"Doom Tourism" Booming - Visits To Antarctica, Kilimanjaro, G Barrier Reef Rising Sharply - AFP

[hatrack]

Tracking endangered wildlife in politically troubled, impoverished Zimbabwe might not seem the ideal holiday spot but it's in hot demand in the travel industry's latest niche market -- "tourism of doom". The term was coined by sector specialists for the growing number of travelers flocking to far-flung corners of the planet to see endangered natural wonders before they disappear.

Ken Shapiro, the editor of TravelAge West, a magazine for travel agents, said the destinations can be melting glaciers, shrinking tropical rain forests or other places these travelers believe will be destroyed in a generation due to climate change, overbuilding or other threats to the environment.

"People are traveling to places because they really are convinced that it is going to change and they want to see it before that change happens," he told AFP, saying the trend was first spotted about two years ago. "We see that a lot now, it has actually become much more mainstream."

Shapiro said travel agents report that clients are increasingly requesting trips to see the melting glaciers of the Antarctic, the threatened coral of Australia's Great Barrier Reef or Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro before it loses its ice cap. Ross Kennedy, the president of Africa Albida Tourism which took part in the five-day FITUR travel fair that wrapped up on Sunday in Madrid, says the trend towards environmental awareness in travel is boosting business.

EDIT

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Endangered_sites_see_boom_in_tourism_of_doom_999.html

[KamaAina]

1. Come to Hawai'i, the extinction capital of Earth!

Seriously. Due to our being the most isolated land mass on Earth (save Antarctica), evolution has proceeded on its own path here, leaving us with a large number of endemic species (those found only here). Many of these are now threatened by habitat encroachment, invasive species, etc. Plus, thanks to Bush and Paulson's deft handling of the economy :sarcasm: , our hotels are down to just over 60% occupancy. So come on out! This offer may not be repeated...

[stuntcat]

2. I'm sure it's better for those places if tourists leave them alone

I don't know how I feel about this. I'd rather people just get the coffee table book.

[depakid]

3. Might want to stay out of Cairns and Townsville at the moment

Major Dengue outbreaks. Two strains- which is troublesome because once you've had it once- you're at much higher risk of fatal hemorrhagic fever.

[stuntcat]

4. (that kinda stuff..)

that's why every government in the world that's supposed to be protecting it's people needs to start treating health as a serious national security issue.
The worst plague might come sooner.. might come later.. but I'm afraid it will come by the time humans have turned over the last stone they left untouched.

Anyway this is not an E/E issue, I guess. It just freaks me out pretty bad.

[IDemo]

5. This might explain UFO's

[GliderGuider]

6. Snap!

[tom_paine]

9. Oh my yes. One can envisage the alien carny barker...

"Step right up folks! Come one come all and watch the amazing primates drown themselves in their own waste products! WITNESS the famous primate sex drive in action as a world teeming in hungry flesh groans once more under population expansion! GAZE in AWE at the miraculous greed and shortsightedness that motivates these creatures to dig up a hundred million years of stored carbon and vaporize it for sandwich baggies and bubble wrap!"



"Receiving the crown for Biggest Douche in the Universe is HUMANITY!"

[IDemo]

11. Or..

"A few of the Sentients on Sol-3 (Earth) have estimated a temperature increase of up to 6°C
over the coming century. But as you can plainly see on your OmniScreens™, the actual
projection will have Sol-3 looking more like Sol-2 (Venus) by then. Sentients, you see,
are a rare species here."

"Anyone up for a buzz of Heathrow before moving on to our next planet?"

[phantom power]

7. Growth industry!

[XemaSab]

15. +1

[SidDithers]

8. I would love to see the Antarctic...

It'll never happen, but having read about Amundsen, Scott and Shackleton, it's a dream of mine to see the places where these early explorers triumphed (and failed).

Sid

[XemaSab]

10. Here. Have a pretty picture.

[excess_3]

12. tourism --> McJobs n/t

[XemaSab]

13. Amen!

Having lived in Oakhurst, California, an economy based on tourist dollars is not an economy worth having. x(

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.