June 28, 2007

MTV casting for Christian missionary travel show

MTV is currently casting for an upcoming documentary about Christian missionaries on its True Life series. Below is more information and an article about the show from http://www.citizenlink.org/content/A000004923.cfm

Are you devoting your life to saving society from secularism? Are you willing to give up everything you previously enjoyed to spread the word of God? Are you about to go on a missionary trip to teach others about how they can be saved? If campaigning on behalf of Christianity is the driving force in your life, MTV wants to hear from you.

As part of its documentary series True Life, MTV will profile today's Christian soldiers between the ages of 16 and 28. Tell MTV why you need to be seen and heard. E-mail christian@mtvstaff.com and include your name, city and state, phone number and a photo, if possible.

15,000 Christians to attend global student mission event

From Albania to Zimbabwe, 15,000 Students Converge in South Korea to Initiate Global Campaign

JUNE 30: Students Representing 127 Countries Gather for CM 2007, One of the Largest Global Student Missions Events in History

ORLANDO, Fla., June 28, 2007 - Throughout history, college students have been at the forefront of change around the world - from Berkeley in the '60s, to Tiananmen Square in the '80s, to the Orange Revolution in the Ukraine in the 21st century. This week, 15,000 students will gather in Busan, South Korea to initiate a worldwide effort to deliver a message of hope to college campuses around the world. The students at Campus Mission 2007 (CM 2007) will represent 127 nations, as diverse as Albania and Zimbabwe. More than 1,700 Americans are expected to attend. "History shows that college students have been at the center of change in the world’s societies regardless of race or culture," said Dr. Park Sung-Min, national director of Korea Campus Crusade for Christ. "We look forward to welcoming the students of the world to Korea, where they will be challenged to consider how God could use them to help bring His message of love to those students who have never heard it."

WHAT: Campus Mission 2007, one of the largest global student missions events in history Sponsored by Campus Crusade for Christ, International WHEN: June 30 – July 5 WHERE: BEXCO Convention Center, Busan, South Korea CM2007 is open to the media. Interviews will be available with conference coordinators and participants on site, and via phone.
Through CM2007, Campus Crusade for Christ will challenge and equip students to launch programs this year on 365 new campuses worldwide, where Christian communities do not currently exist. Teams of students will travel from Korea to campuses in major cities around the world, including Tokyo; Budapest, Hungary; Johannesburg, South Africa; and Mexico City.CM 2007 is hosted by Korea Campus Crusade for Christ. KCCC has 683 full-time staff, serving in more than 16 countries, including the United States. KCCC will provide free room and board to each international college student who attends CM 2007. Main sessions conducted in English will be simultaneously translated into Korean, with real time translations available by radio in most major languages. For more information, visit http://www.cm2007.net/Founded in 1951, Campus Crusade for Christ International is served by 27,000 full-time staff working in 190 countries. Campus Crusade seeks to show people how to know and experience God’s love and plan for their lives.
Contact:Tony Arnold +82-010-8659-9049 (Korea cell)
Tony.Arnold@uscm.org
http://www.cm2007.net/ (Click on Newsroom)
www.CampusCrusadeforChrist.com/newsroom

June 27, 2007

(Press Release) Faith-based Travel Industry Attracts More Tourism Boards

Contact: Christine Moore, epiphany media FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tel: 469-688-5683
Email: christine@epiphanymedia.info


FAITH-BASED TRAVEL INDUSTRY ATTRACTS MORE TOURISM BOARDS
Tourism Boards find new ways to engage 330 million worldwide religious travelers embarking on greater variety of vacations to more destinations


LITTLETON, Colorado (June 27, 2007) – With 300 to 330 million religious travelers worldwide each year, tourist boards and government officials at the highest levels are launching new initiatives to attract a segment of this $18 billion industry. Countries such as the Bahamas, Cyprus, Germany, Switzerland, Scotland, Jamaica, Jordan, Turkey and India among others have embarked on new marketing ventures to the faith community, particularly focusing on the North American market, which accounts for more than $10 billion of the global religious travel industry.

One of the most significant developments among religious travelers is the increase of leisure, retreat or “fellowship” vacations by churches and religious groups. The Islands of the Bahamas remains a top choice for these travelers, and is one of the few countries with a dedicated religious travel department and director. The religious/faith department of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism recently joined the World Religious Travel Association as a charter member. On June 5, WRTA officers met with the Honorable Neko Grant, newly-appointed Minister of Tourism and Aviation, and Linville Johnson, Deputy Director of the Religious Market for the Bahamas Tourist Office, to discuss the country’s efforts toward developing religious tourism.

“The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism Religious/Faith department is pleased to be a charter member of the World Religious Travel Association,” said Grant. “In this new partnership we look forward to WRTA assisting us in delivering our message to our key audience, and it is our hope that through our association with this organization that the number of religious/faith meetings, conferences, conventions and retreats to The Islands Of The Bahamas will increase substantially.”

“We are delighted the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism has joined us as a Charter Member, and it is a privilege to provide them a framework to help increase awareness of their destination among faith-based travelers,” said Kevin J. Wright, founder and Executive Director of WRTA and a fifteen-year veteran of the travel industry. “The travel and tourism industry is responding to the clout of this built-in affinity group of 330 million vacationers, and tourism boards are wisely taking a long-term view to establish and develop their brand within this very lucrative tourism segment.”

With the substantial growth in faith-based tourism comes the demand for an international convention. This summer the World Religious Travel Association will announce details and begin registrations for the Fall 2008 World Religious Travel Expo. The primary purpose of the conference is to provide a world-class forum for networking opportunities and educational seminars for both the trade and consumer.


(more)




All companies and individuals can take advantage of membership within the World Religious Travel Association, the leading network for the faith-based tourism industry. To learn more, visit www.religioustravelassociation.com or call 1-800-657-1288. Both free and paid memberships are available, including the complimentary monthly e-newsletter Religious Travel Buzz, which keeps companies, groups, and individuals abreast of the faith-based travel industry news, events, and announcements.

###

About the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA)
The World Religious Travel Association (WRTA) is the world’s leading network for the faith-based tourism industry. WRTA exists to bring the worldwide trade and North American religious consumer together for the primary purpose of promoting and providing quality travel experiences around the globe. All seven segments of the $18 billion worldwide religious tourism industry are represented: (1) Tour operators, tourist boards, cruise lines, and travel wholesalers (2) Travel suppliers and vendors (3) Travel agencies and consortiums (4) Religious suppliers and vendors (5) Churches and religious/non-profit organizations (6) Individuals and clergy (7) Media. The World Religious Travel Association will host the 1st Annual World Religious Travel Expo in Fall 2008. To learn more about the Association or become a member, visit www.religioustravelassociation.com. Or, contact WRTA at 1-800-657-1288.

For more information or to obtain an interview:
Please contact Christine Moore, epiphany media, at 469-688-5683,
or email christine@epiphanymedia.info.

June 26, 2007

Bahamas Tourism Ministry sets eyes on faith community

Bahamas Tourism Ministry sets eyes on Christian and faith-based communities
Link: http://www.thenassauguardian.com/bixex/326365462942299.php

Among all the countries and tourist boards around the world, few are as serious as the Bahamas Tourism Ministry in welcoming an increased number of Christian and faith-based visitors. With its $26 million budget, a good portion is earmarked for religious tourism. Linville Johnson of the Bahamas Tourism Ministry heads up the Director of the Religious/Faith Department and is one of the best leaders in North America in generating and attracting faith communities to the country for conferences, conventions, retreats, leisure vacations, pilgrimages, missionary travel, etc.

Here is the article in full:
Religious niche being targeted by Ministry

By KEESHA BETHELL, Guardian Business Reporter
keesha@nasguard.com

The Ministry is looking to utilize $26.6 million of their budget for the marketing and promotions of the Bahama Isles with one of their areas of focus being the growing religious/faith market.

During debate on the budget earlier this month, Minister of Tourism and Aviation Neko Grant emphasized the importance of that market.

"The religious market will have two principle outcomes, to position the destination as one possessing a rich spiritual heritage and to promote the attributes and amenities of the Islands of The Bahamas in the context of our destination's appropriateness for the hosting of meetings, retreats and conventions."

Globally, the religious market is an $18 billion industry with the United States making up $10 billion of that figure.

Given that The Bahamas is already conveniently positioned just minutes away from the U.S. - about 50 miles east of Fort Lauderdale, Florida to be exact - the Ministry of Tourism sees religion as the perfect niche for the tourism sector to target.

"When you look at the religious/faith market, a large portion of that is Christian, 90 percent of the Bahamian population is Christian," said Linville Johnson, Deputy Director for the Ministry of Tourism's Religious Market. "There is therefore a commonality, a common bond. The message is that The Bahamas is the ideal destination to hold religious meetings and conferences," said Johnson.

Johnson and his team have constructed an interesting methodology to assist The Bahamas in targeting the religious tourism niche market.

"We go and offer The Bahamas and find decision makers (of religious organizations)," said Johnson. "Then we market The Bahamas, assuring them jurisdiction will make their group happy."

Just last Friday the potential of the niche market was revealed when 1,500 Christian women checked into the Wyndham Nassau Resort & Crystal Palace Casino for a "Pastors, Wives and Widows Convention weekend," thanks to Johnson's team.

While stop-over visitors are the main target because they spend more money, cruise ship passengers' contributions are not overlooked - on average they spend $60 - $70 per person.

Earlier this month, an estimated 2,800 persons visited New Providence for Bahamafest - via Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines - a religious event deemed as one of the largest Christian gatherings for the year.

Currently, the Tourism Ministry's religious tourism department is in discussion with gospel legends like TD Jakes. The Ministry has also partnered with the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA), an organization dedicated to "leading and guiding the worldwide religious tourism industry while promoting and facilitating faith-based travel."

Israel Tourism Ministry earmark $2 million for Christian Evangelicals

Israel Tourism Ministry earmarks $2 million for North American Christian Market
Link: http://www.hotel-online.com/News/2007_Jun_17/k.TLG.1182185177.html

Israel is embarking on a new $11 million sales and marketing campaign to North America, with a goal of welcoming an extra 100,000 tourists. It is the largest ever spent on one destination by the Israel Tourism Ministry. The tagline is "Visit Israel, you'll never be the same." $2 million is earmarked for evangelical Christians, with another $150,000 slated for ads in Jewish press.

Unlike ever before, the Israel Tourism Ministry is facing "competition" from many other segments of Christian tourism. More people of the Christian faith are embarking on travelsto other Biblical lands in record numbers (Jordan, Greece, Turkey, etc.), as well as on other forms of vacations such as Christian cruises, missionary travel, leisure vacations (i.e. to the Bahamas), etc.

With registrations slated to launch next month in July regarding the 2008 World Religious Travel Expo http://www.religioustravelexpo.com/ (the first international religious tourism convention and tradeshow of its kind), the Expo will serve as a great opportunity for the Israel Tourist Ministry Office to showcase its destination in the largest faith-based venue of its kind.

Catholic pilgrimage crash near Medjugorje (story & updates)

Many of you by now, may have heard of the early June bus accident of (Wisconsin) Catholic pilgrims visiting Medjugorje in Bosnia. The following provides original story links along with updates (and we'll continue to post further updates):

* June 25: Not everyone returns from crash http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=6698998&nav=menu24_1
* June 23: Stranded injured Medjugorje pilgrims hope to fly home http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070623/APC0101/70623033/1979
* June 19: Medjugorje trip goes on after crash http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070619/APC0101/706190482/1979
* June 14: Bosnian driver, tour group team up after crash
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070614/APC0101/706140591/1979/frontpage
* June 13: http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=6646421
* June 11: 27 Americans injured in crash on way to Medjugorje http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/06/11/international/i190339D17.DTL&type=politics
* June 11: Wisconsin priests & pilgrims injured in bus accident near Medjugorje http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=6643562

Again, we'll continue to provide any further updates as they come along. For more information about Andy Meier, the most seriously injured, you can visit the website http://www.prayforandy.com

More media on religious tourism (Wash. Post)

On June 25, the Washington Post published the article Seeking Answers With Field Trips in Faith (see http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/24/AR2007062401422.html).

This article is the latest in a string of major media and publications reporting on the tremendous growth of faith-based tourism. Some of these include my interviews with CBS Early Show, TIME Magazine, USA TODAY, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and dozens of other media outlets including travel, religious, and news.

One of the most interesting statistics in the article is: Todd M. Johnson, director of the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts, said 7 percent of the world's Christians -- about 150 million people -- are "on the move as pilgrims" each year.

The above statistic is especially interesting when compared against the World Tourism Organization's estimation that 300 to 300 million people embark on religious travel annually (all faiths).

Speaking of statistics - the article's author Mary Jordan did a good job of citing other key statistics as well, including the growth of other pilgrimages and religious travel sites. Another finer point of Mary's article was referencing how faith based travel has affected the local economy and how one travel company grew in four years to its present-day 10,000 pilgrim travelers. Many people forget that tourism (the world's 2nd largest economy - only behind oil), and religious tourism more specifically, does act as a vessel in enriching the lives of others in the lands they visit by providing jobs, strenthening their economies, etc.

It is for the above reasons as well as those cited in the Washington Post article, that the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA) was launched last January. In short, there was a great need and demand for a global network for faith tourism companies and travelers. Next month WRTA will launch registrations for the World Religious Travel Expo which will be held in fall 2008. The primary purpose of the conference is to provide a world-class forum for networking opportunities and educational seminars for both the trade and consumer. For more information visit http://www.religioustravelassociation.com/.

June 16, 2007

WRTA officers meet Bahamas Minister of Tourism

On June 5, the executive officers of the World Religious Travel Association (http://www.religioustravelassociation.com/) met with the newly-appointed Bahamas Minster of Tourism Neko Grant. We presented him and Linville Johnson (Deputy Director - Religious Market) plaques regarding their Charter Membership within the World Religious Travel Association.

The Bahamas are one of the countries most successfully seeking to attract and increase faith-based visitors whether via conventions, conferences, leisure vacation, retreats, missionary travel, pilgrimage, or the like.

Photo from left to right: Honnie Korngold - Vice President WRTA; President Christian Travel Finder, * Neko Grant - Bahamas Minister of Tourism, * Kevin J. Wright - Executive Director WRTA; President Religious Market Consulting Group, * Katheirne Rojas Cardona - Director of Membership WRTA, * Linville Johnson - Deputy Director Bahamas Tourist Office

Christian cruise charter of 2,700 guests

I just returned from a full-ship Christian cruise charter of 2,700 guests! Christian Travel Finder (http://www.christiantravelfinder.com/) hosted the trip. Today more than a dozen Christian full-ship cruise charters take place each year. It is one of the fastest growing and most robust segments of faith-based tourism worldwide. For more info visit http://www.christiantravelfinder.com/praisefest.html

Atlanta hot for holy meetings

Atlanta is becoming a "hot" destination for religious conventions and conferneces. To see the full article visit http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1118650.php?mpnlog=1

International Museum of the Reformation wins major award

The International Museum of the Reformation wins the Council of Europe's Museum of the Year award. To read the full article(s) visit:
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/news/opendoc.htm?tbl=NEWS&id=466975134
http://www.musee-reforme.ch/index-e.php

P.S. Kevin J. Wright has joined Technorati Profile & My Space http://www.myspace.com/kevinjwright

Spirit of Niagara Tours (Niagara Gazette)

Spirit of Niagara Tours hopes to attract more religious groups to its cruises, especially with its faith-based heritage. Read it at: http://www.niagara-gazette.com/local/local_story_159193837.html

Launch of new Christian attractions

In the past 30 days, several new Christian attractions were launched. The future is expected to bring many more Christian and faith-based attractions. Here are the three attractions recently launched:

* Billy Graham Library www.bgea.com/BGLibrary_Index.asp
* Creation Museum (Petersburg, Kentucky) www.creationmuseum.com
* Big Valley Creation Science Museum (Alberta, Canada) www.bvcsm.com

Selcuk, Turkey: Capital of Faith Tourism

http://www.sundayszaman.com/sunday/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=1143

TURKEY FAITH TOURISM

Selçuk: capital of faith tourism
Turkey continues to raise the bar for its tourism industry, a prime contributor to the nation's economy. Turkey, with its historical, natural and cultural treasures, has phenomenal tourism potential, offering opportunities often not found anywhere else in the world in terms of tours, sightseeing, entertainment and relaxation.

An average of 20 million tourists visit Turkey each year, with the "tourist paradises" of Antalya, Alanya, Marmaris, Didim, Bodrum, Kuşadası and Çeşme attracting a good portion of this number. Two new trends in tourism, though, may shift the balance. Faith tourism and nature tourism are growing in popularity, drawing new visitors and highlighting new places.
Where faith tourism is concerned, spots like the Hagia Sophia, the Sümela Monastary, Mt. Nemrut, Balıklı Lake, Cappadocia, Ephesus and of course the Meryam Ana Evi, or House of the Virgin Mary, which Pope Benedict XVI visited during his trip to Turkey, on Nov. 29, 2006, are popular draws. The House of the Virgin Mary, located near Ephesus in Selçuk, is considered by Christians all over the world to be a holy spot and is visited by more than half a million people every year.
Well-known visitors to the House of the Virgin Mary over the years have included Pope Paul XI, Pope John Paul II, former US President Bill Clinton, Sting, Brian Adams, Elton John and James Brown. Of course, another significant treasure nearby in Selçuk are the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus. Ephesus, which is estimated by archeologists to date back to 6,000 B.C., is visited by around 1.5 million tourists every year.
Near to all of this is Turkey's third largest city, İzmir, also known as the "pearl of the Aegean." In addition to the historical points of interest in İzmir city center itself, the nearby spots of places like Çeşme, Foca, Bergama and Selçuk make the entire region a magnet for tourists. The relatively small city of Selçuk, with its population of around 25,000, lies only 75 kilometers from İzmir's city center and offers countless treasures. The town also boasts the İsa Bey Mosque, an important example of Selçuk Turk architecture. What's more, transportation to Selçuk couldn't be easier; visitors can reach it by sea, air, road or train.
As a result a significant portion of Selçuk's economy is based on profits from tourism. This income is supplemented by agriculture and animal husbandry, important ways of life for the people in the region thanks to the fertile soil.
In terms of figures Selçuk's recent popularity from Pope Benedict XVI's visit wound up raising the number of tourists coming to the region at the end of 2006 to 1.6 million. Visitors stopping at the House of the Virgin Mary were in 2004 calculated to have been 462,000, in 2005 517,000 and 650,000 in 2006.
Plans to further expand the already lively tourism industry in the region are at hand. Selçuk Mayor Vefa Ulgur talks about the plans to build three golf courses in the Selçuk district of Pamucak, which lies on the coast. Mayor Ulgur notes that while the city of Selçuk currently has a bed capacity of 11,000, there are immediate plans to expand this capacity up to 30,000.
A quick glance back at the basic history woven into the fabric of Selçuk is as follows: It was around 6,000 B.C. that the ancient city of Ephesus was founded near the Aegean gulf into which the waters of the river Menderes (Meander) flows. The soil in this area was prime for agriculture, and the position on the sea meant Ephesus would become an important trading and shipping post. The city was also a significant religious center in both pre-Christian times and the early years of Christianity. Ephesus brought forward such well known names in the religious and artistic world at the time as Artemidorus the dream-diviner, the poets Callinos and Hipponax, the philosopher Herakleitos, and the artist Parrhasius. The history of Ephesus, though, as mentioned before, actually stretches much further back, a fact that findings at the burial mounds at Arvalya and Cukurici have confirmed. Archaeological digs at Ayasuluk Hill have revealed that the region in which Ephesus is located was in fact populated from the Bronze Age through the Hellenistic Age, without interruption. It has also been confirmed that the city of "Apasas" mentioned in Hittite texts was in fact a reference to the original city of Ephesus, which was located on Ayasuluk Hill.
The Ephesus that tourists now visit was built by one of Alexander the Great's generals, Lysimakos, in the year 300 B.C. The building of the magnificent walls, theaters and agora which can be toured even today was the start of this city. Ephesus experienced one of the heights of glory during the second century. In part due to its well-used port, Ephesian trade began to increase, and the city became very wealthy. During the reigns of Emperors Trajan and Hadrian, giant architectural projects took hold in the city, and the number of theater seats alone in the city rose to 24,000. Estimates are that the population of Ephesus around this time was near to 250,000. At the start of the 13th century, the region fell under the control of the Turkish Aydinogullari rule. It was during this period that the largest mosque of the time was built by Isa Bey; the mosque bearing his name was built in Selçuk in 1375. In 1426, Ayasuluk was added to the rest of the growing Ottoman lands and in 1912, Ayasuluk's name was changed to Selçuk, officially becoming a province connected to İzmir in 1957.
According to Christian belief, shortly before he was crucified, Jesus Christ entrusted the care of his mother, Mary, to his friend and one of his disciples, St. John. According to some accounts, after Christ's crucifixion, St. John, believing it was not safe for Mary to remain in Jerusalem, took her with him to stay on top of Mt. Bülbül (Mt. Koressos) just above Ephesus. Over time, the exact location of this place, one that many believe to be the spot where the Virgin Mary spent the last days of her life, was forgotten. The house was rediscovered after the Middle Ages and became the subject of widespread debate. This went on until statements made by a German woman, Katherine Emmerich, who was bedridden and had never left her country, claiming she knew where the Virgin Mary's house had been. Then, in 1891, Eugene Poulin, the director of an İzmir school and a Lazarist priest, commissioned a group of people to look into how true the statements made by Emmerich might be. The group searched around the mountains to the south of Ephesus and, in the end, came upon a small house referred to by locals as the "Panaya Kapulu." This small house fit the description provided by Emmerich perfectly. After further research, the then archbishop in İzmir, Archbishop Timoni, gave permission for a religious ceremony to take place at the house. Later, in 1961, Pope John XXIII put an end to the debates swirling around the House of the Virgin Mary, declaring it an official point of pilgrimage for believers. The visits made by Pope Paul VI in 1967 and Pope John Paul II in 1979 also served to underscore the significance of the spot. Now every year on Aug. 15, the day that Christians believe the Virgin Mary fell into eternal sleep (referred to as the "dormission"), there is a special Mass that takes place at the house. Many people come for these religious services.
Camel wrestling festivals, which happen in no other country in the world, take place every year on the third Sunday of January in Selçuk. This year's 25th Selçuk-Ephesus Camel Wrestling Festival occurred on Jan. 21, 2007, and attracted much local and foreign attention. The day before the actual camel wrestling occurs, promotion, parades and all sorts of entertainment work to build local excitement. The wrestling begins on Sunday at 10 a.m. and finishes later that day. Another important festival in Selçuk is the Selçuk-Ephesus Culture, Arts and Tourism Festival. This is a festival which has been occurring since 1962, always during the first week of May.

What to eat and where to eat in Selçuk

You can find all sorts of examples of food specialties peculiar to Selçuk when you visit this city. The Aegean region, where Selçuk is located, is famous for its fish dishes (like sea bass and grey mullet) and its seafood in general. Selçuk is also known for dishes that use local herbs and vegetables unique to the region (such as mallow and arapsaci). The local fruit is also famous - fruit such as peaches, apples and watermelons can be picked fresh off the branch year round. Meat dishes like köfte and shish kepab have also become symbols of Selçuk cuisine. A popular stop-off point for Selçuk visitors is the Selçuk Köftecisi, featuring the köftes and other grilled meats that have become synonymous with eating in Selçuk. Follow your dinner here with the famous Artemis dessert, a milk-based treat found only in Selçuk. Another place to be sure not to miss is the outdoor restaurant Askeri Yeri, a stop-off point for visitors touring the Yedi Uyuyanlar Cave. Here, you won't be able to get enough of the delicious varieties of gözleme (a Turkish version of crepe or pancake filled cheese, ground beef, parsley and other herbs or even chocolate). How to get thereYou can reach Selçuk, situated only 75 kilometers from İzmir, by air, land, sea or rail. For those wanting to save time, flights into İzmir's Adnan Menderes Airport will have you in Selçuk quickly, as this airport is only 60 kilometers from Selçuk. Tourists choosing to come in by boat have two choices. Boats docking at the İzmir's Port of Alsancak have only an hour of road travel to reach Selçuk. Boats docking at Kuşadası are even closer, traveling only 25 minutes to get to Selçuk. Where to stayThere are a number of hotels and pensions dotting Selçuk, so much so that the small city already boasts an 11,000-bed capacity. Also, located nine kilometers from Selçuk is the town of Pamucak, which has many four- and five-star hotels of its own. For those who want to stay far from the city and closer to nature, the village of Şirince is an ideal option, only seven kilometers from Selçuk.

03.06.2007

Travel

ÖZDEMİR ÖZKAN

June 2, 2007

Voluntourism is new trend for American vacationers

CULTURAL DIGEST: 'Voluntourism' a new trend for American vacationers; ...
by Erin Roach

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--More Americans are opting to spend their vacation time participating in what Christians have known for years as mission work -- building houses and schools or visiting orphanages.The new term for this trend is "voluntourism," and some say it was spurred by the tragedies of 9/11, the Southeast Asia tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. College students are choosing charitable or humanitarian work over a week at the beach during spring break, the Associated Press reported, and baby boomers with money to spend and time to donate also are fueling the trend."Immersion with volunteerism is so much more than you could get by sitting on a beach or on a tour bus," Sally Brown of Ambassadors for Children told AP, adding that the number of travel organizations that offer voluntourism trips has probably doubled in the past three years.The nonprofit Ambassadors for Children lets participants mix purpose with pleasure by boarding them at a four-star hotel in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and allowing them to spend three of the eight days visiting an orphanage, library and preschool, AP said.Mike Wood spent a recent vacation in Honduras, building latrines and pig pens in a village without electricity, running water or cell phone reception, AP said. He spent the days digging holes, pouring cement and cutting wood, and he managed to sneak in some visits to nearby Mayan ruins."It's hard work, but there's nothing to worry about," Wood, a history teacher, told AP. "No one can get ahold of you so you're not worrying about the stock market or worrying about family too much. There's no communication so it's a very nice break from the pressures of the job."Some participants told AP that voluntourism is more draining than traditional vacations but much more rewarding. "To see the people's faces -- they were so happy we were helping them. That's something you don't forget," said Peggy Fuller, a North Carolina dermatologist who used her sabbatical to build houses in Sri Lanka.Others spend their time working as mentors to disadvantaged youth, tutoring and learning how the less fortunate of the world live, AP reported March 29."You feel that you're helping people and you're also getting to learn about a different culture, whether it's West Virginia or Tanzania," Alyssa Stahl, a Chicago banker, said.