Latest news with #sustainableTourism
Free Malaysia Today
4 hours ago
- Automotive
- Free Malaysia Today
Chow leads delegation to Switzerland, Austria for Penang Hill cable car project
An artist's impression of the Penang Hill cable car project. PETALING JAYA : Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow is leading a state delegation to Switzerland and Austria to support the development of the Penang Hill cable car project. In a statement, his office said the seven-day visit, which starts today, is hosted by Austrian ropeway specialist Doppelmayr Seilbahnen GmbH and local rail firm Hartasuma Sdn Bhd. Chow's office said the visit is key to ensuring the project meets international standards for sustainable mobility and safety. The delegation will visit several key suppliers involved in the project, including Doppelmayr in Wolfurt, Austria; Fatzer AG, a cable ropeway supplier in Romanshorn, Switzerland; Garaventa AG, a funicular system expert in Goldau, Switzerland; and CWA Constructions SA, a gondola cabin manufacturer in Olten, Switzerland. The delegation will also meet with the mayor of Bettmeralp and representatives from local cable car operator Aletsch Bahnen AG. Bettmeralp is a well-known car-free village accessible only by cable car and serves as a model for sustainable mountain tourism. The statement added that insights gained from the visit will help guide the long-term development of Penang Hill as a sustainable and accessible destination. 'This visit is vital for understanding the engineering, operations and safety measures behind world-class cable car systems,' the statement said. 'The state government is committed to delivering the Penang Hill cable car project with the highest standards of safety, quality and reliability. This mission reflects that commitment,' it said. The RM245 million Penang Hill cable car project was awarded to Hartasuma under a 30-year public-private partnership using a design-finance-build-operate-transfer model. Doppelmayr has been tapped to supply the cable car technology. The cable car line will span 2.73km from the Penang Botanic Gardens to the top of Bukit Bendera. The project includes three main stations, namely the Garden Station at the base, a mid-route Turn Station and the Hill Station at the summit, as well as a multi-storey car park, commercial plaza opposite the Botanic Gardens department and a dedicated bus parking space.
Travel Daily News
5 hours ago
- Business
- Travel Daily News
Stacey Liburd appointed CEO of the Grenada Tourism Authority
Stacey A. Liburd appointed CEO of Grenada Tourism Authority, bringing 15+ years of experience in destination marketing, sustainable tourism, and regional leadership. ST. GEORGE, GRENADA – The Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) announce the appointment of Stacey A. Liburd as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective June 15, 2025. A highly regarded tourism professional with more than 15 years of experience in destination marketing, stakeholder engagement and tourism development, Mrs. Liburd brings a strong record of leadership, innovation and regional expertise to the role. Prior to her appointment, Mrs. Liburd served as Director of Tourism at the Anguilla Tourist Board, where she led award-winning marketing campaigns, expanded international airlift and championed sustainable tourism growth. Her career spans strategic market expansion, brand positioning, aviation partnerships and the execution of large-scale events across prestigious platforms including Virtuoso Travel Week, ILTM Cannes and IMEX Americas. She has also held senior sales and marketing roles in the private hospitality sector, where she successfully launched luxury property campaigns and established key partnerships with global travel consortia. Commenting on her new appointment, Mrs. Liburd stated, 'I am deeply honored to accept the role of Chief Executive Officer of the Grenada Tourism Authority. I thank the Minister of Tourism and the Board for their confidence in me. I would also like to sincerely thank Ms. Petra Roach for her outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment to Grenada's tourism sector. She has laid a strong and meaningful foundation, and I am deeply grateful for the legacy she leaves and the example she has set. Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique are destinations of extraordinary beauty, culture, and potential. I look forward to working closely with our industry partners to further elevate our brand, strengthen our presence in key markets, and ensure that tourism continues to bring meaningful, sustainable benefits to our people.' Chairman of the Grenada Tourism Authority, Randall Dolland, welcomed Mrs. Liburd's appointment, noting, 'Stacey Liburd brings a wealth of knowledge and a strategic mindset that is essential to the continued growth and evolution of Grenada's tourism industry. Her regional leadership experience and marketing expertise align perfectly with our goals of strengthening destination visibility, forging impactful partnerships, and enhancing the visitor experience.' Minister for Tourism, the Creative Economy and Culture, Honorable Adrian Thomas, added, 'We are excited to welcome Mrs. Liburd to Grenada. Her accomplishments within the tourism sector speak for themselves, and we believe her leadership will guide our industry into its next phase of innovation, sustainability, and inclusive growth. We also extend heartfelt thanks to Ms. Petra Roach for her exceptional contribution during her tenure, which has elevated Grenada's global profile, increased airlift and visitor numbers, and inspired confidence in our tourism future.' Ms. Roach will now transition to a senior leadership role in the private sector with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.
The Independent
7 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Another holiday hotspot cracks down on overtourism
From 1 June to 30 September, Ibiza is capping the daily number of vehicles used by non-residents at 20,168 to combat overtourism. Of the vehicle permits, 16,000 are for rental cars, and 4,168 are for private tourist vehicles arriving by ferry, which require a €1 (84p) daily permit obtained online. Caravans must show proof of campsite booking and are banned from wild camping or unauthorised parking. The Ibiza Island Council introduced the cap to promote sustainable tourism, aligning with Balearic government goals. Motorcycles are exempt. Mallorca has also introduced restrictions, with Soller implementing "residents only" traffic zones, prohibiting hire cars from driving through its historic centre.
The Independent
7 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Ibiza caps tourist cars and caravans to control crowds this summer
Holidaymakers using hire cars will face new restrictions in Ibiza this summer amid an island crackdown on overtourism. From 1 June to 30 September, the daily number of vehicles used by non-residents will be capped at 20,168. According to Euronews, 16,000 of the 20,168 vehicle permits will be given to rental cars operating on the island. The other 4,168 permits are reserved for private tourist vehicles arriving via ferry from ports including Barcelona, Palma and Valencia. These vehicles will need to apply for a permit – €1 (84p) per day – online before they travel to Ibiza during peak season. Caravans are also included in the new rules, with travellers required to show proof of a campsite booking before they enter. The vehicles will no longer be allowed onto the island for wild camping or unauthorised parking. Consell Insular d'Eivissa, the Ibiza Island Council, introduced the cap in line with Balearic government goals to promote more sustainable tourism. As it stands, motorcycles are exempt from Ibiza's seasonal vehicle restrictions. The popular Balearic island has around 160,000 residents but welcomes more than 3.6 million tourists annually. As of 2023, there were 160,835 vehicles on the island – over a vehicle per person – which is a 78.1 per cent increase since 2003, according to the Ibiza Sustainability Report 2023. Ibiza isn't the first Balearic island to show a red light to rental vehicles. Tourists visiting one of Mallorca 's most popular towns will no longer be allowed to drive through its historic centre after 'residents only' traffic zones were introduced. The local council in Soller aims to ease traffic with designated areas exclusively for vehicles registered to residents across 12 of its busiest streets.
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Daily Mail
"Be careful what you wish for!" Brits tell Spanish anti-tourism protesters not to ruin our holiday or "we'll go to Greece instead!" as Tenerife set to be crippled by mass demonstrations
British holidaymakers are bracing for 'unprecedented' anti-tourism protests across the Canary Islands this weekend. Hundreds of thousands of fed-up locals are set to take to the streets on Sunday over what they claim is an 'excessive' tourism model. Under the slogan 'Canarias tiene un limite' (The Canaries has a limit), the demonstrators will gather from 11am on the islands of Tenerife, La Gomera, Gran Canaria, El Hierro, Lanzarote and La Palma. 'Solidarity protests' will also take place in various cities on the mainland, including Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona. Activists believe the current tourism model is 'unsustainable' and pushing the islands toward collapse. They want to limit the number of tourists visiting the islands, ban new hotel construction and introduce a tougher tourist tax, among other measures. But Brits holidaying in Tenerife this weekend told MailOnline the locals 'should be careful what they wish for.' 'I think it's stupid,' said Dave Dott, 60, from Glasgow. Speaking from the beach promenade in Los Cristianos, Tenerife, he added: 'This island will collapse if the protesters get their way… without tourism the island has nothing. 'I've been coming here for decades and they won't put me off. I think it's a small but loud minority, they obviously don't care about the service sector which would be massively impacted.' Paul Nixon, 60, from Staffordshire has also been visiting Tenerife for years. He told MailOnline: 'I think they need to be careful what they wish for, the island is so dependent on tourism. 'I think bookings are down already to be honest, it seems quieter this year. 'I saw they were spraying tourists with water in Barcelona which is completely wrong, if they started doing that here then we would definitely be put off coming.' He added: 'Everyone has the right to protest but they really need to be careful what they wish for. 'And how can you stop people going on holidays? How do you put a stop to it without upsetting people? I think they are running the risk of destroying what they have built.' Steven and Michelle Ross, aged 55 and 56 respectively, face having their holiday disrupted for a second time after being caught up in previous anti-tourism demonstrations. Michelle said: 'Last year we were walking from the beach then suddenly saw thousands of locals coming towards us. 'It was relatively peaceful but they were holding up signs saying 'tourists go home', which doesn't make you feel too welcome. 'We've been looking up the route of the protest to make sure we don't get caught up in it again so I think we're safe… but I'd be really upset if we had to holiday somewhere else.' Steven agreed, adding: 'We've been coming here 15 years, if they really don't want us here we will look elsewhere… 'While I can see some things from their point of view, if fewer people come, there's a lot of jobs affected, it's their number one source of income, it was built on tourism - and how do you police fewer tourists?' Meanwhile, Staffordshire couple Olwyn and Dave Hughes, both 71, said they will 'go back to the Greek islands' if the protests become too much. Dave said: 'It's our 14th time here and we are not put off yet, but I think a lot of people have been, because it is usually rammed now and it is much quieter than last year. 'I understand that housing is a big issue, what they're facing is the equivalent of Americans snapping up all the homes in Cornwall for second residences, some of the locals have no chance of buying. 'But without tourists, so many people, like the thousands of taxi drivers, wouldn't have jobs. 'And we don't like what we see on the TV, all the 'tourists go home' stuff, if it gets too much or we don't feel wanted we will go back to the Greek islands instead.' The Canary Islands has a population of 2.2million people, but welcomes around 18million holidaymakers each year - which locals say is placing a strain on resources, causing jet fuel pollution, traffic chaos and a host of other issues. For this reason, activists are calling for a cap on the number of holidaymakers, to prevent overcrowding and resource depletion. Among their other demands is a ban on any new hotels or tourism apartment complexes, and the immediate demolition of projects already declared illegal. These include large-scale luxury projects like the Cuna del Alma and La Tejita hotels in Tenerife, which they accuse of causing environmental harm. They also want a 'significant' tourist eco-tax that will be used to pay for the conservation and maintenance of natural spaces. One of the biggest gripes is the surge in Airbnb-style properties, which has been blamed for rising house costs and the dwindling supply of homes to rent or buy. Therefore, protesters want much stricter controls on vacation rentals to alleviate the housing crisis. Another housing issue is the high number of properties being snapped up by foreign purchasers, which locals say is behind skyrocketing prices. They therefore want to ban or restrict the ability of non-residents to buy homes.
