What travel means to me.

WHAT TRAVEL MEANS TO ME.
Debbie Ross, founder of the Womens Travel Network

Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of travelling to far off places. Visiting the ancient pyramids of Egypt, seeing elephants in the wild, exploring Rome’s colosseum and India’s Taj Mahal. Travel has a different meaning to everyone – some do it to escape their everyday life, some do it to take the kids on vacation, some do it to find themselves, but not me.

I live to travel – I wanted to make a life of travel. So, I did. When I created the Womens Travel Network I never imagined just how amazing this experience was going to be.

I look back at the past 19 years and am in awe at the places I’ve seen, experiences I’ve had and most of all the amazing people I’ve met along the way.

Travel means freedom, excitement, learning and connecting with others.

Travel to me means getting up at 5 AM to head out on a game drive to view the animals as they awaken. It means getting lost in a city like Paris and learning how to get around on local transportation to find iconic sites and fabulous museums. It means trying to communicate in broken English and being thankful for the locals that are willing to try to understand you. It means learning patience and taking acceptance to a whole new level.

Travel to me means making friends with the locals and respecting their culture. It means trying out a restaurant because someone you met in passing recommended it to you. It means going places to truly explore, not just going places to say you’ve been there. It’s recognizing it’s better to visit one country at a time than try to jam in three.

Travel to me means building relationships with people you never would have met otherwise and treating them like family. It’s trusting people you barely know and putting your faith in the world that things will all work out. It’s having a burning urge to see as much as possible and really live in the moment. It’s helping when you see someone you don’t know struggling and sharing pieces of your heart with them.

Travel to me means getting lost in local markets, admiring the artisan’s handicrafts, and bravely trying new foods. Striking up conversation with those around you and appreciating the tiny treasures in the area you discover. It’s experiencing as many new things as you can. It’s not getting upset when the plane is delayed, or the bus is late and learning how to laugh at the situations you get into.

Travel to me means learning to live in the moment. Enjoying what you have, where you are and who you are with is what matters.

It’s realizing that that happiness comes from freedom.

Freedom to explore, to learn, to heal, to grow intellectually and spiritually. It’s seeing places you’ve always dreamed of with an open mind and heart and a willingness to learn and grow from the experience.

Travel means being happy with a little bit of everything. It’s thrilling and sad, it’s exciting and scary, it’s every emotion wrapped up into a sea of memories and experiences that you wouldn’t trade for the world.

All I want from travel is to bask in the bliss I feel and learn to appreciate every moment life brings me. I want to form relationships that are going to leave me in tears when I’m forced to say goodbye. I want to learn as much as I can from everyone I cross paths with about their culture and lifestyles.

I want to trust that where I am is exactly where I’m supposed to be. I want to look past what’s right in front of me and learn to love the world for all it truly is.

This is what travel means to me – to live fully, to accept others, to learn in every area you can and to allow the world to shape you into the best person you can truly be.

To me, travel is far more valuable than money will ever be.

Greece Tour 2022. What happens when you bring 10 women together?

Leave a reply

by WTN host Angela Dacey

NEW FOUND FRIENDSHPS, LAUGHTER, GREAT CONVERSATION, SHOPPING AND MORE….

When you bring 10 women together with a common goal of travelling to Greece, you get newfound friendships, laughter, great conversation and tons of shopping to say the least!

After visiting Athens, Rhodes, Crete, Santorini and Mykonos with the Women’s Travel Network this past May 2022, it feels refreshing to finally be able to travel and explore the world once again. With travel opening up globally, we still wore masks when we needed to. We felt safe with wearing masks on the plane, in excursions and walking in small spaces. People were very respectful. With this having been a global pandemic, there was a commonality between us all, even if we didn’t speak the language.

Thoughts of the pandemic were cast aside during this trip. Instead, the beauty of the islands, the history learned in each excursion and tasting delicious food every meal took precedence.

Walking onto the Acropolis site in Athens was surreal. It’s difficult to believe you are standing on ground that was inhabited 4000 years B.C. Then to visit the stunning museum and see artifacts found on the property, transports you back in time.

Each island in Greece is very different and Rhodes proved to be a favourite for the group. The old medieval city is surrounded by a 4km wall and lined inside with white, grey and black stones marking the pathways. Occupied by Italy, Turkey, Israel, Rome, this island has remnants of many diverse ancestors.

Travelling next to Crete brought the group to a family-owned olive oil farm where taste testing and oil making education created a whole new world and understanding. Participating in a cooking class and eating the delicious lunch – of course drizzle in flavourful vinegars and spicy olive oils, made for each lady to go home purchasing a selection of oils for their suitcase. Even one lady had to buy another suitcase to handle the weight!

Taking a high-speed ferry across the Aegean turquoise sea brought us to white and blue painted villages sitting high on top steep cliffs in gorgeous Santorini. Just like we see in magazines, this island boasts clear skies, anchored cruise ships, honeymooners and a multitude of quaint shops filled with designer clothing, jewellery, souvenirs and colourful gelato of every flavour.

The sunsets were beyond stunning, with sunset tropical drinks to match, while you watched the sun sink into the ocean after another day in paradise.

Our group experienced another side of Santorini too that many tourists don’t often explore.In Akrotiri, Santorini remains the hidden lost city of Atlantis. Buried in volcanic ash, the settlement was preserved from 17^th century B.C. Remains excavated since 1967 shows us the people of that time were very advanced. From working toilets and water systems to fully equipped ships for transportation to designer jewellery and clothing worn by the women, the people of the 17^th century lived full abundance lives.

A few steps away from this amazing discovery you can find the locals offering boat tours and drop offs to the red beach, white beach and black beach. For only $10 Euros per person, we all enjoyed a sun filled day on the volcanic black beach swimming in the saltwater sea and eating a delicious lunch at a local restaurant on the water. A hidden treasure – just like the archaeology site!

Finally landing on the “Windy Island” of Mykonos, beachfront restaurants had the hustle and bustle of people ready to socialize eat and drink Greek wine. However, with a change of scenery, taking a boat to the Roman island of Delos just a short distance away, led the group to the mythological birthplace of Apollo – the Greek God of Sun and Light. The island was inhabited by the Romans in 3^rd millennium B.C. and is left empty and standing after a large massacre by the King Minos of Crete. Luckily that information was saved until the end of the tour as we all felt sadness hearing that news. However, the buildings displayed a vibrant community of theatre, trading as a main port and temples which remain there for us to imagine how life really existed all those years ago.

Flying back on Air Canada was a simple, easy process although we all wished we had a little more time.

2.5 weeks proved to be filled with amazing experiences after only visiting 5 islands out of the 9000 Greeks islands. It’s difficult to choose a favourite island. Each place had its own essence. A few pieces remain the same. The people are extremely welcoming and friendly. The food is organic, fresh and delicious. The sea is even more brilliant in person. However, most of all…the most laughs and best friendships were developed.

Thank you to the Women’s Travel Network and World Wide Quest for a “Kalisti” (most beautiful) trip.

Angela Dacey, Tour Host WTN
and founder of Live Life Colourfully

Why Group Travel?

1 Reply

Why group travel?

Ready to book an overseas adventure but don’t have anyone to travel with?

We have the perfect solution for you. Join one of our small-group tours and connect with like-minded women, enjoy the camaraderie, make new friends, see amazing places, have unique experiences, taste local cuisine and most of all have lots of fun.

Here are some of the benefits of group travel.

Group trips suit those who enjoy meeting new people and prefer having the details planned by a travel expert.

Planning
On a group trip, all the planning is arranged by the travel company. Your itinerary is entirely mapped out for you – including accommodation, activities and often meal stops, too. This means all you need to do is pack your bags and show up at the airport. Less planning means more time relaxing when you arrive. A group trip takes away the stress, especially in terms of money and time and the expert team guides you straight to the best spots.

Sightseeing
On a group trip sightseeing is scheduled. You won’t be able to swing by a temple you’ve spotted from the road – although you can go back and do this if you want to when you have free time. Group trips also offer the advantage of a local expert guiding the way, ensuring you discover off-the-beaten-track sights you might not have found travelling alone.

Safety
Travel companies do a lot of work to ensure the safety of their group tours, including insurance against theft, issues with transport and health risks (such as Covid-19).

Money
Depending on where in the world you’re going, having the right currency can be an arduous exercise, and if you have to carry cash on you, a nerve-wracking one. On group trips, nearly everything is prepaid, almost entirely removing cash as a day-to-day worry.

Making friends
A group trip has all the activities arranged with a single group of travellers in mind, the social wheels have been greased a little, making life easier for people who are shy. An excellent tour guide will ensure everyone is having fun and that no one is left out.

If things go wrong
Any trip carries a certain amount of risk. Luggage can be stolen, or injuries sustained; travel plans can go awry. On group trips, your tour company will have it covered – contingency plans are in place for any worst-case scenario.

Cost
Group trips aren’t cheap. Everything is bundled up into one price, from what you eat to where you stay, making it easier to plan your travel budget as most expenses are paid up front.

Say YES to a Group Travel!
Yes to rediscovering the world and all its splendours.
Yes to new adventures and memories.
Yes to making new friends.
Yes to finally checking-off your bucket list.

Womens Travel Network has expertly crafted small-group adventures that will take you to the world’s most exciting destinations.

Join one of our small-group tours and connect with like-minded women, enjoy the camaraderie, make new friends, see amazing places, have unique experiences, taste local cuisine and most of all have lots of fun.

The Womens Travel Network was founded by Debbie Ross, who provides the inspiration for women only small group trips as well as some mixed company trips. The WTN is affiliated with Worldwide Quest, a TICO Travel Agency, that provides all of the trip logistics, trip designs and details, and also looks after the entire booking process and client care before, during and after your travels.

To Request a Detailed Itinerary or to Discuss a WTN Trip contact:

Worldwide Quest
491 King St. E, Toronto ON, M5A 1L9
Call: 416-633-5666 or 1-800-387-1483
Email: travel@worldwidequest.com or Lewie@worldwidequest.com
Website: www.worldwidequest.com

For Information about the Womens Travel Network
Call: 905-771-8338 or 1-888-419-0118
Email: info@womenstravelnetwork.ca
Website: www.womenstravelnetwork.ca

TICO REG. # 2667946

Top Experiences of the well-travelled

Leave a reply

Top Experiences of the well-travelled.
After two years of no travel, we are all longing to get back out there and see the world. Fortunately, on the Covid front, both here in Canada and around the world things have improved significantly and vaccinations have provided us a way forward to reclaiming our lives.

To get you inspired, we’ve put together some top experiences of the well-travelled. If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind experience that will absolutely wow you, look no further!

Tracking Gorillas in Uganda
Take an expedition to Uganda and go deep into the forest to track lowland gorillas. Trek into Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where half the world’s surviving Mountain Gorillas live, and get an intimate gorilla habituation experience.
http://womenstravelnetwork.ca/uganda-safari-gorilla-trek/

Angkor Wat Temple
Angkor Wat is on many bucket lists, and for good reasons. The Buddhist temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world by land area is a must-see for the well-traveled. The view at sunrise is spectacular.
http://womenstravelnetwork.ca/indochina/

Petra
Explore this ancient and beautiful archeological site in the southwestern desert of Jordan. Petra is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, and for good reason. Dating back to 3000 B.C., it carries memories of a long-forgotten civilization. The contrast between the surrounding cliffs and this marvelous site is spellbinding.
http://womenstravelnetwork.ca/israel-jordan/

Witness Spring Cherry Blossoms in Japan
The cherry blossoms in Japan is such a huge occasion that the national weather office runs a special service to predict when they will bloom. Flower festivals take place all throughout the country. Late March and early April the country’s landscapes are transformed into a sea of pink as the cherry blossoms begin to bloom. http://womenstravelnetwork.ca/japan/

Migration at Masa Mara
This is a sight to behold – one of the world’s biggest and longest animal migrations takes place each year between June and December in East Africa. Over two million animals make their way across the continent in pursuit of greener pastures.
http://womenstravelnetwork.ca/kenya-wildlife-safari/

Sunset in Santorini, Greece
The two most ideal places in Santorini are in Fira, the area overlooking the caldera, and further north in Oia, home to one of the world’s best sunsets. Be sure to make a dinner reservation on a patio to enjoy a spectacular sunset.
http://womenstravelnetwork.ca/glorious-greece/

Cooking class in Marrakesh
This ancient walled city (known as The Red City due to the color of the brick) is home to mosques, palaces, and lush gardens. Expand your tasting palette and culinary repertoire with a private Moroccan cooking class, the best way to experience authentic recipes.
http://womenstravelnetwork.ca/morocco-mother-daughter/

Galapagos Cruise Expedition
Cruise in luxury on a private yacht through this majestic archipelago of volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean. Discover natural wonders & unique wildlife, up close. Snorkel, hike, island hop and more.
http://womenstravelnetwork.ca/galapagos-expedition/

It’s time to get back to travelling!
Join one of our small-group tours and connect with like-minded women, enjoy the camaraderie, make new friends, see amazing places, have unique experiences, taste local cuisine and most of all have lots of fun.

For Reservations, To Request a Detailed Itinerary or to Discuss Trip details contact:

Worldwide Quest
491 King St. E, Toronto ON, M5A 1L9
Call: 416-633-5666 or 1-800-387-1483
Email: travel@worldwidequest.com or Lewie@worldwidequest.com
Website: www.worldwidequest.com

For Information about the Womens Travel Network
Call: 905-771-8338 or 1-888-419-0118
Email: info@womenstravelnetwork.ca
Website: www.womenstravelnetwork.ca

TICO REG. # 2667946

Statistics say travel is beginning to resume

Leave a reply

As borders re-open and vaccinations rise, Canadians are increasingly planning to travel again, according to the latest figures from the Conference Board of Canada (CBoC). Based on the organization’s latest quarterly survey, close to half of all Canadians plan to take a trip by next spring – a significant rise over past intentions.
The pandemic is still the “primary deterrent” preventing a full return to travel normalcy however a 51% favourable rate for travel in October was over double the figure from January (22%). Moreover, currently 23% of survey respondents said they would travel outside the country for leisure, compared to just 16% at the start of this year.
While the latter figure still lags at about half of historical travel intentions (most Canadians plan to travel domestically), it is more than double the proportion recorded last year. The trajectory is definitely moving in the right direction.
The biggest barrier now is more likely to be related to testing requirements and other travel protocols, rather than health concerns.
Nevertheless, CBoC data says that 86% of Canadians surveyed said they miss travel, and when they do, will take into account a series of factors, dubbed the ‘4 Ps” – personal connection, proximity, pandemic management, and price.
It’s a checklist that bodes well for short-haul destinations, especially the US, where Canadians have close, easy access, and great familiarity. And now, a fully open border.
Canadians have become more accepting of and more comfortable with the health protocols that they’ve been subject to over the last year and half.
Yet, this acceptance comes with conditions: Canadians prefer destinations where vaccination rates are high and COVID protocols such as masks, social distancing and use of official proof of vaccination are in effect and they are also cognizant of the situation (i.e. COVID rates) at home. Logistical travel concerns include access to flexible change and cancellation policies and insurance; and are more accepting of testing protocols to enter a destination than to return home.
The travel demand is there with snowbirds making a large share of winter travellers. Two thirds of all US-bound travellers plan to do so by air – which is good for airlines and the travel industry and leading to an overall forecast of 40 to 50% of pre-pandemic volume of transborder traffic – “and that’s better than the 5% we saw last winter.
There is a lot of optimism in the market. Assuming there isn’t another significant wave, travel confidence will continue to grow prompting more people to travel.

Call us to book your next adventure.
Womens Travel Network
affiliated with Worldwide Quest
Reservations: 416-633-5666 or toll-free: 1-800-387-1483
Email: travel@worldwidequest.com

WTN’s Flexible Booking Terms

Leave a reply

Our Flexible Booking Terms as of Sept. 15, 2021

We understand that flexibility is more important than ever when booking your trip.

Our booking terms and Tour Ready criteria provide the flexibility you need.

All payments for WTN/Worldwide Quest land tours in 2022 and beyond are fully transferrable up to 60 days prior to your tour’s departure date.

A deposit of US$/C$500 per person is due upon registration for your land tour.
A further deposit of US$/C$1,000 per person is due at six months prior to your tour’s departure date.
Your tour balance is due at 60 days prior to your tour’s departure date.

Please note:
Because we charter small ships exclusively for our group, our ship-based tours have specific booking, transfer, and cancellation conditions. These are outlined on the Detailed Itinerary for each tour.

You may transfer without any fee or penalty from any of our land tours at any time if your tour is not ‘Tour Ready’.

Our tours will proceed when all the following four-point Tour Ready criteria are met:

The Canadian government does not have an ‘Avoid All Travel’ advisory to the country or region within a country for any part of the tour.
No region of the tour has any significant COVID-19 related restrictions.
There is reliable airline access for arrival and departure.
WTN/Worldwide Quest and our in-country partners are confident that your trip can operate safely and enjoyably.

Please see our FAQs or call us for more details.

Worldwide Quest has been awarded the #SafeTravels Stamp by @WTTC for adopting health and hygiene global standardized protocols.

FAQ

What if my destination country is clear to travel to, but then has an outbreak of COVID-19 or brings in a mandatory quarantine for Canadian visitors within the 60 days prior to travel period?
If the destination country fails to meet our four-point criteria for two consecutive weeks within the 60 days prior to departure or at any time within two weeks of departure, you can transfer 100% of your group land tour payments to any other group tour within two years of your departure date without penalty.

What if the Canadian government issues an ‘Avoid all Travel’ advisory within 60 days of my tour?
If this advisory is in place for two consecutive weeks prior to your tour or within two weeks of your group land tour date, our four-point criteria is not met. You can transfer 100% of your payments to any other group tour within two years of your departure date without penalty. Note that this applies ONLY to a travel advisory due to COVID-19. If the travel advisory is for any other reason (weather, political action etc…), our usual terms and conditions apply. Note that cancellation and insurance policies cover travel advisories of this nature. For this reason, we urge you to ensure that you have appropriate coverage in place.

I don’t live in Canada. What if my government’s travel advisory is different to the Canadian government’s?
Worldwide Quest is based in Toronto, Canada, so we are subject to the Canadian government’s travel advisories. For travellers based in other countries, we ask you to review your travel status at 60 days prior to travel when your final balance is due. If you wish to transfer your group land tour deposit at that time, you may do so without penalty.

What if a mandatory quarantine is put into place on return from my trip?
Worldwide Quest will not cancel a tour if there is a mandatory quarantine upon your return, as we know that most travellers are comfortable self-isolating at home.

What if my tour meets WTN/Worldwide Quest’s criteria for proceeding, but I still want to cancel?
We have established comprehensive criteria for our tours’ viability. While some minor changes to the itinerary may be necessary to ensure the tour’s safety, we will ensure that the tour activities and experiences are not compromised. Therefore, if our tour is proceeding, our standard terms and conditions apply.

Does my travel insurance cover Coronavirus?
This will depend on the wording of your individual travel policy. Policies issued after March 15 2020 have specific clauses regarding COVID-19. Some policies will cover your medical expenses should you contract COVID-19 while travelling but will not cover your cancellation costs should you contract the virus prior to departure. We urge you to verify all details of your coverage.

Many policies offer ‘cancel for any reason’ (CFAR) coverage which provides enhanced protection for cancellation.

Please note that Medical Insurance is mandatory for all our tours. We strongly urge you to ensure that you have Cancellation and Interruption Insurance in place should an unexpected event force you to cancel your travel arrangements. While we are all justly focussed on the impact of COVID-19, we must also remember that unexpected events such as breaking a leg or the illness of a family member may occur and may prevent you for travelling or require that you return home during your tour.

Safe travels awarded by World Travel and Tourism Council

Leave a reply

Womens Travel Network’s parent company Worldwide Quest has been awarded the World Travel and Tourism Council’s #SafeTravels Stamp for adopting health and hygiene global standardized protocols.

This provides you with the assurance that we have implemented health and hygiene protocols for tour operators, as established by the World Travel and Tourism Council. The protocols cover operational and staff preparedness and the delivery of a safe experience with the goal of putting the safety, health, and security of travellers and the travel and tourism workforce at the core of the development of global protocols. Please see the WTTC #SAFETRAVELS site for more information: Click here.

These protocols will continue to be updated as new information becomes available.

When you’re ready to travel again, you have the assurance of our #SafeTravels protocols and our Tour Ready Criteria.

Our tours will proceed when all the following four-point Tour Ready criteria are met:

The Canadian government does not have an ‘avoid non-essential travel’ or ‘avoid all travel’ to the country or region within a country for any part of the tour.
No region of the tour has any significant COVID-19 related restrictions.
There is reliable airline access for arrival and departure.
Worldwide Quest and our in-country partners are confident that your trip can operate safely and enjoyably.

TRAVEL TRENDS shaping the future of travel

Leave a reply

Travel Trends shaping the future of travel
by Debbie Ross
Every year travel trends come and go, however, 2021 is set to be one of tourism’s most significant years to date. As the world slowly recovers from COVID-19 and borders gradually start to open, we expect travel to look a little different than it did pre-pandemic. We will see emerging niches, new travel styles and a shift in travelers expectations. These are a some of the top trends shaping the future of travel.

Luxurious and experiential travel.
People are wanting something that goes beyond the typical beach holiday. They are willing to spend a little more to have an experience that allows them to learn about other cultures.
Safety
That is no surprise and it will be a top priority
Attention to space, cleanliness and hygiene will be top of mind. Safety guide lines will be Tour companies and tourist attractions must do a great job of implementing safety measures..
Security
With health and safety being a top priority people will look to tour companies for security and be more inclined to travel on a small group tour. They are looking for the peace of mind that comes with a guided group tour led by a specialist local guide who has first hand knowledge about the area.
Trips of a Lifetime
Anytime after travel is interrupted the reopening period sees a surge in Bucket List travel. Exotic travel such as safaris or trekking holidays, more off the beaten path to lesser visited and undiscovered destinations or trips to far off places such as Australia & New Zealand, Bali, Indochina
The Great Outdoors
Travellers will explore the great outdoors as its easier to carry out social distancing when you spend more time outdoors where ventilation isn’t an issue. Our Kenya wildlife safari or the Galapagos cruise expedition are perfect examples of this.
Multigenerational travel
After all this time apart there will be a surge in vacations where we can spend time with family and friends. Mothers and daughters, sisters and girlfriends will be looking for adventures to share together. Our Mother & Daughter trip to Morocco is perfect for this.
Trust
The value of booking with a trusted tour company for security, expert advice and up-to-date knowledge. These companies will help you navigate through the trip planning process as well as the new protocols and travel restrictions.

What’s shaping your decision making for your next trip?

Start by planning your next adventure with the Womens Travel Network

View our Trip List

For Reservations, To Request a Detailed Itinerary or to Discuss the Trip details contact:
Worldwide Quest
491 King St. E, Toronto ON, M5A 1L9
Call: 416-633-5666 or 1-800-387-1483
Email: travel@worldwidequest.com or Lewie@worldwidequest.com
Website: www.worldwidequest.com

For Information about the Womens Travel Network
Call: 905-771-8338 or 1-888-419-0118
Email: info@womenstravelnetwork.ca
Website: www.womenstravelnetwork.ca

TICO REG. # 2667946

How will travel heal the world?

Leave a reply

Where can you go to heal the world and maintain optimum social distancing.
by Debbie Ross
No country has been left unscathed by the pandemic when it comes to tourism. The effects, however, will be most profoundly felt in those destinations that are most reliant on tourism for livelihoods and economic well-being. Tourism is a lifeline for the least developed countries, most notably within Africa, areas in Asia and South America.
The global economy needs a travel rebound and I’m sure you could use one too. As soon as it’s safe, make your plans count with some of these ideas to help heal the world. Whether you decide to book now or later there’s one guarantee you won’t be the only one benefiting from your long-awaited getaway.

The Moroccan desert
This is the year to visit the desert locations traditionally accessed with a caravan of camels and where the economics of tourism are a critical part of survival. Trips are customized to make a stop at stunning campsites in desert towns. Here you’ll spend time with the nomadic communities. Far from the big cities these nomads rely on tourisms to sustain their nomadic tribes, rural craftspeople and remote cooperatives. As a responsible tourist you will be helping to bolster local economy while preserving and sustaining natural and cultural resources for future generations.

Feed your spirit in Laos
Luang Prabang was named a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Vat Phou, the ancient Khmer temple near Champasak. Considered one of the sacred cradles of Buddhism travelers looking to find inner peace can do so here. Join novice monks at Wat Phu Temple in Luang Prabang or take a cruise up the Mekong to least visited devout villages. The tourism sector in Laos is now second in importance only to mining in the economy. As a whole, tourism and related services have generated over 385,000 jobs in the country, helping to improve income for the Lao people, particularly the poor.

Breathe new life into Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
Rising temperatures have made coral bleaching a pervasive and ongoing threat, 30% of the coral perished in 2016 and another 20% in 2017. If current trends continue over 90% of the reef will be gone from central and southern parts of the reef in just 10 years. WWF work with the Australian Marine Conservation Society to manage the fight for the reef campaign. The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of the major threats to the reef including industrialization global warming and fertilizer runoff. As the largest economic contributor to the Australian economy from reef-dependent activities in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, marine tourism supports more than 60,000 jobs and provides access for more than 2 million tourists each year.

Champion biodiversity in Ecuador’s Amazon, Andes and Galapagos.
It’s hard to believe they are all represented in one tiny country that’s roughly the size of Nevada. Ecotourism profoundly affects the Amazon. Money spent directly in the local economy helps give financial value to rainforest preservation. With eco-tourism, income is earned from preserving the rainforest and deforestation is discouraged.
Explore inland at Cotopaxi, an active straddle volcano in the Ecuadorian Andes. The volcano is an important part of the local culture and is held sacred by the Indian indigenous communities. Tourism in the Galapagos is working because it has been developed under a systematic program that regulates how many tourists are visiting each island daily. They rotate the islands that each tour is able to take you to, and change the trails on the island, so no one trail is overrun. Here you will find a wide variety birds including Galapagos finches, blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas, sally light foot crabs, sea lions, tortoises and penguins. A nature lover’s paradise. Tourism has, for many years, been an important contributor to the Ecuadorean economy, and one of the main sources of employment for the Galapagos Islanders.

Take a wildlife safari in Uganda.
It’s one thing to view animals from the safe confines of a Jeep safari and yet another to hike through the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to view the Mountain Gorillas. Almost half the world’s mountain gorilla population, around 450 of them, can be found in the 331 square kilometre park. Though still endangered, the population has been built back up over the last four decades through careful conservation efforts. This type of close encounter is restricted to a small group with a time limit set for viewing these majestic primates. Tourism dollars go towards anti-poaching and rangers protecting the animals and the once almost extinct mountain gorillas.

Responsible tourism in Kenya.
Kenya’s great Mara ecosystem is everything an animal devotee could ask for. Maternal leopards with cute cubs, big elephant herds and millions of migrating wildebeest. Explore East Africa’s great rift valley by day citing animals and birds and then fall asleep to the grunts of hippos in the river. These trips are not only ideal for socially distant times but also critical to ensuring the future success of the area stewardship. Kenya’s people are being recognized as playing a pivotal role in the safari experience. They are the guardians of the precious wildlife, as well as being as intrinsic a part of a Kenyan holiday as the creatures themselves. Tourism has been an important part of Kenya’s recent history, resulting in the creation of vast national parks and game reserves and outlawing of hunting. But Kenya’s ability to adapt to this shift – moving the emphasis from wildlife to people – will determine the impact that tourism has on its future.

You can help heal the world, start by planning your next adventure with the
Womens Travel Network

View our Trip List

For Information about the Womens Travel Network
Call: 905-771-8338 or 1-888-419-0118
Email: info@womenstravelnetwork.ca
Website: www.womenstravelnetwork.ca

TICO REG. # 2667946

What can travel do for you?

Leave a reply

This has been a challenging year to say the least and its not over yet. Thankfully, with the introduction of the vaccinations there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It provides us with the hope of travelling in the not so distant future. To each person travelling means something different. It could be visiting museums and galleries, taking a wildlife safari or trekking in the great outdoors. For others, it’s trying a new food for the first time, or embracing the culture and people of a local community. One thing for sure is we are missing the experiences and personal enlightenment we gain from our travels.

What can travel do for you?

Travel is a chance to open up your world and be introduced to new perspectives on life.

Travel is about meeting the locals and learning about their cultures. It’s about human connection.

Travel is about the memories you create. You will remember the laughter, unique smells, fascinating sounds and the tastes.

It’s the times where you veer away from the planned itinerary. The aha moments that teach you lessons you can’t find anywhere else.

Its the experiences that teach us to respect our ever-changing world. Sometimes we need to see it to believe it and connect us to what is happening in our world so we can become proactive in finding solutions to climate change, over population, forest clear cutting, wildlife poaching to name a few.

Travel can be about venturing into the wilderness and realizing just how grand this planet is and how small you are. It can bring back feelings from childhood when you looked at the night sky and saw a million stars.

It makes us aware of the opportunities presented to us to make smart decisions for the planet and the communities we are visiting.

When the time is right, the world will need its travelers.

When the time is right, we will travel together again.

Start planning your next adventure with the Womens Travel Network

View our Trip List

For Information about the Womens Travel Network
Call: 905-771-8338 or 1-888-419-0118
Email: info@womenstravelnetwork.ca
Website: www.womenstravelnetwork.ca

TICO REG. # 2667946