ANNIKA S. HIPPLE

The latest bad news on the traditional journalism front has just about ruined my day. Make that week. No, it’s just about ruined what’s left of the year, as far as the media go anyway. National Geographic Adventure magazine announced today that it is ceasing publication of its print edition, effective immediately. The December-January issue currently on the newsstands will be the magazine’s last.

Here’s my article at Examiner about the news: National Geographic Adventure magazine folds

Adventure was one of the best magazines of its kind out there. As a loyal subscriber for many years, I looked forward to the arrival of each issue. Some of the articles were about trips I would have loved to take myself or destinations I would like to visit someday. Others told of adventures that could conceivably be replicated, though I couldn’t possibly imagine wanting to do so. Still others were profiles of fascinating individuals, often with outsize personalities to match their daring spirits. No matter what, Adventure’s stories were always well-written, compelling, and enjoyable to read.

The National Geographic Magazine Group assures us that Adventure will continue in other incarnations, including books and a vibrant website. I’m sure the new formats will continue to offer high-quality content, but things just won’t be the same without the print magazine.

So it’s goodbye, National Geographic Adventure. Though you lived for only a little more than a decade, you were one of the greats. We’ll miss you.

December 3rd, 2009 | Category: Website news | Leave a comment

Today is World Responsible Tourism Day, so how appropriate that it’s also my first day as News Editor for Ethical Traveler, a Berkeley, California-based nonprofit organization that seeks to make travel a force for positive change.

Ethical Traveler is the first grass-roots alliance uniting adventurers, tourists, travel agencies, and outfitters — everyone who loves to travel, and sees travel as a positive force in the world. We feel that all travelers are, in effect, freelance ambassadors. We also believe that we have the ability to join our voices, and to use our economic power to strengthen human rights and protect the environment.

I’ll be taking charge of the news team, which delivers original stories about responsible travel developments and issues, as well as links to related content from other trusted providers.

Check out www.ethicaltraveler.org

World Responsible Tourism Day is an initiative of World Travel Market, with support from the United Nations World Tourism Organization and leading travel industry associations. It was first celebrated in 2007.

November 11th, 2009 | Category: News, Projects | Comments (1)

Kayaking on the St. Lawrence River near Les Bergeronnes

Last month I had the pleasure of attending the Adventure Travel World Summit in the Charlevoix region of Quebec. It was exciting to meet with tour operators and other travel specialists from around the world, including places as far afield as Patagonia, China, Ethiopia, and Iran. I came away energized and eager to follow up with all the interesting people I met at the event.

Before the Summit itself, I had the opportunity to participate in several days of adventures in Quebec province. I had visited Quebec City and Montreal on several previous occasions, but this was my first opportunity to explore further afield. I participated in a three-day excursion along the so-called Whale Route, which follows the northern bank of the St. Lawrence River through the Charlevoix and Manicouagan regions. On the first day, we drove from Quebec City to Tadoussac, a small town located where the Saguenay Fjord meets the St. Lawrence. The region is one of the best whale-watching spots in the world, and even this late in the season, we were lucky enough to spot minke, humpback, and beluga whales in the choppy waters of the river.

Later in the trip we spent a morning sea kayaking a bit further up the coast before driving to Baie-Comeau, an industrial city that is home to the newly opened Jardin des Glaciers, an exploration of the region’s glacial past. After experiencing the multimedia show at the Glacier Exploration Center, we had the opportunity to visit an ancient seashell deposit in the heart of the boreal forest, followed by ziplining at the adjacent adventure park.

On the first day of the Summit, I participated in a single-day excursion to Les Palissades, an adventure park where we scaled the highest via ferrata (a pre-set climbing course with cables and ladder rungs set into the cliff face) in North America, crossed an adrenaline-inducing suspension bridge high above a canyon, and rapelled down a 210-foot rock wall. I’ll be writing more about my Quebec adventures in my Seattle International Travel Examiner column over the next week or so.

At the Summit itself, I was particularly pleased with the emphasis placed on sustainable and responsible tourism. Among the issues discussed were sustainable tourism in emerging destinations, climate change and its effect on tourism, voluntourism and community-based development, and the role of tourism in conservation. Specific topics of presentations included employing indigenous people in rainforest tourism in Guyana, creating a transfrontier network of peace parks in southern Africa, protecting the rivers of Fiji through a tourism and conservation partnership, preserving the cultural heritage of Kurdistan as the region establishes itself as a tourist destination, and creating voluntourism programs driven by local community needs rather than traveler desires.

During one of the sessions, a prominent sustainable tourism expert said, “We are well past the question of does sustainable tourism work. The question perhaps is how far we can take it.” Judging by the ongoing projects discussed at the Summit, the possibilities for responsible tourism development are far from exhausted.

Over the next several months, my Crossing Time Zones blog will be featuring  reports about issues and participants from the Summit, including news about ongoing developments as well as interviews with travel experts and responsible tour operators.

November 3rd, 2009 | Category: News | Leave a comment

I’m getting very excited about the upcoming Adventure Travel World Summit in Québec, at which I will be a panelist in two of the Meet the Press sessions. This event looks as though it will be attended by a fascinating group of adventure travel industry professionals and writers, and I’m looking forward to expanding my network and learning about great destinations and new developments. Below is the official press release about my participation from the Adventure Travel Trade Association, which is organizing the Summit.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Annika Hipple Selected to Speak at 2009 Adventure Travel World Summit

SEATTLE, WASH. — SEPTEMBER 29, 2009: Annika S. Hipple, a freelance writer, editor, and photographer specializing in travel, environment, and global issues, will join a diverse field of industry experts, October 19-22 in Québec, Canada, to address adventure travel business leaders gathering at the 2009 Adventure Travel World Summit.

During the annual gathering of approximately 500 executives, tour operators, tourism boards, specialized travel agents, media and other service providers representing more than 50 countries will gain access to the tools, resources and experts needed to rapidly adapt to market shifts. Summit organizers selected Hipple to speak during the trade-only conference to share her expertise in travel journalism and copywriting.

Presented by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), the 2009 Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS) is designed for decision makers within the travel and tourism industry with a vested interest in sustainable adventure tourism. The purpose of the ATWS is to equip delegates with tools to better their business, enable the industry to better serve travelers, promote responsible tourism practices, and optimize the industry’s market potential through productive debate, dialogue and collaboration.

Hipple will participate in the Summit’s Meet the Press program. Specifically, she will share her expertise during the Print Media and Internet sessions.

Hipple will join dozens of authors, business leaders, innovative thinkers, new-media masters and other influential speakers representing the tourism industry and other business sectors contributing to Summit sessions requiring high degrees of delegate interactivity. Additional speakers and contributors to the 2009 Summit, along with complete event details, are featured at www.adventuretravelworldsummit.com.

Adventure Travel World Summit sponsors include Host Destination Tourisme Québec and Aventure Ecotourisme Québec; Major Sponsors ExOfficio and Men’s Journal; and Key Sponsors Alpine Tourist Commissoin, Archaeology Magazine, Best of the Alps, Brazil, Tourism Promotion Corporation of Chile, Eddie Bauer, Innovation Norway, and National Geographic Adventure.

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About the Adventure Travel Trade Association

Established in 1990, the ATTA (www.adventuretravel.biz) is a global membership organization dedicated to unifying, networking, professionalizing, promoting and responsibly growing the adventure travel market. ATTA members include tour operators, destination marketing organizations, tourism boards, specialty travel agents, guides, accommodations, media and service providers. Host of the annual Adventure Travel World Summit executive trade conferences, the ATTA also makes possible www.Adventure.Travel, the traveler’ hub of physical, cultural and nature-based adventure travel and guide to trusted tour operators from around the globe.

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September 29th, 2009 | Category: News | Leave a comment