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Showing 9 of 96 news items in Tourism & Remote Work

Tourism & Remote WorkMarch 31, 2025

Funding from the Scottish Government’s Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund (RTIF) Approved for Argyll and Bute Islands

Excerpt and Photo from argyll-bute.gov.uk Three exciting tourism projects in Argyll and Bute’s island communities are being taken forward for a new round of applications to the Scottish Government’s Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund (RTIF). The projects are part of a package of 11 Strategic Tourism Infrastructure Development (STID) proposals initially developed by local community groups or charities across nine of the region’s islands. Three of those submitted have now registered an interest in proceeding and progression towards RTIF funding applications for these was approved at a meeting of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure committee.

Tourism & Remote WorkMarch 11, 2025

Europa Nostra and EIB Institute release report on the Cycladic Islands, Greece

Excerpt and Photo from europanostra.org In a [technical report](https://7mostendangered.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/7ME2024-Cycladic-Islands-Greece-Technical-Report.pdf) published today, experts from Europa Nostra and the European Investment Bank Institute highlight the great threats posed by overdevelopment and tourism-driven pressures on the [Cycladic Islands, notably Sifnos, Serifos and Folegandros](https://7mostendangered.eu/sites/cycladic-islands-notably-sifnos-serifos-and-folegandros-greece/). This complex of islands was listed among the [7 Most Endangered heritage sites in Europe for 2024](https://www.europanostra.org/europa-nostra-and-eib-institute-announce-europes-7-most-endangered-heritage-sites-2024/), following a nomination made by Elliniki Etairia – Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage. The Cycladic Islands, renowned for their whitewashed houses, dry-stone walls, archaeological sites, and pristine natural beauty, are facing unprecedented challenges from intensive tourism, unregulated construction, and gentrification. The report, prepared by experts from Europa Nostra and the EIB Institute, stresses the urgent need for adopting sustainable planning policies to prevent irreversible damage to the islands’ exceptional and authentic character. The technical report details the detrimental impact of mass tourism, the proliferation of secondary residences, and the strain on local resources, particularly water and waste management systems. It provides a set of key recommendations, including stricter regulations on construction, sustainable tourism development, improved spatial planning, and greater collaboration between local authorities and civil society to safeguard the islands’ future.

Tourism & Remote WorkMarch 4, 2025

Combu Island, in the state of Pará, faces negative impacts of tourism before COP30

Photo courtesy, Augusto Miranda – Agência Pará. Retrieved from brasildefato.com.br In recent years, [the island of Combu](https://www.brasildefato.com.br/2024/03/13/os-problemas-que-belem-precisa-resolver-antes-da-cop30/), in the state of Pará, has become a tourism hotspot, where people can know the river and riverside communities in the region. But residents complain that the government’s lack of attention to the rise in the number of tourists in the area is contributing to increased violence, environmental degradation and, consequently, a shortage of products essential for extractive activities and the local way of life. Combu Island is part of Belém’s riverside area. As one of the city’s main tourist routes, it will certainly be a destination for many people attending [COP30](https://www.brasildefato.com.br/2025/01/16/no-ano-da-cop-30-movimentos-fortalecem-construcao-da-cupula-dos-povos/), which will be held in November in the capital of Pará. Combu community leaders argue that the municipal and state governments will be “embarrassed” if, in the middle of the climate conference, visitors see that the residents of one of the main tourist routes in the capital of Pará deal with a lack of drinking water and the negative impacts of extractive activities. “The island’s residents have historically lived off extractivism and, depending on the period of the year, they dedicate themselves to growing food. When it’s not [açaí](https://www.brasildefato.com.br/podcast/bem-viver/2024/05/24/vamos-tomar-acai-com-petroleo-diz-taina-marajoara-sobre-intencao-de-petrobras-explorar-foz-do-amazonas/) season, they fish for shrimp or fish. However, with the increase in the flow of boats on the island, particularly in the last seven years, both shrimp and fish have disappeared, and it’s dangerous for river dwellers to fish,” says Iva Nascimento, president of the Piriquitaquara Igarapé Residents’ Association.

Tourism & Remote WorkFebruary 19, 2025

Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority issues a request for proposals for projects exemplifying regenerative tourism

Excerpt and Photo from bigislandnow.com The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority has issued the next round of requests for proposals for projects that preserve Hawai‘i’s natural resources, perpetuate the state’s Hawaiian and multicultural heritage, or enrich the community through festivals and signature events statewide. Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority’s community partnership programs support projects that protect and restore the environment, empower local economies, preserve cultural heritage and give back to island communities. “Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority is proud to support programs that exemplify regenerative tourism by directing tourism’s benefits back into our island communities,” said Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority Board Chair Mufi Hannemann. “These efforts protect Hawai‘i’s natural and cultural treasures while uplifting the people and organizations working tirelessly to sustain them.” Online applications are available and need to be submitted through [‘Umeke, Powered by Hawai‘i Tourism Authority](https://sdpvifwab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001HrNv2U_Sy1te2Isjvmwqm03G8yeRsLX906qXoNgnUwvLncDR9TNdOZMZ0cYIwtX_JdGo1vVLpWAcBPOggNgRFM3WEZXQtVZTCKjuqEfA2RuWw6CMga4HFmfkW_5vWTKyKRK0GWLlGM6gzNwxJ7q1eR2aFQih1rr8weQg9MDKAUyBows8cm-Pmp9fClgutaZe3L2DBZ0SJjnBRL-y6N6t4gYcmElUBc3zPS_I-Qka2uw=&c=EugioJHqhlD1faTt2XSs8djv93eX6LKnRhJGdfJTpbkBLXtRbNqwlQ==&ch=-SLEoEFHdj76PSjf-3wuAyeyQC1AmI2rtP6ZUE5s7qDKcjpZVW2QXg==) by April 1. Projects must be scheduled from July 2025 to June 2026. The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority is accepting applications for the following programs:

Tourism & Remote WorkFebruary 12, 2025

Awaji Island: Japan’s ‘First Island’ Offers a Gourmet Taste of a Sustainable Future

Photo Source: https://awajikanko.com/blogg/wp-content/uploads/harusansan1.webp. [Awaji Island](https://pen-online.com/travel/minami-awaji-an-island-city-rich-in-culinary-delights-traditional-crafts-and-theater/), situated in the east of the Seto Inland Sea, boasts lush greenery, rugged mountains, and sacred sites steeped in myth. Revered as the legendary Onokoro Island, it is said to be the first land formed from seawater by the gods Izanagi and Izanami. This deep historical connection contrasts with its vibrant, present-day character. Easily accessible from Osaka or Kobe, the island is just a short drive across the towering Akashi Kaikyo Bridge. Known as Miketsukuni, or a ‘Land of Food,’ Awaji’s legacy as a culinary treasure lives on through exquisite local ingredients and innovative approaches to wellbeing and sustainability. The island straddles myth and modernity, past and future, offering a singular destination where history resonates, nature thrives, and greener possibilities bloom. Nowhere is Awaji Island’s commitment to sustainability more evident than at Haru San San, a farm-to-table restaurant championing local, homegrown produce and sustainable agriculture. Situated amidst fields cultivated using circular farming practices, the building itself, designed by Pritzker Prize laureate [Shigeru Ban](https://pen-online.com/travel/shonai-hotel-suiden-terrasse-un-etablissement-chic-dans-un-region-reculee-du-japon/), forms a natural part of the tranquil scenery, incorporating traditional thatched-roof techniques with an eco-conscious hybrid structure of recycled paper tubes and minimal timber.

Tourism & Remote WorkFebruary 4, 2025

Sapporo, Japan Sets an Example for Sustainable Winter Tourism: How the Snow Festival is Fighting Climate Change with Renewable Energy

Excerpt and Photo from travelandtourworld.com The Sapporo Snow Festival, one of the most famous winter events in the world, is set to return for its 75th edition from February 4 to 11, 2025, in Sapporo, Japan’s northern capital. Known for its massive and intricately designed snow sculptures, the festival attracts around 2 million visitors each year, making it a key tourism event not only for Japan but also for international travelers seeking a unique winter spectacle. However, recent years have presented significant challenges that could reshape the festival’s future, influencing both domestic and international tourism trends. **A Global Attraction Facing an Uncertain Future** The Sapporo Snow Festival has long been a staple of Hokkaido’s winter tourism, offering a mesmerizing landscape of ice and snow that draws travelers from all over the world. Tourists visit the city to admire over 200 snow sculptures, some reaching impressive heights of 12 meters or more. In addition to showcasing elaborate ice carvings, the event features light displays, winter-themed performances, and cultural exhibitions. The festival significantly contributes to Sapporo’s economy, hospitality industry, and local businesses, reinforcing its reputation as a premier winter travel destination. However, organizers now face a combination of climate, financial, and staffing challenges that threaten to disrupt the festival’s sustainability. The increasing operating costs, declining sponsorships, and rising temperatures due to climate change have added complexity to maintaining this grand event. **The Impact of Climate Change on the Festival and Global Winter Tourism** One of the festival’s biggest concerns in recent years has been climate change. The global rise in temperatures has led to irregular snowfall patterns in Hokkaido, which makes collecting and maintaining the large amounts of snow needed for the sculptures more difficult. Organizers have noted that in previous years, the winter climate was much colder, ensuring stable ice structures. However, more frequent warmer spells, sometimes reaching 5-6°C, are now melting the sculptures prematurely, forcing organizers to rethink how they can preserve the snow structures for the festival’s duration.

Tourism & Remote WorkDecember 16, 2024

Hit by blackouts, Cuba’s tourism industry now braces for Trump

With winter nights drawing in across North America, Canadian “snowbirds” – citizens who flee their freezing temperatures for sunnier climes every year – are planning their annual trips to Florida or the Caribbean. Traditionally, Cuba has been hugely popular among Canadians, drawn to the pristine white sands of beach resorts like Varadero. They fill the void left by Americans wary of the travel restrictions imposed on them under the continuing [US economic embargo](https://cu.usembassy.gov/services/traveling-to-cuba/) of the largest island in the Caribbean. Figures show that [almost one million](https://www.travelweek.ca/blog/goals-and-gains-cuba-tourist-board/) Canadian tourists visited Cuba last year, the top country of origin for visitors by some margin.

Tourism & Remote WorkDecember 2, 2024

Paradise lost? How cruise companies are ‘eating up’ the Bahamas

Joseph Darville has fond memories of swimming with his young son off the south coast of Grand Bahama island, and watching together as scores of dolphins frolicked offshore. A lifelong environmentalist now aged 82, Darville has always valued the rich marine habitat and turquoise blue seas of the [Bahamas](https://www.theguardian.com/world/bahamas), which have lured locals and tourists alike for generations. The dolphins are now mostly gone, he says, as human encroachment proliferated and the environment deteriorated. “You don’t see them now; the jetskis go by and frighten them off. “There’s a lot going on. It’s a tragedy – and continues to be a tragedy,” says Darville. Now, he fears further acceleration of the decline, with the scheduled opening next year of Carnival Cruise Line’s vast [Celebration Key resort](https://celebrationkeygrandbahama.com/about-celebration-key), now under construction on the island’s south coast. The sprawling entertainment complex across a mile-long beach, already stripped of its [protective mangroves](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/13/fiji-magrove-destruction-why-tourism-restoration-plan-importance-the-price-of-paradise), will ultimately bring up to an additional 4 million people a year to the island, Carnival says, with four of its ships able to dock simultaneously. Concerns about giant cruise ships bringing multitudes of tourists, [and pollution](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/04/cruise-ships-polluting-uk-coast-as-they-ignore-greener-power-options), to the ecologically fragile Bahamas are nothing new. Neither is the concept of foreign-owned cruise companies buying land to build private retreats exclusively for their passengers: Disney’s Castaway Cay, a private island near Great Abaco, last year celebrated its 25th birthday.

Tourism & Remote WorkNovember 12, 2024

Why you should go island-hopping through Estonia’s western isles

Photograph by Simon Bajada. Retrieved from nationalgeographic.com In western Estonia, drama unfolds not in the landscapes, but in the stories that bubble beneath their surface. My first inkling of this comes when I board a car ferry called Toll the Great, bound for the island of Muhu. The modest strip of land I find myself gliding towards is so flat and featureless it looks like it’s been ironed onto the water, whereas the tale of Toll — mythical strongman, sauna master and hero of Saaremaa, an island connected to Muhu by bridge — has all the theatrics of a rollercoaster epic. I imagine Toll towering in his farmer’s garb, muscles bulging, as he rushes through the waves to help embattled sailors in stormy weather. Or wielding an iron axe as he single-handedly fends off encroaching armies and foreign bullies. Armed with Toll’s legends — which are pasted onto the wall of the boat like everyday adverts — I drive off the ferry gangplank an hour later ready for adventure. With five days in front of me, my plan is to island-hop, dropping anchor in Muhu, Saaremaa, Abruka and Kihnu to explore the unique cultures and common histories of their communities. It’s peak summer, but you wouldn’t know it as the car slips down Muhu’s empty, spruce-lined roads. Chalk driveways corkscrew off towards isolated thatched-roof cottages and wooden farmhouses encircled by moss-covered dry-stone walls typical of the islands. It’s as still as a watercolour. When I arrive at Muhu Veinitalu for lunch, I have it almost to myself — and owner Peke Eloranta is happy to show me around his vine-bordered passion project. Wearing a faded blue blazer and a stained, torn cowboy hat, he pours me a glass of his sparkling rosé and proudly introduces Veinitalu as a B&B and restaurant but, most importantly, the only winery in Estonia — and, he believes, the most northerly in the world.