This joint publication between UNWTO and the Organization of American States highlights case studies from across the Americas that showcase the contribution of tourism to sustainable development in line with the 17 universal SDGs. It shows how a common multi-stakeholder approach to tourism development can catalyze sustainable growth through our sector. Key recommendations: • Across the Americas and particularly in the Caribbean, tourism is one of the primary sources of employment, foreign direct investment and GDP. • Tourism in the Americas also improves livelihoods, promotes poverty alleviation, enhances the protection of biodiversity and cultural heritage development, and helps to build peace. • It is crucial to precisely define the role tourism should play in the sustainable development agenda of the region up to and beyond 2030. • Critical attention must be paid to the way tourism is managed, with its income generation and employment benefits at risk of being compromised by tourism 'overcrowding' and climate change. • The emergence of a more responsible traveller means that destinations in the region should integrate resource efficiency and multi-stakeholder involvement in adopting policies, actions and initiatives. • Managing tourism development sustainably also requires strengthening partnerships between national and international public and private stakeholders, as well as local communities. • Destinations can fill their data gap in measuring the social, economic and environmental impacts of tourism, and improve effectiveness of policies and programmes related to the SDGs, through a statistical framework such as is being suggested by the launch of the Measuring Sustainable Tourism (MST) project.  

How can tourism effectively contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development? This flagship report addresses the changes needed in policies, business practices and consumer behaviour. Showcased along 23 case studies from around the world, this two-volume report examines the role of tourism in each of the five pillars of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, 2017: 1. Sustainable economic growth; 2. Social inclusiveness, employment and poverty reduction; 3. Resource efficiency, environmental protection and climate change; 4. Cultural values, diversity and heritage; and 5. Mutual understanding, peace and security.

How can tourism effectively contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development? This flagship report addresses the changes needed in policies, business practices and consumer behaviour. Showcased along 23 case studies from around the world, this two-volume report examines the role of tourism in each of the five pillars of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, 2017: 1. Sustainable economic growth; 2. Social inclusiveness, employment and poverty reduction; 3. Resource efficiency, environmental protection and climate change; 4. Cultural values, diversity and heritage; and 5. Mutual understanding, peace and security.

The UNWTO report on Tourism and Culture Synergies highlights the symbiotic relationship between tourism and culture and the interdependency of the two sectors. The report, undertaken through a survey of UNWTO member states and expert opinion, affirms that cultural tourism plays a major role in global tourism today. It also reveals that the sub-sector, in keeping with the changes to tourism as a whole, has been transformed by changing lifestyles, new forms of culture and creativity, and evolution and innovation in technology.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in partnership with Globalia, launched the 1st UNWTO Tourism Startup Competition, the world’s largest initiative dedicated to identifying the startups that will lead the transformation of the tourism sector! ‍ Tourism is one of the best positioned sectors to drive inclusive growth, create jobs, reduce poverty, and foster sustainable development and peace. Accounting for 10% of the world GDP, tourism has a significant impact on exports, job creation, investment, development of infrastructure, and the promotion of social inclusion. Moreover, given its cross-sectorial nature, tourism’s wide reach also stimulates entrepreneurship and growth of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which along with start-ups, are an important driver of innovation and job creation. Furthermore, tourism engages all sectors to collaborate and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. The objective of the programme is to select the best solutions and the most disruptive projects. The search will focus on finding pioneering proposals for implementation of emerging and disruptive technologies, as well as on startups based on new business models, such as the circular economy. In this regard, one of the pillars of this competition is to give visibility to projects that are committed to enhancing sustainability in tourism. The startup search process is as ambitious as it is complex: identifying the best projects in all corners of the planet. For this, UNWTO and Globalia have enlisted the innovation consultancy firm Barrabés.biz, which boasts more than 20 years’ experience in the creation, connection and activation of entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems. To broaden the scope of the competition and to facilitate the registration of interested startups, the programme will be implemented through the digital platform YouNoodle, a leading Silicon Valley company in the startup evaluation space at the global lev

Following the success of the "NTF III Myanmar: Inclusive Tourism focussing on Kayah state" project, ended in July 2017, Myanmar authorities asked ITC to extend activities to other parts of the country. ITC conducted a feasibility study on the potential of the destinations and the feasibility of an ITC inclusive tourism project. The studies included destinations prioritized by international and national Tour Operators, namely Tanintharyi, Kayin, Mon and Shan. Thanintaryi stood out as the destination with most potential. Tanintharyi has relavant revenue generation potential becasue of its pristine beaches and easy accessibility both from the capital Yangon (by flight) and from Thailand with three border crossing open to tourists. The three-and-a-half-year project is part of the fourth phase of the Netherlands Trust Fund (NTF IV) portfolio of trade development projects, which started last December 2018 with funding from The Netherlands. It will seek to bolster tourism capacity at the national and regional levels building on the results of NTF III by expanding tourism product development to Tanintharyi region and further consolidating the achieved results at national and at Kayah state level. The same successful value chain approach, from product and service development over association strengthening and destination branding to market linkages will be adopted. The project aims to improve livelihood of local village stakeholders and expects an increase in income generated by tourism of 20% and 200 jobs created/supported and an increase in international tourist arrivals to Tanintharyi Region by at least 35%.

Recently opened and with a diverse ethnic culture and history, Myanmar offers tourism experiences that cannot be found elsewhere. Myanmar’s tourism sector can, if managed correctly, contribute to spur socio-economic progress and support local provision of products and services for sustainable livelihoods. Nevertheless, the country’s annual increase in international visitor arrivals has slowed down, calling for a diversification of Myanmar’s tourism offer. The industry cannot rely any longer solely on the country’s main tourist attractions (Bagan, Mandalay, Yangon and Inle Lake) and activities. Beyond these known destinations, there are still many authentic places to discover, Kayah state being one of them. Tourism in Kayah State holds great potential for growth, particularly for cultural and eco-tourism. Located south of Inle Lake, it is endowed with pristine nature and cultural diversity. At the same time, it is one of Myanmar’s poorest states. The Myanmar NTF III project, funded by The Netherlands and implemented between August 2014 and July 2017, addressed the whole tourism value chain by overcoming bottlenecks at each point from product development over market linkages to destination branding, bringing all stakeholders together towards sustainable tourism. One single project that truly connected all players in a sustainable manner with the aim of enhancing Myanmar tourism industry as a way out of poverty. The NTF III project built skills across the tourism value chain and maximized benefits to local businesses and communities. In four traditional villages ITC helped develop respectful cultural tourism tours, creating jobs and increasing incomes for the ethnic minority residents, who in many cases were post-conflict returnees. Over the project duration (2014-2017) income for Kayah’s SMEs and providers of tourism products and service increased by 83% and jobs supported (formal and informal) by 28%. Between 2014 and 2017 the number of international tourists in Kayah state grew by about 230% and domestic tourists by almost 200%. Client spending in the state almost quadrupled over the same period. Next to financial indicators, the project is generating important intangible impact, namely facilitating the peace process in Kayah state by enforcing cooperation between all stakeholders, including government authorities, private businesses and local communities. ITC built capacity on three levels—(1) tourism products and service providers in Kayah state and tour operators in Yangon, (2) tourism sector associations and (3) national and state government enhancing Myanmar’s tourism sector and linking it to international markets.

With the aim of contributing to the understanding of tourism as a tool for poverty alleviation and sustainable development, UNWTO jointly with SNV has produced this publication, which outlines some practical steps that can be taken in tourism destinations to shape and manage tourism in ways which deliver more benefits to disadvantaged individuals and communities. The manual looks at the process of analysing a tourism destination in terms of current contribution of tourism to the poor and planning how this could be strengthened in the future. It proposes the establishment of a tourism strategy and action plan based on this analysis which embraces pro-poor concerns and actions and provides guidance on planning monitoring and evaluation. Furthermore it contains an indicative programme of training sessions, including handouts, using the material contained in the manual.

This brochure discusses the importance of tourism as a force for driving trade, fostering development and connecting people. The publication explores tourism's economic and social benefits; it's resilience as an industry; the opportunities it builds for succesful partnerships; the role of politics and its effects on the industry, and the necessity to close the aid gap in regards to tourism.

Over the past years, and particularly since the start of the global economic crisis, a widespread consensus has emerged on the need to build a new economic paradigm. Multiple crises – in climate, biodiversity, fuel, food, water and the economy as a whole – have led to calls for a new development model: a “green economy”. The UN Green Economy Report demonstrates that the greening of economies is not a constraint on growth, but rather a new engine of development, able to create decent jobs, reduce poverty and address major environmental challenges. Tourism, finds the Report, is one of the ten economic sectors best able to kick-start the transition to a sustainable and inclusive green economy.

Tourism is a major activity with characteristics that make it particularly valuable as an agent for development. Developing countries however face a particular fragility in their natural, economic, social and human environments which could jeopardize the sector’s dynamism and beneficiary qualities. With such a significant potential for development, the need for a sustainable approach to tourism in developing countries to promote growth in the long term while maintaining a balanced use of resources is imperative… The Guidebook “Sustainable Tourism for Development” has been carried out by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) with the financing of the European Commission Directorate-General Development and Cooperation, within the framework of the project “Enhancing capacities for Sustainable Tourism for Development in Developing Countries”. The European Commission (Directorate General Development and Cooperation – DG DEVCO/ EuropeAid) requested UNWTO to prepare a Guidebook on Sustainable Tourism as an engine for development, trade in services, job creation and poverty reduction. The Guidebook seeks to enhance the understanding of tourism in all its dimensions and describe how the sector relates to the EU Agenda for Change. This enables EU services in Brussels and the EU Delegations in 180 countries, as well as other development institutions, to include sustainable tourism development in their programme cycles. The guidebook was tested in six developing countries (Botswana, India, Kenya, Vietnam, Senegal and Timor-Leste) and was publicly launched on the 27th of June 2013 in Brussels, Belgium. The Guidebook takes a comprehensive approach to tourism, covering a wide range of topics relating to its planning, development, management and impact. By working through the whole document, users can identify priorities for intervention across a spectrum of issues.

The cruise industry is one of the fastest growing segments of tourism. Although a recent development in Asia and the Pacific as compared to the traditional destinations in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, cruise tourism has been growing at double-digit rates in the region fuelled by the increasing demand from the North-East Asia markets, namely from China. In this context, South-East Asia has gained particular relevance as its ports account for around 45% of all port calls in the region. The exponential growth of cruise tourism in Asia, and particularly in South-East Asia, presents a major opportunity, but also an undeniable challenge to ensure that the policy, planning and development of cruise tourism is done in a sustainable and responsible manner. Indeed, cruise tourism, though still an emerging segment in Asia, has an immense potential to contribute to the region’s socio-economic progress while enhancing regional integration as many itineraries include ports in different countries. Yet, as highlighted in the present report “controlling tourism demand and mitigating its impacts will be the 21st century challenge. Cruise tourism will be one of the focal points of this shift in the way we experience the planet”.

UNWTO’s commitment to accessible tourism is guided by the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, a fundamental frame of reference for responsible and sustainable tourism development. Article 7 of the Code recognizes that “direct and personal access to the discovery and enjoyment of the planet’s resources constitutes a right equally open to all the world’s inhabitants”. As such, UNWTO collaborates with Disabled People’s Organizations to mainstream accessibility throughout the tourism sector. In 2013, the UNWTO General Assembly adopted Recommendations on Accessible Tourism for All to guide stakeholders in implementing universal accessibility in practice.

Cultural accommodations are emerging as a form of tourism product with a great potential to attract tourists combining traditional lodging services with authentic cultural experiences based on the traditional way of life of the host community. With a view to further support governments and other institutions in their endeavours, this UNWTO and KCTI joint publication presents 13 cases from three North-East Asian countries – Republic of Korea, Japan and China – as good practices in cultural accommodation approach for sustainable tourism development.

It is hoped that this report will support further product development and assist the public and private sectors in planning and expanding the breadth river-based tourism activities along the Mekong River. The report is divided into four sections. The introduction outlines the approach to the study and defines river-based tourism. This is followed by the situational analysis, which explores the current product, market and policy dynamics of the Mekong River region and highlights opportunities and challenges for the development of river based tourism. Section three of the report provides a strategic framework and action plan for improving the quality, quantity and breadth of river-based tourism along the Mekong River. In section four of the report, river-based tourism development zones are mapped with complementary itineraries. And finally, the appendices provide a detailed implementation plan, summary of existing cruise products, and an indicative monitoring framework.

Benchmarking Methodology for the Development of Sustainable Cruise Tourism in South-East Asia follows the 2016 publication on Sustainable Cruise Tourism Development Strategies – Tackling the Challenges in Itinerary Design in South-East Asia. Both reports were prepared in cooperation with the Asia-Pacific Tourism Exchange Center (APTEC).

This second publication aims to support data-driven collaboration by encouraging information exchanges related to sustainable cruise tourism in South-East Asia. The report presents a methodology for policymakers and stakeholders to evaluate the impacts of cruise tourism at the destination level. With this methodology, destinations can benchmark their progress compared to that of their neighbours and, ultimately, enhance their regional collaboration.

The Manual on Accessible Tourism for All: Principles, Tools and Good Practices, co-produced with the ONCE Foundation for Cooperation and Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities and the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), is intended to provide stakeholders with a useful tool to understand the needs of the tourism sector in terms of accessibility, the competitive advantages of tourism for all, and the methods for its implementation. Module V: Good Practices for Accessible Tourism provides an overview of case studies and good practices which have proven a successful implementation of universal accessibility in different spheres of tourism, such as promotion, market research, travel agencies, transportation, accommodation, training and capacity building and destination management. The examples analyze a wide spectrum of conditions which were decisive in making accessible tourism a reality and are meant to inspire the key stakeholders to engage in similar initiatives in their respective areas of influence. The manual´s objectives are to provide stakeholders with a useful tool to understand the needs of the tourism sector in terms of accessibility, the competitive advantages of tourism for all, and the methods for its implementation.

The publication Tourism and Culture Partnership in Peru: Models for Collaboration among Tourism, Culture and Community analyses the importance of collaboration among three essential elements for the sustainable development of tourism destinations: tourism, culture and the community. Starting with a general framework, this book explores the subject by studying the case of Peru, as a country that has distinguished itself in its links to cultural tourism and in the tourism management of its heritage.

The 5 th Global Summit on City Tourism as a follow up of the previous four Summits once again aims at providing a comprehensive understanding of the new opportunities, challenges and the dynamics of city tourism in urban areas by exchanging knowledge, experience and expertise on the above mentioned areas.

The Practical Guidelines for Integrated Quality Management in Tourism Destinations offer a comprehensive and pragmatic approach to the improvement of quality of tourism destinations. The handbook is a perfect tool for tourism managers, planners, academics, professionals, entrepreneurs and decision-makers. It clarifies tourism concepts developing basic tools for improving quality at tourism destinations.

In 2012, UNWTO Affiliate Members Programme launched the Global Report on Food Tourism outlining the state of gastronomy tourism. The report presented various examples of tourism and gastronomy professionals with extensive experience in international organizations, destination management, in both tourism enterprises and training schools. The 2nd Global Report on Gastronomy Tourism proviodes recent trends in gastronomy tourism, in addition to experts’ analyses and case studies suggesting best practices. The report, developed by the UNWTO Affiliate Members Programme with case studies from 60 contributors including UNWTO Member States, Affiliate Members and partner organizations, showcases how gastronomy tourism can be a driver for modern tourism in creating authentic experiences while promoting sustainable tourism. The report offers an introduction to a variety of themes related to gastronomy tourism, such as case studies on product development and experience in gastronomy tourism, challenges, communication and branding, good practices as well as training and skills in gastronomy tourism. In essence, the 2^nd Global Report on Gastronomy Tourism provides a holistic perspective of the state of gastronomy tourism today and an outlook for the future of the sector.

Following the success of the first UNWTO Global Report on LGBT tourism published in 2012, UNWTO and International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association, a UNWTO Affiliate Member, decided to embark in the preparation of the Second Global Report on LGBT Tourism, offering a more extensive analysis of LGBT (lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual) tourism. The Second Global Report on LGBT Tourism focuses on providing a set of recommendations to tourism stakeholders interested in attracting LGBT Tourism and maximizing the benefits associated with LGBT Tourism. Among others, the diversity and complexity inherent to the LGBT consumer are explored, providing the corresponding set of recommendations to tourism stakeholders to better understand the LGBT traveller. The publication is also enriched by a comprehensive compilation of case studies that provide valuable examples of case studies of tourism stakeholders who have benefited from their outreach to LGBT travellers. The Second Global Report on LGBT Tourism represents thus an excellent reference for all tourism stakeholders and destinations in particular, interested in engaging in LGBT tourism and fully harness the potential LGBT tourism has to offer.

Tourism is a key sector for trade development for many LDCs as highlighted in 45 out of 48 Diagnostic Trade Integration Studies analyzed for this joint UNWTO-ITC-EIF report. This report provides concrete guidance on how to better harness the role of tourism for sustainable development and realize the 2030 Agenda for the prosperity of people and the planet through trade policies. It provides hands-on guidance to design trade related technical assistance directed at the tourism sector making the report a must-read for the development community, particularly as 2017 marks the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.

This publication released on the occasion of the International Year for Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017, focuses on community empowerment and poverty alleviation through rural tourism development. The report shines a light on rural tourism development in the Asia Pacific region with fourteen specific case studies that show how communities have adapted a sustainable approach to rural tourism that stimulates economic growth, creates employment and improves the livelihood of communities.

A mega event benefits a host destination in terms of attracting visitors to the event and drawing global attention to the destination. However, in addition to such short-term benefits, it can be a catalyst for longer-term tourism development in various aspects from economic to social. This publication on Maximizing the Benefits of Mega Events for Tourism Development provides practical references on what a host destination can do to fully leverage the event opportunity for tourism development with a variety of illustrative cases. Although the report refers to insights from mega events, the practical references can be applied to any scale of events in any destination.

This publication released on the occasion of the International Year for Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017, focuses on sustainable-tourism governance approaches that have helped to realize tourism’s potential to contribute to economic growth and improved livelihoods in the Asia and the Pacific region by providing tangible examples demonstrating that growth and sustainability are not at odds. The case studies presented in the report cover 13 countries and 17 destinations in the region and highlight issues related to growth and sustainable-tourism governance, providing approaches from both the private and public sectors in one of the most promising and successful tourism regions in the world.

This report aims to gain a better understanding of how new platform tourism services, or the so-called Sharing Economy, is shaping the tourism sector. It seeks to identify the specific opportunities and challenges it poses across destinations, how these are being addressed, and the way forward. Drawing on the responses of a UNWTO survey, this exploratory study offers a global overview of the current situation, impact and future importance of these services in five main areas of tourism – information, accommodation, transport, food and tourism activities.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Ministry of National Planning, Tourism and Handicrafts of Algeria are organizing jointly the Regional Statistics Capacity Building Programme (RSCBP) in Algiers, at the kind invitation of the Government of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria. The selected countries to participate in this programme are: Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Cote d'ivoire, Egypt, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sudan, Togo and Tunisia.

One of the tourism areas with high potential to empower travellers to make a positive change on their surroundings is that of transnational tourism, whether based around cultural or natural thematic threads. This diverse and novel phenomenon appeals to the emotions, intellect and senses of the modern-day visitor, who desires to live the culture and character of a place, connect with local communities, and pursue challenges and discovery as they travel. The UNWTO Silk Road Initiative, gathering today 33 countries, is a contemporary example of a pioneering project in this field. The marketing of such routes and networks is complex, with transnational tourism products facing several potential administrative and cultural challenges. However, overcoming these obstacles to create transnational networks can bring significant benefits to all stakeholders, including in terms of marketing, trade, education and community development. With this Handbook on Marketing Transnational Tourism Themes and Routes, the European Travel Commission (ETC) and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) aim to provide an overview of six varieties of transnational tourism themes and routes, as well as practical guidelines both for managers of existing transnational routes and networks and for those seeking to create new ones. This ETC and UNWTO Handbook on Marketing Transnational Tourism Themes and Routes aims at acquiring a deeper understanding of the transnational tourism themes and routes that are already proposed to travellers. Through illustrative case studies it furthermore provides practical guidance – especially for NTAa and NTOs – on the the creation and implementation of tourism routes, on marketing thematic tourism, including its development, management and promotion. The handbook will enrich UNWTO’s tools for innovation, and feed into the ETC’s ‘Destination Europe 2020’ strategy, contributing also to the development and promotion of its VisitEurope.com Internet portal.

This release of the European Union Short-Term Tourism Trends presents an update of the analysis of preliminary results for international tourism in the European Union (EU-28) for the first ten months of 2017 based on arrivals data reported by destinations. Furthermore, this issue includes an analysis of cruise tourism. According to available data, 13 of the 28 countries of the European Union recorded double-digit growth in arrivals. Overall, EU-28 destinations recorded a strong 8% increase in international tourist arrivals through October 2017, compared to the same period last year. Within the EU-28, growth was strongest in EU-28 destinations in Southern and Mediterranean Europe (+10%). These robust results reflect the sustained demand for travel around the world, in line with the improved global economy and the rebound of destinations that suffered declines in previous years.

Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals – Journey to 2030 serves as a guide to how the tourism sector can contribute towards the implementation and achievement of the 17 SDGs. It aims to inspire governments, policymakers and tourism companies to incorporate relevant aspects of the SDGs into policy and financing frameworks as well as business operations and investments. The publication’s recommendations are based on an analysis of 64 countries’ Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) on the SDGs – submitted to the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in 2016 and 2017 – as well as eight Mainstreaming, Acceleration and Policy Support (MAPS) country roadmaps and the CSR activities of 60 global tourism companies. The publication aims to inspire governments, policymakers and tourism companies to incorporate relevant aspects of the SDGs into policy and financing frameworks as well as business operations and investments.

The Western Silk Road Roadmap is a summary of work conducted by UNWTO and the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG Grow) of the European Commission (EC). The work included research into the existing usage of the Silk Road identity, connections between key destinations through tangible and intangible heritage, and the potential of a Western Silk Road tourism brand. Concepts were developed to strengthen the use of such a brand to bring benefits to destinations and two capacity building workshops were held on how to progress from theory to practice in developing the Western Silk Road as a transnational tourism route. This roadmap aims to present a common tourism development plan for the route. his roadmap aims to present a common tourism development plan for the route.

Hello! We are the Makey family from Belarus, and this is our story…We want to share with you a story on how tourism drastically changed our lives. Most of our life, we have been living in a traditional Belarus village. Our work was on our plot of land, growing crops, and selling part of it. We have travelled seldom and have never thought that we could receive visitors, although we have a spacious private house. Today life without tourism is inconceivable for us, and we can hardly imagine how we could have lived without it earlier. How did it happen? It was in the beginning of 2000 when in Belarus they just started to speak about agro-tourism. In truth, even today there are people who have no idea about this type of tourism, and 15 years ago only few knew about it. We also belonged to the unaware majority until we saw an announcement in the newspaper, posted by volunteers (today this is the main agrotourism promotion Belarusan Public Association ‘Recreation in the village’), inviting all people interested in agrotourism to make a training visit to Ukraine. New things are usually attractive, and since everything was running smoothly in our household and the trip was cheap, we had agreed to take part in this, as it seemed then, adventure. There we became acquainted with Mrs. Klitsunova (today she is the Chairman of the Public Association ‘Recreation in the village’) who, having learnt about our potential, advised us to turn our house and land plot into an agrotourism center without delay. In order to motivate us further she paid us a visit together with high-ranking visitors. We were eager to show our best side. From then on, everything started to move forward. Demand for recreation in the Belarus village, among our compatriots and visitors from far-flung countries, continues to grow day by day, but we do not limit ourselves to simple provision of a roof over a heads. We have expanded our kitchen. We have since invited neighbors to earn extra income by working as cooks during seasons when the manor is fully packed. Today it has 40 beds and our café has 120 seats. Here it is possible to hold a banquet or festivity. In Belarus one can see a constantly growing interest of young couples in organizing weddings in a national style, i.e. in a village. The majority of visitors expressly come to us to see the distinctive ‘feature’ of our manor a beautiful arboretum, boasting more than 250 kinds and varieties of trees and bushes. By the way, we do the landscape design without professional help we design a composition on our own and then implement it. Every night before going to sleep, we prepare a plan of activities for tomorrow: plant a new tree in the garden, make a slide at the children’s playground, restore a ship replica... plenty of things to be done. However, since the moment when tourism became part of our lives, we have never had the slightest desire to quit. On the contrary, when you get acquainted with new fine people, see their animated eyes it inspires you to move further, it makes your life brighter, beautiful and happy.

My name is Landing Jatta, from Kartong, Gambia, and this is my story…After working as a primary school teacher for 15 years in my home village of Kartong with a very modest monthly salary, I became a turtle hunter in the year 2000. The work was not difficult. Our coastline has been home to turtles for as long as I can remember. As a child I played with turtles, and grew up knowing how they live, where they hide, when the breed, the cycle of their lives. I started earning more than seven times more than in my previous job. What I knew was that I had found a way to take care of my family of 17 people. What I did not know was that I was endangering the existence of rear marine species in Gambia. When I realised this, when realised the damage I was doing to my own home, I was not happy. So, in 2014, I transformed from a turtle hunter to a turtle savior. It was all thanks to a turtle project hosted at the Sandale Eco Retreat beach in Kartong beach which was supported by the World Wild Fund (WWF) and the British Embassy in Gambia. Following some sensitization and education on the importance of turtles in marine biodiversity as well as in human lives by the WWF and the COAST project, I started to fully understand the damage I have been causing and promised to immediately stop the hunting activity, forever. In order to overcome my fears of not having enough money to feed my family, Sandale Eco Retreat offered me a job as a conservationist and a guide in the turtle population recovery project, wherein turtle eggs laid on the beach are protected and hatched, and the babies released in the sea. So far, over 4,300 turtle eggs have been collected and hatched, producing over 3,000 baby turtles. I take personal pride in knowing I have a direct impact on the wellbeing of the turtles in my country, that they are protected. The project is very popular with the visitors to Sandale Eco Retreat. I take on conducted tours during their stays. Thanks to tourism in general and this form of responsible tourism in particular, I and my people are able to find good ways of making a living, and playing a part in growing our country. I no longer have to hunt for a living. Instead I am able to contribute to the protection of biodiversity in Kartong, making it a safe place for turtles to live, and a better place to visit. The turtles and I are one. Today, through protecting our turtles, and growing our turtle tourism, together my turtles and my people know the future is safe

My name is Khaled Al Took, and this is my story… I am from a middle class family. My father is retired from the military. I am the oldest son of five brothers and five sisters. I am 47 years old. I am married. I have two sons and one daughter. I am from the south of Saudi Arabia, from the Aseer region – Dhahran Al Janub. I live now in Khamis Mushayt. I have been a freelance tour guide for more than 12 years all over Saudi Arabia and recently I started a new business in camel back trips. I established my own tour called WSL. We create adventure trips following the steps of ancient trade caravans. I am also a certified trainer from the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA), and in coordination with the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH), I train tour guides skills for new applicants for licenses. I love working in tourism because of my desire to travel and discover. In addition, I learned more about customs and traditions. This kind of work provides me with a source of income. Moreover, it has enabled me to practice my hobby of travelling, and keep in close contact with people from various nationalities and ages. Seasonal changes pose the biggest obstacle to my work. There are long periods throughout the year that pass without demand for tourist guides services, and because this is my only source of income that is the only challenge. Tourist guiding for my family and me has become a way of life. We have friends from all around the world, they visit our house and become close to our hearts. I can see the happiness in the eyes of my children when they meet guests from distant lands. I see the joy when they learn something new about other nations. My older son became eager to become a tour guide like me; now he joins me in many trips and we have something to share together as well as the rest of my family. This business gives my family confidence in the future. And it makes us proud of our past.

My name is Juan Melendez, and this is my story… I am married to Naomi Gomez, and we have three girls: Mary, Angelica and Victoria. We come from the village of Gurráo, but we originally are from Cauas, and are currently residing here at Adjunta, Puerto Rico. We work in the coffee industry. Apart from the coffee we are also offering tours on our farm, we have a visitor center and we have a coffee shop. Our project is called Hacienda Tres Angeles. The name comes from our three daughters - Maria de los Angeles, Angelica Noemi and Victoria de los Angeles. We produce premium coffee, especially the Caturra variety. We actually used to work in the air conditioning industry. But once, while we were having a cup of coffee in the neighboring village of Ayuya, we saw a bag of ripe coffee. It was so precious that my wife and I considered agriculture as an alternative way of life, with the upcoming economic and food crisis already announced long ago. Coffee was something that inspired us, and we decided to make our lives of it. We came into the coffee industry from the complete unknown. So we dove into the subject: we visited a lot of places, we met some important people, and we researched a lot. When we began farming, we were concerned about how much time it took us. Because we believe we carry out another major work in our lives: God has for us a mandate to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. We do this through our coffee and tourist business. We preach the gospel to tourists from all over and they take back home their holistic experience. Through this tourism project, we have transformed and impacted lives. We are the first agro-tourism company endorsed by the Tourism Company of Puerto Rico. The tourism sector is the main channel of arrival of our clients. The Municipality of Ajunta also sends us many visitors. In fact, we are practically the only agro-tourism experience they recommend to visitors. We have received tourists from all over the world. We reach all parts of the world through the Tourism Company. During the harvest we create up to 85 jobs on top of the jobs created in the process area and in the tourism activities, we have created 100 jobs. Hacienda Tres Angeles offers guided tours. When they arrive here at 9 in the morning, we give them a short introduction in the visitor center. Then we go to the farm and teach them about practices and agricultural economy, the coffee economy, maintenance of coffee plantations, the different varieties of coffee, flora, fauna of the area, about hydrology and geography and secondary areas. Then we go to the visitors´ center, where we show them the coffee making process. Then visitors come to the coffee shop where we teach them the roasting process, which consists of the toasting and tasting. We offer different grains, different roasts, all of exquisite quality. The tour ends there, and many people decide to stay longer; have lunch, or spend the afternoon at Hacienda. Coffee fascinates me. The process is an extreme sport, many workers processing the coffee earn up to 25 pounds in a harvest. It is a very physical job. It sometimes takes up to 22 hours and workers start working the next day at 6 am again. This work keeps you fit, healthy. You also get to meet a lot of people in the tourism sector. We try to have an impact on people’s lives, and motivate them. It is great to see our workers finishing their days satisfied. We put love and dedication in everything we do here, from the agricultural part to the tourism part. We are all involved in this, giving our best to Puerto Rico.

My name is Josefina Klinger Zúñiga, and this is my story… I am a part of Mano Cambiado. We work together to develop tourism to build appreciation, knowledge and understanding of the ways of seeing and living life in the Nuquí community. We like to say: “‘Mano Cambiado’ is a dream of the soul that we make real everyday”. Our vision of sustainable development in the territory has created opportunity for our whole community. Ecotourism has won us our autonomy – the local economy is diversified, we maintain and make responsible use of our natural and cultural resources, we promote shared benefits investments, we control the environmental and social impacts, and we design strategies to strengthen cultural identity. We create partnerships with communities, developing productive projects and improving the quality of life. We have had the opportunity to perform and carry out projects in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism of Colombia, the National Unity of National Parks, the Red Colombia Verde and the Fund for Environmental Action and Childhood. We have also been fortunate to attract the interest and financial support from international agencies and governments, such as USAID. A few that we are most excited about are the work with the Ministry of Commerce, Industryand Tourism, through the Vice Ministry of Tourism, which has provided infrastructure in areas of influence of Changed Hand. They have seen the potential for eco and natural tourism in the region; the work with the National Parks of Colombia which are a key ally in the process of environmental conservation and social work developed for the National Park Utría and with ProColombia, which has provided us strategies to promote tourism in Nuquí-Pacific. Our work is recognised as doing good for both our community and our environment. On the premise that “it is not possible to create sustainable tourism in areas with unsatisfied basic needs”, Changed Hand has led a peer relationship with state institutions, inviting them to be active in their role to equip the destination for the welfare of the community and the tourist experience. This relationship has been based on maintaining the values and principles of open and direct communication, and giving results based on the agreed commitments. One of our greatest achievements was in 2008 when we were granted the tourism administration of the Utría National Park, publicly recognizing our dedication and our relationship with public authorities, communities and local service providers. We know we must prepare the next generation of leaders to inherit this model. This is why Changed Hand directs its resources to support children and youth, through bands, dance, photography, painting and the peaceful Migration Festival, an event that involves young people in the operation of the Utría Park and encourages them to visit the park and enhance their relationship with nature. As I said earlier, and I am committed in my heart, Changed Hand is a dream of the soul that we make real every day. I cannot imagine where we would be without it.

My name is Jean Baptiste Hortere, and this is my story… My story, the story of Jean Baptiste Hortere, is popularly known in Seychelles as Batista a young boy from a small village in Mahé, Seychelles’ principal island, who made good. I was born in 1953 and I started from humble beginnings in the small village of Takamaka in the rural south of Mahé, where I grew up in a family of four sisters and three brothers and where my parents worked on a coconut plantation. First attending primary school in Takamaka, I continued my education in the nearby town of Anse Royale before entering in 1972 as a kitchen helper in Mahé Island’s Reef Hotel situated at Anse aux Pins. After one year, I was promoted to the position of assistant cook, gaining valuable experience as I was rotated through various departments. In 1977, I left Seychelles to work in a hotel in England’s Isle of Wight, going on to follow a maritime course in Bretagne, France, after which I became employed as cook aboard the vessel, Aldabra, which was the first tuna fishing vessel ever to fish in Seychelles waters, soon returning to France to bring yet another tuna fishing vessel to the islands. Despite my success and varied experiences, I always dreamed of opening my own restaurant. Mingling with tourists in Seychelles had shown me the kind of experiences they were seeking and in my next career move, I set about supplying exactly that. I consider myself very in touch with the spirit of tourism, and with the kind of experience we should be offering. Perhaps it is because of my simple upbringing and the fact that I have had to work hard to achieve what I have, that for me there is no need to embellish the Seychelles experience. We are blessed with such natural beauty and unique attributes that, in my opinion our tourism offerings need to flow from those things in the most direct and genuine way possible. That was the inspiration behind my decision to start small – grilling fish caught in my own fish traps for tourists in true Seychellois island-style. First, I would bring the fish to shore and clean them on the nearby granite rocks adorning this magnificent strand before serving them to my clients in banana leaves with a side-salad of palmist, the heart of the coconut palm, and a serving of coconut water. This proved to be a winning formula and soon I had people coming to my Chez Batista restaurant straight from the airport. This same way of doing things has allowed me to expand from six rooms and a rustic restaurant to 18 rooms today, a staff of 20 and room for 300 diners. I have enjoyed good support over the years from family, friends, and especially from my trusty chef of 18 years, Agnes Raoul. Together, we carved this business out of the soul of the countryside, treating our tourists and the locals looking to a grand variety of Seychellois Creole dishes to be enjoyed, at the water’s edge by one of Seychelles’ most stunning beaches. Reflecting back on what has been achieved, I am proud to have been able to offer a well-rounded service which reflects the beauty of Seychelles, its authenticity and its Creole soul. It’s a service, after all, that takes me back to my roots in the rural south of the island. I’m doing what I know, where I belong. I don’t think you can ask for more than that. I hope to be able to carry on providing a soulful service which introduces my clients to the very best that our islands have to offer: fine Seychellois Creole cuisine served against a backdrop of awesome natural beauty and genuine hospitality. My dream continues to come true and I hope I can keep living it for a long time to come.

My name is Hamoudi Hassan Al-Abayagi, born in the city of Al-Najaf, and this is my story… I was born in Iraq in 1952. Today, I am a seller and maker of Al- Najafiah cloak. I inherited this craftsmanship from my father, who inherited it from his father, Haj Mahdi Al-Abayagi. Our family was famous for doing this craft in the Al-Najaf province, the oldest place making the men´s cloak in Iraq and the Arab world. Al-Najafiah cloak is considered as the best in quality and folkloric art as this craftsmanship dates back more than 130 years. It is not only famous in the provinces of Iraq, but also expanded to most of the Gulf and Arab countries. Al-Najafiah cloak can be divided into different types according to the seasons. Summer cloak fits the high summer heat and is light, and Spring and Autumn cloaks fit the moderate weather, and the Winter cloak suits cold weather and is heavy. We also make cloaks customized according to the occasion; sad and happy occasions. Our cloaks are woven with silk thread extracted from silkworms, and embroidered with French or Japanese golden threads obtained from Jordan and Syria. The price of cloak rises due to its difficult weaving. Since I was little, I have worked in this craft, which is considered as one of the folkloric traditional crafts that attracts tourists. Today I have achieved my dream. I own a shop for selling folkloric cloaks and I participate annually in Arab and international exhibitions specialized in folklore. I have participated in the Iraqi Heritage Exhibition, held in the annual Baghdad International Fair by a special invitation from the fair administration in the department of Al-Najafiah cloaks. Our cloaks are characterized by their originality and genuineness, and have received many certificates of appreciation. We offer foreigner and Arab visitors of the fair deluxe cloaks as gifts, especially golden ones because it gives golden appearance. We get ready early every season for this event by purchasing wool, threads and other items to be shown in the market which is visited by many customers from all over Iraq and the Arabian Gulf Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The most important visitors of this market are Sheiks of Arabic tribes in villages and countryside because they are more commonly considered as their official costumes. Our cloaks are still, at heart, about this folkloric craftsmanship which is considered as a part of the history of our holy city. Our great wish is to ultimately expand the project of the folkloric cloak, showcasing the legacy of this profession to the entire world.

My name is Geovanny Rivadeneira and this is my story… I am the representative and coordinator of the tourism operation at the Napo Wildlife Center. We began organizing our community in the seventies. Before, we lived all over the place. To create a community, well, you need a source of livelihood. In 1998 – with our own ideas and our own resources and our own design – we constructed the Napo Wildlife Center. The whole community volunteered. Even the grandparents. The grandparents didn´t work directly on the project, but they passed their experiences and knowledge onto us. And they have received a blessing for being part of the community. All of the young people are working in the service of the community operations. All of the children receive food from it. It doesn´t cost a cent for any member of this community. It is very mature, the community, the organization. They have a source of work, you can see that the quality of life has improved and our children are in university, thanks to that group of people that in 1998 saw the opportunity in tourism to help this community. The Napo Wildlife centre is run completely by the local community. We have accommodation, food and guides. We have a set of rules; we have to conserve our roots. Where we are from and who we are. And the rules are very clear, first our language and our food. Of course we can learn the western cultural aspects, especially in education and technology, but we are always focused first in our roots. The success is, well, we think that if there is a good organization, everyone can promote sustainable projects. It doesn´t have to be in tourism, it just has to diversify the region. It could be in the cultivation of plants, bird conservation, or growth of the local fish population. And of course if you have a beautiful place, a lagoon, a waterfall or a good forest and you protect the fauna, yes you can promote the inclusion of the community. All of the communities can take part in community tourism. The zones that are very rich in petroleum in our territory, we decided that is territory they cannot enter. This way the community can promote local tourism without having a detrimental impact on the rainforest. The Napo Wildlife Center is located in the Yasuni National Park and I invite you to visit the beautiful and diverse country of Ecuador.

My name is David Ahadzie and this is my story….I was born at Feyito - a village that is about 14km from Ada Foah in Ghana. When I was young my dream was to become a pilot but as I grew up, that dream faded and I instead wanted to be an entrepreneur. The entrepreneurial spirit grew stronger and became inevitable after schooling. I searched for jobs in Accra and other cities in Ghana for over seven years, but could not get anything permanent. In June 2010, I relocated from Accra to Ada Foah where there are many tourism offerings. It is one of the holiday destinations in Ghana where I could work as a tour guide in order to enhance visitors´ experience and earn some income. Using my entrepreneurial spirit, I designed ecotourism packages, produced a local tourist guidebook, and started guiding visitors. I began to earn income in a less stressful manner. I also networked with the tour operators union of Ghana to sell more tour packages. More local guides were needed especially during holidays, so I began to form tour guides team called Island Tour Services. We were initially six in number. Now we are 28 tour guides. They are trained by the Collaborative Actions for Sustainable Tourism (COAST) Project and Tour Guides Association of Ghana. We guide visitors to about 16 communities around Ada and even beyond where natural attractions are and tourists buy local products from the rural folks. After adding value to myself through workshops, learning more about what tourists wanted and how my work could make their holiday in Ghana even more interesting, I begin to attract extra income from visitors. I remember I used to get GH¢20 from one trip but after eight months I was getting not less than GH¢70 per an hour and half trip in my first year of tour guiding. As we grew, we formed an association called Ada Tourism Stakeholders Association made up of local boat operators, hotel/guest house operators, local gin and vegetable growers, culture dance group and tour guides. Association activities such as organizing clean up exercises or regulating prices from a common office, enable us to address concerns and interests of various groups for mutual benefits. I have acquired a new sense of direction. I am more environmentally conscious as I know that our visitors are coming to us mainly because of the unique natural and cultural attractions, and are environmentally conscious too. I fully participate in awareness and conservation activities to protect our culture and natural heritage. Already, our community have planted 600 coconut trees over one season at the beaches of Lolonyakorpe and Azizanya villages to serve as source of income, windbreaks and to check erosion. I love tourism. Tourism gives me real opportunity to prove my creativity and innovativeness. It opens wider doors to the world for me as a tour operator and a tour guide through continuous meeting and interaction with all types of people, with different cultures and academic disciplines – making me more sociable and flexible than I used to be. My community largely benefits also as tourism has created hotel chains where many youth work for secured income. Thanks to volunteer tourism we are able to grow even stronger. Some volunteers even financially support school building and toilet facility projects, and teach practical ICT in the schools, to bridge technological gaps in addition to exchanging good cultural practices in Ada. My dream of having my own business is becoming a reality. Now I can hear people say “Thank you, David”. Some years back it was almost the reverse, as I had not much to offer.

My name is Dadash Aliyev. I am married. Have two children. Currently, I mostly teach in Lahij. I’m teaching the Azerbaijani and Russian languages. But, I consider the tourism both as an additional source of income, and amazing pastime. I occasionally guide excursions in the Azerbaijani, Russian and English languages and host guests at my home. Lahij is one the most beautiful parts of Azerbaijan with its high promising tourism capacity. I haven’t always been interested in tourism. Thirteen years ago, a tourism workshop in Georgia supported by the World Bank changed my life. After I came to my country, I started to have conversations among people about issues related to the tourism and its benefits. Soon, we established a public union in order to revive the tourism sector together with the local authorities. The Public Union got registered after 2 years of the decision. Representatives of the ministry and famous guidebook authors began to show interest in our work as they learnt about our tourism development plan in Lahij. I fall in love with the tourism and participated at a number of really informative workshops organized in Georgia. The creation of the Tourism Information Centre in Lahij was one of the most challenging periods of my career. It was very difficult to convince local people about the importance of Information Centre. The first prepared project was approved by the World Bank, but we couldn’t find a place for the Tourism Information Centre. There were many people, including my relatives who created obstacles for us. In spite of all those challenges, the Centre was opened in 2006. In a very short period, majority of tourism companies and guests in Lahij learnt about our information centre. The operation of the Centre was very remarkable, capturing the attention of the “Lonely planet” guidebook that praised our Centre as the most effective Tourism Centre of Azerbaijan. We created a database on Lahij here, entering information on a host of tourism related services. The Centre has its own webpage and advertisement board in place. We placed signs with its location all over Lahij. We offered high quality and affordable services to guests addressing to our Centre. In accordance to the pre-arrangement of service providers, we received small interest fees on guests referred to them by the Centre. That income was sufficient to sustain the Centre. Tourism utterly changed my life. Lahij, one of the most beautiful places in Azerbaijan, is experiencing its real tourism life. Our initial focus was the mobilization of people in the tourism and explaining its benefits. Now we try to further improve the level of services provided and attract much more tourists in the region. It’s impossible not to be excited with the development of the tourism in Lahij. We approach poorer families and help them reestablish their homes as potential tourist accommodation, giving them the opportunity to make tourism their main source of income. Searching for accommodation for guests visiting Lahij, providing guiding, horse riding, transportation, picnic and other such kind of services led to acquaintance with many new people, while considerably adding to my income. The tourism helped me to make many friends in Azerbaijan and from different parts of the world. I tried to contribute to earnings of poor and underprivileged families, bearing in mind that every person should do his/her best to further promote Lahij and satisfy each guest.

My name is Benedicta Alejo Vargas, I’m from San Lorenzo, in the municipality of Uruapan, and this is my story… My dad was a farmer and my mother used to wait for my dad to return from the field with rabbits, quelites, coal and wood. My mother waited happily to make rabbit stew, or quelites – or to prepare a atápakua, or make a mushroom dish. My grandmother taught me how to cook. I was three when my father died, and my mother started working longer selling pork and animals. I didn´t like it because my mother always prepared meals from pure meat, sometimes atápakua or meat churipo, she loved all of that. My mother was selling barbecued meat often. She would tell me to fetch water. San Lorenzo has a spring, and there I met my husband. He is also called Lorenzo. He stole my heart and I stayed with him ever since. My husband, a farmer, helps me work. I have gone many times to the USA. The first time was scary getting on the plane. Today I go to the USA for work, but I wanted to get to know the place before. I didn´t have any money. When they asked me if I wanted to go I said yes. I always talk to God, I speak with my flowers and trees and my herbs when I go to the hill. I tell my quelites not get mad at me when I cut them because I’m needing to cook, I tell them I cut them to let people try their taste, to see that they are so delicious. I ask them to not be angry with me when I cut them because it helps me move forward with my children. Today I bring you flowers, because I am a cook, and I always have something to distinguish me, because I’m so used to it, I feel like my heart could be a flower. When I get up at five in the morning, I say “Dear God, I am getting up by your great power that you are giving us at this time and this morning, here I give you these eyes, hands, everything that I have is yours. I am nothing, it is all yours, now help me and bless me nothing more than today, not in the evening or tomorrow, only today.” For me it is a blessing of God, and because God never leaves anyone. He sees how our hearts feel, and how it dawns. God sees everything and if there is no money, no one suffers, because God is great, and God gave me the gift to work. He gave me the gift of knowledge. My grandmother taught me 10 or 15 dishes and today I have added more meals, and everything is God, because he never leaves me. He has never let me go without food. It was thanks to Roberto that I was invited to the Vatican to cook. When I met Roberto, Roberto told Cynthia to take me to the Vatican and she said yes. Thank God he thought of Roberto and he had me in mind. When I realized this is where the Pope was, I felt faint and I said to my husband, “Roberto and Cynthia told me that I will go to the Vatican, where is it?” And my husband didn’t know because he doesn´t know much; he also grew up on the hill. There I was sitting in an office in the Vatican, I was with my daughter Elvira, when men arrived with helmets and a swords. They grabbed me, one on each side. Elvira was crying because she wanted to go with me. But they only led me to go up there to greet the Pope with Roberto. Roberto said to the Pope “she’s your namesake, also called Benedicta”. I almost didn´t hear them. I wanted to cry. I felt joy, nervousness, trembling, and with great emotion I felt, as if I no longer had bone strength. I felt well and I blessed the Father and all the rosaries I had. My family works together, we are a chain. I am the pillar of my family, the woman in my home is the most important element, in a community where man is the traditional head of the household. I am a brave Purepecha woman who is moving forward, thanks to God who gives me strength to move forward with my children, doing what I love from my heart.

My name is Asadsho Zoolshoev, and this is my story…I am from Tajikistan, and am now living in the eastern part of the country in a beautiful mountainous town of Khorog, the administrative centre of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO). Currently, I am the Executive Director of Pamir Eco-Cultural Tourism Association (PECTA), a non-profit organization aiming at promoting and developing sustainable and responsible tourism in the mountainous areas of Tajikistan. Tourism is a new and promising sector of the economy of Tajikistan. Sustainable tourism development brings benefits to the region not only in economic and social terms, but it also brings ecological efforts to protect the mountain environment for future generations. PECTA was established in 2008 with great support from the Mountain Societies Development Support Programme (MSDSP), a project of the Aga Khan Foundation. Currently PECTA has 21 members: 13 Tour operators and eight services providers. In addition, PECTA is working with home-stays owners. In total up to 86 home-stays are operating in the region; 90% of the home-stay owners are women, who can generate some income for their families from this business new to the region. Bringing local people to business has been among our main challenges. Because of the lack of knowledge in market economy it has been a very challenging task to adapt local people to the hospitality business. Therefore, it took quite a time to attract local people to the tourism business. Nowadays we are focusing on capacity building for all tourism stakeholders on such topics as quality of the services, marketing and promotion. As PECTA’s Director, I liaise with the local and central government to lobby the promotion and development of tourism in the region and nationwide. I try to promote an understanding of how this sector of the economy, which has not been promoted in the region for long time, has become very important for the local economy. Tajikistan lacks in natural resources, such as oil and gas, hence tourism presents the only real immediate profit generating sphere. I have been attending various workshops and conferences in and outside Tajikistan, where I present my organization, my region and my country. I recently participated in the International Tourist Fair annually held in Berlin, where I had the honor to represent Tajikistan. There were many tour operators in the Fair, who expressed their interest in responsible tourism and approached me with various questions about our country and region. Bringing more tourists to Tajikistan is our end goal, since this not only improves the lives of individual persons working in this sphere, but also will develop the overall economic situation of our beautiful mountainous country, our Tajikistan.

My name is ‘Mama’ Anna Pallangyo, and this is my story… It all started with micro enterprises initiatives by the local not for profit organization FAIDA opening their door to my predicament in 1994 then grappling with a life full of disadvantages and lack of meaning. They sponsored me to train in entrepreneurship skills and milk processing. I then proceeded, with the help of FAIDA, to be introduced to the idea of promoting cultural activities in my village. It encouraged an integrated approach to cultural tourism in which I convinced seven other women to join and we founded the Agape Women’s group, and later developed income generating projects, through the Mulala Cultural Tourism Enterprise. With the help of SNV and the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) in facilitating our promotion we finally received a first group of 20 tourists in the first quarter of 1998. Life has since grown in leaps and bounds; I have found a meaning in life and living, enabling me to pay for school fees for my three children up to the university level, including building a new house, owning a motorcycle and a small car. Seeing the great need there was in pushing the education agenda further in the village, I was able to raise funds and donations to support the kindergarten, primary and secondary schools with critical items meant to add value to the quality of education. In addition, I have pioneered the setting up of a school with four classrooms and drilled a bore hole to supply water initially to the school and later to the whole village. Today, all the stress of life has passed and my family and I are happy that several partners came on board to help me change my family’s lifestyle, other group members and our village.

My name is Anthony Rahayel and this is my story… I was born in Beirut in 1983, a time when Lebanon was going through a period of intense political struggle and turmoil. For much of my youth there was always something happening in the country that affected people’s wellbeing, from violence to political deadlock or war. As we emerged from crisis after crisis we Lebanese proved to the world that we are survivors and no matter what happens we will always be looking forward. We continue to face challenges, but I have faith that the Lebanese will soldier on. As I grew up something inside me kept calling… I wasn’t satisfied with what I was doing and I only realized what really inspired me after I graduated from university and started my day job as a dental surgeon. I realised Lebanon is a survivor and we Lebanese are always coming up with new things, new places, new restaurants, importing new franchises, creating our own and exporting them to other countries… But then I thought, this is all great, but are we experiencing the very best food available to us… I came up with the idea for www. NoGarlicNoOnions.com, a means to express my thoughts, how I feel and what I taste every time I go out for a meal… I became a representative for the average person, people who enjoy going out and want their money’s worth. As a result of the great feedback I receive I feel I represent many Lebanese. I never expected the blog to pick up so fast. For the past three years, NoGarlicNoOnions has been scouring Lebanon and beyond, to discover and share the very finest culinary creations with its audience. However, I still wasn’t satisfied. I realized with time that we as Lebanese, especially my generation, have lost touch with ourselves – our diverse culture and what makes this country special. I wanted to get acquainted with my own country, its variety of people and culture. Food was the tool. I started travelling around different parts of the country from Tripoli, to Sidon, Tyre, Beirut and beyond. With a video camera in hand I started roaming around the country’s streets, meeting amazing people making amazing food. I discovered various ways of preparing the same food in different regions, starting with the simplest thing as the thyme mankoushe… I wrote reviews about my discoveries and my videos became a huge success as people travelled around the country with me discovering cities, towns, and delicious bites. NoGarlicNoOnions allows me to bring unite people in a divided country. Lebanon isn’t an easy place to live in, but creating something like NoGarlicNoOnions has brought all sorts of issues to my mind. Prices are high, so people really want value for money, businesses come and go, so we have to support the good ones and, put quite simply, people want to be able to relax and have fun whenever they get the chance. It’s important to help people explore their own country, to tell them the very best it has to offer, in a country as stressful as Lebanon helping people get out and about, and forget their troubles for a while, that’s a service. I am now part of a huge community, one that continues growing where we live, who we are. We’re from all walks of life, from all religious and political backgrounds, and that’s really important in Lebanon. We don’t discriminate; we’ll travel anywhere, anytime. I’m amazed by the conversations I have with the NGNO community, we discuss cuisine, talk about new places and learn from one another. I love knowing that I’ve touched people, that they understand what we’re trying to do and that they enjoy hearing our stories. Most of all, I love that people love food.

I am Ali Heydari, fifth and last child of my family, and this is my story…. In fact, we are three families living together. I am from Iran, Khuzestan province, Dasht Azadegan, Bardye village. I am a member of the Iranian ecology network and active in tourism. So much of who we are is reflected in the buildings around us. This is why this place matters to me. The type of structure called Mozif dates back to Sumerian age. Unfortunately, this is the last exact construction. It was destroyed thirty years ago. For the past eight years we have thought of rebuilding it. It was built by residents of this area so long ago, and until today, and it has been visited by many people. Knowing it had a special meaning, we prepared it as a tourist attraction. We worked hard to make sure that the stories of its history, its traditions, were preserved. Slowly, we started to introduce it to our countrymen and people from abroad and make them familiar with an old structure. The building is unique in the province, its construction having been ceased long ago in southwest Iran. Our activities include providing lodging for tourists, local food, traditional music and dance and Arabic coffee. We do what we can to make their visit to this area comfortable, wishing them to stay as long as possible, to learn as much as possible. Cup custom, which is unique and complex, is also presented. We prepare Arabian coffee with traditional equipment and serve it to our visitors. Besides all of this, we can arrange for visitors to visit three international wetlands Shadegan, Hour-al-Azim and Hour- al-Hoveyzeh. We can also have bird watching tours and ecotourism tours in the desert and protected area. Our greatest challenge is the skies. There is no specific problem that we face except the weather. It is hot with high humidity five months a year. For this reason, in that period we cannot serve our visitors inside Mozif. The Mozif has revived as a place to see, and has become one of the greatest tourism destinations our country has to offer. Mozif is listed as a national site. We are happy that we introduced it. It is because of Mozif that I am a tour guide. Tourists are conscious of change after they visit our area. They get better and clearer ideas about the locals and their ways of life. Many tourists from abroad prefer to find residence here instead of five star hotels. We are glad that sustainable tourism is developing in this area. Tourists’ satisfaction is our best happiness. Our goal is to be friendly to them so that they can rest and enjoy their visit.

I am Sandra Perang, and this is my story...I was born 30 May, 1969. I am one of seven children. I grew up in a little village called Prensekraal outside of Wupperthal. We had a small two bedroom house with no electricity and no water. We made use of candles and oil lamps, an Agga stove and water from the river. I went to school in NuwePlaas which is about three km from home. I finished grade 6 and then went to Wupperthal until grade 8. Wupperthal is about 15 km from home. We used to walk to school every day, in every season. My dream was to be a nurse. This was all I ever wanted to do but circumstances didn’t allow me to pursue my dream. As soon as I was old enough to go and work, I had to leave school to help my parents and also to keep my younger brothers and sisters at school. I started working on a citrus farm where I picked citrus. This was the most challenging time in my life. The worst was the working and living conditions at the time. I had to get up early in the mornings to make sure that I had something to eat for the day and then go to work in the cold winter. I then decided to go to Cape Town and try to find something better. I walked for days from door to door to find work as I had no money for transport. The life in Cape Town was just too intimidating and fast for my liking. I then returned home worked on a vegetable farm and then inside a packing store. This was a little better but it was still hard labour for little money. Then I heard of Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve and Nature Retreat – I heard there were some job opportunities there. I started as a scullery worker. There was the light at the end of the tunnel. I started taking interest in helping the chefs whenever I had a moment. I helped with breakfast and as soon as the opportunity arouse I applied for the breakfast chef position. From there on I grew within myself by leaps and bounds. Today I am a Sous Chef, and I am so proud. It was tough and not always easy, but I made it to the top. It was not my dream but I found another passion on my journey. I am so proud. Bushmans Kloof has opened many doors for me, it has given me a chance to grow and improve my life. Bushmans Kloof is owned by the Tollman family, just the most amazing people. They have built a community for us, with so many benefits. Our living conditions are so much better than anywhere else I had worked before. I have my own little two bedroom house with a kitchen and bathroom. My little ones can go to the crèche and I know that they are safe while I am at work. Bushmans Kloof takes care of our children’s school fees, they cover our doctor’s bills, they provide us with transport when in need, and they give us incentives. I had the opportunity to fly to London for ten days and experience the most amazing ten days of my life. I now earn a decent salary that gives me the opportunity to provide for my family’s future. If I wasn’t here, I might still be working on a vegetable farm for a minimum wage. I would definitely not be as successful as I am now. I suppose life is what you make of it but if you don’t have an opportunity then life could only be what it is. Bushmans Kloof changed all of this for me. Through hard work and dedication I have become something in life. I never would have thought that one day I would become the Sous Chef of a 5 star Hotel that was ranked number 1 in the world in 2009! I have learned and experienced so many things, and I have travelled overseas which is a major opportunity for someone from my community. Above all this, I can provide for my family, no one has to go to bed on an empty stomach.

We are Patrick and Carine Van Bogaert-Pijkels. We live in Sint-Niklaas, and this is our story…We met at Zigzag. And last year, we got married. We got married in May. Zigzag is a meeting place and a centre for mental health care. It is now located at the Knaptandstraat. But soon they will return to the Hazewindstraat. They will be just around the corner, so this will be easier for us. Zigzag is an organization for people who stayed in a psychiatric institution or are still in a psychiatric institution. Or people in need for mental health care. Or people who just visit a psychologist or psychiatrist on a regular basis. These people are all welcome at Zigzag. My centre for mental health care sent me to Zigzag. And there we got to know each other. We do volunteer work. At Zigzag we serve drinks and we write for the Zig en Zo-newspaper. I can be creative there. My main hobby is music. I’m the DJ of the house. We started going on holidays when we went to the Holiday Participation Forum. We went there to celebrate their 5th or 10th Anniversary? The 10th. Well, when we came to the Holiday Participation Forum to celebrate its 10th anniversary, we shared our story. We described our dream to go to Austria someday. We did not go on holidays immediately after our marriage. Eventually we went from the 25th of July until the 2nd of August, though we got married in May. We took our time to look for what we wanted to do and how much everything would cost. Since that time, we have been on holidays to the seaside six times. And this year we will return to the seaside. Our next holiday will be at the seaside, in Blankenberge, in the Holiday Centre Floreal. In the very beginning, we didn’t have a plan. We packed our stuff, we went for so many days, so we need some pair of socks, some of this, some of that and that’s it. But then we found out, also because of my autism, that you really need some things on holidays, that you can’t forget. Because of my hobby – crocheting – I can earn a little bit extra. And with everything I earn from crocheting I would like to go to Disneyland someday. Because I proposed to Patrick in Disneyland. And I would like to go back once. So, every time I sell a cuddly toy, I put a small amount in a jar to save for Disneyland. We haven’t set a date yet. It could be in two years, in three years. On the Molly Brown (attraction in Disneyland). That’s where I asked Patrick to marry me. We are very happy that we got to know the Holiday Participation Centre a few years ago. I understand that going on holidays has an impact on other parts of your life. You’re not just going on holidays, it’s something special. For example you ask someone to marry you. If you want your vacation to be achievable, you have to set your goals long in advance, I think. We set our goal. For example, we want to go to Rome. My niece went to Rome last year, and she can’t stop talking about it. But our goal is not next year going to Rome, because we know, we can’t make that. But we are saving our money to go to Rome. We set aside a small amount of money, that doesn’t have to be each month. For example when we receive a lot of bills. Or when something breaks, you never know. But we always try to keep a fixed amount of money aside each month. Because we know we can do something fun with it, we can go on holidays with that money. Going on holidays is important because I don’t want to give up on activities because of my autism. People with autism often avoid busy situations because they overwhelm them. But I don’t want to give up on that, I want to do all those activities. Even though I know I’ll have to lie down the next day, because it was too much. But we always try to plan for an empty day, the next day. A day out of the house, out of the daily routine, to get to know a nice area, to get a breath of fresh air by the sea for a few days, so that you can do some nice activities there. It’s a whole other atmosphere than when you’re stuck at home. When you’re on holidays, you notice that it’s a totally different feeling.

I am Noumeri Nasr, and this is my story… I am from Nubia, this is in Aswan. Since I have been diving, I live in Hurghada. Hurghada is in the north of Qena and it is approximately 300 km north of Qena, which is 500 km north of Aswan, approximately. Hurghada started with the diving industry, and now is famous for diving. I am proud to say I am the first Nubian diver, or let me say, the first Nubian instructor. I grew up in Aswan, in the river Nile. We are a big family – we are eleven – six sisters, three brothers and my parents. When we were children, we used to swim in the Nile, but we never thought about diving really. That’s why, at that time, there was not much of Nubian divers. Actually, I was working in a hotel as a waiter. I have seen thousands of foreigners; they come to spend a lot of money to do scuba diving. I wanted to discover that, to try it once. Since this day, I am addicted. And I am lucky. In the Nile, there was no diving. It was just swimming, kids playing in river Nile. In my first water dive, it was scary, because I have always lived above the water, I mean, swimming and kids things. But, since I put my mask on, it was a surprise for me. A wonderful surprise. In the summer holiday, I was working in Alexandria to help my family. After I tried diving, and became an open water diver and a dive master, a lot has changed. I had more income. Enough income for me and my family; I am proud of myself. And also, the people, all the people I have been teaching diving to, when I see the smile on their faces, it is great. I never thought that someone could come and say ”thank you for teaching me that”. My family in the beginning did not understand my love for diving. My mom, she was very afraid for me. She feels safe when she sees me above the water but when I am down, she misses me. She can’t see where I am, and she doesn’t have the knowledge to follow the bubbles…she thinks she lost her son. The first time she was really like ”my son has survived”. And from this day on, she trusts me. She knows it is not that difficult. If Noumeri can do it, anybody else can. There is so much to see under water. We know the fish because we eat them. I teach my students to see the fish differently, not just for eating. It is better to show them something they never have thought of or never tried before; and I will be so proud to show them those things. Today almost all my family works in tourism. My younger brothers are divers as well; they are diving instructors. I have three kids: Marwa, Yehia and Luqman. Marwa is already a good swimmer. When she was six months old I put her in the water and she was for a couple of seconds underwater. Yehia, for sure will become a diver, like my teacher Yehia. That is why I put Yehia to my son. Luqman is only three months old, but of course he has the blood of a diver. I will never be able to thank enough my teacher, Yehia Safwat. Actually, I met him after I was a dive master, but really not understanding what diving, or safety diving, meant. But after I met him, he really taught me how to be safe and make people around me safe. Right now, I am a master school trainer. I was planning to make more, but unfortunately, after January 2011, the political problems stopped me continuing my education. But I keep going. I study a lot. I have a lot of knowledge about diving. And I hope tourism can come back to Egypt, and I make more money. And I would then do my courses, for sure. And after that, I would call my diving center the ‘Nubian Diving Centre’. My friends around me, they are also very proud. That’s why there are a lot of friends that have already certified as professional divers. Today, I think that more than 600 Nubians are diving, and they are diving professionally. I am sure there are thousands of guys that want to do it and I think that after they have seen me, they believe it is not this dangerous. I wish, and I dream, that after the revolution things will end and tourists will be back again to Egypt and that I can get back to my life again, I mean, diving.

My name is Nguyen Thi Ba, and this is my story… I am 57 years old. I was born and grew up in the Truong Yen commune, in the Hoa Lu district, in the Ninh Binh province. My family life was really difficult; my husband abandoned me for another woman when I was three months pregnant of our second child. Before, it was very hard for me to bring up my children; we lived mainly on cultivating several rice paddies and breeding pigs and poultry, so I had to stay up very late to make embroidery. I only wished to earn enough to bring up my two sons, I had no other dreams. In recent years, besides the farm work and breeding pigs and poultries, I also row a boat for tourists in Trang An. I saved enough money to build a new tiled roof-house with an area 100 m2 that can protect me from the rain and storms. Above all, my sons both have good lives, so I am very pleased. I am still working so I can save some money in case I get sick. I row a lot of tourists across this river, some are easy, some are hard to please, but I always tell and encourage other boat rowers to be friendly and hospitable with the tourists. During the trips, we often introduce to our tourists the natural beauty as well as the culture and the history of Trang An. This work is very suitable for me, so I want to work for a long time. Rowing the boat requires good health, I am afraid that in next few years, when I grow old and somewhat weaker, I won’t be able to work as boat rower and when that time comes, I will work on the farm and look after my grandchildren. My two sons will take good care of me and they will continue this work for me. This work gave my family a more prosperous life than before. I saved money to build my house. Before, when I did not row the boat for tourists, my income was mainly from rice paddies; I earned about 300.000 VND a month. But when I was recruited by the Xuan Truong enterprise to work as boat rower in Trang An, I earn from 2 to 2.5 million VND a month. In the festival time, I can earn more than 3 million VND. Moreover, I meet many people and obtain knowledge in the field of tourism, particularly different cultures. I have delightful and good memories with the visitors.

My name is Mohammad Daifallah from Jordan, and this is my story… I am living with my family at Wadi Araba – this is my home. I was born in 1980 in a Bedouin family in a cave. I grew up in a place that is called today Dana Nature Reserve. When I was a little boy I went to a school. My school was one room. A small place. But it was school, and it was good to study, and I saw my friends every day at school. I spent ten years there. After that I left to go to the next school. I liked school, I liked to learn. After that I went to the Mutah University to study Arabic Literature. It was a big challenge for me because I was the first one to leave this area to study outside, and there was no example for me to see what the people need to do. I was alone. I was the first one. I was scared, but also happy. I was the first. After that, I had to start to make money, to take care of my family. I came to this place. I hoped I could find work – this is my home, I know this place. I could learn. They gave me a job. I was so proud. I worked at Fenyan Eco Lodge in different jobs, and later as an Eco Guide. The work here helped me because the work was close to my family. It was a good chance to stay close with my family, not going outside looking for a job. Today, I still work at the lodge. But now I am married, and I have a house, and I have two children. My work is close, so I can see my family every day. This makes me happy. What I love of my work is I am working in nature, and I am working with the tourists. I meet the people, and I tell them about my culture, and also teach them about my traditions. And also I learn about them and their culture. When I tell my friends, they are jealous of my job and they like what I do. This work gives me a good chance because I learn from this work a lot, and get many ideas about the future. If I do anything in my future, I will say thank you for this place. If I was not working here, probably I would have to live away from my home, from my family. Probably I would go and work in Aqaba (200 km away), and I would be far away. This work helped me to build a nice house, also to take care of my children. Also to use technology like the internet and the computer. And everyday I learn a lot. There is also more for me to learn. I am happy when I learn, and I can tell my family about my job. Maybe my children will work here one day. Probably in the future I will be a famous person in this place, because many articles are written about this place, and I am in these articles. People see my picture. I will become a famous person in this place, not a simple person.

My name is Mariam Abu Rkeek and this is my story…I am from the village of Tel Beer Sheva, in Negev. I was born in my grandmother’s tent to a very large family of 20 brothers and sisters. Growing up, I remember watching how my grandmother made natural beauty products and medicines from the natural sources available to her. I remember how she helped the people who came to her for treatment. I always had a dream to do something different from my grandmother. When I completed my studies in Tel Sheva I received a scholarship to travel to the UK to study a BA program. Being in Britain showed me that the world today has an awareness and knowledge about protecting the environment. I began to compare modern living and my life. I started to compare what I knew about the old traditions and saw how the modern world is searching for natural cures, beauty and well-being. This all made me think differently – I understood that the old ways could actually be preserved and help modern day living. As the world is changing, many look to the old ways as solutions in tune with society’s needs. So, when I returned to the Negev, I made a decision that I was going to preserve the traditions of my grandmother. I started making soaps from olive oil and camel’s milk, and other wild desert herbs. I also started to produce aromatic oils. I sold my products to local women, as well as to tourists who would visit Israel and wanted to try my natural products or take them home as gifts. It wasn’t easy for me as a woman coming from a rather conservative society. In my community, people would look at me as someone who didn’t have the ability to do such a project. No one took me seriously. For seven years I was under a lot of pressure from my family to give up my dream, especially because I chose to make business instead of marrying and raising a family. I held my strong belief that I could succeed. My small business is now ten years old. At the beginning it was only my closest sisters and neighbors who gave me some support and helped me get started. Slowly but surely, I invested in this project and turned it into a real business. My dream is to turn my small business into an international beauty company. This will give me the opportunity to employ many more women from my community. Today, at Desert Daughter I work with five other women who are the treasure of this business. In my village, there is a lack of jobs available to women, so as my business grows I will be able to employ more and more women from the village and help them provide for their families. I hope that Desert Daughter will tell a story that can be an inspiration to women all over the world. If I, a Bedouin woman without any means or resources can start a successful business, then I believe anyone, anywhere in the world can succeed. I hope my story will be useful to others and inspire them. I hope others will follow my example of preserving heritage and traditions and at the same time, offering solutions for employment. Life is not worth living without a dream.

My name is Katie Charalambous, and this is my story… ‘Kalosorisate’, Welcome! This is Vasilion, which means Kingdom. Here is where my grandmother and her sisters lived. In those times, Polis Chrysochous was the center town of the small villages in the Akamas area. Nowadays, the Polis area became one of the main touristic resorts in Cyprus. As a child I used to visit my grandmother to spend my Easter and Summer vacations. Life was slow in those years, I was the first grandchild and I had all the attention, I was spoiled but in a good way. I feel nostalgic of those days. I remember the afternoon walks with ‘giagia’ (grandmother) Katerina. The sea is very near to our property and I used to love this promenade. I think of the August nights, listening to aunty Persa’s parables. She used to tell us that the sky opens during the August nights and the stars fall so we could make our wishes – but we must be very careful what we wish for, as our wishes always come true. As I grew older, I used to wish to have my own business. I never thought that my wish would come true – that my vacation childhood house would be converted into my own accommodation business. It all started suddenly when I was working for many years with our local airline. I left the airline when an early retirement scheme was offered. My grandmother’s house was already mine. I inherited it, but it was nearly a ruin. I needed a huge budget in order to restore it. At that time, I was lucky as there were some European structural funds and that was the beginning. Since the property was listed, I needed to go through many formalities, rules and regulations, especially as we found Archaeological remains of three eras in our garden. The more I did, the more the urge of completing the project grew stronger day by day. I was so excited that ideas and dreams grew bigger. This is a traditional Cypriot accommodation business. This business is all about relaxation, a retreat back to our roots. Through this business I am transferring to our guests warm sentiments of my past world. We live in a modern world. It has become so fast, so much pressure. For this reason, technology and comfort is a must. Every little detail had and has to be taken care of, to make it possible to rest, but still feel in control. Since most of us live a daily hectic life, I thought of an escape, a return to our grandmother’s house which for me means a warm protected place, a garden full of roses, home grown vegetables, fruit trees, and of course a homemade orange cake. Whatever I do is with pleasure. When you are dealing with traditional houses, you need to have strong sentiments and most of all a big heart to be able to stand by any difficulty. I love being in the garden taking care of my roses; this brings me peace and I do enjoy our guests’ positive reaction to the flowers and the scents from my garden. I also love cooking. The houses are self-catered, but when our guests want to taste and experience the Cypriot gastronomy I gladly cook with them. I mostly prefer to let them relax; privacy is all that matters when you enter Vasilion. For me it is my business but also it is my refuge, I cannot imagine doing anything else as this is what I enjoy most. Vasilion is part of my history, is part of my life; we two are bonded together. I continue to dream… and to make wishes during the August nights.

My name is José Antonio de la Riera, and this is my story… We are in a small village at the edge of Finisterre, Santiago de Olveiroa. My life is largely devoted to the recovery of places like this; in this case the Route of Santiago, in a work of research that is part of all my life. The Route has suffered centuries of neglect. It was a real challenge for us to recover those old traces. Apart from the historical research and field work we had to do, we found an almost universal skepticism. How could a medieval pilgrimage from ancient times be recovered at the dawn of the 21st century? How could we recover the road towards a distant grave in the west through hundreds of villages like Olveiroa? And yet the dream came true because of common values: with brains, heart and hands. Today man no longer seeks the forgiveness of his sins. Yet, if there are any common values to the nomadic man, it has always been the restlessness of the human being. We often say that the Route of Santiago is like the thread of an old rosary. The beads – the great cathedrals – are there, but what gives it life, is the thread of the rosary – the small villages like this one of which there are hundreds on the road. Small monuments, ‘cruceiros’, small shrines, churches – they form an impressive, tangible heritage. We have valued this heritage; the legends, the traditions and the old music. All this has exploded in the late 20th and early 21st century. At the start, there was nothing more than ruins in a region usually isolated, and yet the best of all Europe is coming here. It is all thanks to the recovery of the old roads to Santiago and Finisterre. And with the pilgrimages came cultural tourism, surrounding the whole phenomenon of the recovery of the old medieval environments. In 2010, the Holy Year of Compostela, over 272,000 pilgrims came to Santiago de Compostela to do a traditional pilgrimage meaning covering the trail on foot, horseback or bicycle. The road is a space of freedom, solidarity, adventure seeking, spirituality and a way to go. Many of them covered hundreds of kilometers, others thousands. Along the trail, a tourism sector that is respectful to the surroundings and respectful to the natural environment and the historical ethnography has grown. There is respect for the pilgrims, and economic benefit for the villages that were otherwise doomed to virtually disappear. But now with the Route of Santiago and the cultural tourism that has formed around it, we have seen a comprehensive and harmonic recovery. What I have learnt from this? That the traveling nature of man is immortal. The ‘Camino de Santiago’ completely distinguishes itself from the so-called religious tourism for many reasons, the main ones being its multiculturalism, its ecumenism, and above all because it retains the legends from the 5th century, such as the stoning in front of the old hospital of Roncesvalles. Here “the door opens to all.” This is my ‘workplace’. For centuries, thousands of pilgrims have passed on this ground we are treading, and I certainly do not know what my life would have been like without this ‘work’. We are now a cultural association – the Friends of the Camino de Santiago. In the future, this old passage of pilgrims, will be kept up for the next generation. I hope it will benefit all of these villages not only culturally and personally, but also in their social and economic development. They deserve to be reinstated in the modern era. The Route of Santiago certainly changes the lives of all who work on it. At this point, it would be difficult for me to imagine a life without this work.

My name is Jean Damascene Hakizimana. I’m the head ranger in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. And this is my story…I was born in 1972, and I live near the Volcanoes National Park. I grew up seeing that the park was facing some illegal activities, such as poaching, so I grew up wanting to be a guide or a ranger. I wanted to be a ranger or a guide as I loved so much the gorillas.I explain to my family and to my friends that I am doing activities related to park protection – coordinating activities of protecting the park, organizing routine park patrols, short patrols, camp patrols and cross-border patrols that are coordinated patrols. Our cross border patrols are done with our neighboring country Uganda because this park is trans-boundary. On one side, we have the Mgahinga National Park and, on the other side, we have the Bwindi Park, so for protecting this park, we do a joint patrol. We have to make sure all equipment to enter the park is available, such as radio for communication, binoculars which helps us to observe the things very far from us. We have guns for protection. We monitor all of our activities in the park. We face some challenges related to the few number of rangers we have in this park. We collaborate with the community in order to monitor all activities that are being done by surrounding communities outside the park. Because I love so much gorillas, I also made some environmental clubs to help protect the gorillas and the whole environment. Doing this work, I am able to continue my studies, improve my communication skills, and I also benefited from many trainings related to the conservation of the park. Now, I am able to do mapping and use some software that helps me to do reports which are used in park management. My children and my family are very very happy of the job I am doing, and they support me very very much.

My name is Faisal Al Halabi, and this is my story…I was born and raised in this beautiful village, Aammiq, which is renowned for its peaceful and friendly people. I grew up loving to hunt. I was an expert game hunter. A few years ago when nature reserves started appearing in Lebanon, I met some of the young people working at the Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve. They began giving lectures on hunting methods and seasons. I became quite interested in these issues and started working in tourism. Through this, I met a young who explained to me what environmentalism was about and offered me a job. I became a true believer and went from being a hunter to an environmental activist. I worked with them at the reserve, as a team member, four or five years ago. Then I transferred to the Aammiq reserve. The Aammiq reserve was known for hunting, cattle grazing and logging; however, all activities were unregulated and environmentally harmful. Fortunately, when the Skaffs returned to their lands after the war, they took the initiative to create a reserve to protect the area. I moved from the Shouf biosphere reserve and started working with them in Aammiq. It’s an impressive initiative. I hope that all Lebanese officials and landowners would also take the initiative to protect the land. This has become a beautiful area with plenty of trees and wildlife. Many environmental projects are being carried out here. This is all thanks to the Skaffs, who greatly contributed to protecting the environment. The area has turned from a private land into an oasis of exemplary reserves. It is also a key stop for migratory birds as it features the largest freshwater wetland in Lebanon. Getting my family and friends to understand what I do was a challenge. Education is definitely the first step to persuading people. I began with my friends and family. Gradually, they all came around to the idea. The benefit is clear. Through our work, we have managed to turn 60% or more of the residents into advocates of the environment. Many young people embraced the idea and each began working within their preferred field, but always with a view to protect the environment. If I did not do this job, I think I would have become a farmer, although I don’t particularly like that line of work or find it satisfying, despite it being useful and beneficial to the environment – but it’s not my passion. I was offered many jobs but I feel most comfortable in this one. This is what I was meant to be doing. And it is part of tourism. I began working with my family in tourism almost 12 years ago. We offer tourists room at our family home; my wife handles the meals. We started with five or six people, and now we are hosting groups of up to a hundred – and that was before we opened the restaurant. Preserving the environment is not only good for tourism, it also creates jobs. This building has been under refurbishment for eight years in association with the Shouf reserve and A Rocha. It was supposed to be a hotel for tourists. But studies showed that the hotel would only benefit one family or two at most. So, they developed the project as an eco-restaurant – the first of its kind in Lebanon. All the food is organic and cultivated on the reserve. The restaurant has created jobs for 15 families. The restaurant and touristic services it offers have certainly increased the number of visitors to the area. Tourists can now enjoy high-quality meals in addition to hiking in the mountains. For me personally, my job has allowed me to meet people of different nationalities, and that is in itself extremely important. This is what I was meant to be doing.

My name is Dato’ Haji Sahariman bin Haji Hamdan and this is my story… At the age of 25 I got married, now I have nine kids. I used to be a rubber tapper. In 1995, when I was in my early 30s, I started this program – the homestay programme. I began with my house first, then with my mother’s house and my mother-in-law’s house. Thanks to the government, especially the Ministry of Tourism and Tourism Malaysia who contribute to this homestay programme, now I’m like a boss to the rubber estate. From the early stage of five houses in this village, now we have 162 houses to welcome people from all over the world and also from Malaysia. We can meet many people, we can meet Japanese, we can meet Europeans, we don’t have to go there. There are around 151 villages throughout Malaysia which are part of the homestay programme with the help and support from the government. I started a business with one room, and now I have about 34 rooms. I have nine kids and four of them are working with me. I have more than 12 youngsters in this village also working part time with me. The homestay is very good as it gives a lot of revenue to the villagers. People come to the village, we treat them as part of the family – we stay together, we cook together, and do many activities together. A lot of money is coming to all the villagers. When we talk about tourism, there’s a lot of money and revenue coming from this tourism. We get money from accommodation, food and meals and from activities. There are a lot of activities in the villages – tapping rubber, fishing, elephant sanctuary; we have bird watching, and so on. This all creates revenue; a lot of money from the outside now comes to the villagers. I think it’s very good. We thank a lot not only to the Ministry of Tourism. We also thank the Ministry of Rural Development and Entrepreneur. They helped us with training and seminars on internet and technologies. We also have the Plant a Tree Programme. All the people who come to the village plant a tree, and now we have more than 100,000 trees that have been planted by the people who visited our homestay programme. When we talk about achievement, every year is a success story. We started in early 1995, we developed less than 50 villages and now there are already 159 villages. We started with about 5% of occupancy. Now, at the end of 2012, we have about 33% of occupancy. We started getting revenue only about RM 5 million and we already achieve RM 18.6 million. We have about 325,000 people who have visited us in 2012. As I look to the future, I would like to transform this homestay programme. I would like to transform this business into a bigger business in the city and in beach areas. I think the time is now to grow this tourism from small to bigger, so that all the villages can achieve what people in the city can achieve.

Hola. My name is Alonso Bermúdez Paniagua, and this is my story…I am from the area of Islita. I have been working for the hotel Punta Islita for 14 years already. I grew up in a nearby town called San Francisco, it’s only 25 km from here. It’s a very simple town, like any other town in the area. I was born there and I was raised there, however I went to school to another town because the school there was very basic. When I was young my family encouraged me to go to a better school so I could get better prepared. My community has no more than 200 people, with basic services such as a soccer field, church, school, bar, you know, things like that. But very, very basic. My dream was always to have a better job or to have different opportunities than the ones that I could have over there. Where I was growing up you could only work in cattle raising, farming or construction. And so my dream was always to go to school, be better prepared and get a better job. I never thought about working in the hotel business, but it was something interesting, and the tourism sector gave us good opportunities. And my family had a little restaurant so we were always related to service. It was different to what I do here, but in some way it was related. Here in my job there are a lot of challenges. The main challenge is to make the employees and the guests happy. And so we always raise the occupancy – we give more authentic experiences to our guests every day. So, that is our challenge – to keep people happy every day, and to translate it to different things. I always say that the sector that I work for is all about service – to the client, the staff or the customer. And it is important. I explain it in a very easy way – we are here to make people happy. Happy people will come back and give more jobs, give more opportunities, and open other things to us. If I was not working here? Maybe I would be working in construction or in a cattle raising farm, with a very limited salary. When I started working here at the hotel it was a huge thing for us – for me and for my family. It opened a lot of opportunities. I started working here 14 years ago. Since the moment I came here, I worked hard at the front desk. And then along the years in different areas; I worked in tourism activities and in customer services and then I became the resident manager; now I am the manager of the hotel. The hotel offers a lot of opportunities. Then it depends a lot on us, if we take them or we don’t. I was one of those persons that always wanted to grow in the company, and get more opportunities, visit different places and get more knowledge of things. So it was very nice that this sector has offered me the opportunity to grow, not only as a human being, but also as a professional.

My name is Brian Lee, and this is my story… I was born in Broome, I grew up in Derby, and at the moment I live in the Djarindjin community. Djarindjin is on the tip of the Dampier peninsula. We are about 2000 miles from the nearest capital city. I’ve been out there since about 1992. It’s my grandmother’s country. It’s where my mother was born as well. I’ve gone out there, away from here, to find my roots. As a teenager, going over to Queensland, meeting different people with different attitudes and opinions, and learning how to live out of my comfort zone was an experience for me. It taught me how to live with other people, that it was ok to have a different opinion than others, and to respect opinions of others as well. So coming back to Western Australia, back to Derby, I had a job on a pearl farm on the peninsula. Slowly from there, I moved back to my mother and grandmother’s country, and reconnected with all the family members I had there. I learnt what it was like to be part of a community, and I learned about leadership roles in the community. I have taken that up and become one of the young leaders. Djarindjin has a lighthouse. It was built in about 1911. Local people there manned it at various stages of its lifetime, until about 1986 when the lighthouse became automated. The freehold title was given back to the Bardi people, and the Bardi people made a decision to start up a tourism resort there. It has since evolved into an eco-friendly tourism resort and wilderness camp – Kooljaman. It has been operating as such for the past 15 years. This is a special place. What makes Kooljaman so unique is the surroundings. It’s based on a peninsula so you can wake up and watch the sun rise on one side of the ocean, and then watch the sun set on the other side of the ocean. It is a place that is recognized around the world. I have been on the Board for the last 16 years. I have seen it grow from its humble beginnings, to what it is today – a multi award winning wilderness camp. It has given me a purpose. It’s showed me that there is a way to share knowledge, to share experiences, and to share a country. It has made me I think a role model for the younger people in the community, to see that there is a career in tourism. And you can make a comfortable living from that. But I think for me it is more of a lifestyle, more of a desire to impart knowledge and share experiences. I have started my own tourism business that I operate out of Kooljaman, and I think it’s getting people to know or recognize that there is a place that no one else has seen, but everyone else who comes here can share what we have. My main dream for the future is to see young community people stepping up and doing what I do, learning from myself and others up there who are leaders in the tourism sector in the peninsula, and hopefully one day seeing them be managers of our resort, to bring other young Bardi people along with them on the ride. Our people have been a part of this land and of this country for thousands of years. I think we see ourselves as teachers. I feel that what I have to offer to people outside our country, our state, and indeed Australia, is a knowledge base that evolved around the country, around tradition, around culture, and keeping that alive for me is something that I am striving to achieve, and hopefully I can do that through a job that I get great enjoyment out of.

I am Cristina Suaña, and I live in the floating islands of Los Uros Khantati. This is my story… I was actually born on another island further away from here. When I was young I did not know of tourists – I was very afraid of them. When I married my husband, I moved into this area. Like all women here, my work was weaving crafts and taking care of the house and my children. A Dutch couple suggested I set up a cottage, where people can spend the night on the island. I thought it was a fantastic idea. So, we started with the first, very small room, and in the first year we received two, four couples. We are already in our tenth year now. Those tourists gave us tips on how to advance our work. We are always waiting for a tourist or a friend to come and for them to leave very happy with our business, our home. We hope that they enjoy the floating beds at our small venture that we call “Hotel with floating beds”. In the beginning, some people in the community said that we were crazy, even my husband. No one believed that anyone could stay here because it is quite cold, there is no electricity, and there is no water. But we pushed this project forward, and now more tourists are coming to stay. Now, when tourists are coming or leaving in our small boats, the community can see that a project like this is possible. Today, the whole family is involved in this work. Now, I work mainly in the kitchen. My sisters and my cousins are also learning to manage the kitchen so that I can travel and do other things. My daughter is in charge of bookings. She decided that to be succesful in this business she needed to study. So, she studied tourism. Having her return home after her studies is my greatest satisfaction as a mother. She is already working in our project as the boss. My son is working with the transfers; he goes where the tourists are. My husband takes the tourists out in the boat for fishing. My sister shows tourists our handicrafts, and teaches them how to do it. During the evenings, my nephews play music and bring joy to the party. The kids have also become interested in continuing their studies. So, I am very happy because now the company belongs to the entire family. We are a very big family; ten brothers and sisters. Two have died, so now we are eight. We have gone through very difficult times in my family, with my parents. I think if it wasn’t for this project, maybe I would have continued living on my island far away, working with fishing. There were days when we caught fish and had something to eat, and days when we didn´t. But with this venture, I have learnt how to organize my family in terms of food, and have my children studying as well. I call this a sustainable project as it is about caring for our environment and respecting our people. It is also about valuing our identity. Now, we talk with our elders and ask them about where we came from. This helps me understand where I have come from. I am always telling our fellow brothers in other communities to invest time in training, in learning how to manage this type of business. With each client, you will gain something every time and keep expanding, like we did. Now we already have ten rooms with 20 beds, and we have also bought this platform to expand our kitchen and dining room. We bought solar panels. So I am always telling my brothers to invest their time in training, invest their money to buy and implement their business. I want to create a small travel agency so that tourists can come directly from their country to our houses in different parts of our country. It can be in different places, wherever our communities can receive tourists. This is our dream.

The Tourism training talent (TTT) programme implemented by the national Portuguese tourism organization represents an excellent example of capacity building programme developed to prepare the future generations of tourism workforce. The comprehensive training programme is strategically built around the National Tourism Plan and takes into consideration the future needs of the sector. This project contributes to the improvement of the competitiveness of the sector and to the positioning of Portugal as a leading tourism destination.