Edition 52: Autumn 2010

Rombout Swanborn, CEO of Africa's Eden, the company that has spent much of the past decade linking the travelling world with Gabon, speaks out about being forced to turn his back on the nation he loves.

Edition 51: Summer 2010

Considering malaria is completely preventable, it’s surprising that so many travellers are returning with it to the UK each year. Who is dropping the ball – tourists or the tourism industry? Emma Gregg weighs in.

Edition 50: Spring 2010

The 2010 FIFA World Cup is on the horizon, as are towering costs for transportation and accommodation in South Africa. Could inflated prices in the quest of big profits be blinding those in tourism to the long-term damage they are doing to their industry? Matt Phillips thinks so.

Edition 49: Winter 2009/10

Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Bai Koroma was recently in London to attend the Sierra Leone Trade and Investment Forum 2009. Here are some of his thoughts on the changes he’s seeing in his nation.

Edition 48: Autumn 2009

Frank Glettenberg, Executive Director of Kuoni’s Destination Management unit, recently decided to visit Zimbabwe and see if the nation as a whole was ready
to be placed back in his company’s portfolio of premier African destinations. What he found may surprise you.

Edition 47: Summer 2009

With over 40 Kilimanjaro climbs to his name, Gavin Bate has more than a love for the mountain – he has a special bond with the Tanzanians who help him reach the top. Sadly, he sees many companies who are more intent on maximising profits than on looking after the welfare of the locals they employ.

Edition 46: Spring 2009

For decades travellers have distributed pens, candies or notebooks to hordes of excited children across Africa. While each visitor’s heart was in the right place, their actions were often harmful to the fabric of local communities. TV presenter Kate Humble believes there is a way to harness the continued good will of the travelling public, and to make use of empty space in their luggage, to provide meaningful help to the poor in Africa and around the world. It’s called stuffyourrucksack.com.

Edition 45: Winter 2008/9

Justin Francis, managing director of responsibletravel.com, believes Madagascar must embrace its people and culture as much as it does its endemic wildlife if tourism and – more importantly – conservation is to succeed.

Edition 44: Autumn 2008

Johannes Haasbroek, operations director of Elephant-Human Relations Aid (EHRA), raises a warning about new permits issued for the hunting of desert elephants.

Edition 43: Summer 2008

The fact that trip insurance is now tied to government travel advisories has left many people high and dry when blanket bans have been cast over their impending destinations. Is our government playing fair, or are they truly dropping the ball? Paul Goldstein, who has witnessed the fallout of such bans on Kenya, weighs in…

Edition 42: Spring 2008

The recent move by Zambia to raise the price of its visas radically has led many Britons to travel elsewhere. Will the government’s decision reduce their tourist income in the long run? Probably. Will the tourists’ choice to avoid Zambia cause them to pay more money elsewhere? Possibly. Matt Phillips explores the issues.

Edition 40: Autumn 2007

With Jeremy Clarkson and his Top Gear cohorts recently zooming across its surface – for the entire world to see – the Makgadikgadi pan’s potential plight has come into focus. Pan expert Graham McCulloch discusses the path to its protection.

Edition 39: Summer 2007

While undoubtedly still one of the world’s most spectacular places to view wildlife, the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is clearly under threat from modern pressures. Here, Brian Jackman reflects on the transitions he’s witnessed over the past three decades and ponders how to protect the sweeping savannah’s glory for future generations.

Edition 38: Spring 2007

With more people yearning to do something positive with their vacations, the business of volunteering has bloomed. However, unless managed correctly, even good intentions can have disastrous consequences. Judith Brodie, director of VSO UK, explains how to ensure your efforts are ethical ones.

Edition 37: Winter 2006/7

If global warming continues to play havoc with rainfall patterns, Africans and visitors to Africa may be forced to adapt, says Bob Henson, author of The Rough Guide to Climate Change.