Letters from Africa and Worldwide Letters Page 1 . Page 2 Commentary . Google Rating See left sidebar: Africa Travel Magazine Editors and Broadcast Team Interview leaders and other star performers on the African tourism scene at events around the world. One more reason why our magazine editions are keepers. Our editors and broadcasters welcome your requests for personalities and topics. E-mail africa@dowco.com New book on Ethiopia from a talented Canadian ATA Member Dear Jerry and Muguette, I am pleased to announce that I have finally published a book of photography from my travels in Ethiopia. In this e-mail you should be provided with a link so that you can view it on-line. It is also announced on my website at www.acfairbankconsulting.ca/photographer.htm. Copies of the book can be ordered through my website. All the best, Angela Fairbank acfairbank@shaw.ca www.acfairbankconsulting.ca Watch for a review of this atrtractive book in the Ethiopia Millennium Souvenir Yearbook Edition of Africa Travel Magazine. From Nigeria" We want to thank you most sincerely for your continued efforts at promoting Nigeria tourism.  We are confident that with your efforts, tourism in Nigeria will achieve greater heights. Ladi Jemi--Alade From Sweden: I am writing a newsletter with responsible travel tips from around the world and we would like to have something about Angola in one of our issues, but it's hard find anything on Internet, just bigger international companies, but I like to find locally owned tour operators,  so maybe you can help us? Anna Sternfeldt, Svenljunga, Sweden From Ethiopia:“Many thanks for your kind support!! I really appreciate such professionally managed promotional activities that African Tourism's need.“ Habtamu Greetings from the Travelin' Cheezhead: Dear Jerry and Muguette. My 6 day trip to Whistler, BC, earlier this month took me to the Adventure Travel Trade Association's annual Summit conference. Yes, the ultra cool mountain ski village is beautiful in the fall, and a great relaxing place for a meeting. I attended the meeting to learn more about the growing niche market of Adventure Travel & to make job contacts there. Attendees included tour operators, travel agency specialists and travel media from all over the world. The weather was typical mountain fall, including rain, mist, fog, sunshine, and even a few great views of the nearby mountain peeks. I stayed at the Pan Pacific Mountainside hotel, about a minute away from the gondola to the top of the extremely steep mountain. The hotel gets rave reviews & high stats as a resort from publications like Conde Naste. We got really good rates as association members. My hotel included an Irish bar with lots of good music, Irish & folk, sung by Guitar Doug. Whenever Doug asked if everybody was tired yet, the crowd enthusiastically yelled, "No!!", so he kept on singing. The halibut, salmon & corn beef was delicious. Since the bar got some bad beer kegs, the usually great tap beers, Harp & Molson, were not available. Eeeeeeekkkkkkk!  I spent every night in the cozy Irish pub, with a nice warm fireplace, before going to bed. We had 3 nights of entertainment & specialty foods at the conference including a Canadian night & Alps night (featuring France, Germany, Italy & Switzerland). My favorite party was hosted by Brazil, which included a fabulous Samba band & dancers. The conference was held at the convention center located in the Village Stroll area, about a 10 minute walk through the picturesque town. There wasn't much time for enjoying the area since the Summit meeting did provide a lot of information packed sessions on trends & marketing in the Adventure Travel business. The gondola ride to the top of the mountain took 25 minutes where I traveled through rain, snow and fog to the snow packed top of the ski area where the Olympics will be held in 2008.. Robin Kruk rkruk@wi.rr.com . Racine, WI, USA   From India: (In reponse to an airline scam we uncovered on his behalf). Thank you so much for the information. I was about to lose my money.Thanks a ton. Regards. Paresh From Germany: In the moment my husband and I (and our 2 year old son) have to make the decision do we like to move to Guinea for at least 2 years. We spend the last 5 1/2 year in Uganda and really enjoyed living and working there. Now we are trying to find out more about the country but unfortunately there is not much on the net - but the things which we found about Guinea haven't been too encouraging - until we found YOUR web page!! Carina From USA: "Thank you very much for your assistance. It is not as easy to find good information about Africa as it would be Europe. I am very excited about the trip“. Sheli From Atlanta, GA, USA . I just received this E-mail from Tanzania Tours Operator her name is Rose Abdallah, she's very happy with the Pictures you posted on the website she travel with the President and she's very close to the President...again. Keep it up for ATA and Africa. May God Bless you and your family.. Mr. Africa . - http://www.africa-ata.org/ata_pf2.htm From Uganda: You are very good at what you do and I thank God for you are a gift to Uganda. We really need to tap into the North American market! Greetings to sister Muguette. Mrs. Nuwera Evans Vanessa Ngango From Australia Could you send me more information about the cultural and wildlife tours in Nigeria?  I intend visiting Nigeria for a conference in July 2008 and would like to plan a trip for perhaps a week before or after the conference, which is being held 8-11 July at Lagos, for myself and my partner.  My main interests are in the people and wildlife (particularly birds), and my partner just loves to travel. Colla Kinross, Lecturer in Environmental Managment, School of Rural Management Charles Sturt University, PO Box 833. Orange NSW. Aistrta;oa/ From USA: I would like to thank you for the beautifully picture you posted about the studenst in the website and Africa Travel magazine, and all the wonderfully advice you shared with us as world travel editor. Just a  reminder , my name is Johanne Briere (red shirt in the picture), I help initiate and organized the student trip to Nigeria last November. Seeing as your and Miguette put all these beautifully story about Nigeria.   Seed Capital for Investment in an African Tourism Project? A reader recently asked the above question, which we then posed to our friends and gurus at Google. Like us, you will be pleasantly surprised with the comprehensive list of sources we received on this quick search. Click for sample list.. Do you have any further sources? Please send a letter to our Business Page Editor. From Kenya: Wonderful. Thanks for your swift reply.  I did a search on google and came across your site. It is fascinating. What wonderful work you do. Kathryn Mahalo From Switzaerland: I would like to congratulate you on the postings about Nigeria. It is very interesting and the pictures are marvellous. You remember maybe that I was living in Nigeria for 30 year and a lot of your pictures let my heart beat go up again. I am especially surprised about the holiday resort of Obudu Ranch. When I was visiting the place in the seventies, we rather had to drive through a river bed than a road to finally reach the ranch.  I am really impressed about the development. The pictures of Abuja and the Durbar are just exciting! Thank your for your information. I always look forward to your new postings. Walter From Ghana.  I have inspected all,and its so brilliant and powerful. You and your team are superb! Julius Debrah From the British Isles: "Your publication has so far been one of the best sources of information on this topic that I've come across." Phillip T. Slattery, Economic Section, US Embassy - London. From Ghana: Thanks for your info. I am happy to be part of this wonderful work. Your pictures are just superb. yaodzide@yahoo.com, Accra, Ghana Tour Conductor From London, UK: Dear Muguette Goufrani. Your latest contribution to Africa travel Magazine (on-line) was very informative, wonderful and positive to the struggle that African fashion has always been. You placed African fashion on that beautiful and respectable place that it rightly deserves. Even though I am male I see beauty in our woman and derive loads of pleasure from the development of our people. Thank you for being a great African.. David Moloteni. Many thanks Mr. Moloteni, We love to hear from you anytime. Your encouraging words really give us the inspiration to proceed. We hope to print a complete edition on Africa Fashion in the near future. According to Google, we lead tha world in searches for Africa Travel Fashion and African Fashion Designers. Warmest Regards, Muguette Goufrani From Accra, Ghana: Hello, to you both. You have done a marvelous job with the photos. If all these are watched all over the world , then we are fine. Thank you very much for a good work done. Have you by any chance produced any videos of the  sites, events etc? Bridget Thank you. We're working on a promotional video for coming trade shows in USA. Editor From Ghana: Thanks a lot for the good words about my dear country and Africa in general and we thank God for people like you who at least see the positive side of the continent. God richly Bless you. Thanks a lot for your kindness too - the lots of gifts given out to people, that was so touching and moving. I will definitely check the website out for more pictures and stories about my country. I am so glad you enjoyed the tour and all the info I am sure will be on the net soon, I suppose. I pray to God to give you continuous good health and kindness at heart. Take care and thanks again. Rejoice. From Chania in Kenya: After a wonderful time with Chamchela Marketing, I would like to inform you that I will be making a very exciting move. I will be joining the marketing department at Cheli & Peacock as of 1st April 2006. My assistant Caro will also be joining me and together with the current marketing department, Tanya and Mary, we have high hopes for an extremely productive limb of Cheli & Peacock. More->->-> From Madagascar: I have founded a company in Madagascar to encourage tourism specific to the amazing gemstone industry present there.  I am based in Michigan in the States and Antananarivo, Madagascar with full time staff.We will host at least 4 tours in 2006 April and August.. James Fiebie http://www.gemstonetrips.com. From Kerala, India: I am from India. I came to know about the flying hospital through discovery channel. Inspired by that programme I planned to organise it in Kerala. A beatiful greeny place. There are a lot of poor people who is incapable of doing surgeries due to the utter poverty. If you could give me the details on your services it would be very helpful to coordinate an effective programme for a noble cause. I would like to know about the details on following topics. (continued) From USA: Dear Muguette. Since I read your article about Morocco, we took a group of African American Female educators there last year and had a wonderful time. Hope to take a group again next year. Briefly, the experience was wonderful. We spent most of our time in Agadir with a one night excursion to Marrakech. We stayed at Club Valtur and the resort was great, albeit very Italian. I didn't learn much about the people or culture of Morocco, hence the need for a second trip. However, I did make a few friends (smile). Morocco is a fascinating if you love sensory experiences or sensory overload!! The experience started as soon as we boarded the Royal Air Maroc flight, and continued for the entire trip. I'll never forget the sights, smells and sounds of the souk at Marrakech!!! Shopping was great as well. As I said, I prefer to get a little more into the country itself, but it was a great 'spa experience'. The trip was billed as "Sister Scholars at the Spa"!!! Actually, Morocco was a great value I would go again for that reason alone. I started writing an article several months ago and would be happy to share my thoughts with you further. Pamela, US Travel Agent Carnivore Rescue & Rehab Centre A suitable large farm or piece of bush land in either Tanzania or Botswana is being sought to set up a Carnivore Rescue & Rehab Centre. Further, those keen on setting up this project will need assistance in terms of funding/sponsorship. If anyone knows of such a property or has suggestions/can assist with the financial aspect, please get in touch. For more information please contact terry@africanconservation.org Terry Harnwell The African Conservation Foundation www.africanconservation.org From USA Dear Jerry: It will be a pleasure to tell our readers about your centre. Diana Reef Resort and Spa. "Our post tour to Mombasa was exquisite. Six of us traveled there after the ATA Conference in Nairobi, and what a treat. The resort is luxurious, from the minute you enter the lobby, of which the floor is an aquarium. The rooms were beautiful, the food outstanding and the spa trreatments were absolutgely wonderful. We toured Fort Jesus and did a city tour of Mombasa, which was both informative and interesting. It's always good to learn as much as possib lle about each African destination. Everyone was pleased with our experiences in both Nairobi and Mombasa. The conference was one of the best to date." PARTICPANTS WERE JONQUIL CLARK, VICKI JONES , THOMAS VESSELLS , MILDRED VESSELLS, VALERIA TYSON AND JUANITA DEVINE. Jonquil; Clark Page 2 - More Commentary