1. 2012
U P D A T E
A N NA’ S TRAVE LO GU E
LEFT: ONE OF MY FAVOURITE
PLACES IN SAMOA: LAFAGA BAY
ABOVE: SPEAKING AT PAITC
March - December, 2012
Hi Dear Friends with dear friends and leading lights in values in business as he has been a key
I’ started this “travelogue” in July for sustainable tourism (Rachel Dodds, source of inspiration for conscious
the period beginning March. I never Ruth Marr and Jacqueline Kuehnel) as travel.
finished it so have since tried to bring it well as dear BC friends Rick Antonson, All it then took was a relatively short
up to date without it getting too long. Rod Harris, Gordon Bell and Kevan flight from Toronto back to London and
What an incredible year! Ridgeway - to name but a few!. I’m the chance to spend some time with
indebted to Graham and Kevan for
In early March, I left Auckland for my daughter and husband Jon in
recommending me to Lyle Hall the
Toronto where I spoke at the Canadian Greenwich and attend to UK financial
organizer and Lyle for agreeing to invite
Tourism Marketing Summit on guess issues and put a plan in place to deal
me! I was also thrilled to meet Chip
what – Conscious Travel! A short time with the UK fallout of that “d…m”
Conley – founder of the Joie de Vivre
in Toronto did enable me to catch up leaky condo. It was Mother’s Day while
hotel group and successful speaker on
COUNTDOWN IN LONDON NEW ST PANCRAS STN. BIRTHDAY SHEPHERDS PIE!

2. Auckland - Toronto - London - Sydney - Darwin
I was there and Kat, who is an amazing and PATA hosts John King, Chris Flynn
cook, baker, and aspiring domestic and Ian Kennedy who have been great
goddess, made a fabulous Sunday lunch supporters over the years. The content
and cooked delicious lemon cake to
celebrate the occasion. I was blessed
of the meeting was very rich and
stimulating and caused me to reflect on
MEMORIES
with beautiful weather and saw London what a strong influence indigenous
at its Spring best. Fortunately I left people have had on my life, thinking,
before that pesky jet stream perspective both in Canada when I was
repositioned itself and caused a record in Labrador and BC; in Bali – the most
breaking year for rain & flooding. impactful trip I have ever made to a
place back in 1973, in the US (where I
The London stay was all too short and learned more about myself from a
on March 23rd I took off again in Lakota medicine woman in a weekend in
response to an invitation by the Oregon than from any psychologist) the
Australian Tourism Export Council to Maori, my dear Samoan friends
speak at two conferences – one in (although they wouldn’t call themselves
Darwin on Indigenous Tourism and the indigenous) and my new contacts in KAT & JON
other at their annual Summit on the Bhutan. It became clear as I prepared for
Sunshine Coast on the Conscious Travel Darwin that the western world must
Market and implications for tourism in spend time learning from our indigenous
Australia. colleagues about the power of place and
the importance of connecting with the
The Darwin experience was very land and living in harmony with it.
positive for a number of reasons. I got
to meet and make new friends with Thanks to the generosity of Northern
many tourism practitioners from the Territories Tourism I was able to extend
indigenous tourism community in my trip by a day so that I could get out
Australia. Canada, New Zealand and the sterile confines of a modern
America as well as meet up with ATEC convention centre and see a little of the
north of Australia. I was able to have a PAITC F RIENDS
one day experience with an lovely
THE CONFERENCE ON aboriginal lady and her husband who run
INDIGENOUS TOURISM MADE a small tour company and visit a
regional park and walkthrough real
A DEEP IMPACT &
Ozzie bush alongside deep clear streams
STRENGTHENED MY & waterfalls, and learn how the original
COMMITMENT TO CONSCIOUS
TRAVEL
TESS
CROCODILE COUNT RY !

3. The western world must spend more time learning from indigenous
cultures about the power & sacredness of places
inhabitants of this vast land made a on its own. I was retained to prepare a
good life for themselves. thought piece and compile evidence of
ways in which growing numbers of
Then it was off back to Sydney to see businesses are seeing that conservation NE W ZE AL AN D
the two wonderful Donnas – Donna is their responsibility too and to
Meredith who has been such a help present the rationale for business
getting me work in Australia and Donna involvement. I was able to make use of
Campbell whom I’ve known as a friend much of the research I had conducted
in Canada since the mid 1980s. Donna by myself for Conscious Travel and it
and her husband Ian were going to be was great to be working with some
spending Easter up at their farm and other very competent and interesting
very kindly offered to let me have the professionals. The other highlight of my
use of their house for a few days so I time in Wellington was meeting up with
was able to collect my thoughts (and, of the Maori friends I had met up with in
course, do my washing) and try to plan Darwin and the chance to explore
the next stage in the journey which was Wellington - the Te Papa museum is
to Wellington where I had work. particularly impressive.
WEL LING TON
Thanks to my trip to Bhutan in The work in Wellington was interesting
February I had met the Business but I tired quickly of staying in
Development Manager for the NZ impersonal chain hotels before a knight
Department of Conservation – David in shining armor, with the name of
Wilks - who liked what I had to say Craig Wilson who is a consulting friend
about the changing role of business. His and colleague living in Nelson, invited
role is to develop closer working me to come and visit for a few days. I
partnerships with the business had always wanted to go to Nelson and
community as there is no longer any it didn’t disappoint. Craig was a
way a government department can wonderful host and I was able to drive
keep pace with the conservation task out to the stunning Abel Tasman Park
and then he took me for a day’s hike in
the Nelson Lakes National Park and we
climbed a mountain together. The NELSON LAKES
I STILL HAVE GREAT HOPES weather was absolutely perfect and the
THAN WHEN I HAVE views amazing. It felt so good to really
DEVELOPED THE PROGAM stretch one’s legs and breath in that
THAT NZ WILL SUPPORT ME clear mountain air. I wish I could have
stayed longer but it was time to move
on ….
ABEL TASMAN BEACH
C RAIG WILSON

4. The warmth, the generosity and sincerity of the Samoan people, long with their
remarkable gifts, never ceases to amaze me and imbue a deep sense of gratitude -
Fa’afetai Lava!
Next Australia’s Gold Coast and the As you can imagine after such a
ATEC summit held at a very impressive colourful, rich, fun trip to a place where
2 01 2 PGA Golf resort north of Brisbane.
Australia reminded me of the UK back
I really felt at home (it’s my 4th visit),
leaving was difficult. Not that I didn’t
in 2006-2007 before the financial crash want to see my daughter and lovely
when the economy seemed always to friends in the UK of course but
be expanding, house prices were rising adjusting to the grey, cold and wet
and people were talking a lot about weather of June and July wasn’t easy.
their “lifestyles”.
The adorable Lynne Gray and partner
Back to Sydney – one night in a self Tim very kindly hosted me in Bedford
catering hotel thanks to ATEC - before for the first week and helped me get
taking a late night flight to Apia, Samoa my car on the road and then I visited
which now feels like my second home. Ed & Suzie Collins at Bearwood Farm,
My dear, dear friends ZIta and Francois Pembridge (next to my house Yew Tree)
Martel had opened up their home to and Anne and Vince Maroney in
A R RIV IN G I N H O B A RT me again so I could rest up and enjoy Winchester while I tried to decide
the Samoan 50th Anniversary of its where to live in the future.
Independence. Well that was the theory
but in fact there was no chance to be Somehow I had to stop this wandering
idle as so much always goes in little and get a place of my own. The state
Samoa – boredom is impossible! I very kindly paid me my state pension
really don’t know where to start or end retroactively from the time I turned 60
it was so full – to watch Zita and her some 3 years ago and I could use that
crew train for the big Fautasi race, win to pay rent in advance. Anne
their heats and smash the competition introduced me to Alresford and the
(I have hundreds of pictures of Gods appear to have moved heaven and
handsome Samoans in boats); the fire earth to present me with a delightful
dancing competition; meeting the young cottage to rent. It is a godsend – as it is
sailors of the seven huge ocean going very much me and I can be happy there
canoes that have been sailing across the for a while as I get Conscious Travel
G A L A PAG O S Pacific to rejuvenate ancient established and funded.
navigational skills and draw attention to
the horrendous plastic pollution which If you type in the postal code SO24
is despoiling that vast ocean; and 9PA into Google Maps for the UK you’ll
marching as a proud member of the see that I am near the beautiful
Polynesian Xplorer team on cathedral city of Winchester, in what’s
Independence Day behind Zita in full called Jane Austin country and
traditional dress and in front of all the surrounded by the same chalk downs I
dignatories of the South Pacific …. grew up with as a child. I am also only
POLYNESIAN XPLORER
WELC OME COMMITT EE

5. I could not have survived 2011-2012 without my friends and family.
an hour away from Oxford. The cottage Consciente” is being promoted. I with the challenges ahead.
is a perfect size for me with an open conducted a couple of workshops in the
fireplace, a little garden, cosy cottage capital and was really fortunate to join Unfortunately, “extreme weather” will
feel, and it overlooks woodland with other senior delegates and get to visit be the new normal. Britain went from a
plenty of walking paths through the Galapagos Islands. It was one of the record drought to record flooding in 12
picturesque cottages and farm/ most memorable experiences that months as did parts of the USA. Over
woodland. The chalk streams are a real brought home the fragility of our the past 4 months, in addition to
delight - fast flowing, clear and full of planetary ecosystem. Hurricane Sandy, which got lots of
trout but sadly inaccessible right now publicity, the Philippines experienced an
after all the rain England has had. These past two years have taught me so incredibly intense typhoon that killed
much: over a 1000 and on December 13/14 my
Having my own place with my own beloved Samoa just suffered from
books, office, internet, bed etc. was just a. life can change in an instant: Cyclone Evan - a worse event than the
what I needed to help me focus on b. you can survive what you thought Tsunami in 2009. The Samoans can
Conscious Travel - the first step was to would be unbearable teach us much about resilience but if you
raise awareness of the need not just for c. friendships and family matter above all can help - please visit this page
“sustainability in tourism” but to re- else https://www.facebook.com/
think the whole operating model - how d. the only moment that matters really is SamoaInNeed.
and why we can sustain this economic the present one - nothing lasts
activity going forward. That’s why I have e. we can always choose how we face So I end with heartfelt thanks to all of
done so many speeches and I think whatever is happening at any given you - friends, family and colleagues who
momentum is building albeit slowly. I’ve moment have sustained me in 2012. I hope you
continued working on the book and f. we have so very much to be grateful are with loved ones this Christmas
using my discussions to refine the e- for if we are still breathing and that counting your blessings.
learning program. breathing doesn’t hurt.
I’ll be with my daughter Kat and son-in-
In the Autumn I was on the road again Sadly one by-product of the work I do is law Jon in London celebrating the fact
to Hobart, Tasmania to present to the that I get to see more information that they move into their first house in
Australian Hospitality Association, after pertaining to “what’s happening out 2013.
which I got to spend some time in there” than most. We’re in for quite a
Launceston with the Lebskis and other bumpy ride. We’re going to have to help Here’s to a peaceful, fulfilling and Happy
dear Tasmanian friends before travelling each other more than ever before and New Year for you too!
to Ecuador. I had been invited to develop resilience. The past two years with Love
present at the joint meeting of the have given me practice!! The focus of the Anna xoxo
UNWTO and the Organisation of last few years of my career will be to
American States’ Annual Summit in help communities and individuals PS: please spread
Quito, where the concept of “Turismo develop the resilience needed to cope www.conscious.travel
NEW ADDRESS
2 Links Cottages
Tichborne Down
Alresford
Hampshire, SO24 9PA
Phone: +44 1962 736 536

6. PHOTOS FROM THIS YEAR
Thank You SPONSORS!!!
The following friends made a very • Catherine Winckler
SOME (!) TOURISM
difficult and challenging 18 months • John & Gina Hayson
possible & enjoyable. I have spoken at
PRESENTATIONS • Tom Steward & Brian Walker
9 tourism industry events over that • Jeremy Zinzan
1. PATA FORUM ON RESPONSIBLE time on a pro bono basis in order to
TOURISM (BEIJING) DEC 2011 • Cheryl Sotheran
develop Conscious Travel .
RISM • John & Di Neighbour
2. PATA-ATEC INDIGENOUS TOU
CONFERENCE (DARWIN) 2012 Without the generosity of the • Fiona Luhrs
following people who gave me a bed
3. PATA ADVENTURE TRAVEL & • Craig Wilson
RESPONSIBLE TOURISM and fed me, I could not have done so.
• Kat & Jon Pollock-Smith
CONFERENCE (BHUTAN) 2012
When we succeed, it will be because
NG • Donna & Ian Campbell
4. CANADIAN TOURISM MARKETI of your faith in me.
SUMMIT (TORONTO) 2012 • Donna Meredith
• Francois & Zita Martel
• Ken & Deanna Stratford
5. ATEC TOURISM SUMMIT
(SUNSHINE COAST) 2012 • Lynne Gray & Tim Douglas
• Valerie & Kevin Sheppard
• Ed & Suzie Collins
6. SAMOA TOURISM COMMUN
ITY • Rachel Dodds
(API A) • Anne & Vince Maroney
• Ellen Van Halderen
• Zoey & Barry Temple-Purcell
7. UNWTO TOURISM & ETHICS • Jo & Crispin Marriott
• Susan Butterworth
• Sarah and Phil Lebski
• Judy Chrastina
• David & Wendy Jackson