Viña del Mar and its International Song Festival

Vergara Palace, Viña del Mar's Fine Arts Museum. 

© Marcela Torres

by Marcela Torres

The 53^rd version of the Viña del Mar International Song Festival kicked off last night and I thought it might be a great opportunity to talk a little bit about this famous resort city in Chile’s Central Coast.

A Bit of History

Viña del Mar is one of Chile’s youngest cities. During colonial times, the territory was divided into two estates. The first, called “Viña del Mar” (Vineyard by the Sea), was located on the northern bank of the Marga Marga stream and had its own vineyard. The second, called “Siete Hermanas” (Seven Sisters), extended on top of the seven hills of the area.

A rich Portuguese investor bought the Viña del Mar estate in 1835 and the Siete Hermanas estate in 1840, thus owning the entire Viña del Mar valley. These properties were inherited by his daughter and her husband, Francisco Vergara, who founded Viña del Mar in 1874.

The city flourished and became a favorite beach resort for affluent people from Santiago and the neighboring port of Valparaíso. Because of its many large houses with huge gardens, it soon became known as the “Garden City”.

Music in the Park

Each year, thousands of people swarm the streets of this city, which regularly has approximately 300,000 residents. However, this figure can reach up to one million during the summer, when tourists from the rest of Chile, Argentina and other foreign countries come to visit attracted by its beaches, mild weather and, of course, the Festival.

The Viña del Mar International Song Festival is held annually during the last week of February since 1960 at the Quinta Vergara (Vergara Park), which is what remains of the old estates. It is considered the most important musical event in Latin America. The Festival features a song competition in two categories (pop music song and folk song), combined with performances by international music stars from around the world. Sting, Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, Tom Jones, Sheena Easton, REO Speedwagon, INXS, Donna Summer and Bryan Adams are among the many artists who have performed at this beautiful and historical place.

The Festival has helped boost the careers of several singers, such as Shakira, who participated in the pop music song competition representing Colombia in 1993, when she was only 16 years old, with a song written by her. She came in third, but received a special award as best performer.

But the Quinta Vergara is more than just music. Its Venetian-style palace houses Viña del Mar’s Fine Arts Museum and is surrounded by a beautiful garden with trees from all five continents, which is definitely worth visiting.

Stay the Night

Unfortunately, most foreign tourists come to Viña del Mar for just a day trip, so they miss a lot of what this bustling city has to offer, starting with its active night life and fantastic restaurants. The Botanical Garden, the Fonck Museum and its amazing collection of artifacts from Easter Island, the neighboring port of Valparaíso with its World Heritage Sites and the nearby Mantagua Wetland, which is a bird-watching paradise in Concón, are just a few of the many surprises in store for you… if only you would stay the night.

The Travel 3.0 Era – Local Travel

This article was published by our friends at The Travel Word, who have agreed to its republication here. View the original article on their blog.

Tourists and Rapa Nui locals sharing a Tunu Ahí (fish barbecue with sweet potato) in Easter Island. 

© Mana Tupuna

by Len Cordiner

There is no right or wrong about how we position the Local Travel Movement, but its relevance is obvious. As I look at the evolution of travel, we are at the leading edge of what I would call Travel 3.0.

Travel 1.0

Travel 1.0 was about the travel professionals and travel experts telling us about the great things to see and do. This was the travel agents (off- and later online), travel media, guidebooks, etc. It was a time of trusted brands (National Geographic, Lonely Planet, Four Seasons, Thomas Cook, Virgin Holidays, etc.). With the exception of some friends and family advice, travellers took counsel from experts and planned their travel accordingly.

Hence the world of travel information up to around 2005 looked very much like the image seen above right.

Travel 2.0

Travel 2.0, which coincided with Web 2.0, was (and still is) about travellers telling everyone about their travel experiences. This has caused major trauma for the travel industry, as brands are (largely) replaced by or created around traveller feedback, and push-marketing is replaced by social networks. The new big names in travel information are the likes of Tripadvisor and Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree.

From 2005 until very recently, the world of travel information became like this the image seen above left.

Travel 3.0

Travel 3.0 is about locals (and location). Locals are the ones on the ground every day – people with the intimate who-, what-, where-, when- and why-type information. Google’s relentless push to connect suppliers directly with buyers, geolocation, mobile Internet and the ‘when’ component added regularly by locals, along with a growing desire for experiential travel, are driving the next big shift in travel information… one driven by locals.

So from 2010, the world of travel information is looking more and more like this the image seen above right.

In keeping with this, the Local Travel Movement is all about locals – sharing stories told by locals, seeking out and writing about innovations in local travel and probing what all this means for travellers and local communities.

LEN CORDINER

In incubating and running numerous companies over 35 years, Len Cordiner has developed a passion for win-win outcomes. Most recently, he has made harnessing the power of the Internet and new communications tools central to his mission to change paradigms in travel, making it more accessible to all. In this vein, founding the WHL Group, of which Len is the CEO, is his latest and most ambitious global business initiative.

THE TRAVEL WORD

The Travel Word is a blog that showcases responsible, sustainable and local travel. It is committed to inspiring mindful and independent travelers headed off the beaten path with local businesses making responsible and sustainable decisions about their destinations. The Travel Word is the online mouthpiece of the WHL Group, the largest local-travel company in the world.

Tourism and Ramsar Sites on World Wetlands Day

The White-Necked Heron (Ardea cocoi), called "garza cuca" in Spanish, gives Cucao its name. 

© Hernán Torres

by Marcela Torres

February 2 marks World Wetlands Day and Chilean authorities used the date to announce the nomination of some sectors of Chiloe National Park as Ramsar Sites. If designated, Chile would surpass 500,000 acres of protected wetlands.

Chiloe National Park is located 64 kilometers from the city of Castro and covers 106,396 acres. The entrance is through the town of Cucao, from where visitors can go into the park. In addition to the wetland zone that is being nominated as a Ramsar Site, the park protects other ecosystems, such as native evergreen forests and beautiful beaches. Here you can also find some species that are unique to Chile, like the Pudu (Pudu puda), the world’s smallest deer.

Migratory Bird Paradise

Chiloe Island is known around the world as a paradise for migratory birds, many of which fly more than 9,000 miles from the northern hemisphere to reach southern Chile. For example, these wetlands provide shelter and food each year for the Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) and the Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica). Both species reproduce in North America and are endangered, among other reasons, because infrastructure development along the coasts is reducing their habitat and affecting their source of food.

To mitigate these impacts, the Chilean Government and the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, in the United States, signed a cooperation agreement to implement joint actions to conserve Chiloe’s wetlands, as critical habitat for migratory coastal birds.

Ramsar Sites and Tourism

This year, World Wetlands Day was celebrated by the Ramsar Secretariat emphasizing the link between wetlands and tourism and the importance that the latter is carried out responsibly. According to the organization, wetland tourism has benefits both locally and nationally for people and wildlife. At least 35% of Ramsar Sites around the world record some level of tourism activity and this percentage is consistent throughout all regions.

Among other measures, the Ramsar Secretariat states that ensuring well-managed tourism practices in and around wetlands and educating tourists on the value of wetlands contributes to the health of the world's wetlands and the long-term benefits that wetlands provide to people, wildlife, economics, and biodiversity.

Chile ratified the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, known as the Ramsar Convention, in September, 1980. There are currently 12 wetlands of international importance (Ramsar Sites) in the country, which are distributed from north to south and cover from High-Andean salt flats to coastal lagoons.

We hope to be able to celebrate soon the designation of Chiloe’s wetlands as Ramsar Sites and that this will help boost the efforts to conserve these beautiful places and save migratory bird species from extinction.

Impacts of Fire in Torres del Paine

Tourist testimonial in Torres del Paine, 2012. 

© Sernatur

by Marcela Torres

More than 16,000 hectares (39,537 acres) were destroyed by the fire caused by the irresponsible conduct of a tourist that forced Torres del Paine National Park to close between Thursday, December 29, 2011 and Wednesday, January 4, 2012. Until last week, CONAF –the government agency in charge of managing protected areas in Chile- still had firefighters putting out new fires in different sectors of the park.

Although most of the fire is now under control and the park is slowly picking up its normal pace, a permanent environmental damage has been caused in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Because the only person accused or starting the fire is an Israeli citizen and this is the second time in 2011 that a tourist from that country caused a disaster in the park, the Government of Israel announced that it will send a delegation of experts in reforestation who will pass on the experience obtained from recovering forests in the Carmel area, a year ago. In addition, it will make a direct contribution in trees, by setting up a greenhouse especially designed for the reforestation of Torres del Paine.

However, the native forest that was destroyed is composed of trees that grow very slowly and reach maturity when they’re approximately 200 years old. They also need to be protected from the cold, the wind during the winter and the dryness during the summer.

Therefore, it’s not just a matter of replanting small trees, but also of providing them the necessary conditions to grow. In addition, it’s important to consider that large part of the fire was expanded underground and affected the area’s soil. Wildlife living in the park will probably return to the damaged sectors only to find them completely barren and will have to move elsewhere in search of food and shelter.

Several national and international teams of researchers are already studying the environmental impacts of the fire in order to contribute to prepare an effective recovery plan.

Economic Impact

The forced closure of the park also affected local economy, which largely depends on incomes generated by thousands of foreign tourists that visit the area during the high season, between November and February.

It is estimated that tourism business owners lost $2 million dollars, although this is still a preliminary figure to which we need to add what they will have stopped receiving during the season. Many of them have made great efforts to avoid lay-offs because their employees were relying on the salaries they would obtain these months.

Despite the park’s partial opening, data provided by the authorities reflect that visits have dropped 50% in January and the Chilean Government has allocated resources to support micro and small tourism enterprises in the area and has launched an aggressive international promotion campaign to maintain the flow of visitors to the park in 2012 and 2013.

Opportunity for Responsible Tourism

This sad experience in Torres del Paine National Park reminds us once again of the importance of promoting responsible tourism. The lessons learned apply both to the destination and its visitors, which shows the need to carry out awareness campaigns with all stakeholders involved in order to ensure that future generations can enjoy this beautiful place in Patagonia.

New fire in Torres del Paine

by Marcela Torres

We are ending 2011 with sad news as a result of the irresponsibility of a tourist. A new fire is affecting Torres del Paine National Park, which has burnt 5,700 hectares (14,085 acres) of vegetation and has forced authorities to evacuate tourists and close the national park, as you can see in the video.

Once more, this disaster reminds us that greater precautions need to be taken to practice responsible tourism in protected areas, in order to avoid damaging them and ensuring they can be enjoyed by future generations.

The Government of Chile, through its Ministry of Interior and the National Emergency Office (ONEMI), is working to contain the fire and looking for support from specialized firefighting units. It is very difficult to control fires in Torres del Paine, however, because the strong Patagonian winds propagate fires very quickly.

I’ve already discussed in a previous blog the need to practice responsible tourism at the national park and to be careful with bonfires that are lit during the night. However, it seems necessary to take more extreme measure to prevent and mitigate the impacts of tourism in Torres del Paine.

Among other measures, it would be wise to forbid camping in the national park. There are already enough places to stay in within the park and more alternatives can be promoted in the nearby town of Torres del Paine. Apparently there is also a need for greater resources to patrol the area and control tourist activity.

In this context, it is worthwhile to remember that the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF), the government agency in charge of managing protected areas in Chile, has clear regulations for visitors that can be downloaded from the website in Spanish and English. It seems worthwhile to be reminded of some of them to make sure that we act as responsible tourists when visiting a natural area:

• Follow the instructions given by the park rangers, including times for visiting, signs and maintenance of facilities in the Protected Wilderness Area.
• Follow rules for safety. Walk only along marked trails and roads. In case you are planning a long hike, do not go alone, and take the appropriate equipment and clothes. Inform the park rangers about the route and time of return of your trip.
• Make fires only in the places provided for doing so. After making a fire, put it out using large amounts of water. Wildfires and people with a careless attitude are always a potential danger to nature.

We hope that measure are finally taken and that tourists be more careful so that we will not have to witness another disaster such as this one in a place that attracts thousands of domestic and foreign visitors each year because of its unique beauty, wildlife and fantastic trails.

Season's greetings from Southern Cone Journeys!

How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint When Traveling

The expansion of deserts is one of the effects of climate change.

© Marcela Torres

By Marcela Torres

While governments and industry representatives struggle to reach agreements on how to stop global warming at the 17^th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Durban, South Africa, I thought it might be useful to give some good tips on small but significant contributions we can make as travelers.

·    Choose a Responsible Company: When planning your trip, choose travel companies that employ local workers and guides or source locally grown produce and local services. This is a good way to support the local economy.

·    Unplug While Away: Before you leave home, remember to turn off the lights as well as the air conditioner/heater and unplug all household appliances that can be left unplugged while you are away.

·    Treat the Place as Your Home: Take care of the environment when on holiday as if you were at home. Always use garbage can to dispose of trash. If there are no bins in the area, take the litter with you and throw it once you find a bin.

·    Avoid Plastic Bottles: Instead of buying bottled water, carry your own refillable water bottles and use the hotel’s potable drinking water supply.

·    Save Water: Water is scarce in many destinations. Use the minimum amount of water needed for a shower/bath, don't let water run while shaving, brushing or washing, and check if the hotel has a linen reuse program - if so, reuse your towels and bed sheets by placing the card to indicate you don't wish to have them washed every day, if not, request hospitality staff not to change them every day.

·    Choose Public Transport: Use public transportation (bus, train, taxis, etc.) as much as possible. It's a more sustainable way to get around.

·    Walk Around: Instead of renting vehicles, take time to walk around. You will not only do some exercise and help the environment, but you will also get to know better the place you are visiting.

·    Avoid disposable batteries: Whenever possible, buy rechargeable batteries for your essential travel items such as cameras, razors, and flash lights.

·    Eat Local: Trying local food is a good way to learn about the culture of the place you are visiting. Visit a local farmer's market, shop at a locally owned grocery store and choose locally owned restaurants, since they usually will buy local produce and that means less fuel was consumed to transport the product.

Air Travel

Air travel is one of the big issues discussed during all climate change Conferences of Parties meetings and significant progress is never achieved. I have already talked about the impact of air travel in a previous blog, but since at present there is no adequate regulation for it and flights are sometimes unavoidable, the responsibility lies mostly on the tourists themselves to minimize their impact.

Some good tips to consider are:

·    Avoid Stops: Fly the most direct route possible and try to avoid short hops by air, because take-offs and landings use the most fuel.

·    Fly Economy: More people in a plane will result in fewer emissions per person.

·    Avoid Night Flights: Fly during the daytime, because during the night the condensation formed from jet-fuel exhaust remains in the atmosphere much longer due to the cool night air.

·    Pack Light: By reducing the weight of luggage, you will help the planes burn less fuel.

·    Longer Stays: Try to stay longer in a destination instead of making many short trips.

·    Offset the Unavoidable Footprint: Make your trips "carbon neutral" by contributing to a credible carbon offsetting program that supports conservation, renewable energy, and other environmental projects. A few airlines have these schemes in place and will offer them to you when you purchase. If yours doesn’t, some non-governmental organizations such as The International Ecotourism Society and Sustainable Travel International have reliable carbon-offsetting programs.