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A group of friends in Oaxaca, Mexico are designing the 2011
Responsible Tourism Fair, Planeta.com's 11th event since
2001 and a veritable model of frugality and slow travel.
From January 30-Feburary 9 the event takes place in multiple
locations in Oaxaca City and surrounding towns.
Visitors had a number of options, including weaver-guided walks
in Teotitlán del Valle, photosafaris in public parks
and authentic indigenous meals including Caldo de Piedra (Chinanteco),
Maatsy (Ayuuk) and tamales (Ayuuk and Zapotec-style). Self-guided
treasure hunts asks foodies to try various cheeses, chocolates
and mezcal. Photographers are invited to share photos in relevant
Flickr Groups with prizes to be awarded.
PHOTOGRAPHY
One of the hallmarks of the Responsible Tourism Fair is that
most of the events are documented by the participants - locals
and visitors alike. We encourage participants to share their
favorite photos and videos via Flickr and YouTube and join in
the mapping fun via Gowalla and Foursquare. As part of our commitment
to Responsible Travel Photography we ask photographers to first
ask permission. Want to be responsible and have fun? We encourage
you to upload photos to Flickr
Groups. Featured groups include World Food , Árboles
de Oaxaca (Oaxaca Trees), Si Mas Bicicletas (Yes more bicycles)
World Market and a dozen more. Online viewers can show support
by favoriting the photos taken during the fair or adding pictures
from where you live to the groups.
RESPONSIBLE TOURISM
Responsible
tourism is treating others the way they wish to be treated.
A growing number of travelers want their journeys to be less
invasive and more beneficial to the local community. They want
to better understand the culture of the people they meet in
the places they visit. VIsitors should be mindful that they
are entering a place that is someone else's home. Interpretation
begins long before the trip and ends long afterward. Those who
enjoy a trip will look back fondly for the rest of their lives.
MODEL EVENT
Can this event be replicated elsewhere? Yes! For those who
would like to create their own tourism fair, check out the recommendations.
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