Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Top 20 travel destinations - The 2011 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/10/top-20-travel-destinations-the-2011-travel-and-tourism-compe/http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/10/top-20-travel-destinations-the-2011-travel-and-tourism-compe/http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/10/top-20-travel-destinations-the-2011-travel-and-tourism-compe/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

top 20 travel destinations Every couple of years, the World Economic Forum crunches a bunch of numbers and releases a list of the top countries in the world to visit. While ranking 139 countries, they measure aspects such as pricing, culture, environmental protection, safety, and infrastructure. For the 2011 report, Switzerland remained at the number one spot - the returning champion from the last report in 2009. Nine out of the bottom ten countries are located in Africa, and seven out of the top ten are located in Europe. Chad ranked in at 139 out of 139. Italy, one of the most visited countries in the world, placed 27th. For the full list, download the PDF at the World Economic Forum website under the 'reports' tab.

20. Norway
19. New Zealand
18. Portugal
17. Finland
16. Denmark
15. Luxembourg
14. Netherlands
13. Australia
12. Hong Kong
11. Iceland
10. Singapore

Continue reading Top 20 travel destinations - The 2011 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report

Top 20 travel destinations - The 2011 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>switzerlandtop 10top 20top 20 travel destinationsTop10Top20Top20TravelDestinationstourismTourism industryTourismIndustryThu, 10 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ten most corrupt countries of the world]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/10/28/ten-most-corrupt-countries-of-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2010/10/28/ten-most-corrupt-countries-of-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2010/10/28/ten-most-corrupt-countries-of-the-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

You spend every holiday weekend annoyed that you can't talk your way out of a speeding ticket. If only there were some way out of that predicament ... aside from taking your lead foot off the gas, right? You may be out of luck on the New Jersey Turnpike, but there are plenty of places in the world where money talks, according to a new study by Transparency International. So, if you tend to disregard local laws and customs, you may want to pick one of the 10 countries below for your next vacation.

WARNING: You may need to bring a bit of fire power for some of these destinations.

1. Somalia: Is this even a country? It has no real government to speak of, not to mention a history of piracy, mob violence, warlord brutality and kidnapping. So, chew a little khat to take the edge off.

The Good News: You can't really break any laws where there aren't any.

2. Myanmar: Okay, the human rights issue here is pretty severe, and the military regime is known for being among the most repressive and abusive in the world. So, don't complain about the thread-count in your hotel.

The Good News: There's plenty of wildlife to enjoy as a result of slow economic growth. A bleak financial outlook is good for the environment!

Gallery: Corruption: The world's 10 worst countries

1. Somalia2. Myanmar3. Afghanistan4. Iraq5. Uzbekistan

Continue reading Ten most corrupt countries of the world

Ten most corrupt countries of the world originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 28 Oct 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baghdadbribebriberybribesbribingburmaCIAconflictcorruptioncrimedrugdrug traffickingdrugsDrugTraffickingEquatorial GuineaEquatorialGuineaheroinhuman rightsHuman TraffickingHumanRightsHumanTraffickingkidnapkidnappedkidnappingLake TanganyikaLakeTanganyikamyanmarStrifeterrorterrorismviolencewarwarlordsThu, 28 Oct 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA["Obama Effect" helps African tourism]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/01/26/obama-effect-helps-african-tourism/http://www.gadling.com/2010/01/26/obama-effect-helps-african-tourism/http://www.gadling.com/2010/01/26/obama-effect-helps-african-tourism/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Last year was a bad year for travel in most places, but a continent that has generally been overlooked by the majority of travelers is seeing boom times--Africa.

Africa is the only continent to see a rise in tourism last year, up 5 percent when most other places felt the pinch. The UN World Tourism Organization revealed the figures this week and said Africa had "bucked the trend" of the worldwide travel recession. Part of the boom is attributed to the "Obama Effect", a new curiosity about Africa thanks to the U.S. having its first African-American president. Obama, seen here playing basketball in the African nation of Djibouti, has family in Kenya. The tourist board there says visitors are flocking in to learn more about where the president is from.

The other big factor is the World Cup, due to take place in South Africa this year. Not only will that bring a huge number of visitors to South Africa, but it helps put the entire continent on the map.

Not all countries are doing well. The Gambia has been hit hard, with the usual crowd of beach-loving Europeans tanning closer to home. Meanwhile, Chad and Niger are struggling to expand their tiny tourism industries by protecting and promoting their wildlife. The overall picture, however, looks rosy.

Will this be the decade Africa comes into its own as a tourist destination? There's no shortage of natural wonders, ancient civilizations, and interesting cultures to explore. Our very own Stephen Greenwood is having an incredible time in Madagascar right now, a friend of mine is crossing the entire continent on a motorcycle, and later next month I'll be sending dispatches from Ethiopia.

Have you been in Africa? Tell us about it in the comments section!

Continue reading "Obama Effect" helps African tourism

"Obama Effect" helps African tourism originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Saving elephants in Chad]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/01/15/saving-elephants-in-chad/http://www.gadling.com/2010/01/15/saving-elephants-in-chad/http://www.gadling.com/2010/01/15/saving-elephants-in-chad/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Central Africa is one of the last regions with a sizable population of African elephant, but their numbers are only a fraction of what they used to be. In Zakouma National Park in Chad there are an estimated 600 elephants. Twenty years ago there were 40,000.

Zakouma takes up 3,000 square kilometers of savanna in southern Chad and has populations of elephants, giraffes, lions, cranes, and other animals. It's the number one tourist destination in the country and the government is trying to preserve the wildlife for the sake of the tourist industry

Nomadic tribes passing through the region hunt the elephants with AK-47s. Ivory sells for about $40 a kilo in Chad, a country where the average annual income is $530. In other words, one good tusk is worth a year's wages. The ivory is exported to more developed nations for jewelry or folk medicines, especially China.

Armed guards patrol the park, but it's a huge area to cover and poachers won't hesitate to murder them if they get in the way. Ten guards have been killed defending the elephants. Now there are about seventy guards in the park and they've been given new training and weapons. The Wildlife Conservation Society helps out by monitoring the elephant populations, and giving monetary support and air reconnaissance. Like the Giraffe Conservation Foundation in Niger, an NGO and the government of a developing country are working together to save some of Africa's most amazing wildlife. I hope they succeed. My four-year-old loves elephants and I want them to still be around when he's my age.

Photos of the park and conservation efforts can be seen here.

Saving elephants in Chad originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elephantswildlifewildlife conservation societywildlife preserveWildlifeConservationSocietyWildlifePreserveFri, 15 Jan 2010 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The ultimate road trip: 12,500 miles across Africa on a motorcycle]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/25/the-ultimate-road-trip-12-500-miles-across-africa-on-a-motorcyc/http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/25/the-ultimate-road-trip-12-500-miles-across-africa-on-a-motorcyc/http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/25/the-ultimate-road-trip-12-500-miles-across-africa-on-a-motorcyc/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thomas Tomczyk is serious about motorcycles. He's done three motorcycle trips across India, from the steamy southern tip all the way up to the frozen highlands of Ladakh. Now he's starting his childhood dream--an epic trip 12,500 miles (20,000 km) across Africa.

His zigzag tour will take in 22 African nations including South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Sudan, the Central African Republic, Chad, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, the Saharawi Republic, and Morocco. . .

. . .before he ends up skinny, exhausted, and happy at my house in Spain, where my wife will fatten him up with her excellent paella.

Full disclosure: Thomas is a friend of mine. We covered the massive Hindu pilgrimage of Kumbh Mela together in 2001 and barely managed not to get trampled to death by hordes of naked holy men. But even if I didn't know him, this trip is so thoroughly cool I would have reported on it anyway.

Thomas isn't just going on vacation; he'll be visiting innovative grassroots projects that are making life better for the average African. Through his website Africa Heart Beat he'll be telling us about ordinary people doing extraordinary things, such as creating a job center for landmine victims in Mozambique, an AIDS theater group in Botswana, and a Muslim-Christian vocational center in Mali that's bringing the two communities together.

"The idea of crossing Africa came to me when I was 10," Thomas says.

Continue reading The ultimate road trip: 12,500 miles across Africa on a motorcycle

The ultimate road trip: 12,500 miles across Africa on a motorcycle originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure traveladventure-travelAdventureTravelblogbloggersbloggingblogscharitiescharitydevelopmentmotorcyclemotorcyclesngosroad triproadtripsustainable developmentSustainableDevelopmentWed, 25 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hungry Planet: What the World Eats]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/20/hungry-planet-what-the-world-eats/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/20/hungry-planet-what-the-world-eats/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/20/hungry-planet-what-the-world-eats/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

A few months back I heard a fascinating bit on NPR's All Things Considered about a coffee table book that was recently published called, "Hungry Planet: What the World Eats," by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio. I had been meaning to find it in the bookstore, but like most things in life the intention was lost. Then, earlier this week I stumbled upon the book sitting on a table in my sister's living room and immediately immersed myself in its contents.

The premise of the book is fairly straightforward: Identify 30 average families from 24 countries around the globe and photograph the family with a week's worth of food. The results, however, were astounding. For instance, the family in Bhutan eats meals made up entirely of fruits, vegetables, and rice, which by the looks of it barely appears to be enough for its 7 adults and 7 kids. In contrast, the family of four in the United States has a diet almost completely made from processed and packaged foods.

Continue reading Hungry Planet: What the World Eats

Hungry Planet: What the World Eats originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bookcoffee table bookCoffeeTableBookhungry planetHungryPlanettravel readTravelReadSun, 20 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The World's Most Dangerous Destinations for 2007]]>http://www.gadling.com/2007/03/22/the-worlds-most-dangerous-destinations-for-2007/http://www.gadling.com/2007/03/22/the-worlds-most-dangerous-destinations-for-2007/http://www.gadling.com/2007/03/22/the-worlds-most-dangerous-destinations-for-2007/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

BurundiHere at Gadling, we usually profile places people WANT to go. However, sometimes it's useful to mention places to avoid. Consequently, here's an interesting (and not altogether surprising) list of the 2007's 12 Most Dangerous Destinations:

  • Somalia
  • Iraq
  • Afghanistan
  • Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Côte d'Ivoire
  • Pakistan
  • Burundi
  • Sri Lanka
  • Haiti
  • Chad
  • Lebanon
  • Liberia

Of course, you probably don't think of these places as vacation destinations, unless you're a whacked-out Robert Young Pelton. However, employees of governments, oil and mining industries, and telecom industries are increasingly being dispatched to these locations. If you work for one of those groups, be certain to ask about insurance, hazard pay -- and a bodyguard.

Interestingly, the piece argues that the world is NOT getting more dangerous right now. Rather, globalization and the attendant "shrinking" of the planet is largely responsible for making the world APPEAR more dangerous now than before. Whether or not you agree with that assertion, the article is interesting, and the gallery is frightening.

The World's Most Dangerous Destinations for 2007 originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 22 Mar 2007 15:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dangerousThu, 22 Mar 2007 15:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Polo's Bastards Top 10 Worst Destinations]]>http://www.gadling.com/2006/12/27/polos-bastards-top-ten-worst-destinations/http://www.gadling.com/2006/12/27/polos-bastards-top-ten-worst-destinations/http://www.gadling.com/2006/12/27/polos-bastards-top-ten-worst-destinations/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Worst DestinationsWith the current conflict going on between Ethiopia and Somalia, my mind immediately began to wonder what the writers at Polo's Bastards had been up to and what dangerous lands they've been exploring. Last time I checked in they'd just posted a piece on Rio's favelas. Since then North Korea and Chechnya have also made their blog pages.

To round off the year though, Lee Ridley spent a little bit of his Christmas day highlighting some of the world's worst destinations in 2006. Iraq assumes the position of No. 1, which doesn't come as a shocker at all. The conflict created by the Hezbollah kidnappings of Israeli soldiers earned Lebanon the No. 10 spot, and in the middle you'll find Haiti, Afghanistan, the entire Horn of Africa (poor Eritrea), Nepal, Chad, Chechnya and North Korea. If you've been in the dark concerning the political climate of these particular areas, you might want to mosey over and see what the deal is. Otherwise, just be sure to proceed with caution in the upcoming year. It is a far, far more dangerous world out there.

Polo's Bastards Top 10 Worst Destinations originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 27 Dec 2006 14:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dangerous destinationsdangerous placesDangerousDestinationsDangerousPlaceshorn of africaHornOfAfricaworst destinationsWorstDestinationsWed, 27 Dec 2006 14:26:00 EST