carbonneutraltourism.co.uk

It’s interesting to note that Pontins have reported a 10% growth in summer bookings this year.  This is likely to be driven in part by the strong Euro and the credit crunch.  Pontins operate seven holiday villages in the UK and they expect to attract 750,000 guests this year.  Pontins was recently acquired by Ocean Parcs.

Waitrose a leading grocery chain in the UK have started a home delivery trial using pedal power assisted bicycles.  The scheme is being trialled in Cambridg, a bike friendly city.

Despite the gloomy economic outlook there’s a ray of sun for responsibletravel.com, reporting sales growth of +37% for Jan -Jun 2008 as the responsible tourism sector becomes better established. While the holiday market remains tough responsible travel & tourism is one of the few areas showing growth.

The big winner is England - which knocks Thailand off the number 1 most booked country on the site (up from 14 with sales growth of +95%) as travellers look to stay closer to home. Other winners include Turkey, outside the Euro and good value, which is up from 10th to 5th most popular destination.

Losers include Kenya - with sales down 40% and dropping from number 4 to number 20 after the (now resolved) political problems earlier in the year. Other, perhaps more surprising, losers include China down from number 7 to number 23 after publicity around pre Olympic human rights issues increases.

The top 10 destinations in 2008 so far (with 2007 ranking in brackets) -

1. England (14)
2. Thailand (1)
3. Egypt (3)
4. Italy (2)
5. Turkey (10)
6. Spain (12)
7. Peru (5)
8. Malaysia (8)
9. Morocco (9)
10. Tanzania (6)

Justin Francis, responsibletravel.com Managing Director said – “Although a far newer category than say organic or fair trade food the responsible travel & tourism market is slowly becoming better established. As in the food sector increasing numbers of consumers want to know how products (holidays) are made, by whom and with what
consequences for the environment and local people.

However, perhaps the key to our growth is that tourists increasingly want locally distinctive holiday experiences rather than cloned resorts, and travellers are discovering responsible travel is a more enjoyable way to travel.

Although only 25% of the companies that approach us end up meeting our criteria and joining our site we have increased our product range by 20% as more hotels and tour operators turn to responsible tourism. Over the past year we’ve focussed on growing our closer-to-home UK and European holiday offers.”

The Paris public bicycle programme celebrates its first anniversary this week.    Within the past year the 16,000 bicycles have been used approximately 27 million times, with an average trip lasting 22 minutes.

The Lowestoft Energy Challenge is something very interesting from Nesta and the Make Your Mark campaign.    The pilot programme identified that young people have a significant role to play in helping to combat climate change.  Read more on Nesta’s website here also don’t forget to look at Nesta’s Big Green Challenge.

This September, Green Roof Safari will run North America’s first guided ‘green roof study tour’ of Germany and Switzerland.  Organized by green roof specialists, the tours will visit a variety of projects, meet and converse with local experts, and experience urban sustainable design from the rooftop vantage.  VANCOUVER, B.C. CANADA – June 2, 2008

Green Roof Safari, a collaborative venture between Jörg Breuning (Green Roof Service LLC) and Christine Thüring (Chlorophyllocity), has begun accepting registrations for two 6-day tours (Sept 8 – 13; Sept 21 – 27, 2008) focused on green roofs. With a maximum of 30 seats per tour, Green Roof Safari provides on-hand translation and expertise, comfortable travel, and guarantees experiential learning, networking opportunities, and cultural jaunts.

Extensive green roofs evolved in Germany as lightweight adaptations from the medieval sod roofs of Scandinavia. Since 2003, one in four flat roofs in Germany has been vegetated, with over 250 municipalities offering promotions, subsidies and/ or incentives for green roof implementation.

Green Roof Safari will spend 3 days and 2 nights in Stuttgart. An original Stuttgarter, Breuning comments: “Having worked in the German green roof industry from apprenticeship through independent business for +25 years, I look forward to re-visiting some of these projects with guests from North America.”  In 2003, Breuning came to the U.S. to start Green Roof Service LLC with Peter Philippi.

It is no coincidence that the study tours sandwich the World Green Roof Congress in London UK (Sept. 17-18). Thüring, who is Swiss-Canadian, helped to organize the 2005 World Green Roof Congress in Basel (Switzerland). Thüring comments: “I was deeply impressed by the positive impact the 2-day excursions from the Congress had on participants. Green Roof Safari will foster the same spirit for sharing and community.” Following 2 nights in Basel, Green Roof Safari will pass one night in the Swiss Alps and close its itinerary in Zurich.

Private and public professionals engaged in the North American green roof industry will take home broadened horizons, practical lessons, detailed documentation and valuable contacts. Steven Peck, Founder and President of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, the North American green roof industry association, comments that “tours are an excellent, perhaps the best, way to network and learn firsthand about green roof designs and programs in other countries.”

Green Roof Safari moved from Breuning and Thüring’s collective backburners in January 2008.  Both are committed to the advancement of green roof technology in North America.

Find out more about Green Roof Safari click here.

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Rye Bay Beach House is a newly built 3 storey house and is part of a unique development that combines quality and contemporary design with environmental sustainability. The developments eco credentials include two wind turbines generating power for reintroduction back to the National Grid.  Solar energy is captured using solar tubes.  Geo thermal space heating is also used as well as green roof system that blends with the landscape and retains rain water for further use.  The house sleeps 4/6 and is situated behind Camber’s stunning sand dunes - a stones throw away from one of the most beautiful sandy beaches on the South East Coat.