Loveland, CO (OPENPRESS) September 25, 2009 --
Lifetree Adventures today announced their Christian travel destinations for 2010. With 16 destinations including Vanuatu and Peru there is now a destination for everyone.Volunteers will be able to walk among biblical ruins and help bring in a harvest to feed hungry Israeli children, or live on an Amazon riverboat cruising up the Ucayali River and then stopping at an Indian village to help build their church.The 16 Christian travel destinations for 2010 include:
Alaska Christian Travel ItineraryVolunteers will journey into the Alaskan bush where they will live in a village and work alongside men, women, and their families. Experience everyday life in the Alaskan wild, and spend time learning about their traditions. Life in the village is very hard, and the time volunteers spend with them, showing God’s love to these amazing people, will make a difference for years to come.
http://www.lifetreeadventures.com/alaskafamily.asp...
Costa Rica Christian Travel ItineraryFrom cool, moist rainforests to sun-kissed beaches, Costa Rica offers something for everyone seeking adventure. This land is stunningly beautiful and peaceful—there hasn’t been an army in Costa Rica since 1949. http://www.lifetreeadventures.com/costarica.aspx
Egypt Christian Travel ItineraryVolunteers will see the Great Pyramid, the only Ancient Seven Wonders of the World” still standing, ride by camel among the pyramids, walk through massive temples in Luxor, and be transported back to a time when pharaohs ruled the land. http://www.lifetreeadventures.com/egypt.aspx
Israel Christian Travel ItineraryIn Israel the word “old” should be used sparingly— most of its cities’ ages are counted not in centuries, but in millennia. Israel is home to many UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and of course there is Jerusalem—a historical and spiritual home to the three main religions of the world. Christian travelers with Lifetree will serve in homes and help at a food bank. http://www.lifetreeadventures.com/israel.aspx
Kenya Christian Travel ItineraryIn the capital city of Nairobi, volunteers will work alongside Christ’s followers who selflessly help some of the city’s poorest people. The work that needs to be done includes: feeding programs, healthcare, vocational education, providing homes for children of parents who have died of AIDS, and empowering church leaders with training seminars. http://www.lifetreeadventures.com/kenya.aspx
Mazatlan Christian Travel ItineraryVolunteers will make a real difference in Mazatlan as they help build a home for a well-deserving family. Not only will they learn a couple of new skills, they’ll dig into the Mexican culture and feel at home in a suburb of Mazatlan. You’ll make new friends as you work alongside the people who will live in the house once it’s done. And you’ll take home wonderful memories of your service to people in need. It will be an unforgettable trip. http://www.lifetreeadventures.com/mazatlan.aspx
Peru Christian Travel ItineraryFor over 25 years Group Workcamp’s ministry partners have been reaching the people of the Ucayali River by boat. But recently they completed a new, large sailing vessel—the Evangelista—to expand their work of bringing the good news to the people on the river. This boat will be travelers’ home away from home. Be a part of a ministry expedition to serve, share experiences, and even learn from villagers. Volunteers will help educate, develop relationships, take part in construction projects, be a part of church activities, and micro-business development will make an impact on the community. http://www.lifetreeadventures.com/peru.aspx
For more information, or to reserve a spot on the new Christian travel itineraries, travel agents and travelers can go to http://www.lifetreeadventures.com/ or call 800-747-2157 Monday through Friday MST.Lifetree Adventures is a new division of Group Workcamps Foundation, a leading non-profit mission organization offering Christian travel trips for youth and adults for over 30 years.
Lifetree offers Christian travel options to Kenya, Thailand, Peru, New Orleans, Israel, Mazatlan, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Uganda and Vanuatu with new destinations being constantly added. Through Group Workcamps, over 250,000 volunteers have provided more than 7 million hours of volunteer service to projects in hundreds of U.S. and international locations.Contact:Michelle Clavijo-DiazLifetree AdventuresLoveland, CO800-747-2157 http://www.lifetreeadventures.com/ .
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Sep 6, 2009
Bahamas Growing the Religious Travel Market
Article Link: http://www.thenassauguardian.com/religion/299774866559256.php
By STAFF WRITER ~ Nassau Guardian:
The Ministry of Tourism(MOT) is taking aggressive measures to receive a chunk of the religious tourism niche market — an 18 billion dollar industry which has the potential of providing The Bahamas with year-round visitors, according to MOT's Deputy Director Religious Group Market Linville Johnson.
Johnson said his department is working along with approximately 20 denominations to increase the number of visitors who attend religious events in the country annually.
Johnson was speaking at the first annual Kingdom Seminar hosted by international author and consultant Dr. Myles Munroe at The Diplomat Centre recently.
The winter season is the peak period for visitors, but Johnson emphasized the need for year round visitors.
"We have hundreds of visitors who come to The Bahamas annually solely for religious events. It's an 18 billion dollar global market that is large and is growing. We want to be at the cutting edge of this market so that we can get our fair share and statistics show that we are one of the destinations of choice for these religious groups," he said.
Tourism's religious market is targeting large church groups by giving them the best deals possible from the MOT's website. Other activities include marketing and advertising through specialty religious magazines and public relations activities at seminars and conferences.
Research by the MOT shows that the local religious tourism market is comprised of 54 percent female, ages 18-24 and 45-54, with household income from 25,000 to 75,000. Fifty-seven percent stay an average of six nights in hotels, accounting for approximately 3,057 visitors and 18,201 room nights in 2007/08.
"For example, [Bahamas Faith Ministries Senior Pastor] Myles Munroe's annual conferences for youth, Christians and international leaders have been drawing a large segment of that market for us [and] Florida is our biggest market," said Johnson. "What we want to do now is partner with other denominations during their events to increase the numbers through hotel bookings."
Munroe's three-day kingdom seminar attracted delegates from more than 30 countries including The United States, Indonesia, Malaysia, The United Kingdom and other parts of Europe.
"It's great when I can do what I love which is teaching and at the same time be a part of tourism in this country. This is a time when people everywhere are cutting back, but this event has not been impacted by the recession. Really, this seminar is a response to a demand for the past 10 years. When I travel, people always ask me, 'When are you going to have a seminar in The Bahamas?' So this is different from the conferences, but it still attracts Christians from around the world," he said.
By STAFF WRITER ~ Nassau Guardian:
The Ministry of Tourism(MOT) is taking aggressive measures to receive a chunk of the religious tourism niche market — an 18 billion dollar industry which has the potential of providing The Bahamas with year-round visitors, according to MOT's Deputy Director Religious Group Market Linville Johnson.
Johnson said his department is working along with approximately 20 denominations to increase the number of visitors who attend religious events in the country annually.
Johnson was speaking at the first annual Kingdom Seminar hosted by international author and consultant Dr. Myles Munroe at The Diplomat Centre recently.
The winter season is the peak period for visitors, but Johnson emphasized the need for year round visitors.
"We have hundreds of visitors who come to The Bahamas annually solely for religious events. It's an 18 billion dollar global market that is large and is growing. We want to be at the cutting edge of this market so that we can get our fair share and statistics show that we are one of the destinations of choice for these religious groups," he said.
Tourism's religious market is targeting large church groups by giving them the best deals possible from the MOT's website. Other activities include marketing and advertising through specialty religious magazines and public relations activities at seminars and conferences.
Research by the MOT shows that the local religious tourism market is comprised of 54 percent female, ages 18-24 and 45-54, with household income from 25,000 to 75,000. Fifty-seven percent stay an average of six nights in hotels, accounting for approximately 3,057 visitors and 18,201 room nights in 2007/08.
"For example, [Bahamas Faith Ministries Senior Pastor] Myles Munroe's annual conferences for youth, Christians and international leaders have been drawing a large segment of that market for us [and] Florida is our biggest market," said Johnson. "What we want to do now is partner with other denominations during their events to increase the numbers through hotel bookings."
Munroe's three-day kingdom seminar attracted delegates from more than 30 countries including The United States, Indonesia, Malaysia, The United Kingdom and other parts of Europe.
"It's great when I can do what I love which is teaching and at the same time be a part of tourism in this country. This is a time when people everywhere are cutting back, but this event has not been impacted by the recession. Really, this seminar is a response to a demand for the past 10 years. When I travel, people always ask me, 'When are you going to have a seminar in The Bahamas?' So this is different from the conferences, but it still attracts Christians from around the world," he said.
NACTA Predicts Continued Growth Despite Downturn
Read full story at Travel Agent Central: http://www.travelagentcentral.com/home-based/consortia/nacta-predicts-continued-growth-despite-downturn-17144
Another initiative is NACTA’s outreach to the industry. in June NACTA had a joint program with the National Tour Association (NTA) to help build agents awareness of he importance of tour sales. This includes the first of NACTA’s "destinationals." Koepf was to develop a strong destination familiarization capability that will expose NACTA agents to popular and off beat U.S. destinations to spark sales. Currently, 22 percent of NACTA travel agents sell tours, and about 370 NTA tour operators offers agents commissionable packages.
Koepf will also be a keynote speaker for the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA) Travel Expo 2009. The Travel Expo & Educational Conference will be held November 14-16, 2009, at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Reno, NV.
The Expo includes co-locating with the NTA’s convention thus offering members of both associations unprecedented opportunities for business growth, networking, and access to new market opportunities.
“We are going to make it easier and affordable for suppliers to reach out and communicate with independent agents," said Koepf. "At the same time, we are going to provide our members with access to quality supplier programs.”
Koepf believes that NACTA is positioned to help many agents regardless of business models. This includes independent contractors, outside sales agents, cruise- and tour-oriented agents, group- oriented travel professionals and traditional ARC-appointed travel agencies that provide services and support to such professionals. NACTA itself was established in 1986 and is an affiliate of ASTA.
NACTA’s program runs the gamut of services from a new membership kit and lapel pin to access to NACTA’s Seminars at Sea, Land Fams, Destinationals, host and supplier webinars, the popular NACTA AgentDigest, special pricing and discounts including travel insurance from Travel Insured and access to CLIA and ASTA programs. NACTA annual dues are $95 (plus $50 for first year activation).
A gifted speaker and mentor to agents, Koepf’s goal is to make NACTA members the beneficiaries of the finest learning experiences available and to be a true support group that helps agents build their businesses and professional skills.
NACTA is for travel agents serious about their careers and who can see beyond the current economic downturn to long-term professional growth opportunities, Koepf believes. “NACTA membership rewards agents who make a true commitment of time and talent, a commitment to sharing ideas and experience and a commitment to professional growth,” he said.
Grand Bahama Island & Religious Tourism Six Goals
Read full story at http://www.bahamaislandsinfo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3637:gb-port-authority-president-addresses-national-empowerment-seminar&catid=33:News%20&%20Info%20about%20Grand%20Bahama&Itemid=146
The nation benefits immeasurably when Godly people gather to pray and discuss issues central to transforming the human condition. In addition, the economic benefits are potentially huge if we are minded to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors motivated by our many events and our spiritual heritage. Religious Tourism I’m told is an 18 billion dollar industry.
The Bahamas religious history, geographical location and strong spiritual foundation make us ideal for setting up multi-purpose facilities, to accommodate:
1. Small or Mega Christian conferences
2. Mega gospel concerts
3. Christian camps or retreat facilities
4. Christian cruises throughout the islands, originating in Freeport
5. Christian tours exploring Bahamian churches, religious rituals, Bahamian burials and a multi-media history of religion in the Bahamas .
6. A full Christian village that reflects Christian motifs, art, family friendly facilities and events
The nation benefits immeasurably when Godly people gather to pray and discuss issues central to transforming the human condition. In addition, the economic benefits are potentially huge if we are minded to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors motivated by our many events and our spiritual heritage. Religious Tourism I’m told is an 18 billion dollar industry.
The Bahamas religious history, geographical location and strong spiritual foundation make us ideal for setting up multi-purpose facilities, to accommodate:
1. Small or Mega Christian conferences
2. Mega gospel concerts
3. Christian camps or retreat facilities
4. Christian cruises throughout the islands, originating in Freeport
5. Christian tours exploring Bahamian churches, religious rituals, Bahamian burials and a multi-media history of religion in the Bahamas .
6. A full Christian village that reflects Christian motifs, art, family friendly facilities and events
Rolle highlights potential of religious tourism in Grand Bahamas
Article link:
http://freeport.nassauguardian.net/national_local/299644510080916.php
Some suggestions on how Grand Bahama can use its religious background to try to attract more visitors to its shores were presented by the President of the Grand Bah-ama Port Authority (GBPA) Ian Rolle on Tuesday.
Rolle was one of the speakers at Tuesday's National Empowerment Summit wh-ich was hosted by the Bah-amas Christian Council.
Pointing out that religious tourism is an $18 billion industry, the GBPA president said the economic benefits are potentially huge if the island is able to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors motivated by its many religious events and its spiritual heritage.
The Bahamas' religious history, geographical location and strong spiritual foundation make it ideal for setting up multi-purpose facilities to accommodate small or mega Christian conferences and gospel concerts, Christian camps or retreat facilities and Christian cruises throughout the islands, originating in Freeport, Rolle said.
Christian tours exploring Bahamian churches, religious rituals, Bahamian burials and a multi-media history of religion in the Bahamas and even a full Christian village that reflects Christian motifs, art, family friendly facilities and events can also be developed, he added.
Noting that the revitalization of Grand Bahama will require a collaborative effort, Rolle said the GBPA is happy to partner with the Christian Council.
"We are all in this together and with God's help we will emerge stronger as a community," he said.
The GBPA is also working with The Ministry of Tourism and The Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board on several levels, he furthered, to refine, package and market the tourism product in Grand Bahama.
"Tremendous focus has been placed on making travel to our shores and the enjoyment of the product more affordable to our potential guests from around the world."
The GBPA also has as one of its goals to increase Bahamian ownership within the economy and is committed to putting the people of Grand Bahama in a position where they are the main agent determining their own success and destiny, he said.
It is understood that in order for empowerment to take place, he added, citizens must have access to information about opportunities, cha-llenges, where to go for help and what procedures they must follow to achieve their goals.
"Our people must have access to decision making bodies to weigh in on the governance of their institutions and communities. Ultimately they must have access to resources to realize their aspirations," he said.
"Daily we are working to ensure that these conditions continually improve for the families and businesses we serve. After all, it is largely the ingenuity and hard work of ordinary men and women that will stimulate and sustain industry in Grand Bahama once again."
Although these may be challenging times for Grand Bahamians, Rolle said he is confident that they can weather the storm.
He pointed out that Grand Bahama has a special mix of natural and man made features, complimented by a tax regime and skilled workforce that gives it a unique advantage in the Americas.
"Freeport, in particular, is carefully planned and its sheer size permits a mix of business enterprises to coexist," he said.
"The Grand Bahama we envision in the future will serve as a model internationally of how to construct a society that balances a high quality of life for families with an environment that is bustling with modern businesses."
As the island continues to face stiff competition in tourism, financial services, industry, technology and real estate development, residents must now, more than ever, keep abreast of global business trends, constantly upgrade their skills, and be prepared to out-think and out-work the competition.
"More than ever we need to form and join partnerships that will help us achieve some outcomes that as individuals or as organizations we have no chance of achieving alone," he said.
"Despite the challenges that we face, and those that may appear on the horizon, I'm confident that careful preparation, prudent management of resources and ability to adjust and adapt will put us all in good stead for the future."
http://freeport.nassauguardian.net/national_local/299644510080916.php
Some suggestions on how Grand Bahama can use its religious background to try to attract more visitors to its shores were presented by the President of the Grand Bah-ama Port Authority (GBPA) Ian Rolle on Tuesday.
Rolle was one of the speakers at Tuesday's National Empowerment Summit wh-ich was hosted by the Bah-amas Christian Council.
Pointing out that religious tourism is an $18 billion industry, the GBPA president said the economic benefits are potentially huge if the island is able to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors motivated by its many religious events and its spiritual heritage.
The Bahamas' religious history, geographical location and strong spiritual foundation make it ideal for setting up multi-purpose facilities to accommodate small or mega Christian conferences and gospel concerts, Christian camps or retreat facilities and Christian cruises throughout the islands, originating in Freeport, Rolle said.
Christian tours exploring Bahamian churches, religious rituals, Bahamian burials and a multi-media history of religion in the Bahamas and even a full Christian village that reflects Christian motifs, art, family friendly facilities and events can also be developed, he added.
Noting that the revitalization of Grand Bahama will require a collaborative effort, Rolle said the GBPA is happy to partner with the Christian Council.
"We are all in this together and with God's help we will emerge stronger as a community," he said.
The GBPA is also working with The Ministry of Tourism and The Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board on several levels, he furthered, to refine, package and market the tourism product in Grand Bahama.
"Tremendous focus has been placed on making travel to our shores and the enjoyment of the product more affordable to our potential guests from around the world."
The GBPA also has as one of its goals to increase Bahamian ownership within the economy and is committed to putting the people of Grand Bahama in a position where they are the main agent determining their own success and destiny, he said.
It is understood that in order for empowerment to take place, he added, citizens must have access to information about opportunities, cha-llenges, where to go for help and what procedures they must follow to achieve their goals.
"Our people must have access to decision making bodies to weigh in on the governance of their institutions and communities. Ultimately they must have access to resources to realize their aspirations," he said.
"Daily we are working to ensure that these conditions continually improve for the families and businesses we serve. After all, it is largely the ingenuity and hard work of ordinary men and women that will stimulate and sustain industry in Grand Bahama once again."
Although these may be challenging times for Grand Bahamians, Rolle said he is confident that they can weather the storm.
He pointed out that Grand Bahama has a special mix of natural and man made features, complimented by a tax regime and skilled workforce that gives it a unique advantage in the Americas.
"Freeport, in particular, is carefully planned and its sheer size permits a mix of business enterprises to coexist," he said.
"The Grand Bahama we envision in the future will serve as a model internationally of how to construct a society that balances a high quality of life for families with an environment that is bustling with modern businesses."
As the island continues to face stiff competition in tourism, financial services, industry, technology and real estate development, residents must now, more than ever, keep abreast of global business trends, constantly upgrade their skills, and be prepared to out-think and out-work the competition.
"More than ever we need to form and join partnerships that will help us achieve some outcomes that as individuals or as organizations we have no chance of achieving alone," he said.
"Despite the challenges that we face, and those that may appear on the horizon, I'm confident that careful preparation, prudent management of resources and ability to adjust and adapt will put us all in good stead for the future."
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