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planeta
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Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
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 Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 11:05 am Post subject: Green Traveller: Conversation with Richard Hammond |
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This topic is a Q&A with Richard Hammond, author of the guidebook Green Places to Stay (Sawdays, 2006).
http://tinyurl.com/36qs6n
Richard's website
http://www.greentraveller.co.uk
Last edited by planeta on Thu Aug 06, 2009 10:14 am; edited 4 times in total |
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green.traveller
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Joined: 21 Mar 2007
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Location: London, United Kingdom
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| Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 11:06 am Post subject: I'm ready to answer questions |
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| Thanks Ron, the book is a guide to over 160 places in 50 countries that are doing their bit for the planet and for local people. I'm looking forward to answering questions. All the best, Richard |
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planeta
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Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
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| Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 9:25 am Post subject: Received |
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Just received the review copy. This looks great!
I will be posting a few questions first thing next week and adding the book to our collection of top shelf titles
http://www.planeta.com/topshelf.html
Last edited by planeta on Wed May 16, 2007 10:11 am; edited 1 time in total |
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planeta
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Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
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| Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 5:05 am Post subject: Introductory questions |
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Richard, you have edited a wonderful book and I look forward to this Q&A to flesh out a proper interview. By the way, this topic has now been viewed more than 300 times, so it's of great interest to our readers.
A few questions
1) Can you tell us about the history of the book and how successful it's been?
2) How many of these hotels and ecolodges did you personally visit?
3) Are there any hotels that you discovered after publication that should have been included?
4) Will there be a second edition?
5) Can you tell us about your website - http://www.greentraveller.co.uk - and how it showcases green travel? |
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green.traveller
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Joined: 21 Mar 2007
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Location: London, United Kingdom
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| Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 2:23 am Post subject: Re: Answers to questions on Green Places to Stay |
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Hi Ron, here are my answers to your questions:
| Quote: | | 1) Can you tell us about the history of the book and how successful it's been? |
‘Green Places to Stay’ is part of the 'Special Places to Stay' series by an independent publisher, Alastair Sawday Publishing - http://www.sawdays.co.uk
Since it’s publication in September, it’s been selling extremely well and there’s also been a heck of a lot of press interest – reflecting the media’s growing interest in all things green. The Guardian published a four-page feature on the book when it was published - http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2006/sep/16/ecotourism.hotels.bookextracts - followed a week later by the Sunday Times - http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/holiday_type/green_travel/article1074360.ece -
There has since been coverage in a host of other national newspapers and magazines, including The Times, Independent on Sunday, Daily Express, Conde Nast Traveller, and Elle magazine.
The key thing about the book is that it features places that use eco-friendly technologies and/or contribute to conservation and/or provide genuine benefits to local communties. Every property was visited either by me or by someone I could rely on to vouch for the owner’s genuine commitment to the environment and/or the social dimension. I oversaw all the completed inspection forms and had to make a call on whether the place was genuinely green. The final count is 165 properties in over 50 countries.
| Quote: | | 2) How many of these hotels and ecolodges did you personally visit? |
About a third. It took 16 months to research and write. Over this period, I was writing a monthly eco-travel column for the Guardian newspaper so while I'd visit a country to write an article for the paper I'd also use the visit to inspect properties for the book. That column is now weekly as there’s such a growth in interest in green travel.
| Quote: | | 3) Are there any hotels that you discovered after publication that should have been included? |
Yes, heaps of places! This book only skims the surface of the many fabulous places that are out there. Often the best places were those that weren't interested in marketing themselves as green, they were just getting on with what they felt was right without shouting about it. Coming across those places isn't easy so I had to rely on local experts to point me in the right direction.
| Quote: | | 4) Will there be a second edition? |
The publisher is keen to do a second edition, though it's probably not going to be for at least another year. I'm currently looking to include more properties on the 'Special Places to Stay website - http://www.specialplacestostay.co.uk/eco
There will be two types of places listed - those that we've inspected and those that we've been recommended but haven't yet inspected. I'd love to hear about any places that are worth considering, so if any readers would like to recommend places, please do email me: richard@sawdays.co.uk
It's an online forum for modern travellers to debate green travel issues. Some of the most popular topics have been:
Is it ok to visit a remote tribe?
Is it ok to swim with dolphins?
Is it ok to stay in an ice hotel?
Voluntary tourism: how do you choose a good company?
Is it OK to go on an eco holiday when it involves flying?
Is cargo ship travel sustainable?
The aim is also for it to link to green travel companies, featured green places to stay and ethical holidays.
All the best, Richard |
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planeta
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Joined: 14 May 2003
Posts: 6743
Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 6:19 am Post subject: A few questions |
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Green Places to Stay, like Lonely Planet's Code Green and Tourism Concern's Ethical Travel Guide, appears to be aimed at the independent traveler market, allowing travelers to figure out where to go without taking a package tour.
A few questions:
Is this a correct assessment of your book's intended audience?
Do we have accurate statistics of who makes up the green traveler market?
What is your opinion -- are green travelers mostly independent or participants in group tours? |
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green.traveller
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Joined: 21 Mar 2007
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Location: London, United Kingdom
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| Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:39 pm Post subject: Answers to questions on Green Places to Stay |
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Green Places to Stay, like Lonely Planet's Code Green and Tourism Concern's Ethical Travel Guide, appears to be aimed at the independent traveler market, allowing travelers to figure out where to go without taking a package tour.
A few questions:
Is this a correct assessment of your book's intended audience?
Not necessarily, the book is aimed at anyone looking for a greener place to stay, whether independently or on a package tour. In the listings in the back the back, I recommend four ethical travel companies that offer package holidays, which include in their itineraries some of the places listed in the book.
Do we have accurate statistics of who makes up the green traveler market?
Mintel (a UK-based market research company) has carried research linking the ethical consumer market with future trends in eco travel. It recently predicted a 25% growth in the green travel market year on year. Also, to tie in with the International Year of Ecotourism in 2002, UNWTO commissioned a series of reports looking at the development of ecotourism in seven countries (US, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, Spain and Italy), which includes sections that deal with the ecotourist market.
What is your opinion -- are green travelers mostly independent or participants in group tours?
In my opinion, green travel is no longer a niche market. Green travellers fall into both categories. |
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planeta
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Posts: 6743
Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
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| Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 4:46 am Post subject: government portals |
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Last month Planeta.com announced the winner of the Ecotourism Spotlight Award -- http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/tour/awardspotlight.html -- created as a way of showcasing government websites that promoted responsible travel and ecotourism.
In your view, do you see many government portals that not only provide theory but actually show people where to go, who to visit and how to travel in country?
Do you have any recommendations of what you would like to see on government portals? |
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planeta
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Posts: 6743
Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
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planeta
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Joined: 14 May 2003
Posts: 6743
Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
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planeta
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Joined: 14 May 2003
Posts: 6743
Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
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| Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 10:09 am Post subject: Resuming the conversation |
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| Richard, I'd like to resume our slow conversation. You have a new book out and I've seen you interviewed on BBC. What's new in your corner of the world?! |
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planeta
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Posts: 6743
Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
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