News that has caught Chris' eye in the Travel World

Ethiopia voted the “World’s Most Welcoming Country” (21 June, 2017)

Listeners to the Chris Robinson Travel Show will be aware that I have just returned from Ethiopia earlier this month and was wowed by the country and its people. Now there’s news that Ethiopia has been voted the World’s Most Welcoming Country by global followers of Rough Guides; one of the leading travel guide publishers known for its “tell it like it is” reviews.

According to the review, digital followers of Rough Guides were asked to share their experiences of the most hospitable places around the world - and voted Ethiopia number one. The review called Ethiopia “a profoundly beautiful East African country with a history that stretches back many thousands of years. It was never colonised, so the tribal customs and hospitable traditions you can see here are largely just as they’ve always been.

Take the Ethiopian coffee ceremony: the women of the household meticulously roast, grind and boil the aromatic beans, before presenting three consecutive cups of exceptionally fresh coffee to their guests. The process can last for hours, but it’s considered a real mark of friendship.” 

Hurricane Guarantee in the Cayman Islands (13 June, 2017)

The Cayman Islands have designated an island-wide “Hurricane Guarantee” for the season just starting. Many Canadians are concerned when they plan their Caribbean vacation in the hurricane season that their vacation could be adversely affected if their tropical trip turns into a tropical downpour. So The Cayman Islands have come up with this new deal. This summer, the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism is giving travellers peace of mind with a specialty promise that covers cancellations made prior to arrival, and compensation if vacation time is cut short, because of inclement weather. As soon as a hurricane is anticipated, guests are eligible to receive a full refund of accommodation fees at participating hotels, condos and villas island-wide, with a maximum one-night penalty at most for cancellations made up to 48 hours prior to check-in.

Additionally, many properties are offering a free replacement stay throughout the summer months, allowing guests to rebook for the same duration as the initially-booked stay, regardless of how many days were affected by a hurricane or storm. For a list of participating properties, go to visit www.visitcaymanislands.com/hurricaneguarantee

America withdraws from Global Climate Agreement (8 June, 2017)
 

Ensuring the world remains as wonderful tomorrow as it is today is the responsibility of all of us travellers. So it was with profound sadness and disappointment that I noted the decision of the US President to withdraw the US from the Paris Accord on climate change. The US is the second dirtiest country in the world when it comes to carbon pollution and carbon dioxide emissions.  Should the US complete the withdrawal process from the climate deal, it will join Nicaragua and Syria as the only other countries who have not signed the agreement.

In defiance of the President’s decision, many states and cities pledged to fulfill the US commitment anyway. California, New York and Washington State have formed the US Climate Alliance to uphold the Paris climate agreement. The Mayor of Los Angeles is also leading cities in a parallel effort that already has enlisted 150 members. So there are still reasons to hope that the US may yet meet the targets that are needed if we are to leave the world in a better place for the next generation.