Affordable remote underrated overrated

Expensive middle of nowhere offbeat kitschy

overcrowded?

Explain why.

Ex. 5a) Tours to Belarus. Complete the advertisements of tours to Belarus with appropriate words.

Classic Belarus Group Tour

Trip Code: Classic Belarus Price from: £1,359 pp

Belarus is a hidden gem right in 1)____ the heart of Europe, crisscrossed by ancient trade routes from west 2)_____ east and north 2)_____ south. Over the centuries it has suffered from numerous invasions 3)_____ this has added 4)______ its rich history and culture, not to mention the heroism of 5)_______ people. 6)_______ other countries turned avidly to the west following the fall of communism, Belarus remains in a Soviet time warp[2], which makes 7)____ all the more interesting.

Sightseeing is varied from medieval towns 8)_____ their preserved fortresses and churches to the stark architecture 9)_____ the Soviet times. 10)______ will be time 11)_____ reflect on the great sacrifice of the Belarusian people during World War II at the Stalin Line, Khatyn and the Glory Mound. This group tour will 12)______ limited to 15 persons and will 12)_______ escorted by a Tours Manager from Regent Holidays.

Belarus Explorer

Trip Code: MI Price from: £799.00

Join us to explore the villages, forests and historic cities of Belarus and eastern Poland. We walk and canoe in the Berezinsky National Park and visit the town 13)_____ Polotsk – home to the artist Marc Chagall. We also tour the Belarus 14)________ Minsk and visit the 19th century Russian fortress at Brest.

Wanderlust recommends

1. Marvel at the grandeur of Minsk- Its impressive boulevards and expansive green areas a result of post-war Soviet planning.
2. Step back 15)___ time - In the museum towns of Mir and Nesvizh, both UNESCO World Heritage sites.
3. Take your paints and pencils to Vitebsk- The birthplace of Marc Chagall and home to numerous summer arts 16)_______.
4. Trek through- The ancient forests of Belavezhskaya Puscha National Park, home to 212 species of birds.
5. Venture to the frontier town of Brest - Sitting on the border between Poland and the Ukraine, the symbolic gateway to the old Soviet Union.
6. Delve into folk history - In the small village of Dudutki and shop for traditional wares.

Wanderlust tips for travel in Belarus

If you have room, pack a few rolls of toilet paper. Apart from hotel rooms, you will be lucky 17)_____ find any, including in restaurants and bars. Also, try to 18)______ a few Russian words, which will endear you to the locals.

B)

* What do you think of the adverts? Would you be lured by them?

* What sights would you add to those mentioned in the advertisements?

* Prepare you own advertisement of a tour to Belarus. Decide what sights you would include, how you would travel, what your accommodation would be.

Ex. 6a) Modern types of tourism. Read the article. What are the modern trends in tourism? What can their popularity be attributed to?

Adventure Travel: What's Hot, What's Not.

A week on a Caribbean beach or a jaunt through the tourist capitals of Europe still has its appeal. But how about embarking on an African safari, learning about Mayan civilizations or taking an off-road vehicle, well, off the beaten path. Adventure travel is hot, hot, hot. But some forms of 'adventure' are not, not, not.

Adventure travel, increasingly popular among baby boomers, covers a wide range of activities from camping to mountain biking, wildlife viewings to archaeological expeditions. But it’s as much a mindset, opening yourself up to new experiences and destinations, says Mariel Clayton, an adventure travel specialist with the Flight Centre in Oakville, Ontario.

“For me, ‘adventure’ means anything that challenges you, that you’ve never done before,” says Clayton. “It’s not about hiking Kilimanjaro, but about the intensity of the experience – doing something you’ll remember for the rest of your life.” Already in 2008, Clayton has seen a 30-40% increase in inquiries about adventure travel.

What explains the appeal? Chris Doyle, Director of the Seattle-based Adventure Travel Trade Association attributes it partly to a desire for more “culturally authentic” experiences, and trips that satisfy a growing interest in health, wellness and ecology.

Jeffrey Bernstein, who owns Quest Travel in Vancouver, says tourists are often looking for what he calls “soft adventures,” That means getting more in touch with nature, meeting the locals and enjoying everything that a destination has to offer, as opposed to just taking the standard package deal offered by travel companies or resorts.

What’s Hot

There are some adventure travel hot spots out there, with good reason:

Ecotourism: This type of travel – which appeals to the ecologically-conscious –has risen in popularity. Here, travellers look for locations, such as Costa Rica, where flora, fauna and natural highlights are the prime attractions. There, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve features over 100 species of mammals, 400 species of birds and 2,500 species of plants.

Hiking Adventures: With people practicing more active lifestyles and desiring more “visceral[3]” experiences, it’s no surprise that hiking excursions have grown, says Clayton. She points to Peru’s Inca Trail, with its mix of ruins, mountain scenery, lush forests, and subtropical jungle – all leading to Machu Picchu, known as “the lost city of the Incas”. “It's like visiting a “living museum,” says Clayton,

Authentic Travel: Travellers who are looking to nurture their mind, body and spirit find that Thailand offers the best of all worlds. Tour operators cite the country’s natural beauty, enticing culture (“a spiritual and historical adventure”, says Clayton) and affordability. In areas like Phuket and Koh Samui, the beaches are gorgeous, plentiful and unspoiled – more like “Paradise Lost”, says Clayton, than the typical “packaged” beach vacation. Here, out-of-the-way beach bungalows (for $25 a night) are shacks with no amenities that appeal to those looking for a more authentic experience. With easy access to surrounding countries like Vietnam, Cambodia and Singapore, Thailand is also a great starting point to explore Asia.

Voluntourism: This category that’s rising in popularity. Volunteer travel, at it’s otherwise known, incorporates a community volunteer project with travel to a foreign country, notes Kira Zack of G.A.P Adventures in Toronto. Last year, G.A.P. doubled its number of such “voluntourism” trips, examples of which include assembling wheelchairs for landmine victims in Cambodia or volunteering in a rural village in South Africa to hep develop a pre-school. If you're thinking of holiday plans and you fancy the idea of a holiday not just, 'with a difference', but which, 'makes a difference', then the new trend of voluntourismcould be just the thing for you.

Appealing to people who want to do something enriching in their spare time, as well as relax or go sightseeing, voluntourism is a new wave in the travel industry, which combines holidaying and charity work. Instead of lazing by the pool or taking photographs of the sights, philanthropic travellers, dubbed voluntourists, travel to far-flung locations. Typical voluntourism activities focus on community development (e.g. building projects, planting crops and gardens), education (e.g. teaching English or general literacy), environmental projects (e.g. wildlife protection programmes, reforestation); and social welfare (e.g. caring for orphans, street children or AIDS sufferers).

Date: 2016-01-14; view: 714