Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

Question for all: what do you expect from a world-class World Heritage City?

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

I'll be honest. 'World Heritage' status confuses me. The rules for cities seems to be different than other heritage sites. It will be interesting to see what transpires next week in Oaxaca. Will the event address 'Disneyfication' and gentrification? We'll see! I specifically addressed the notion of 'responsible travel' a concept seemingly more popular in Europe and Asia than the Americas, but one that suits Oaxaca to a T, I believe.

Many thanks for the comments and tweets. I'm learning the ropes of outbounding and you folks have made this first day a truly pleasant and rewarding experience. Thank you very much!

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

One of my favorite radio programs! Foodie news and experiences from Australia. Here's the summary of this episode: "RN First Bite brings you a special hour-long program as part of Orange Wine Week where we examine that three decade transformation, meet some of its major players and discover what lessons other parts of Australia can learn. We meet a German cheese maker, a University wine maker, an investment banker turned vinegar producer and an Iraqi born oboist who still honours the food of his birthplace." Certainly makes me want to visit Orange, New South Wales. Cheers!

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

Good points, Matthew. 

Whether we are explicit about responsible travel or whether we make the goals implicit, the essence is growing -- visitors want travel and tourism experiences that do not undermine locals. That said, how well do local political forces protect the natural and cultural diversity by which their locations are made famous? The 2005 story in Oaxaca with the renovation of the town plaza (zócalo) is one that prompts serious reflection as the changes were made with no prior approval or announcements. That said, what were the procedures to make official complaints? That part of the process (now we call 'history') has never been made clear. It will be interesting to see if next week's meeting addresses the serious shortcomings when it comes to local tourism managers being accountable or not.

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

Thank you for such thoughtful comments. The big event begins tomorrow. The city has cleared the historic center of vendors (ambulantes) and a massive painting effort has been underway for a few days. Still no word whether the sessions will be livestreamed or not. 

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

Love tree spotting and tree photography! I haven't gone anywhere just to see a tree but finding the oldest or most storied trees always makes for a good adventure

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

2014 is Planeta.com's 15th year of online conferencing and blended learning and our 6th annual Responsible Travel Week. Question: How can we make this event a positive case example of combining online networking and face-to-face local travel meetings around the world? Suggestions are most welcome.

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

It's been 1 month since the Mossel Bay Travel Festival. Any additional reflections, lessons learned or news for 2014?

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

Thanks, Matthew. Remember it's not my question but a podcast from Australia's ABC. When tweeting, we should bring @bmay @RadioNational into the conversation as they are the source of this provocative question and podcast (part of The Science Show). Brendan May makes some good points on how face-to-face interaction can accomplish a world of good, but what I found missing in this conversation was the option of remote participation. 

Example: Does it really matter how one travels to COP19 in Warsaw, Poland if there were an option of joining the eco conversation online? For COP20, we'd love to see the press conferences solicit questions from those not in the room. I know that typing on this laptop includes its share of carbon emission as well, but nothing compared to jetting across the world. There's ample room for discussion and exploration of some complicated topics here!

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

Thank you, Bootandbike. I'd encourage you to give a good listen to the podcast http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/scienceshow/are-those-who-fly-with-strong-green-concerns-hypocrites3f/5095586 

It's not just about the vacation travelers, it's about business meetings and official summits. The next climate meetup in Peru or World Parks Congress in Australia will attract thousands of people. My view coincides with the speaker (Brendan May) that face-to-face encounters are vital and we simply don't have time to boot or bike across an ocean. That said, I'd like to see these face-to-face meetings integrated more with telepresence, livestreaming video and other ways to interact. There are far too many meetings and congresses held behind closed doors for the sake of holding a meeting. For environmental congresses and summits, I'd like to see a way of public evaluation (online and local) to gauge whether the meeting delivered. More about these ideas online the Planeta Wiki http://planeta.wikispaces.com/events

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

Recommended listening (2009) from ABC National in Australia: 'Conference' is synonymous with bad food, hard chairs and boring speakers. At least it is for many of us. But it doesn't have to be that way and, in fact, it's already changing. The industry is adapting to meet changing consumer expectations. 

Questions: How do you rate the most recent conferences you've attended in person or as a remote participant? Are conferences adapting or maintaining a business as usual approach? Considering that this conversation is from 2009, are you satisfied with the progress that's been made in the past few years?

Tip: To catch up to the 2013 episodes of Future Tense, listen online or subscribe to the podcast http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/futuretense

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

Hello, everyone. Just a brief recap. The event came and went without much public participation and zero livestreaming video. I'm not sure what happened inside the doors, but outside there was a major transformation of Oaxaca City. The city came to an accord with street vendors that emptied the centro of ambulantes for the first time that anyone remembers. 'Why is the city this nice for only for a few days?' is the popular lament. That said, not everyone is happy with the absence of the vendors. 'Why can't they sell the balloons in the zocalo? These people are part of our intangible heritage,' said one friend. 

The show comes to an end today with repercussions that will echo far into the future. It would be good to see an honest assessment of how future congresses do or do not address the prickly issues we've identified here. I have uploaded a number of photos to my Flickr account -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/planeta -- and if you do run a search, you can compare and contrast.

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

As I board my plane for Houston -- heading home to Nevada by way of Texas -- I want to thank everyone for such inspired comments. As COP19 showed us in Poland, there is a need for more engaging events that work at a global level to reduce carbon emissions. Compared to friends, I fly a lot and I fly a little. (Obviously, I have a wide range of friends!) But what I don't get after years of research and worry is the bird's eye view of aviation. What are we doing to make the aviation system more effective? Sounds like a great Google hangout topic for December or January!

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

What are your favorite living history museums?

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

Never have I loved the humble radish more than on December 23 in Oaxaca!

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

Australia is famous for its natural beauty: the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, Kakadu, the Kimberley. But what about the places almost no one goes? Check out this series from The Conversation and let us know if you've been to these 'unknown' wonders or what other places you'd add to the go-to list.

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

I love that #1 is 'Move Slowly' ... these are good tips that can be modified for any place on the planet.

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

Thanks, Matthew. Check out the wonderful feature on Transitions Abroad. It provides ten tips for authentic travel. Going slow is Tip #1 but not the only suggestion. That said, if one wants to *authentically* experience a place, I believe slow is the way to go. Many times I visit places on business trips, a responsible travel conference in Belize or a summit in Quebec and these are worthy endeavors but there's no way that I can say I've experienced these places if I haven't had the time to give public transport a go, to check out the local markets and meet up with locals who can direct me to the under-the-radar places of interest. That said, I think the challenge for travel media pros as well as locals invested in tourism is to provide the necessary tips so that one with limited time can enjoy the place and people to the fullest. Most visitors want at least a taste of what's local's authentic and if time is an issue, then it's incumbent on the locals to present the menu of options.

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

December 11 is International Mountain Day <http://www.fao.org/mnts/intl_mountain_day_en.asp> which celebrates sustainable mountain development. What are examples of mountain travel which benefit locals and visitors? Are there any particular mountains you'd like to climb?

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

Beautiful photos! Do you have photo safaris or photo walks in Helsinki?

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

As a coffee fan, I've always enjoyed visiting coffee farms and it's good to read Tim's take on Perceptive Travel. Wishlist: It would be great to see a map of local coffee farms that invite visitors!

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

Beautiful feature. I feared that it would be a culinary guide to eating the wildlife.

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

Do you say this is controversial because of the lack of source materials and references or other reasons?

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

Can travel writers produce content that both pays the bills and isn't compromised by the influence of travel companies and tourism boards?

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

Kudos to Forbes for a remarkable list of travel trends for 2014. What impresses me are the decked out buses. If public transport can provide free wifi, that's a reason to leave the steering wheel behind during commutes. 

Ten years ago we hosted the online Environmental Impact of Transportation e-conference. Perhaps it's time to spotlight transportation trends again via a series of Google hangouts. What works, what doesn't? We'll certainly put this on the agenda during Responsible Travel Week (Feb 10-16).

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

As always, a fun take of the lists on Skift. My cynical question: do publishers stress anniversaries as a real reason to visit a particular place or as a means to cultivate advertising income?

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

One of my favorite writers delivers an exceptional presentation! Twitter handle https://twitter.com/tranquilotravel; Website: http://blog.joshuaberman.net

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

I love Greg's photo that accompanies the essay. Á propos 'Toward the maze' reads the sign!

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

Kudos to Henry Brean @RefriedBrean for a terrific profile of a Nevada conservationist, Terri Robertson. Key quote: "Nature is nourishing,” Robertson said. “It’s been a great friend.”

Ron Mader Ron Mader @ronmader

The 4th and 5th lectures made me curious about the logistics! I absolutely love the format of the talks -- lecture followed by a healthy Q&A session.