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Today we want to tell you about a new type of judicious consumer, which is careful to reduce its negative influence on the environment. Adherents of such way of life (low carbon lifestyle) save electricity and water, sort their refuse, eat “organic” products and, planning rest, prefer ecological tours. Today ecotourism is one of the most fast-growing sectors in the world tourist market.

As a separate trend ecotourism started to develop in the late eighties, but became popular only in the nineties. Nowadays, it is one of the most dynamical sections of the world tourist market: substantial increase of 10-15 % annually.

In 1990 The International Ecotourism Society, TIES formulated the definition of ecotourism: it is not only the rest in non-polluted places, but the responsible travel facilitating a preservation of biodiversity and ecological stability of environment, and also facilitating improvement of well-being of the local population. The main principle of this type of tourism is reducing to a minimum negative influence on an ecosystem of the visited region, including carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere.

This type of tourists limit consumption of energy, heat and water, uses prods which packing lends itself to biochemical degradation and recycling, chooses a dwelling place made from ecologically pure and energy-efficient materials and equipped with system of recycling of wastes. Besides, they use available campings and tourist tracks, without creating something new, take good care of local animals.

Classical ecotour is the walking tour (tracking) or skiing trip, cycling, rafting, lowerings in caves, etc. Real ecological tourist combines rest in the open with care about the environment. You can not only familiarize yourself with local sociocultural environment, but also endow it, including money spent on (dotations, purchase of souvenirs made by natives, using services of local firms, including tour operators). That’s why ecotour’s cost, as a rule, is bigger, than cost of standard tours (from $200-300 per day).

Ecotourists try to abstain from flight, if it is possible, and take more ecological means of travel: train and not motorized transport (a bicycle, a kayak, etc., which also produce minimum of noise).

The geography of ecological tourism is extremely wide. In developed countries, such as USA, Canada, Australia, its popularity is based on great number of national parks. Developing countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America (Kenya, Tanzania, the republic of South Africa, Madagascar, Nepal, Mongolia, Laos, Costa Rica, Ecuador, etc.) are the leaders in the number of ecological tours. It is quite normal, because the basic landscape there is virgin wild nature. In many of these countries national programs, popularizing ecological tourism, work. It is also natural, that authorities are interested in development of ecological tourism: according to TIES, gains from its business make up 83 % of gross domestic product of developing countries.

So, if you occupy an active position, ecological tourism is the best choice for you.

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Going abroad or just to the nearby city, it is necessary to remember some elementary safety rules. If you are choosing a holiday destination study it first. Our advice will help you to avoid troubles.

Before departure:
Say about your leaving only to relatives or the most intimate associates, only to those, who really must know about it.

Make sure that the term of validity of your passport will not expire during next 3-4 months.

Find out, if you can use your credit cards in the country of your destination.

Take with you only those documents and credit cards which will be really useful for you.

Don’t forget your driving license.

Take down your credit cards, traveller’s cheques and necessary telephone numbers. Keep these notes separately from documents.

Take with you necessary medicines in original packages. Do not leave it with your luggage in the cloakroom.

It is better to leave at home all expensive things, which will not be necessary for you to have during a trip.

Inquire into validity of your medical insurance in that country where you want to go.

Advice for those who go abroad:
In many airports taking aboard gas lighters and hairdryers is forbidden. It is better to leave it at home.

Airport tax in many countries is collected only in local currency. Be ready.

At many airports watching over the safety is really scrupulous. Be ready to answer the questions of safety officers.

Don’t try to buy foreign currency at once, as soon as you get to the country. Exchange rates at the airports and hotels are usually not so good. It is better (of course if you have such possibility) to arrive in a country, having already small dollars in foreign currency. It will be convenient to pay to taxi drivers and skycaps.

Find out dates of national holidays in the country, where you want to go. Many public institutions can be closed on these days.

Ask somebody from your neighbors to watch your apartment while you are absent.

Attentively acquaint yourself with the conditions of your insurance.

At the airport
Satisfy yourself that your luggage is marked inside and outside. Write only your name and surname. Don’t write also about your religious or political affiliation, for example.

Don’t squander check-in time; it is not pleasant to jostle with other passengers during last minutes.

Do not carry any things at the instance of strangers.

Do not leave luggage unattended even in the most outwardly fail-safe public areas.

Do not shift your things from one bag to another before examination, doing like this, you will evoke needless suspicions.

Dress modestly, try not to attract attention. Leave at home your jewellery.

Even combination locks on suitcases are not strong. It is much more reasonable to wind a suitcase by sticky tape.

Be ready to answer the questions about your luggage. Remember what you take with you.

If it is possible, ask somebody to meet you at the arrival airport.

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If you think, as I do, that tourism is not an end in itself, but only means to an end, and that what we really need to do is to bridge between people of different nations, then you must learn a lot of new things. In this article, we will give you some information about customs in popular tourist countries and awkward situations, into which you can get.

Experts of the magazine “Forbes” made the list of rules, which will allow travellers to avoid funny situations and not hurl an insult at traditions of inhabitants in the foreign states.

It doesn’t matter why you come to the foreign country, whether it is a business trip or vacations, you must show respect to local laws and etiquette.

An illustrative example of deplorable results of ignoring foreign laws is an incident in the United Arab Emirates in July, 2008. British couple was taken into custody, because young lovers made assignation on the beach in Dubai. They were proved guilty not only of improper behaviour. Britishers were sentenced to three months in prison for “illicit relations”.

As you can see to the cost of concupiscent tourists, even such inoffensive actions are fraught with serious consequences for foreigners.

In 2007 in Sudan, British school mistress received forty lashes for the “blasphemy”. Fatal mistake was giving a name of Prophet Mohammed to her Teddy bear. Finally, after eight days in the local slammer she was forgiven, but, nevertheless, the violator of religious etiquette was banished from the country.

Some nations zealously protect sanctity of their kings and queens. So, even being at the one of the most popular resorts in the world, named “paradise of parties”, Thailand sticks to hard and fast rules when it comes to members of its royal family. Therefore, if foreign tourists deny a request of keeping within the law or their abusive conduct can lead to terrible consequences. Australian writer Harry Nikolaides has felt this on his own back. He was arrested and charged of attack of the monarchy, as he criticized it severely in his book. Finally, the king forgave the writer, but he spent six months in prison.

We should advise to visitors of Thailand not to spoil denominations and not even to lick postage stamps because the king is represented on them.

Firsthand acquaintance with morals and manners of the natives is the most interesting part of travel. Some travel fanciers will tell you, that this is their main purpose. Ignorance of the foreign laws is not an excuse for the tourist-beginner. The best way to earn confidence, love and respect of inhabitants is to display knowledge of their customs. There is nothing worse than setting local etiquette at nought. Don’t forget about this on any account!

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So, if you are really looking for buying last minute vacation deals and squeeze the most from them - please visit this website.

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