Photo Of The Day: White Tiger

by Jeremy Kressmann on

It’s rare to get up close and personal with an elusive animal like the white tiger, so I was intrigued when I saw today’s photo choice by Flickr user toffiloff. Taken at Bali’s Safari and Marine Park, the shot captures this magnificent cat as it appears to stare at its own reflection in a mirror. I love the fearsome growl, the piercing blue eyes and the interesting perspective from behind. Hopefully our photographer was not inside the animal enclosure to take this neat shot!

Have any great wildlife shots from your travels? Why not add them to our Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

Maldives Social Media Campaign Backfires

by Libby Zay on

When the Maldives Tourism Board urged fans of the islands to help make their tourism slogan, “The Sunny Side of Life,” a global trend on Thursday, the campaign backfired. Instead of spreading positive words about the tropical paradise, tweets about police brutality and political illegitimacy spread like wildfire.

The social media campaign, which aimed to make the hashtag #SunnySideofLife a global trend, kicked off on the tourism board’s Twitter account, @myvisitmaldives, with this simple tweet: “Maldives has been awarded as the Most Romantic Destination in the World #SunnySideofLife.”

Readers, most of whom seem to be Maldivian citizens, shot back with some words of their own. Here is a sampling of some of the choice words they had:

  • #SunnySideofLife where a resort owner withhold staff salary, but spends millions to BUY a seat in parliament!!
  • Evening plans? I’m joining the protest after work.. can’t stand to watch fellow citizens being beaten by the police #SunnySideofLife
  • #Maldives not paradise for its people. Brutal coup regime suppressing our rights to freedom of expression & assembly. #SunnySideofLife
  • ThankU Coup Government of Maldives for #SunnySideofLife event. We’ll make sure to pass your acts of brutality to Twittersphere.
  • #SunnySideOfLife: Pristine white sandy beaches, crystal clear lagoons filled with blood of its citizens who are fighting for democracy
  • Visit the only place where ur tourism dollar will facilitate coup makers to persecute its people in the #sunnysideoflife

Other tweets included pictures of alleged victims of police brutality, participants in political protests and more. Most of the tweets were aimed at the current government, which was installed after President Mohamed Nasheed was ousted last February. Nasheed, one of the founders of the Maldivian Democratic Party who is well respected by the people of the Maldives, claims he was forced to resign at gunpoint and is calling on his successor, Mohamed Waheed, to resign immediately and hold elections.

When all is said and done, the tourism board did reach their goal of making #SunnySideofLife a global trend. Tweets featuring the hashtag are still filtering in, but few of them actually boast about the redeeming qualities of the islands. What’s more, the campaign just-so-happens to coincide with a United Nations hearing that centers on the status of human rights in the Maldives.

Readers, weigh in; do you think the tourism board should have thought out the timing of the campaign’s launch a little more? And does anyone who has been to the Maldives recently have something to share?

[Photo by muha…, Flickr]

Haiti tourism revival underway, in spite of itself

by Chris Owen on

Haiti is one of the most fascinating destinations in the Caribbean but travelers still stay away, more than two years after an earthquake nearly destroyed much of what they came to see in 2010. Now, conditions are beginning to improve in Haiti and a revival of tourism is underway.

A construction development now in progress in Haiti’s capital of Port-au-Prince includes a recently-completed five-star Occidental Luxury Hotel. A Marriott hotel is also set to open in 2014. These are two of seven hotels on the books to be built in Haiti soon.

“Together, the projects add up to well over $100 million in new investment and will generate several thousand jobs in a nation still struggling to emerge from years of natural disasters and political turmoil,” says Bloomberg Business Week.

In order to further reinforce Haiti tourism revival, major airports are also being repaired and updated. The Port-au-Prince International Airport (PAP) is currently going through a multi-million dollar reconstruction project. Another airport, Cap-Haitien International Airport (CAP), is also scheduled to be launched in 2013.

These rebuilding efforts will draw funds from what is being called a “tourist card” which will be mandated to all non-Haitian vacationers and tourists.

Soon, anyone without a Haitian passport will be required to purchase a $10 tourist card upon arrival. Taxes will also increase from $25 to $55 on airline tickets, similar to that in the neighboring Dominican Republic.

“This approach will incorporate tax levies on various tourism prerequisites such as plane ticket prices,” says Tourism Reivew.

“Of course this would mean that tourists who wish to visit the country are expected to spend more than the usual, but the government and other tourism experts are convinced that this will eventually prove beneficial to all individuals and groups involved, especially for the people of Haiti.”

All this activity is the result of sustained and united efforts from the Haitian government, non-profit organizations, corporate entities, and the worldwide community.

Still, its a slow road to recovery in Haiti, bogged down further by reports of brutal rape and poverty, not exactly the worldwide image that lush, tropical tourist destinations need to flourish.


Flickr photo by by caribb

‘Guam: The New Maldives’ and other Chinese tourism trends

by Jessica Marati on

In 2012, trips originating from China will comprise an estimated 8 percent of total world travel. The China Tourism Academy estimates that 80 million Chinese residents will travel overseas, spending an estimated US$80 billion. That’s a significant chunk of the market.

In a recent article, CNNGo’s Shanghai editor Tracy You set out to demystify the Chinese traveler and predict the future of Chinese outbound tourism. Among her observations:

Many of the newer Chinese tourists are middle class. Travel is no longer reserved for the wealthy; more students and people from the working class are now venturing abroad. You predicts packed economy-class hotels in major tourism markets during traditional Chinese holidays like Spring Festival, summer vacations and early October.

Shopping is important, but so is nature. While Chinese tourists have a reputation for being shopaholics, most actually express a desire to explore natural settings and island escapes.

Cameras and Chinese menus are must-haves. A top priority for Chinese travelers is to photograph and be photographed, You reports. And while many stick to food they’re familiar with, many are willing to try local food if given ordering advice and menus in Chinese.

More Chinese are traveling independently. While tour groups are still the most convenient and common way for Chinese people to travel, more people are venturing out on their own or in small groups. You predicts that more Chinese will join the traditional backpacking routes of Europe, the United States and Southeast Asia.

Guam is the next big Chinese tourism destination. The United States island territory is already a popular getaway for Japanese and Korean tourists, and it has the natural beauty, shopping and island atmosphere that many Chinese tourists crave. You says that with the right infrastructure, it could join the Maldives as a top destination in the coming years.

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Tips for enjoying Rio de Janeiro’s beaches without looking like a tourist

by Jessica Marati on

If you daydream of sunbathing on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, you probably have visions of looking tall, tan, young and lovely. But more often than not, you probably just look like a tourist. Thankfully, we have some tips that’ll have you faking the local carioca look in no time, so you can worry more about catching rays than robbers.

Choose the right posto
Some of Brazil‘s most famous beaches — Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon — are located in Rio’s Zona Sul, and their sections are divided by lifeguard stands called postos. The area in front of Posto 6 in Copacabana is crowded and touristy, while Posto 8, recognizable by the large rainbow flag flying over it, hosts a predominantly gay crowd. Postos 9 and 10 have a younger, more bohemian feel. Choose the posto that’s right for you.

Dress appropriately
For the gals, that means itty-bitty string bikinis (appropriately called fio dental in Portuguese) – all women of all sizes wear them so you don’t have to worry about stares. Guys can get by with a pair of boardshorts or speedos. Havaianas are mandatory for everyone. And please, keep your clothes on — or hop in a taxi to Rio’s only official nude beach, Abricó.

%Gallery-150759%Rent a beach chair or bring a kanga (sarong)
A borrowed hotel towel will make you a target in no time. On the more popular strips, beach chairs and umbrellas are available for rent. Just sit on one, and someone will come to collect the charge, which should be no more than a few Reais. You can also lie out on a kanga (sarong) brought from home, or purchase one right on the beach. They also make great souvenirs.

Come with an appetite
Most cariocas don’t bring picnics or drink coolers to the beach. Instead, they take advantage of the hundreds of food vendors who make their way up and down the strip, hawking everything from cold beers to iced teas to sandwiches and empanadas. It’s a great chance to sample Rio’s famous street food.

Pay attention to the sunscreen meters
Rio’s most popular beaches post SPF recommendations based on the day’s weather for a variety of different skin tones. Pay heed: southern hemisphere sun is no joke, and nothing spells gringo like a red hot sunburn.

For more posts from Brazil, check out Gadling’s recent coverage of Rio Carnival 2012.

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