Earthquake in Chile - February 2010
.jpg) The HDC team extend all our thoughts and prayers to our friends and colleagues in Chile. If you get a chance, drop us a line so that we know you and your families are safe.
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 | Coin Operated Telescopes Boom - February 2010
Heritage Destination Consulting has been inundated with inquiries for our superb range of coin operated telescopes and binoculars. We have recently supplied scopes to USA, Canada, Chile, Bulgaria, the Virgin Islands, and the UK - including a pair of MK2's for the 2012 Olympics!
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 | Chile's New Tourism Legislation - January 2010
Chile has just finalized important new legislation governing the tourism sector, which strengthens tourism as a national priority.
The new legislation will be overseen by a new institution run by a Committee of Ministers led by Oscar Santelices, The National Director of Tourism, with Peter Margozzini president Fedetur (Federation of Tourism), William Correa, president of ACHET (Asociación Chilena de Empresas de Turismo), Mauro Magnani, president of Hoteliers of Chile and Gonzalo Lira Buereau Santiago Convention.
President Oscar Santelices, said that "the bill was approved unanimously by the House of Representatives, awakening cross-party support of all political sectors. It is clear that tourism is a priority policy and strategic development for the country and creating new institutions under the Council of Ministers and the Secretariat for Tourism".
The legal text states that tourism is a key strategic activity for the development of the country and remains a priority within state policies.
The proposed law states that the National Tourism Policy purpose shall determine the objectives, actions and priorities that will govern the sector and should be considered for the development and promotion of the activity, and the role of regions and districts in meeting the purposes, objectives, actions and priorities.
It will also promote the development of social programs, along with allowing access to different social interest groups help to create jobs, promote investment by enterprises, especially the smaller ones, reduce tourism seasonality and the decentralization of the country.
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 | Happy New Year! - January 2010
Wishing all all our past, existing and future clients a very happy and prosperous 2010!
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 | HDC Wins Scarecrow Trail Project - October 2009
HDC has won a project in Osorno in Northern Patagonia to develop a scarecrow sensory trail. The trail will offer a range of sensory experiences including a bare-foot path.
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 | HDC joins forces with Fossil Graphics! - February 2009
HDC is pleased to announce that it has teamed up with Fossil Industries in the USA to offer the Fossil interpretive panel. These panels are far superior to anything else available on the market - they are virtualy indestructable and using Fosil's 12-colour digital printing, brighter, cleaner and more detailled and anything the competition has to offer. What is more all panels come with a 10-year gurantee and are built using environmentally ffrindly processes!
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 | Crispian Emberson is big hit in Chile - February 2009
Cris Emberson, Managing Director of HDC is just back from a promotional tour of Chile.
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 | Tavistock Heritage Interpetation Master Planning - September 2008
Heritage Destination Consulting has just announced that the firm has been commissioned to develop an interpretive plan for Tavistock in Devon, UK. The project will focus on the regions mining heritage.
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 | New HDC Office in South America! - July 2008
HDC is delighted to announce that it now has an office in South America. HDC has joined forces with associate partners DTS Consultores Ltda. the leading tourism consultancy in South America. DTS, based in Santiago in Chile has earned a reputation for innovative thinking and solid delivery of tourism advice accross South America. DTS boss Pablo Ramirez said "we are delighted to be working in partnership with HDC. It adds heritage interpretation and destination development skills to the DTS product base and gives HDC a presence in latin America". To find out more about DTS Consultores Ltda. visit www.dtsconsultores.cl
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 | New Trails for Chile - June 2008
HDC has been comissioned to develop interpretive plans for two tourist walking trails. The trails Coast Region of Los Rios in Chile will incorporate micro entrepreneurs and businesses in the area in order to expand Valdiviana's tourism offer and benefit the micro areas surrounding sites.
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 | NAI 2008 National Workshop - May 2008
The Nationsl Association for Interpretation is now taking bookings for the 2008 NAI National Workshop in Portland, Oregon, USA!
Registration information for the National Workshop which will be held on November 11 to 15 2008, in Portland, will be posted at www.interpnet.com/workshop by the end of the business day Friday, 9th May. The registration pack will include information on keynote speakers, off-site sessions, special events, preworkshop training, lodging, and other logistics.
NAI said "We expect this to be one of the best-attended NAI National Workshops ever, so register early to secure your place in your first choice of off-site sessions, special events, and preworkshop training".
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 | CTS Training Course in Interpretation! - January 2008
HDC is pleased to announced that Professor John Veverka has been asked to present a one-day workshop, sponsored and coordinated by Countryside Training Services (CTS). The workshop will held at the Welcome Trust, Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom. The course to be held on 9th September 2008, will concentrate on Marketing & Interpretation Basics for Heritage Sites. For more information on this course contact Angela Gamble (CTS Director)at:agamble@ESSEXCC.gov.uk, or visit their web site at: www.countrysidetrainingservices.co.uk.
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 | Heritage Destination Consulting secures interpretive training contract with US Corps of Engineers - December 2007
Professor John Veverka, senior partner of , Heritage Destination Consulting has just announced that the firm has been awarded a 5-year interpretive training contract with the US Army Corps of Engineers. The contract calls for two 3-day courses entitled “Interpretive Services” to train COE Rangers and Park Staff in the basics of interpretive program and services planning, development, contracting and presentation. The courses, attended by around 25 students will be presented by Professor Veverka at the US Army Corps of Engineers National Training Center in Huntsville, Alabama, with the first session for 2008 being held at the end of January. This will be the 20th year that Professor Veverka has been the prime contractor for developing and presenting this interpretive training course. Professor Veverka, who is a National Association for Interpretation Certified Interpretive Trainer and Planner, said; “we are delighted to once again be chosen as the most qualified interpretive trainers to provide this course for the Corps of Engineers Park Rangers and Parks Staff and look forward to working with COE staff to provide the best in cutting-edge interpretive training for them”.
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 | Government Scrapping Stonehenge Plans - December 2007
The British government has just announced it is scrapping plans to construct a road tunnel under Stonehenge, the UK's most important World Heritage Site.
Transport Minister Tom Harris said: “Allocating £500m for the implementation of this scheme cannot be justified.”
In recent year’s heritage and tourism groups have pushed for the development of the site including a new, cutting edge heritage interpretation visitor attraction centre at Amesbury and an ambitious 1.3-mile tunnel scheme that would reduce traffic-related damage to the historic site and improve Stonehenge’s setting.
Heritage Destination Consulting (HDC) worked with English Heritage and the Salisbury Tourism Partnership on some of the initial assessment and scoping of the project back 2003. Professor John Veverka, Senior Partner of HDC said "Stonehenge is an internationally recognised visitor attraction and one of Britain’s most important tourism assets which attracts many thousands of visitors to the region every year. However our research back in 2003 identified that there was no simple or cheap heritage interpretation planning solution to developing the site and it is no surprise that in the current economic climate and with escalating costs the government’s enthusiasm for this project has been chilled."
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 | White Christmas for Disney! - November 2007
Disney castles on the east and west coast of the USA will see a spectacular new lighting and special effects display over the Christmas period. The effects will make the castles appear as though they are blanketed in snow and ice. The nightly display will run
from 5:45pm from now through to 6th January 2008, with castles at Disneyland Hong Kong and Disneyland Paris lit up in a similar lighting show.
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 | Heritage Destination Consulting Launches New Website - November 2007
Leading international tourism consultancy Heritage Destination Consulting is launching its exciting new website; www.heritagedestination.com . Since its launch in 2003, Heritage Destination Consulting has promoted its heritage interpretation and tourism development consultancy services through a very basic “informational” style website which has had limited showcase appeal. HDC, which is based in the USA and the United Kingdom, provides a wide range of heritage interpretation and tourism development consultancy services around the world. Senior partner, Dr John Veverka said; “We needed an online facility to showcase our interpretation and tourism to a growing international audience”. Dr Veverka continued “The last few years have seen a massive increase in international enquiries for HDC services and we decided that now was the time to update our web presence to respond to the increasingly sophisticated and global market”. It is hoped that the new content rich website which is launched this week will act as a shop window for HDC and its services. The launch is just the start, HDC are planning an ambitious website development programme over the coming months which will include sections on previous projects and a free resource library.
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 | Costa Rica Sustainable Tourism Awards - November 2007
CANATUR, the Costa Rican National Tourism Chamber, has awarded Certificates of Sustainable Tourism to 33 companies across Costa Rica for their outstanding efforts to be environmentally, culturally and socially responsible in their business practices. 25 of the businesses were hotels that included Sí Como No, Fiesta Premier Resort & Spa, Hacienda Punta Islita, Ocotal Beach Resort Guanacaste, Best Western Jacó Beach, Esquinas Rainforest Lodge, San Jose Palacio and Xandari Hotel. In order to gain the certificate, the business had to meet 108 requirements that including waste management, energy saving, reducing emissions and the use of biodegradable products.
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 | Teide National Park was declared a World Heritage Site - November 2007
Teide National Park in Tenerife has recently been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The National Park was given this status due to its unique volcanic eco-system making Tenerife’s volcano, Mount Teide, a world class wonder! The volcano is over 3 million years old and stands at a staggering 3718 metres above sea level. The Teide National Park is a spectacular and colourful environment and a ‘must-visit’ for any visitor to the island.
Over 21 endemic species of plants unique to the Canary Islands can be found there including the magnificent blue and red Tajinastes which grow to over 3 metres when in flower during the Spring. As for the activities on offer whilst enjoying the National Park, the options are endless! If hiking is your thing go to the park’s Visitors Centre and get a list of the many walks one can do. Climb up to the peak of Mount Teide via the mountain path which is a 5 hour hike, or for the more leisurely, take the cable car! To reach the very top visitors must obtain a permit from the office in Santa Cruz as numbers are controlled for environmental reasons. Other activities one can enjoy include orienteering, abseiling and star gazing which is amongst the best in the world. If you choose to spend the night in these incredible surroundings, there is a mountain hostel at the top of the cable car where you will wake up to the sun rising on the highest point in Spain.
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 | Travellers say no to green sustainable tourism - November 2007
According to a new study holidaymakers are reluctant to part with their cash in order to fulfil green travel aspirations. In the TNS Travel & Tourism study, just 7% of the British have gone so far as to make a payment towards minimising the impact of their travel – such as a carbon offsetting scheme – compared with 12 per cent of Spaniards. Which is more, the Spanish are putting the rest of Europe to shame, boasting a population far more inclined to fund sustainable travel than any others. With almost a fifth of British people claiming they expect to change travel plans in order to reduce the environmental impact of their journeys, the study shows a sharp contrast between our green ideals and the practicalities of us paying for sustainable tourism and travel. Britain is lagging behind the average of the six countries surveyed, with 19 per cent saying they will switch to greener plans, compared to an average of 23 per cent. This rises to an impressive 32 per cent of Italians. However, we’re by no means the worst culprits – with the US the least inclined to take steps to reduce their environmental impact (16 per cent). And the Germans are the holidaymakers least prepared to pay to fund offsetting projects – just 2 per cent of those surveyed have done this.
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 | Cunard’s new floating museum - November 2007
CUNARD has announced that they are developing a permanent floating museum on the new Queen Victoria, which goes into service next month. The museum will house all sorts of memorabilia relating to the original Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth liners and QE2 and will be the first fully-curated exhibition of its kind. Material will include artifacts and vintage souvenirs, like Queen Mary’s logbook and the zig-zag clock, a timekeeping device designed to guard the ship against German U-boat attacks in World War 2.
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 | Package Holidays – is the end is nigh? - November 2007
According to a new report from Euler Hermes UK, there has been a dramatic increase in demand for customised and activity-based holidays and a significant growth in long-haul destinations, city breaks and cruises all of which is eating into the demand for the traditional package holiday offered by high street travel agents.
The report - entitled Package Holidays – all wrapped up? - suggests that whilst there were more than 18.8 million package holidays taken in 2006, the proportion of such holidays compared to more personalised adventures is in rapid decline.
With more transparent pricing and the ever increasing number of online offers consumers are learning to piece together their own bespoke “markets of one” packages in direct competition with the traditional tour operators.
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 | The Heineken Experience makeover - November 2007
The Heineken Experience visitor attraction in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, has closed in order to undergo a large redevelopment project. Located at the 140-year-old Heineken brewery, the site attracted 350,000 visitors during 2006 and the revamp aims to increase the centre’s capacity.
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 | China's Tourist Boom! - November 2007
Foreign tourists to China up 18.47% in first half of 2007. According to China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), about 12.12 million foreigners came to Chinese mainland for sightseeing from January to June of 2007, up 18.47% from the same period of last year.
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 | Sydney No. 1 again - November 2007
Sydney has been voted the number one city in the world for a record 12th time by readers of the prestigious US Conde Nast Traveler Magazine. The verdict was announced in New York last week after the polling results of close to 28,000 readers, with San Francisco and Florence placed second and third behind Sydney in the poll.
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 | Serious blow to Zimbabwe tourism - October 2007
News that international airlines will only accept hard currency will deal a further blow to the struggling Zimbabwe tourism industry. British Airways will, from now on only accept payment in US dollars or sterling and many other airlines are following suit. The move is a reflection of waning confidence in the Zimbabwe dollar, whose value has plummeted in recent months.
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 | Europcar wins award! - October 2007
EUROPCAR has again been voted the leading Car Hire Company in Europe by more than 167,000 travel professionals
around the world. The “Europe’s Leading Car Hire” Award was received by Jehan de Thé, Global Marketing Director at Europcar International, during the World
Travel Award Ceremony held in Newcastle earlier this week.
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 | Chinese hi-tech e-ticketing - October 2007
The Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines is the latest Chinese carrier to enable e-ticketing with Amadeus,with the GDS firm saying the deal reinforces its “leading position in the China market”.
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 | Route news - October 2007
No frills airline JET2.COM has added Ibiza to its growing destinations from
Blackpool Airport in the UK, making the
island the eighth served from the City.
Services start from 03 Jul 08, and the lead-in fare is £48.99 including all taxes.
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 | New All-Body scan in PHX! - October 2007
Passengers enroute through Phoneix, Arizona may find themselves subject to the latest full body scanning technology. The new ProVision machine bounces radio waves off the body and produces an image identifying any hidden weapons. The procedure will take only a few seconds and elminates the need to be patted down. Plans have been made for the ProVision to be tested at LAX and JFK airports.
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