Mexico to become “champion” of adventure travel?

by Kraig Becker on

Speaking at the United Nation’s Convention on Climate Change yesterday, Mexican President Felipe Calderón recognized the importance of tourism and adventure travel for preserving the habitats and culture of his country, even going so far as to say “Mexico has to become the champion of adventure travel.”

The presentation took place as part of Green Solutions@COP16, which is an event that is focused on finding eco-friendly methods for building an emerging economy in the 21st century. The keynote address for the conference was given by Shannon Stowell, who heads the Adventure Travel Trade Assocation. President Calderón, along with his Secretary of Tourism, Gloria Guevara, also spoke discussing how adventure tourism can be an important piece for countries to not only grow economically, but also protect their natural resources, wildlife, and cultures in the process.

So, is Mexico the next great adventure destination? It certainly has plenty of amazing options for travelers looking to get away from the resort crowd and have a challenging and adventurous escape. For example, Baja offers great sea kayaking and surfing options, while the valleys near Oaxaca are great for mountain biking. High altitude enthusiasts can challenge themselves on Mt. Orizaba, an 18,491-foot tall stratovolcano that is the third highest peak in North America, while SCUBA divers and snorkelers will find plenty to love along the country’s more than 6000 miles of coastline. Additionally, there are caves to explore, trails to hike, and ancient cultures to discover as well.

Adventure travelers tend to be eco-friendly, always on the look out for an exciting new place to visit, and are willing to spend their money. It seems like Mexico hoping to take a bigger piece of the adventure travel market pie in the months and years to come.

[Photo credit: Mg-k via WikiMedia]

Three swimmers injured by shark attack in Egypt

by Sean McLachlan on

Three Russian tourists have been injured by a shark in the waters off Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt, the BBC reports. The Red Sea resort, popular with swimmers and scuba divers, rarely has problems with sharks. It appears to have been an oceanic whitetip, which Jacques Cousteau once called “the most dangerous of all sharks” in his book The Shark: Splendid Savage of the Sea.

One of the victims is in critical condition. Most of the waters around Sharm El-Sheikh have been made off-limits until authorities can capture the shark and release it into the open ocean.

There have been some grim incidents involving sharks in recent months, including the human remains found in the stomach of a shark in the Bahamas. That said, it’s important to remember that the average swimmer has a very low risk of being attacked by one. You’re much more likely to drown. So if you’re into the ocean, keep an eye out for sharks, but be more aware of things like weather and currents.

[Photo courtesy Thomas Ehrensperger via Wikimedia Commons]

Bali company offers ‘best dive job in the world’

by Kraig Becker on

Continuing the recent spate of “best job” offerings that began with Australia's tourism efforts, the Indonesian-based company Blue Season Bali is offering the Best Dive Job in the World which will give one lucky winner the chance to live in Bali for seven months while undergoing training to become a PADI dive instructor. That training alone is worth more than $15,000.

The contest, which began this past Saturday and runs through February 28, 2011, is a simple one to enter. Interested “applicants” can either submit a one minute video or a 500 word essay answering the question “Why I want to change my life and become a PADI Instructor.” Once the contest closes, Blue Season Bali will review all the submissions and select one winner to join them in paradise.

The contest is open to anyone who will be 18 years of age, or older, when the contest closes on February 28th. You don't even need to have any dive experience to win, just a love for water, an adventurous spirit, and a willingness to work and play hard, while learning new skills that could lead to a new job and a major change in your lifestyle.

The actual prize consists of the PADI instuction of course, but also seven months single accommodations in Bali, a full compliment of scuba gear, certification and exams that are fully paid, unlimited diving for seven months, and much much more. To review the entire package, click here and to learn more about the contest, watch the video below.

[Photo credit: Scott Sanchez via WikiMedia]


Daily Pampering: The Chanel J12 diving watch

by Melanie Nayer on

Don’t you just hate it when you’re planning your diving trip and you realize your watch doesn’t match your diving gear? Just because you’re under water doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice fashion. Leave it to Chanel to create an accessory that is spectacular both on land and at sea.

Chanel recently unveiled a professional diving version of the popular J12 watch (named for the luxurious racing yachts of the 1930s), one of the designers’ most iconic pieces. We discovered this miraculous marine watch at FirstwaterNews.com, and now it’s been aptly placed at the top of our ‘must have’ list.

The new J12 Marine is a water resistant authentic diving watch that can submerge to almost 985 feet (300 meters). The second and minute hands are luminous, so they can be read even when you’re down in the darkest depths of the ocean. Complete with a high-tech matte rubber strap and a caseback in engraved with stylized waves, the J12 also comes with options. Choose from 38 mm or 42 mm, and pick your color: all-white, all black and black and blue. Regardless of your color choice, each watch features sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating (colorless for the white watch, and tinged blue for the black).

The price of his underwater beauty: A mere $5,000.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

GadlingTV’s Travel Talk – Zip Lining on Catalina Island

by Stephen Greenwood on

GadlingTV’s Travel Talk, episode 21 – Click above to watch video after the jump


In part one of our Catalina adventure, we surprised Aaron with a trip to the island for some quality undersea exploration. Now, join us as we explore more of the island for some zip lining, a tour of the famous Casino in Avalon, and yes, more scuba diving.

Located 22 miles southwest of Los Angeles, Catalina Island has a rich history as a private island and as a tourist destination. On the couch, we’ll talk about some of the many people who have claimed ownership to the island and why Avalon’s iconic casino isn’t the gambling type, and how Catalina is looking to boost their tourism industry once more.


If you have any questions or comments about Travel Talk, you can email us at talk AT gadling DOT com.

Subscribe via iTunes:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V).
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Links
Read the full backstory about James Lick right here!
Read up on Catalina’s biggest developer – William Wrigley, Jr.

Interested in escaping to Catalina? Book your passage on the Catalina Express from Long Beach!
Where to stay – Avalon’s recently renovated Pavilion Hotel.
What to do – take a ride on Catalina’s brand new zip line course!
Love to scuba dive? Check out Catalina Scuba Luv.


Hosts: Aaron Murphy-Crews, Stephen Greenwood

Produced, Edited, and Directed by: Stephen Greenwood, Aaron Murphy-Crews, Drew Mylrea