Happy New Year! 2016 promises plenty of change and with that, depending upon your outlook, either challenge or opportunity. I confess that I often see change as challenge thinking that ‘new’ means more work or greater risk. My resolution for 2016 is to look for opportunity in every situation, even the ones I would dismiss as too much change (Hello recession!).
This year has special meaning, as it is 25 years since I started Kalahari Management Inc. and dove headfirst into ecotourism. In those days many people had never heard of ecotourism so my leap wasn’t considered a prudent move. It has been an interesting journey as I’ve watched ecotourism’s combination of travel and environmental concern move into all areas of tourism. I’m eager to see what the next quarter-century brings.
25 Years, 25 Conversations
The best celebrations are the ones you share so I’m marking 25 years in business by giving back. I am giving away my time (yes, you read that right) to help other people interested in travel and the earth. I will provide 25 minutes of free consulting time to 25 people. We can’t solve the world’s problems in 25 minutes but perhaps we can tackle some of the smaller issues. Want feedback on your newest tour? Looking for input on your marketing strategy? Need hints on how to find a job? Maybe you just want insider tips on a great holiday destination; I will share the knowledge I’ve gleaned over two decades as a pioneer in the green tourism field with you – gratis!
How Does it Work?
Send me a short email explaining who you are and what you’d like to talk about. I will pick two or three winners each month and we will set up a time to talk via Skype. I’ll be picking the first two winners by January 31st so don’t let the winter blues slow you down. Email today for your FR+EE consultation. If you know someone who doesn’t receive my ezine, but would benefit please share the news.
TWEETABLES
25 Ways to Celebrate 2016 – Click to Tweet.
Join my friend @Reinventure in celebrating 25 years in business! Click to Tweet.
My friend @Reinventure is celebrating 25 years in business with a special offer. Join her: Click to Tweet.
I screamed like a girl as a snake slithered over my shoulder in the dark movie theatre. My heart rate slowed as I realized the snake was only air, a special effect at the movie Quebec Zoo sauvage de Saint-Félicien uses to orient guests to it’s overnight Adventure in the Land of the Caribou. I wanted to learn more about the animals that inhabit Canada’s boreal forest and I didn’t want to suffer to do it. Instead of paddling or hiking into Canada’s north I was starting my quest with the zoo’s ‘behind-the-scenes sleepover with caribou and moose.
One of the best historical attractions I’ve seen is the ghost town of Val-Jalbert in Quebec’s Saguenay– Lac-St. Jean Region. Val-Jalbert in the 1920s was a bit like Fort McMurray of today – a bustling town built around one industry. Damase Jalbert built a pulp mill near two falls on the Ouiatchouan River in 1902, the tumbling water a cheap source of electricity. American shareholders bought the mill in 1909 and modernized the facility. Skilled mill workers lived in a master planned community with homes boasting electricity, water and indoor toilets. A worker would make $25 a week but pay only $11 a month for a large home. A convent school and post office were within walking distance. It is said that the living standards were the equivalent of people living in Boston in 1921 and the town was the envy of surrounding communities.
Many people associate the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise with luxurious accommodation and fine dining, a place where it is easier to expand your waistline than your mind. But on the first weekend in September I was able to do both (and with a bit more hiking on the fabulous trails around Lake Louise the waistline should return to normal). Casey Anderson, host of Nat. Geo WILD series, was in Canada’s highest community to share stories about what it takes to survive a cougar attack (70 stitches and a promise to never forget), what it’s like to have a pet grizzly (Brutus likes belly rubs) and what happens when cougars move into your neighborhood (coming soon to a TV near you).