributes greatly to the preservation of local heritage. Staying here is an experience that allows guests to immerse completely into the local

that is found in the Himalayans. Here “community” is sacred, and guests feel that they’re in a home away from home when they’re at Nimmu.

travellers for authentic, comfortable and charming places to stay in this remote Himalayan region. Lobzang who is the director of a trekking agency in Leh, has two other hotel projects under his belt. With his wife Tinless they run the Deskit Villa, located in the village of Sankar 10 minutes from Leh and Tsermang Eco Camp located at the edge of the River Indus.

Each night there is a bonfire, complementary drinks and stargazing. With such a perfect vantage point, the night’s sky here looks like every star in the Heavens has leant in to say hi.

There are twenty staff in total and the Nangso family are actively involved in the project and live nearby. Namygal, the oldest son of the family, especially enjoys receiving guests and helping them discover the village and the surrounding hiking paths.

2020 Soon, some new additions will be added, including a new room and a spa house. Here they will offer a new experience of Tibetan healing massage, which works very well with the yoga that is available and the lungfuls of fresh mountain air.

THE STORY BEHIND NIMMU HOUSE Couples, families, groups of friends and solo travellers have all enjoyed the exceptional setting of this little Himalayan heaven. The story of how it became a much loved and visited ecolodge and glamping site starts in 2012. During that year Lobzang Punchok Shamshu, a Ladakhi entrepreneur and Alexandre Beuan, a travel professional who was passionate about Ladakh Tourism, visited the house.

PRICE: 170$ per night in double occupancy COMPANY ADDRESS: c/o Nangso House Nimmu, Leh, Jammu and Kashmir 194101 TELEPHONE: +91 8447 7575 17 EMAIL: contact@nimmu_house.com WEBSITE: https://ladakh.nimmu-house.com/

The house, which was built in 1910, was owned by the Nangso family who proposed that Lobzang invest in renovating their home to convert it into a hotel. Thus, contributing to the preservation and enhancement of the cultural heritage of Ladakh, creating economical activities for villagers of Nimmu and responding to a growing demand from

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REFUGIO LA ROCA COLOMBIA

There are thirteen private rooms and a dormitory with nine single beds. Wherever possible they have made use of the local handcrafts made by native people around Santander and Colombia.

Refugio la Roca was founded in 2012 by Ricardo Cancelado, a local climber who grew up with a deep love of climbing and the area. The story goes that years after he moved to Bogota to study cooking he met his wife who was an industrial designer and just as passionate about climbing and the outdoors as he. When he took her for the first time to show the land he had grown up on, she felt a magical energy that immediately connected her to this marvellous place. At that point they decided to start this life-time project together and Refugio la Roca was born.

LOCATION AND ACCOMMODATION Everything at Refugio la Roca is built in an ecosustainable way. Making use of natural materials and a deep respect for the various lives that live there in the Chicamocha canyon. Under the shadow of the deep mountains, the whole enterprise is in harmony with the amazing energy that abounds there.

THE REFUGE

over 40k people on their Facebook page. Almost every month there is something different and this sort of activity has kept guests returning year after year and recommending this refuge to everyone they know.

The Refugio la Roca is an ecological refuge, where visitors are guests into the natural world that they have seeded and created. Here, unlike a hotel, the eco-system and the animals that live there are more important than the people visiting. There are no televisions, no safes and no air-conditioning. The rooms are rustic and comfortable and adapted to the natural space with eco-sustainable construction materials and methods that have created a calming aesthetic making the most of the environment without changing it.

PRICE: There are a range of rooms available from $10 a night to $100. All-inclusive Premium rooms at $480 US are available for two people, which include breakfast, dinner and activities. Reservations are essential for the refuge and this can be arranged on the website. WEBSITE: www.refugiolarocacolombia.com

The fundamental principles here are the tolerance for diversity and respect for the fauna and flora, the mission to preserve it, maintain it and take care of it. Each frog, spider, lizard, scorpion, snake, each bird and each species that inhabits their Refuge is valuable, unique and irreplaceable.

COMPANY ADDRESS: km 22 Mesa de los Santos, Bucaramanga, Santander TELEPHONE: 313283137 3185738794 3185844784

THE FAMILY

EMAIL: refugiolaroca@gmail.com

Refugio la Roca is a family of fifteen employees, half of which are local and all who are completely dedicated to the principles that make this destination so unique. They are on hand to provide local information for guests, ensuring that they get the best experience from their stay, forgetting about their daily problems and leaving with a new and better perspective about what it means to be alive.

2020 Refugio la Roca is always growing and offering more for their community of fans which includes

You are running out of time to see the world 64 Photo by Tobias BjĂ¸rkli from Pexels

07932 641808 www.redskytentco.org

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Suppliers 66

WILD-HART The Joy of Creating Something Special. South Devon glamping pod, cabin and playground suppliers.

Specifically serving as a means of staving off boredom.

Twenty-two years of designing and building playgrounds, cabins and home furniture for various contracts has served Wild Hart cofounder Nick Sneller very well. Working alongside his wife Colette Hudson, the pair officially entered the glamping market in 2016 and the interest and feedback for their business has been fantastic.

This flies in the face of the glamping values of combining nature and the outdoors, where the aesthetic of a place is very important. With this in mind, Nick has called upon his furniture design background and his love of working with natural, local timbers.

Offering crossovers for glamping site owners looking to cater for families, Wild Hart create accommodation for guests such as pods and cabins and also the sorts of engaging playground areas that will keep children enthralled for hours. And probably make grown-ups green with envy.

“Wild Hart was set up to fully explore the idea of developing a company to create glamping accommodations,” he says, “But the value of a unique, bespoke play area for children expands the possibilities. Children need an area to play and families need a comfortable, luxurious place to stay.”

While many camping sites offer playgrounds for children, these are usually stand-alone areas that do not add much to the aesthetic of the place.

HOW DID IT BEGIN? Nick explains that his wife Collette has a flair for interior design and décor which he admits is not his strong suit. He is a trained cabinet maker, and throughout his career and due to his general enjoyment of working with timber, he developed strong affiliations with woodlands and woodlands management. “My furniture is nature orientated,” he explains, “I make use of the shapes of the timber and take a lot of inspiration from nature. In 2002 I set up a business making fine furniture and sculptural designs.”

“What is important is that it is exciting and safe,” he says. To this end all of Nick’s playgrounds adhere to the standard set by EN1176/77, which is a guideline to suggest how to minimize risks.

This business led to Nick making large sculptural furniture for schools and public parks and was one of the elements that led to his playground creations. A hands-on education option was given as a means to engage children and communities in building with timber and helping to create their new space.

“We install a playground and we get an independent officer to go and inspect it to confirm that we have done everything in our power to balance out that fun versus safety conundrum.”

GLAMPING ACCOMMODATION PRODUCTS

And, as glamping became ever increasingly popular and site owners were scrambling for new ways to differentiate themselves from their competition, Nick saw an opportunity to use his skills to create the classic pods which have made the glamping portion of his business very successful. Then, he is able to add value to each site with the options of certified playgrounds uniquely designed to fit with the location and making use of the natural area.

The Octa-Pod is the most popular seller at Wild Hart. A modular design of frame work and panels where the round pole framework is organic and natural. The paneling is insulated so can be used all year round and heated by AstecTherm. Nick explains that this design of paneling and natural framework creates an adaptable structure that maintains the element of bespokeness as no two timbers are identical.

“As a supplier into this industry it pays to be able to add extra value in areas that site owners may not have thought of,” he says.

With a main team including himself, his wife, a recently employed furniture maker and another four part time staff members, it takes roughly two months to design and create a custom Octa-Pod.

PLAYGROUNDS Glamping, as an industry is still finding its feet with regards to standardization and quality assurance. However, playgrounds by necessity need to stay within a certain standard of safety. Nick explains that his aim is to strike a balance between creativity and safety.

“It’s a quality product,” he explains, “Our clients are looking for something that is creative and original, yet adaptable and reliable. It takes time to do the job properly.”

According to him, playgrounds should not be themed but rather allowed to be environmentally dictated. Bespokely designed to suit what is available on site. His approach is to create something that is exciting and different, offering opportunities to climb, to crawl and jump and let the children’s imagination fill in the details while they play.

CREATIVITY

the project strongly determines the price range, keeping in mind that some clients are just looking for the bare essentials while others want full heating, insulation, plumbing and power.

Creativity is very important, Nick says, “There are certain parameters that have to be followed to make an accommodation or playground safe, but everything on top of that is down to imagination and ingenuity.”

“Bespokeness is what we do, and we never look at a set product,” Nick says “We think of ourselves as a service provider instead of product peddlers because even though our products such as the Hex-Pod and Octa-Pod are premanufactured you wouldn’t call them off the shelf.”

Site surveys are quite important in Nick’s line of work and he has visited a number of sites and worked very closely with clients to discuss design ideas. He admits that often, when a site visit is required it is because it’s due to specifically complex environments. “Glamping thrives on luxurious accommodation in unique locations,” Nick says, “So there are always interesting challenges that need to be overcome in some creative and ingenious manner.” One client, he recalls, had a steep hillside where he wanted a treehouse style cabin/pod built to take full advantage of an uninterrupted view. They had to create a structure to sit on the hill that would be completely secure. Hillsides are not famous for being considerate when being built upon and the client did not want them to landscape the entire area. Therefore, carefully shaping the structure to fit the hillside not only provided a stable structure for the pod but managed to not interfere with the natural beauty of the site.

Instead, the Hex-Pod and Octa-Pod are very adaptable. If one is purchased and it is not big enough, or it needs to be enlarged one of the panels can be removed and another pod bolted on to. Everything bolts and unbolts, from a flatpack unit and can be disassembled as quickly as its assembled.

“This isn’t an office-based job,” Nick says happily, “We go on site visits to understand the site and work with clients to manage expectations and aspirations and develop ideas. If I didn’t like challenges this wouldn’t be the job for me.” NOT OFF THE SHELF New clients and old can expect some exciting developments for this year as Nick and his team are creating products for new pods and fully functioning tree houses. Their products are manufactured in their workshop in East Devon and then they assemble them onsite for their clients. The complexity of

COLLABORATIONS

Nick reveals that he is strongly considering a lease programme for his pods for sites who may wish to try out different styles of accommodations before settling on one.

Nick, who uses one of his own pods as an office, knows the value of research and is very selective on which companies he partners his business with. This is why he has chosen companies like Devon based AstecTherm and NuVision, which he has collaborated with on multiple occasions.

“2019 is going to be an exciting year for us,” Nick says, “And for glamping in general.”

“Your supplier’s standards become your own in the end,” he explains.

TELEPHONE: 44 (0) 7971 869058

FOR CUSTOMERS

WEBSITE: www.wild-hart.co.uk

For a basic Octa-Pod to set up in their back garden to dip their toe into glamping. A client can expect to pay in the region of £25000 for a pod that will come with basic solar lighting and other essentials.

EMAIL: nick@wild-hart.co.uk

RED SKY TENT COMPANY At heart, a festival obsessed family business Interview with Brendan Fitzpatrick, mayor of the Boutique Camping Village at a festival near you.

THE BUSINESS

A business born out of a love of UK festivals, Red Sky Tent Company was founded by Lou Fitzpatrick in 2009 to provide comfortable and convenient boutique camping villages at festivals. The concept and business were then developed further by Brendan Fitzpatrick and this father and daughter duo added weddings, sporting events and special occasions to its repertoire of high quality luxury camping offerings.

The company was envisioned and created in a field in Pilton and came to life in 2009, at Glastonbury Festival, and has since grown steadily every year. What started as a small charity venture is now, after a decade, a simultaneous multi event capable organization. And yet they have not lost their personal and family friendly approach.

“My daughter saw a real niche for offering unique accommodation that was reliable and comfortable,” he says, “Especially at festivals, but then we also moved into weddings and sporting events where either accommodation is nonexistent or booked up in advance.” By providing comfortable, glamping accommodation to guests such as these, Brendan reveals that his clients have seen a greater overall success of their events thanks to an increase in local overnight capacity. This is especially convenient for weddings where they provide on-site accommodation so guests can safely enjoy themselves and not worry about the logistics of getting home after the festivities have ended.

Working with event and festival organisers, brides and grooms, sporting ventures, as well as corporate and special events there are a wide range of clients that they’re regularly in touch with. But at their heart is a philosophy of treating everyone the same.

“For the same reasons music festivals that offer onsite accommodation find that guests stay later to support more music acts, spend more money and ultimately appreciate the experience more,” he adds.

AT THEIR ROOTS

different areas of the industry to ensure they stay informed and on top of their game.

Red Sky is a proudly family owned festival organization who are very much a ‘friends and family” venture and the same goes for the six “Red Sky people” that work there.

“This is a constant and ongoing process and everyone on the team plays a part in keeping Red Sky up-to-date,” he says, “Each member of the team owns their own piece of this puzzle.”

“Irrespective of whether it’s a major festival costing millions or a local wedding,” Brendan says, “At the end of the day you’re dealing with people and expectations, you’re building relationships and gaining friends.”

Everyone involved in Red Sky has either been an avid festival goer, crew member or organizer, and some tick all of those boxes. Brendan says that UK festivals are ingrained in their hearts and simply put, they just listen to what their clients and guests have to say.

To Brendan, when you consider a client as a friend rather than just a customer, it creates a different level of relationship. One that lasts longer and is based on trust and this has worked very well for them.

“We have successfully implemented changes based on guest and partner feedback and truly feel our ability to look, listen and act is what sets us apart from competitors,” he says, “An example of this would be our switch from a more manual booking approach to a fully customised online booking system, which has streamlined our processes and provided guests with a more efficient and online booking experience.”

For example, they help connect the audiences of different events that attract the same kinds of people. IOM TT and Silverstone, Goodwood Festival of Speed (2020), Goodwood Revival, and the Bristol Balloon Fiesta have client bases that are similar, and they work closely with the organisers to promote the unique events.

THE FIRST PITCH

Red Sky Tent Company help build relationships with previous and future guests and social media followers by providing current event photos that help paint a clear picture of who they are, as well as running multiple event-specific online competitions to increase awareness, build excitement and also to help share their unique story.

Brendan reveals that initially; Red Sky was not set up with the intention of being the prominent business it is today and that its growth has been entirely organic. At the start, it was created to raise funds for a charity that was close to their hearts, the Malawi Education Project (MEP), in Africa. The money raised was used to send books and school materials over to Malawi and also helped to build a library. The charity was created to provide these vital initial resources and to educate a group of locals to continue the work on the ground, and MEP is now self-sustaining.

“There are many glamping companies out there, but few have the reputation and strong industry relationships that we do,” Brendan says, “And we have worked very hard to make it that way.”

However, straight from inception, interest grew and the increasing need for such a service became very evident and it has been an enjoyable ride ever since. He adds that as dedicated festival goers and glampers themselves they know what is required because they’ve had first-hand experience. They’ve schlepped through the British fields with their tents, worn the same clothes for entire weekends, slept on the ground and then wearily faced the office on the following Monday.

KEEPING UP-TO-DATE Brendan and the Red Sky People make sure that they are up to date with current trends and industry developments so that their clients don’t have to be. This includes attending exhibitions and making use of family members who are working in

“We’ve been there, loved every minute of it but knew we could make the experience even better,” Brendan says, “When you stay with Red Sky, you bring your fun-loving self and we provide the rest, a complete glamping solution including real beds.”

real beds, suitable flooring and the other elements that turn a tent into a glamping site, all come at a price. “Eventually, after the first few years of slow growth at a slow pace, we were able to secure some funding through personal contacts,” Brendan says, “Those first few years were all about compromise and organizing. We would receive requests at the end of each season from industry contacts to provide our camping villages for new summer events and had to choose which to do, based on tent and equipment numbers and availability. Then, as we added selected events each year from our growing waiting list, we slowly but steadily grew and were able to continue to add equipment, thus adding events.”

PHILOSOPHY Looking back, Brendan says he realizes that their philosophy has always been about providing the best possible experience. Not only in terms of guest experience, but also the manner in which they work with clients. “Our crew go above and beyond on-site and we are continuously commended on this,” he says, “Our behind the scenes team refuse to settle for just a satisfactory-standard and we are a tight group and truly enjoy what we do.”

Furthermore, they never leave their tents behind. So, choosing Red Sky, is choosing to leave no trace. The green initiative and low environmental impact have always been important to them and whenever possible they choose environmentally friendly products and are always looking for ways to increase the green in their footprint. For example, in response to this year’s epic Glastonbury ban on disposable plastic, they created and provided all of their Boutique Camping Village guests with their very own Red Sky branded reusable water bottle.

He also admits that it’s easy to have a philosophy based on something you love doing and their own business allows them to combine their love of family, festivals and a more personal glamping experience. “We are a have your cake and eat it too kind of company!” he says.

CHALLENGES NEWEST DEVELOPMENTS

According to Brendan, like any business overcoming their challenges has helped propel them forward and one of the main issues was business expansion. Purchasing high quality tents,

In 2019, Red Sky added five new events for this year and secured a further seven new ones for 2020 and are continuously handling new requests

that come in from organic views to their website and through their highly engaged social media. To ensure that they are able to handle the demand over the upcoming year they have purchased another 100 tents allowing them to run multiple events simultaneously. “Next year, we will be purchasing some marquees so that we can provide a large group space as well as provide a year-round business,” he adds, “As for the rest of this summer, we have three new events yet to take place. The Bristol Balloon Fiesta has had a tremendous response and is almost sold out and we have the Product Earth Expo in August and the Goodwood Revival in September. Interest is building for both of the latter events and we are predicting to sell out for those inaugural ventures as well.”

WHERE CAN CUSTOMERS GET INTOUCH? Red Sky are very busy on Facebook which is their most common place for information, glamping events and picture sharing, they are also contactable on their website and have a presence on Instagram, Twitter and Linked IN. WEBSITE: www.redskytentco.org PRICE: £60-140 per night TELEPHONE: 07932 641808 EMAIL: pere@redskytentco.org

REVIEW

PULSE AFRICA Travel dreams to life Pulse Africa is in the dream business. Specifically, transforming travel dreams into reality excursions. And they do it very well.

specialists. Having been in the business for so many years, they do have their favorites and they work hard on building and maintaining the best relationships possible. This way they ensure that they are able to offer the best value and best service to their clients every time.

Offering expertly designed luxury itineraries covering 16 countries and islands in Africa the business was dreamed up many years ago by Kenyan born Sandy Wood and officially established in 1992. It is the product of her own journey in travel as a guide, lodge manager, tour planner and finally founder of Pulse Africa.

EXPERIENCE The Pulse Africa travel specialists travel frequently into their areas of expertise. Sandy insists upon this because she believes that keeping up to date with the product and travel trends is vital to the success of their business.

“When you’re born in Kenya you are born with a natural desire to explore the beauty around you,” Sandy says, “I’ve always loved the adventure that comes with exploring new places and finding little gems and my business is based around that.”

HER BUSINESS Sandy has expanded the company to include 12 locally employed staff and they have handled some very interesting and in-depth projects. These include the sorts of trips that require two years’ worth of planning in advance and the kind that need to be ready in a week. There is a lot to be said for planning in advance and the work that goes into planning an excursion many years ahead, helps support the ones that are made last minute and vice versa.

The company also support the Watamu Turtle Watch in Kenya https://localocean. co/ and Rhino Art in South Africa www. projectrhinokzn.org/ rhino-art. They are also part of Fair Trade Tourism www.fairtrade.travel/ About-Us

BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS A large focus at Pulse Africa is getting to know their clients and learning how to read their expectations. This understanding puts them into the best position to offer a trip that hopefully goes beyond the client’s expectations. As a result of this close rapport Pulse Africa benefit from an enormous amount of repeat and referral clients traveling with them.

PRICE: Difficult to say. Get in touch! TELEPHONE: +27 (0)11 325 2290 EMAIL: info@ pulseafrica. com

Similarly, on the supplier side, they have built up solid relationships with many highly reputable suppliers across Africa. From large hotel chains to small boutique hotels, from air charter companies to large international airlines as well as activity providers, private guides and various other

WEBSITE: www. pulseafrica.com

BUSHTEC SAFARI “Magnifi-tent” Manufacturers of Glamping and Safari Luxury Tent Camps

Having manufactured luxury tents for the celebrities and royalty, and with regular clients from high-end destinations including resort development investors, safari lodge owners and tour operators, it is safe to say that Bushtec Safari does not simply make tents.

to showcase the ingenuity and innovation that characterized the product,” he says.

STRESS TESTED Unlike many suppliers to the safari and glamping industries, Canvas and Tent was actually catering to a completely different market before they found another use for their product. After decades of providing tented products to various militaries and Defense Forces across the globe, Canvas and Tent really found their niche in the tourism market.

Bushtec Safari is the official luxury brand of the Canvas and Tent Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of canvas products and a name that is synonymous with style, high quality and reliability. Louw Bekker, Chief Executive Officer of the Canvas and Tent Group, took some time out of his schedule to share what has made this business the great entity that it is today.

“The African market at the time lacked a competitive network of canvas manufacturers who could service the popular safari game lodges and resorts with accommodation tents,” Louw explains.

“It is a business that began with a vision,” he explains, adding that Canvas and Tent was originally founded by a young couple in the late 60s, “They later sold it to a group of investors and over the next three decades, the tiny company with their great reputation was developed into a global leader in providing canvas products.” According to Louw, in 1968 the company was mainly providing canvas tarpaulins for South Africa’s burgeoning railway industry. However, the singular quality of their canvas caught the attention of the South African Defense Force, which has since been one of their longest lasting clients. “This was the beginning of Canvas and Tent spreading across the African landscape

THE RISE OF THE BUSHTEC TURNKEY SOLUTIONS Glamping in general has no borders because it runs almost entirely on the imagination of people. As such it has changed the accommodation market in two specific ways. Firstly, it became advisable for established companies on either end of the hospitality industry with camping on one side, and hotels and resorts on the other, to offer new and innovative styles of hospitality. Secondly, it gave complete newcomers the opportunity to work outside the box and offer something unique and treasured. While Bushtec Safari’s initial focus was purely on manufacturing and installation, Bushtec Creations expanded the current service offered to provide full turnkey solutions for clients that would meet both of these new markets. This enabled them to make full use of their expertise and workforce to provide complete camp planning and concept design services, as well as qualified site inspections and thorough project management for clients. “This means that in addition to construction and installation, we also do full electrical reticulation and water treatment,” Louw says, “As well as backof-house solutions such as staff accommodation, kitchens, laundry and storage. If the devil is in the detail, then we know all the fine print.”

“Also, considering that our company’s product had been stress-tested in the most extreme circumstances for many years, there was nothing that the tourism industry could throw at us that we hadn’t seen before. So, using what was already a very high-quality product the company began manufacturing and installing luxury tented units and quickly becoming a market leader in this arena. It is easier to add style to a reliable product than adding reliability to a stylish one.”

THE VALUE OF VALUED RELATIONSHIPS Louw says that some of the investors who are now directors and senior management had long standing business relationships from decades of previous ventures. It is their relationships which have made them more family than business partners, and allowed them to steer the company to where it is now.

THE GLAMPING EXPLOSION While the business has existed for several decades Louw tells us that its true success has been over the last ten years. Specifically, as the glamping industry has matured from an innovative idea to a multi-million-dollar industry which has been the biggest and most influential development to hospitality ever. “Importantly,” he says, “This quickly increased the number of competitors in the market which encouraged us to find modern, neoteric ways to remain ahead of the curve. This is after all very important for any business with a long-standing reputation because you can’t allow yourself to become too set in your ways. This is why Bushtec Safari and Bushtec Creations had to exist.”

When construction was completed in early 2018, Kingfisher lodge boasted an opulent array of structures. Among these are twenty luxury accommodation units, five for families and fifteen for couples and single guests. These tented chalets include bedrooms, bathrooms, living areas and patios, as well as their own private swimming pools. The lodge also boasts a spa, conference facilities, prayer rooms and an outdoor entertainment deck. “We work with a range of clients from large international companies to smaller groups including humanitarian organizations, mining houses, aviation companies, and outdoor enthusiasts,” Louw says, “Our products are applicable to everyone and our services fit all projects.”

“Our business is incredibly reliant on building good relationships. Frans Vermaas and Dave Court, who head Bushtec Safari and Bushtec Creations respectively, were in the Safari Lodge business for years before joining Canvas and Tent,” Louw says, “Their connections with hundreds of lodge owners and industry professionals has allowed us to build a close-knit network of clients who trust the brand enough to have worked with us year after year.” “Further to that,” he adds, “Some of our earliest clients’ children have now come to be our clients too. Some of these relationships with resort owners span over 30 years, and we’ve constantly been the port of call for all resort upgrades and maintenance.”

BUSHTEC SAFARI SERVICES With a reputation of unyielding reliability and prestigious design, Bushtec Safari and Bushtec Creations have some truly incredible projects under their belts. They’ve worked with government, royalty and global conservationist organisations, but it is one of their latest that is most noteworthy.

PRODUCTS The best product at Bushtec Safari is definitely their luxury tents! They’re manufactured from military-grade Ripstop canvas to ensure the highest possible quality for temporary and semipermanent structures. The tents boast a myriad of unique selling points, including being water resistant, rot proof and fire-retardant.

“We are especially proud to announce the opening of our Magnum Opus, the luxury ecoresort Kingfisher Lodge, in the UAE,” Louw says.

With adequate maintenance, which they do

This tented lodge was commissioned by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (SHUROOQ) and constructed exclusively by Bushtec’s team of multi-disciplinary experts. At the end of 2018, the eco-lodge won the award for Hotel Launch of the Year at the Middle East Hospitality Awards.

it is vital that they study the market to understand how client bases have expanded and how client needs have evolved.

provide, the tents can retain their tensile strength and colour for over ten years. In fact, there are tents that have stood at prominent lodges in a variety of climates for over twenty years, surviving everything from heavy rains, to extreme temperatures and wind storms.

As such, they attend a variety of international travel and tourism shows, including Africa’s Annual Travel Indaba, The Glamping Show in the UK and Sun Rimini Outdoor and Lifestyle Show in Italy.

THE CUTTING EDGE

“Exhibiting at these shows has allowed us to realize how unique our product is,” Louw explains, “And how starkly it differs from some of the standard renditions of glamping tents across the globe. The research done on these tours has allowed us to sharpen our strongest tools and improve on old and new technologies to ensure that we retain market share and futureproof ourselves.”

According to Louw, their industry has never been more competitive or fast-paced. As such, one of their most vigorous marketing activities is market research, for which they employ the most highlyskilled and vastly-experienced team of innovators. He reveals that glamping has boomed in a way they never expected over the past year, and that

WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS

“We also boast a sophisticated design department which has won the company several design awards, including the Platinum Award at Africa’s Annual Travel Indaba,” Louw says.

Their factory in Ladysmith South Africa is an innovation hub of note, Louw says, adding that once the research is done by the marketing maestros, the magic is created by what he calls their technical savants. The factory is 22,000m² and houses a host of technological wonders. The first of these is the Eaton System, which is an overhead production line system and power management solution that makes electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power operate more efficiently, safely and sustainably. This has been an enormous contributing factor in their ability to maximize productivity and output.

OTHER ENTITIES To ensure that their global reach does not come at the cost of any of their quality or reliability, several other business components have been established as separate entities to ensure a focused approach for clients. Canvas and Tent USA has been trading from an Atlanta-based office since 2016, divided into Bushtec Adventure USA for outdoor gear, and Bushtec Safari USA for the glamping and luxury safari markets. Other such entities include two businesses in Africa, Tents Direct in South Africa and Kalahari Kanvas in Botswana which provide outdoor gear supplies. And, two businesses internationally providing luxury tents and glamping camp solutions, Canvas and Tent Europe in Belgium and Canvas and Tent Australia which services Oceania and Asian clients.

The factory is also home to a state-of-the-art laboratory, where they research innovative and improved methods for curing, treating, laminating and strengthening canvas. The 6000m² steel factory has a similar task, ensuring the absolute structural integrity of the metal components intended to keep the tents standing for years. Here, new innovations such as powder coating have been perfected and implemented.

STAFF. THE BLOOD OF THE BUSINESS

They are also expanding in Europe through their Belgium satellite office, and already servicing several clients across the European landscape

In total the group and related campuses employ approximately 600 permanent staff members composed of the top caliber of minds. They include academically and professionally trained engineers, architects and designers who participate in continuous professional development programmes to stay up to date with industry changes.

“There are a number of various exciting projects,” Louw says, “In a great variety of scope and scale like a huge investment from a popular zoo and the completion of the biggest canvas product showroom in Africa at our Pretoria headquarters. There is always so much happening with us, you have to keep your eyes open all the time.”

“Our business is heavily reliant on artisans, who are trained and have certification in various trades including electrical reticulation, welding, plumbing and tailoring,” Louw says, “Our sales and marketing teams also participate in soft-skills training courses and one-on-one coaching sessions to guide them towards their peak professional potential.”

COMPANY ADDRESS: Denel Irene Campus, Nellmapius Drive, Centurion, South Africa TELEPHONE: +27 12 671 1010 EMAIL: info@bushtecsafari.co.za

PLANS FOR 2019

USA: +1 888 589 8368 || info@bushtecsafari.com

Louw reveals that expansion of their footprint in the Americas through Bushtec USA is on the agenda for 2019 and they’ve already begun several projects in Texas and other states with exciting leads coming out of Central America.

Europe: +32 11 784 795 || marc@lpi.be

REVIEW

PODS BY FUTURE ROOMS

BoPracticality does not need to compromise style or quality, and this is an ethos that has always been at the heart of Future Rooms. A family run business that has enjoyed great success in the manufacturing of exciting garden rooms for work, leisure and domestic uses, Future Rooms have now turned their attention to glamping accommodation with their unique selection of pods.

manufacturing a wide range of high standard timber-framed buildings. Through much research and development, they have a tried and tested selection of Pods that are of the highest quality and ideal for the needs of the clients, be it for glamping sites, exterior accommodation at home or private work areas.

As any of their clients will tell you, a personalized service has always been a hallmark of Future Rooms and this has not changed with this new product. Each Pod is designed, built and installed to their clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s specifications as part of their complete service package. With one point of contact throughout the project to discuss the details, updates and timescales.

THE PODS The design of the pods has developed over a number of years where Future Rooms were

INSTALLATION Every pod is hand made to the required size at the business workshop in Gloucestershire and shipped all across the country. A nice extra feature that Pods by Future Rooms offers is assistance with all aspects of preparing and submitting planning applications, as this is something that is often overlooked by clients. Sometimes permission is not required, but it is always worth being sure.

THE QUALITY With a team made up of skilled tradespeople with heaps of experience, Pods by Future Rooms have been able to deliver a complete service that appears for the client to be plug-and-play. While much of the pod is designable around the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ideas, the standards of practicality, versatility and reliability are non-negotiable, and the team takes great pride in the response that their creations receive.

DESIGN There is a range of five pods. The shell models include a range of features that make them both practical and efficient and the interior can be adapted to include extra features depending on usage, such as a shower room, kitchenette or extended deck.

TELEPHONE: 01452 501455 or 01452 840234

There are three types of roof cladding, larch, Decra Oberon tiles or Metrotiles. There can also be different finish styles of wood, doors, windows and lighting, so that the client can create the perfect purpose-built Pod for them.

TWITTER: www.twitter.com/futureroomspods FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/ WEBSITE: www.podsbyfuturerooms.com