Published 9/20/24 at 4:15 a.m.By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff (Oregon Coast) – It gives the term “new moon” a whole other, second meaning. (Photo courtesy ISS in 2015: the Pacific Northwest and Oregon / Washington coast seen from space.) Earth will get a second “mini moon” next week – but only temporarily as it…
Scientists submerged themselves to investigate the Titan submersible and discovered a shocking new theory. The 6.7 metre submersible imploded as it descended to the Titanic wreck in June 2023. Titan had five passengers on board who subsequently all died from the sub’s violent inwards collapse. They were hoping to discover more about the Titanic and…
The official launch of Clear Boat Bahamas checks all of the boxes needed for local companies to take advantage of the growing number of tourists who come to The Bahamas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation Chester Cooper said yesterday, at Clear Boat’s launch ceremony at Elizabeth on Bay.Cooper said the company’s environmental focus, tourist-forward offering and ambitious expansion plans into the Family Islands, are the kinds of precepts needed by future companies that wish to grow from small businesses to large businesses.“So you’re ticking all the boxes. This is good for tourism. It’s good for entrepreneurship,” said Cooper.“You’re sending a signal to the rest of The Bahamas that there are indeed opportunities in tourism. You’re young, you’re energetic, you’re intelligent.”He added: “You must succeed, because here is a business, a great idea, that’s ticking all the boxes.“You must succeed, because each day, when I speak at events like this, I encourage other young people to get involved in business and get involved in the tourism industry.”The concept of Clear Boat is simple, the company’s boats are made completely of transparent material that allows passengers to see through to the bottom of the ocean as they tour.The company also promoted its Jet Car Bahamas experience, which rents jet boats fashioned to look like two-seater sports cars.Clear Boat co-owner Lincoln Deal said yesterday during the ceremony that with a fleet of four clear boats, they hope to expand to Exuma, Bimini and Grand Bahama.“We believe that innovation and tourism should be married,” said Deal.“The tourism industry should never be stagnant. This industry has so much potential, and we owe it to ourselves and our country to keep pushing the envelope.“That is why we didn’t just stop with the kayaks or the jet cars or the other adventures that we have tapped into. But today, we are proud to announce that we will be expanding to Exuma, and Bimini and Grand Bahama…. with something truly groundbreaking… a few more adventures that we’ll be announcing shortly.”“We want to revolutionize the way that people see and experience The Bahamas.”Deal said Grand Hyatt, SLS, Rosewood, Majestic Tours, Leisure Tours, and one of the cruise ships have all already committed contractually to working with Clear Boat Bahamas.Cooper encouraged Deal and his partners to consider franchise opportunities to expand their business to other islands in The Bahamas and throughout the Caribbean.
Faro municipality is getting ready to celebrate World Tourism Day on September 27. The event aims to educate the local community on the significance of tourism and its positive impact on society, culture, politics, and the economy, emphasizing the sector’s potential for positive change.
In keeping with previous years, residents and visitors will be entitled to free entry to the Faro Municipal Museum and the Algarve Regional Museum throughout the day.
Visitors can join the ‘Faro to Discovery’ initiative to explore the municipality’s rich cultural heritage through two Guided Visits scheduled at 10h00 and 15h00 in the Historical Centre and Downtown.
The tours will be conducted in Portuguese and English and last approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Attendance is free, but email registration ([email protected]) is obligatory.
Recognizing the importance of tourism for the local community, Faro City Council plans to launch its new tourist website, www.faro.pt, on this occasion. The user-friendly website offers comprehensive tourism information and is tailored for residents and tourists alike. It allows users to discover the municipality’s tourism offerings and organize their trips from start to finish.
Home Entertainment Meet India’s first actor to give Rs 100 crore hit film, it’s not Amitabh, Shah Rukh, Salman, Rajinikanth, Aamir, Kamal Haasan, Chiranjeevi, Akshay This movie was a major success in India, earning over Rs 100 crore and the major earnings came from overseas, especially in the Soviet Union. Meet India’s first actor to…
Once a thriving diamond mining settlement in the Namib Desert, Kolmanskop in southern Namibia is now a hauntingly beautiful ghost town, slowly being reclaimed by the sand.Abandoned since the 1950s, this eerie yet captivating location has become a haven for dark tourism, drawing in visitors from around the world who are intrigued by its unique history and the surreal landscape of crumbling buildings swallowed by dunes.Kolmanskop’s story begins on 14 April 1908, when a railway worker discovered a diamond while clearing sand from the tracks.After reporting to his German supervisor, August Stauch, this barren corner of Namibia transformed into a bustling town, flush with wealth and German influence, according to Kerdowney Africa.The German colonial government swiftly declared the area a Sperrgebiet – a restricted zone where only licensed miners could search for diamonds.The newfound wealth from easily accessible diamond deposits soon turned Kolmanskop into a fully developed settlement, complete with luxuries rarely seen in such remote locations.By the 1920s, Kolmanskop had blossomed into a town that boasted opulent amenities for its residents.It featured a hospital, ballroom, power station, theatre, school, and even southern Africa’s first x-ray station.The town’s thriving community enjoyed luxuries like a swimming pool, ice factory, and a four-lane bowling alley. In addition, Kolmanskop had the first tram system on the continent, connecting it to nearby Lüderitz.However, Kolmanskop’s prosperity was short-lived.After World War I, the global demand for diamonds plummeted, and richer diamond fields were discovered further south near Oranjemund.By the 1930s, Kolmanskop’s diamond deposits were nearly exhausted, and the town began to decline.By 1954, the town was abandoned, leaving behind a time capsule of German colonial life, slowly succumbing to the advancing sands of the Namib Desert.Today, Kolmanskop is a popular destination for those intrigued by abandoned places and dark tourism.The desert has gradually overtaken the town, with sand filling the once-elegant Victorian homes and public buildings.Doors creak ajar, fixed in place by sand, while windows are clouded by years of harsh desert winds.The swimming pool, once a hub for miners’ families, now stands empty, while the once-grand houses are slowly being consumed by red sand.Inside the town’s former hospital and homes, dunes reach waist-high, spilling through broken windows and cracked walls.Despite its eerie, decayed appearance, Kolmanskop remains alive with history and memories, offering a powerful reminder of the fragility of human settlement in harsh environments.In 1980, the De Beers mining company began restoring parts of Kolmanskop, transforming it into a museum open to the public.Visitors can now explore the town on guided tours, learning about its history, the lives of its former residents, and the rise and fall of the diamond industry that once sustained it.
Elizabeth Banks is teaming up with Matthew Macfadyen to headline Peacock’s upcoming marital dramedy series, ‘The Miniature Wife.’ Filming is slated to begin in Toronto, Canada, on January 27, 2025, and run until July 8, 2025. Banks and Macfadyen will star as Lindy and Les, respectively, a married couple who try to re-evaluate the power dynamics within their relationship, which, in a way, takes the form of a battle, in the aftermath of a technological accident.
Anti-tourism protests in Spain have taken a blow – as plans to keep out foreigners are rejected. Protesters against mass tourism in Majorca have been dealt a crushing blow as an initiative aimed at restricting the sale of homes to foreigners is rejected in parliament. A plan to restrict the sale of homes to foreigners…
Cruise ships turned away, angry locals protesting against visitors, even cities charging tourists to visit. The images and reality of the backlash against mass tourism are becoming increasingly familiar.Whatever the reasons behind such mass tourism — the ability to book independently online, improvements in infrastructure and communications such as cheaper airline travel, and pent-up demand following the COVID-19 pandemic — it is clear that the backlash against it has also surged recently.In an industry already challenged by the growing ability of people to book online and travel independently, not to mention the economic damage caused by the pandemic, the question arises as to how tour operators and other travel companies are reacting to such new challenges and the backlash. It is another big moment for the industry.“While there are challenges, such as adapting to the shift toward independent online bookings and recovering from the pandemic’s impact, we see this as a critical moment to reassess and refine our offerings,” said Duncan Greenfield-Turk, chief travel designer at London-based Global Travel Moments. “It’s about finding a balance between meeting client demand and being responsible stewards of the destinations we promote.”For Greenfield-Turk and his company, such responsibility has translated into more sustainable travel initiatives such as smaller groups touring at off-peak times and longer stays in single locations to both minimize environmental impact and reduce strain on local communities.Such a change in focus can also lead to far more authentic experiences for the traveler. Off-the-beaten-path destinations can also tick off items on many people’s bucket lists just as well while supporting the local economy, says Adeline Kuroki, owner of Colorado-based tour operator Savor & Soak Travel, which focuses on tours of Japan.“This leads to better trips for my clients, as they won’t be battling crowds, and supports the economies of smaller cities and out-of-the-way destinations that are eager to welcome inbound travelers,” Kuroki said.Italy as a test case?Arguably nowhere in the world is the challenge of mass tourism and the backlash against it bigger than in Italy, one of the world’s most visited countries where tourism is a major factor in the country’s economy. According to Statista data, tourism contributed approximately 10.5% of Italy’s gross domestic product in 2023.Hotels increasingly sell out months in advance, tickets to major attractions such as the Vatican museums and the Uffizi Art Gallery in Florence become unobtainable, and cities become overrun with crowds.While expert tour operators can offer tickets to such attractions as part of their selling point, there is also a move away from the more obvious hot spots. Indeed, focusing on lesser-known areas can also be a big opportunity.Tourist Italy, for example, launched its “Italy with a Twist” program in January precisely to offer more off-the-beaten-track locations. The Florence-based company’s Tuscany day tour, for example, includes a visit to Lucca, a city described by founder Ben Julius as “underrated” and a “hidden gem.”Since January, the company has seen a 43% increase in customers seeking activities and tours in Italy that go beyond the traditional route, Julius added. There are similar numbers for the Japanese arm of the business too. Just as there is increasing demand for the obvious, therefore, there also appears to be increasing demand for the less so. “This is a reflection of the wider ‘slow travel’ trend, which has seen a growing desire among tourists for experiences that enable them to connect with their destination’s true, authentic culture,” Julius said. “This result is highly encouraging, and we see a real opportunity to change the way people travel and experience Italy.”Featured Local SavingsPivoting to new opportunitiesOther tour operators contacted for this article tell a similar story.French operator Japan Experience, for example, said it has faced the direct consequences of local government action to attempt to defuse mass tourism such as implementing new taxes and even closing down well-known tourist streets in the country.The company’s response has been to double down on its previous efforts to widen the amount of attractions and venues it can offer visitors to Japan.“We aim to make travelers to Japan discover other destinations than the ones suffering from overtourism, even working with prefectures to highlight their appeal and drive travelers further than the overused Tokyo-Kyoto axis,” said CEO Thierry Maincent.U.K.-based Exodus Adventure Tours, which offers small group trips to the likes of the less well-trodden Loire Valley in France or wilderness trips to Finland that can steer clear of the popular Lapland region, says 92% of the accommodations it offers are locally owned, with 87% of the meals it offers also locally sourced.“By prioritizing off-the-beaten-path destinations and supporting local communities, we strive to contribute positively while acknowledging the challenges that come with travel,” the company said in a statement.It’s not always an easy balance — you wouldn’t want to stop people visiting hot spots in Italy, for example, if that was their first visit to the country, said Julius at Tourist Italy.But with the challenges of mass tourism growing harder, as well as the backlash against it becoming more strident, there are ethical considerations as well as opportunities for different offerings.“As a travel designer, I believe there’s a moral responsibility to ensure that our industry does not contribute to the degradation of the very destinations that attract travelers,” said Greenfield-Turk at Global Travel Moments. “It’s not just about making money — it’s about preserving these places for future generations. The growing awareness of overtourism has actually encouraged us to be more creative and thoughtful in designing trips that are not only enjoyable but also sustainable.”CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINERResponsible travel planners increasingly understand they need to offer more, said Kuroki at Savor & Soak Travel.“Booking clients a trip to only the most popular destinations involves less work and research for the travel planner, but I think it really does the whole profession a disservice, as it begs the question ‘What value did you add to the trip?’” she said. Nick Thomas is a writer based in Denver.
Whether our dogs are big or small, we’d love them to stay by our side for as long as possible. However, we know that our pups’ lifespans are shorter than ours, so all we can do is ensure they’re as happy and healthy as possible.Of course, some breeds tend to live longer than others, and we often find that smaller breeds live longer – it’s not unusual for dogs like chihuahuas and toy poodles to approach even their late teens.In contrast, bigger dogs like great danes are expected to live between eight and 10 years, though many die at a younger age, whether they get all the love, treats, and even the very best dog food. Zeus, the world’s tallest dog, died earlier this year at the age of four, with his dog mom Brittany Davis telling National Geographic, “It happened so, so fast. He was fine one moment, and the next he wasn’t.”So, how long do dogs live, and why? Well, now, scientists are beginning to understand why big dogs tend to die younger.One theory as to why larger dogs don’t live as long is related to their growth. According to Silvan Urfer, a veterinarian who works on the Dog Aging Project, dogs tend to be the same size as newborns regardless of breed.As a result, big dogs have a lot more growing to do after birth. As cells divide, telomeres – protective bits of DNA on the end of chromosomes – get shorter, and the body will produce more oxidative molecules that can damage DNA. So, Urfer explains to National Geographic, large dogs will “accumulate damage in their cells for each division, including telomere attrition and … oxidative damage.”Hence, big dogs can age faster than their smaller counterparts. This aligns with Urfer’s previous research that suggests large dogs develop age-related cataracts earlier than small dogs.Get the best advice, tips and top tech for your beloved PetsMeanwhile, Jack Da Silva, a geneticist at the University of Adelaide, says that there’s a relationship between the size of a dog and their likelihood of dying from cancer – and the same thing is echoed in humans, with taller people at a higher risk for most types of cancer.However, across other animals, larger species both live longer and have a lower risk of cancer, something known as Peto’s paradox. Da Silva thinks that the paradox may only hold water when animals adapt to having bigger bodies through evolution. “It could be that because large breeds have been developed fairly recently, in the last 200 years, that there just hasn’t been enough time for large breeds to evolve better cancer defenses,” he explains.He’s looking into whether there could be a correlation between the age of a dog breed and the risk of cancer, but with a lack of genetic information on older dog breeds, the research has been limited so far.So, while research is going on, there are still things we don’t know yet. In the meantime, why not take a look at our 32 tips for taking care of senior dogs, brush up on these seven behavioral changes in elderly dogs, and of course give your own pup plenty of love and affection!