CANADA TRAVELS: ISSUES

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DESTINATIONS

Chapter 1 Analyzing Travel and Tourism Issues Chapter overview: This chapter introduces students to the travel and tourism industry and reasons why people travel. A focus on motivators, variables and barriers shows how they interact to influence people as they make travel choices. Using an issues approach to study travel and tourism is an appealing and effective way for students to learn about regional geography, travel and tourism, and to develop a more sophisticated understanding of geographic concepts first encountered in grade 7. These concepts include region, environment, interaction, movement and pattern. Investigating Issues in Travel and Tourism (pp. 15-20) provides a useful framework for analyzing issues, based on the geographic inquiry method that is used frequently in the real world and that students can apply in other subjects and other research investigations. An issues analysis study of a current conflict in Greater Addo National Park, a region in South Africa, looks at ecotourism and park expansion as a means of promoting sustainable use of resources by saving wildlife habitat and an elephant herd threatened by industrial development. Students have the opportunity to examine the viewpoints and influencing factors of various groups involved and practise their skills of analysis and evaluation. The map created by the GeoTech activity provides a spatial overview of tourism issues around the world. Key understandings developed throughout this chapter include: • People like to travel for many different reasons • There are all kinds of different destination choices • Some factors motivate people to travel and others act as barriers to restrict them • One approach to regional geography and understanding travel and tourism is through analyzing issues • Issues are bigger than problems, can be very complicated with different components, and involve individuals and groups that hold different viewpoints and biases • There are many factors that influence people's viewpoints on an issue • Using the geographic inquiry 5-step process is an effective and realistic way to investigate and look for alternative solutions to an issue • Ecotourism and habitat protection in national parks can provide economic advantages and job opportunities Key Words and Terms: Barriers negative aspects of a location that discourage travelers from visiting a location Cultural Motivators reasons for travelling based on interests in various cultural pursuits Destinations places that tourists visit Discretionary Money income available after living expenses are covered Informed Opinion a viewpoint based on reliable information and sound reasoning Interpersonal Motivators reasons for travelling based on interests in meeting people and doing things Issue a significant concern that involves a number of different people with different view points Issues Approach dealing with a significant concern by examining the arguments of the people involved Physical Motivators reasons for travelling based on interests in physical activities Prestige Motivators reasons for travelling based on interests in personal benefits Stakeholders people involved in or concerned about an issue Sustainable meeting needs and protecting the environment of the present without compromising the needs of the future at the same time Travel Motivators reasons people have for travelling Variables conditions, such as age, education, health, responsibilities, free time, and income level, that influence how people respond to travel motivators 1

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

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SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

TEXT CONNECTIONS

ASSESSMENT OPPORTUNITIES

• Identify selected factors that influence travellers' destination choices

• Key question 1 • Travel enriches us p. 4 • Motivators, variables pp. 6-7 • Travel destinations choices p. 9 • Figure 1.8, p. 10

• Check in 1, 2, 3, p. 11 • Figure 1.5 • Revisit 1, 9, p. 30

• Classify the different types of travel and tourism and explain the reasons why people travel

• Key question 1 • Figures 1.1, 1.2 pp.4-5 • Motivators, variables pp. 6-7

• Revisit 2, 8, p.30

• Compare viewpoints of individuals, businesses, non-governmental organizations, and other groups about sustainable use of the earth and its resources

• Key question 2, 3 • Through Different Eyes: Issues and Viewpoints p.11 • Issue: Should a new ski resort be approved? Figure 1.12, p.13 • Using an Issues Approach, pp.12-14 • Identify the stakeholders, p. 15 • Greater Addo National Park Issue pp.22-27

• Check in 1, p. 14 • Check in 2, 3, p.21 • Looking at Issues, p. 22-27 (compare the viewpoints of stakeholders) • Revisit 3, 4, 5, 6, p.30

• Identify the economic, cultural, political, and environmental components of selected issues related to travel and tourism

• Key question 2, 3Investigating issues in travel and tourism, pp.15-16 • Greater Addo National Park Issue pp., 22-27

• Figure 1.16, p. 17 • Revisit 7, p. 31 (show different aspects of issues in plot) • Looking at Issues, p. 22-27 (identify various components in this issue)

• Demonstrate an understanding that the travel and tourism industry consists of many interconnected components

• Conflicts and issues, p. 9 • Figure 1.8, p. 10, Tourist Activities • Figure 1.11, p.12, Services approach • Figure 1.29, some facts about the existing Addo Elephant National Park

• See chapters x and x

• Describe biases that may inform different viewpoints and perspectives on issues related to regional geography

• Key question 3, 4 • Figure 1.12, p.13 • Determine the viewpoints, p.16 • Facts are Facts, p. 17· • Opinions count, Detecting bias, p. 19

• Figure 1.12, p.13 and 1.14, p. 15 (students identify their own bias and viewpoint and where they fit on the graphic) • Figure 1.18, p.19 (identify and explain the bias) • Check in 3, 4, 5, p. 21 • Check in 2,3, p.27 • BLM xx

• Analyze the effects of cultural, economic and political motivators and barriers on travel and tourism patterns

• Key question 1 • Why Do People Travel, p. 6 • Figure 1.6, Barriers to Travel

• Check in 1, p.11 • Revisit 1,2 ,p.30

• Demonstrate an understanding of the steps involved in the geographic inquiry process

• Key question 2,3,4 • Investigating issues, pp.15-20 • Greater Addo National Park Issue pp. 22-27

• Check in 1, p.20 • Check in 1, p.27 • Revisit 3, 6, 8, 9, Job Skills, pp.30-31

• Evaluate the quality and validity of information found in various sources

• Key question 4 • Evaluate the Viewpoints, p.19 • Decide for Yourself, p.20 • Figure 1.33, p.31

• Check in 3, 4, 5, p.21 • Check in 3, p.27 • Greater Addo National Park Issue pp., 22-27

SUGGESTED APPROACHES Introduction Students should have some prior knowledge of basic geographic concepts, first introduced in grade 7 and 8 and developed further in the grade 9 Ontario geography curriculum. All students will have some basic understanding of the nature of travel and tourism. There are many ways to get started that should generate an interest in learning about travel and tourism from a geographic perspective. Here are a few ideas:

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Brainstorming Organize students in small groups and ask them to brainstorm a list of images, ideas or words that come to mind when they hear the word travel. Each group will put their list on chart paper and share with the class. Use this activity as a diagnostic assessment, to get a 'snapshot' of students' understanding of basic concepts. Where in the World Do We Travel? Have students list individually, all the places where they or members of their family have traveled. Have them write their travel destinations on small sticky notes and place in the correct location on a large wall map of the world. An alternative is to use coloured stick pins and an outline map of the world posted on a bulletin board. To help review the geographic concept of pattern, hold a class discussion about the patterns that show up on the map with the various locations. If you have more than one class, use different colours of sticky notes and use all the data.This can be carried further in a second round, by having students suggest the 'type' of travel they (or the family member) undertook and one factor that influenced the choice of destination. Ask them to read page 6 - 8 the text and identify a motivator category and a travel variable that applies. (Note more than one category of motivators may apply in some cases) In the event that a student cannot identify a travel destination, have them work to help a partner to identify his or her motivators and variables and in a sensitive manner, ask the pair to examine Figure 1.6 on page 8 to identify and explain a travel barrier that may have influenced the choice not to travel.

Expectations demonstrated: • Identify selected factors that influence traveller's destination choices • Classify the different types of travel and tourism, and explain the reasons why people travel • Analyze the effects of cultural, economic and political motivators and barriers on travel and tourism patterns • Use geographic terms correctly in written and oral communication (destinations, motivators, barriers, variables) • Collect data through field observation (class sticky notes) and apply these data to a study dealing with an aspect of travel and tourism in their local area (analysis of map patterns of class travel)

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Marooned In Mongolia Show students excerpts from a youth travel adventure television show such as those found on the Outdoor Channel (Lonely Planet), or video and have them identify: Travel destination, 'type' of travel, motivators and barriers involved in that type of travel for various groups. Ask them if they can identify any issues that are mentioned in the show. An alternative to this is to use a travel adventure account from the weekend travel section of a newspaper. (See sample BLM 1 Marooned in Mongolia and BLM 2 Marooned in Mongolia Activity Sheet)

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Travel views Have students work in groups of 5 and assign one of the travel quotes to each student. The task is to explain what the quote could mean and identify the viewpoint on travel. Ask students to identify the speaker and a bias if possible. Each student will present their ideas to the other 4 in the group.

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Investigating Issues To introduce the issues approach to travel and tourism, make sure that students understand (can define) what an issue is -see page 14. Ask students to identify 3 or 4 issues which affect them personally. You may wish to have students look through local newspapers or speak to someone in the community to identify local community issues. They will need to understand that in order to be considered an issue, there should be different people with different points of view who are affected. Ask them to identify an individual or group (stakeholder) that holds a different point of view from theirs.

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Using Figure 1.12 on page 13, students can 'practise' the 5-step method for investigating issues as described on page 15. Remind them that this method can also be used in other subjects and research assignments. They could identify the economic, cultural/social, environmental and political components of this particular issue. Have them identify their own viewpoint on this issue and where they would fit on the model in figure 1.14 on page 15. To conclude, brainstorm a list of possible issues related to travel and tourism. To assess their understanding, have them apply their knowledge by identifying all the components of another issue of their choice- perhaps one of the local community issues.

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Identifying Bias Use BLM 4 to help students identify bias.

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Greater Addo National Park Role Play Have students conduct a role-play of the various stakeholders, in a roundtable discussion, to work out alternative solutions to the issue in Greater Addo National Park. (Review the meaning of the term sustainable) Each student should select one of the alternatives and provide support for it in a written position paper of about 300 words. In the paper, the student should briefly outline the economic, cultural, political and environmental implications of the solution. Expectations demonstrated: • Compare viewpoints of individuals, businesses, non-governmental organizations about sustainable use of the earth and its resources • Identify the economic, cultural, political and environmental components of selected issues related to travel and tourism • Demonstrate an understanding of the steps involved in the geographic inquiry process • Evaluate the quality and validity of information found in various sources

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Tourist Destinations Using Figure 1.8 on page 10 and an outline map of Countries of the World (BLM Map 1), have students locate and label the Example Destinations. Use different symbols or colours to represent the 7 different destination categories. You may wish to have them choose 1 or 2 additional destinations of their choice or brainstorm as a class to compile a list of additional destinations within each category to add to the map. Have students write a brief analysis of the patterns that show up on the map. This is a good introductory activity as it helps students review mapping skills and enhances awareness of the location of places and destinations in the world. Expectations demonstrated: • Analyse global patterns of tourism and the factors that affect them(overall) • Produce and interpret different types of maps • Identify significant global tourist attractions • Classify different types of travel and tourism

Student questions and answers. Check In - page 11

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1. a) Which travel motivators would you consider to be most important for i) you and your friends ii) your family Explain your choices. Probably for high school students the most important motivators are Interpersonal, the opportunities to meet new people and make new friends, and Physical, which might include skiing, boating or other outdoor types of physical activities. These two motivators might fulfill the young person's wish to make new friends and experience exciting activities. The students' parents are probably driven more by Cultural motivators that are influenced by an intellectual need to broaden one's own life experiences that often comes with age and experience of one's own world.

b) Why is the term "motivator" used to describe the reasons that people travel? The term motivator is appropriate because it helps to explain why travel is such a popular form of leisure activity. Motivators 'pull' people towards travel experiences. Travel demand is actually driven by factors that encourage people to take the time and effort to do so. 2.

a) In what ways might gender be an important variable? Gender might be a factor in travel choices where physical strength or personal safety were issues to be considered such as in mountain climbing or travel to some Islamic nations where women are not allowed to drive or must conform to strict dress codes. b) Name two other variables that you think influence people in their decisions on tourist destinations. Explain your choices. One's openness to new ideas and customs i.e. food choices, might limit choices of some tourist destinations. One's ability to speak more than one language will also offer more choices of travel destinations.

3.

For each of the categories of tourism shown in Figure 1.8, name a local or provincial destination not listed that fits the category.

While these will vary across Canada some options are as follows. Environmental - any National Park, Banff, PEI beaches, Bay of Fundy Recreational - Whistler for skiing, PEI for golf, New Brunswick for fishing, Killarney for camping, cottages for water skiing Historical - Annapolis Royal, Royal Ontario Museum, Fort Gary, the Klondike Domestic Culture - Head-Smashed-in Buffalo Jump, a native Pow Wow, Calgary Stampede Urban - your provincial capital or largest city near to you Foreign Culture - Chinatown in Toronto or Vancouver, an ethnic neighbourhood in your province's largest city Business - visit your local Chamber of Commerce, see displays at various exhibitions such as the CNE in Toronto, various trade shows and conferences.

Check In Page 14 1. Here are ten factors that influence people's viewpoints about travel and tourism issues. Look at the list and identify the two most important and the two least important factors. Explain your choices. Culture and traditions - one person may be xenophobic or another may be curious about different cultures and see differences as ideal and enriching rather than as a problem Places where people live - one's isolation may make them shy or awkward about leaving what they find comfortable or encountering strangers in their midst Amount of experience with travel and tourism - the inexperienced traveler may not have a true idea about the implications of travel and tourism issues or may be anxious about the unknown Amount of education people have - this may impede their ability to view objectively the various sides of an issue Political perspectives - likewise this may colour objectivity Income levels - the implications of travel and tourism issues will vary from an economic point of view between those of differing incomes Gender - women may look at issues from a different perspective (i.e. from a family rather than and economic perspective) than men. Age - the young may lack experience to view issues objectively while the elderly may resist change or an obvious increase in numbers that tourist will bring to their communities Religious beliefs - such issues as Casinos or drug and alcohol restrictions may be contrary to established religious beliefs of customs Racial origins - xenophobia or intolerance may cloud some issues relative to different cultures and customs.

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2. Give two examples of things that you would consider "problems" and two examples of "issues" in travel and tourism. Problems - airplane delays, lack of taxis, jet lag, significant difference in currency value increasing costs of a place Issues - airport noise, traffic, drug smuggling, overuse of a natural resource on which tourism is based

Check In Page 20 1. Create an illustration or graphic organizer that will help you to remember the five steps in the issues investigation strategy. One possibility is as follows. [catch figure 1.1]

Figure 1-1

ISSUE

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h ke ta

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Stakeholder 2

Who is involved

Viewpoints

Evaluation Decision

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St

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2. The following six quotations show something about how people think issues should be investigated. Which quotations show an issues approach? In your notebook explain why you think they do. a)

" I try to find out everything I can about the place I will be visiting. That way I can be prepared for anything that might happen to me." This is not an issues approach because it deals only with the individual concerned.

b)

"This industry will be most successful if we figure out what people want and then give it to them. Helicopter skiing and white-w water rafting are two good example to meeting the needs of tourists." This shows an issues approach because the need is to collect information that concerns a great number of people and what their wants and needs are.

c)

"When I run into trouble and do not know what to do, I try to talk to as many people as I can. By listening to all their opinions, I usually can figure out a good way to resolve the situation." This is an issues approach as it considers the input of many so analyst will probably see all sides of the issue.

d)

"Most problems can be solved if we just determine what will earn the most money. Like all industries, travel and tourism is about making a profit." Not an issue approach as only one side of the discussion is taking place, that having to do with the economic argument.

e)

"Everyone has an opinion about issues, but that does not mean that everyone is right. Some people just do not have all the facts or are not thinking clearly." This reflects an issues approach as all sides of the discussion need to be heard before decisions can be made.

f)

"When I run into a problem I just go to my travel agent. She usually knows who I should contact to make things better." Not an issues approach as the travel agent may have a bias or make an error in judgment that, because the agent is only one source, may adversely affect the final decision.

3. a)

b)

Facts can provide support for a viewpoint. Create an example of how facts can prove a viewpoint. One may think that a new amusement park will provide hundreds of summer jobs for students. This could be supported by documentation from other parks the company has opened in similar towns. Give an example of how opinions would not be acceptable support for a viewpoint. Share your example with others in the class. Do our classmates agree your example would not be accepted? It may be, in the above example of the amusement park, that one person might say that all of the jobs will go to adults because of the high unemployment in the area. This opinion would not be acceptable in light of the facts.

4. Using the four techniques for detecting bias described on pages 19-2 20, write a biased speech about an issue of your choice from a single viewpoint. One range of topics could center around the proposal of building a mammoth Theme Park in the vicinity of your school. Students could be grouped as being 'for' or 'against' the project and each use one viewpoint only for their presentation. 5. In your own words, explain how you might determine whether a given viewpoint on an issue is legitimate and fair. One idea might be to give it the test of "who benefits from this?".

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Check In Page 27 1. Use the five steps in the issues investigation analysis model to analyze the issue of the expansion of the Addo Elephant National Park. For each step in the model, record your ideas in point form. Identify the stakeholders: Stakeholders in this issue include the Territorial Ecology Research Unit, local farmers and their organizations, ecologists/conservationists/environmentalists, local industrial workers, owners of zinc smelters, the tourist industry in general, South Africa National Parks Board and NGO's such as the International Fund for Animal Welfare. State the Issue: Should the existing Addo Elephant National Park be expanded and designated as a national park? Determine the Viewpoints: • Local farmers and their organizations are opposed to the expansion because it will remove some lands from farming. They are concerned about lost revenue from sheep farming and planned wool and mohair processing plants in the area. • Proponents of the Coega industrial harbour and development zone were unavailable for comment but it is assumed that they would argue that the project would create jobs and stimulate the economy of the region. • Local industrial workers see conflicts between a national park and industrial (smelting) activities in the area. • Environmentally concerned individuals and groups want the expansion because it is an excellent opportunity to protect important animal populations, most notably elephants, but also marine and other species. They argue that industrial development will create air pollution and toxic waste, harm the tourism industry, and that ecotourism can provide many jobs. • IFAW donated US$2.5 million to the National Parks Board with restrictions to protect elephant herds • Tourism related organizations view this project as a way to expand the ecotourism industry in the region. • The government wants to encourage economic development in the region's rural and poorer areas. Evaluate the Viewpoints: Farmers have a legitimate concern about the loss of a resource that is capable of supporting a sustainable economy. They point to existing inefficiencies in land use related to the national park. Viewpoints supporting industrial development in the region are looking at short-term economic development, not at developing a sustainable economy. Environmentalists have presented solid arguments against the hazards of the smelters and accompanying development and suggest that a sustainable economy can be realized while protecting a threatened ecosystem. They see that the expanded national park is an opportunity that cannot be missed. The tourist industry points out that their activities are sustainable. International NGO's actually financially support the protection of animals. Decide for Yourself: Students should take the viewpoint of the stakeholder group with which they most agree and decide on actions that they could take to promote their perspective. 2. Identify biases in the materials presented about Addo Elephant National Park. Describe the biases that you find and what these suggest about the people or groups who hold them. Examples of blatant bias are found in those materials that are connected to specific viewpoints, most clearly the environmental perspective. Here are three examples: • From the environmentalist, Geoff Barr-"…would ensure that the Eastern Cape would become a prime international ecotourism destination…" and .."famous Addo elephants would become the new milk cows.." • SAEP statement -"…the very dubious and unquestionable Coega project." • Environment News Service - "The increase in tourism revenue is vital to the area…" • From the farmers-"..the proposers of the park are forgetting about the people on the surrounding farms" Much less blatant bias can be detected in the newspaper articles, which you might expect to be objective in their reporting.

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3. Which of the sources of information given in the Addo Elephant Park study would you consider most legitimate and valid? Give reasons for your choice(s). Students may suggest that the most legitimate sources are likely academic institutions or newspapers, for whom there is some expectation of objectivity and freedom from bias. 4. Who, in your opinion, should be most responsible for resolving issues that involve travel and tourism? Share your opinions with the class. Different voices on the subject are likely to suggest government agencies, environmental groups, the industrial sector and the travel and tourism industry. Students should provide supporting evidence for their opinions.

Looking Back Understanding the Concepts 1. Identify three factors that influence travellers' destination choices. For each, explain how it influences decisions. Some factors that influence destination choices that students might provide are: • Education levels - because more educated people tend to be curious about other places and seek cultural destinations • Income - people with higher incomes can afford to travel more often and go to more distant places • Age - very young and older people may not feel confidant about travel, especially to destinations off the beaten track • Family situation - young families may want entertainment that appeals to children • Time constraints - busy people will choose closer (in time) destinations 2. Why do people travel? Answer this question from the view of different sections of society (e.g. students, families, young people, newlyweds), and then from a personal perspective. Explain why your reasons for traveling may not be the same as those for other groups of society. Answers may include some of the following ideas: • Students travel for adventure • Young people travel to experience new ideas • Families travel for entertainment • Mature people travel for relaxation • Retirees travel for cultural exploration 3. a)

b)

Explain why it is important that issues be examined carefully and critically. Issues need to be examined carefully to avoid working with incomplete or inaccurate understandings, to avoid problems like stereotyping or bias and to work out the most viable solutions. Why is it important that investigations recognize that people have a variety of perspectives on issues? We need to understand that people see problems from different perspectives and have different viewpoints so that we can work to find compromises and solutions.

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Practicing Your Skills 4. Create an ideas web (also called an ideas map) to show the different viewpoints in the issue about the Greater Addo National Park. Your web should include some details about the various positions held. An ideas web might look something like Figure 1.2 [catch figure 1.2 ]

Answer Key Figure 1-2 (question #4 pg. 30)

organizations acedemics Environmentalists

Should the National Park be expanded?

local businesses

national businesses

Tourist Industry

tourists

Farmers

dairy farmers

workers

Industrialists Government of South Africa

National Parks Board

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farmers associations

sheep farmers

business owners shelters

5. From the viewpoint of either a farmer whose lands were being expropriated by the newly enlarged Greater Addo National Park or a game warden employed by the Park, write a diary entry stating your feelings about the creation of the new park and your view of the future. Students should include some details about the park and points to support their views in their writings to their diary.

Applying Your Skills 6. Think about an issue that involved you personally either at school, in the community or even in your home. a) State the issue b) Give your viewpoint or position on the issue c) Give three facts or opinions that you used to support our viewpoint. d) Give other important viewpoints or positions on the issue. e) If the issue was resolved, explain how it came to be resolved. If it is unresolved, identify the things that are preventing a resolution. f) Describe ways that the issues analysis approach described n this chapter might have helped lead to a esolution of the issue. Some issues at school might get students started on this such as smoking area, hats in school, drinks in class. At home it might be Saturday curfew, chores or use of family car. You may wish to have students investigate local newspapers or newscasts to find ongoing community issues of interest. 7. You are writing a play about an issue such as the expansion of the Addo Elephant national park. Think about the plot that you would develop in the play to help people understand the various issues in this situation. Outline the plot of your play. This could be a group activity to conceptualize a play plot that will utilize the facts and opinions embedded in the case study. Perhaps it could be a story about a family that will beafected by the out come of the issue.

Thinking Like a Tourist 8. You are a tourist planning a visit to the Addo Elephant National Park just as the expansion plan is announced. a) What concerns do you have? Some concerns that tourists might have with the expansion of the park are: • Will the controversy result in protests or demonstrations that might interfere with my visit? • Will services be maintained during the transition period? • Who will I contact if I experience difficulties? • Will the costs of services go up? • That development will affect my ability to see wildlife in their healthy natural habitat b)

What better tourist opportunities might the expansion provide? Astute businesspeople will see opportunities because of the higher profile of the expanded park and the greater numbers of tourists. Opportunities would include such areas as providing accommodations, transportation, guiding, supplying materials for expanding business, and the like.

9. Make a poster for promoting the new Greater Addo National Park. Carefully consider the images that you will use to attract tourists to the destination. On the back of your poster, point out the images that you used and give reasons for your choices. Look at the pictures in the case study for types of images that are appropriate. Use Internet sources for ideas.

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Job Skills Write a one-p page analysis in which you explain how using the issues analysis strategy to look at travel and tourism issues will help to develop employability skills. Think about such skills as locating and managing information, evaluating information and coping with uncertainty. Some critical employability skills relate to the systematic analysis of situations, careful data collection, critical reflection on points of view, and the ability to use various strategies to make decisions in the face of uncertainty. These skills are required when using the steps in the geographic inquiry process. These are the kinds of skills that students should mention in their analysis statement.

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BLM 1 Marooned in Mongolia Excerpted from the Globe and Mail, Saturday August 4, 2001 Travel Section, page T1, by Colin Angus Mongolia is a Third World country going through lean times. After three years of drought, its last winter was so severe that half the nation's livestock perished. With an economy based mainly on herding, this means a lot of people are going hungry. These thoughts were running through my head as I sat on a hot fly-infested beach on the banks of the Selenga River - utterly alone. I was wearing a pair of cotton pants. Nothing else, not even underwear. My pockets contained a lighter and a jackknife. In the middle of the Mongolian wilderness, that's all I had. And a kayak. The nearest town of any size lay about 500 kilometres downriver. My stomach rumbled as I relived the events that led to my current predicament. Only two days ago, everything had been going smoothly. Our three-man team was making good progress in our endeavour to make the first-ever run of the world's fifth-longest river, the Yenisei, from source to sea….To increase our speed we had lashed our two kayaks onto the four-metre, oar-rigged, white-water raft - the boat that carried all our belongings, all our food, and all our money. The flood caught us unawares. The heat wave that had been ravishing us also rapidly melted the snow in the Hovsgol Mountains.. The rising river soon broke its banks and the floor of the Selenga Valley became awash with surging glacial melt…. Never had I been in such difficult white water. I struggled to keep the raft under control as we sluiced ay six knots through the flooded [forest]. A low hanging tree limb stopped the boat dead in its tracks, the force of the water then overturning it. Ben Kozel and I climbed onto the tree that had flipped us. Remy Quinter swam after some stray gear that had escaped….. The film bag had been swept away! The documentary we planned! All the precious cassettes were heading down river. Every second counted if we were ever to see that bag again. I slipped on my spray skirt, pulled loose a paddle and climbed inside the yellow kayak we had freed from under the raft. "Be careful mate," Ben said. I slipped my kayak off the raft and into the surging floodwaters. It would be days before I saw the other two again. I didn't find the green dry-bag that contained the film cassettes. It was like looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack. The area of flooded forest was about two kilometres wide and the raging current just pushed me farther downstream. Two hours later, I pulled my kayak dejectedly up on the shore….Ben and Remy were upstream. If I waited here long enough…they'd come drifting by and I'd see them. Simple logic. Two days passed. My empty stomach ached, unprotected eyes stung, and skin burnt, yet still no sign of Ben and Remy. During the night I shivered uncontrollably as the air temperature dropped close to zero. The spray skirt didn't do much to blanket my half-naked body. Perhaps they had slipped by while I slept. As more time passed by, the grim reality of being completely alone in Mongolia began to set in. The Selenga Valley is sparsely populated by a few nomadic herders…I remembered from the map that there was also a village called Hutag about 100 kilomtres downstream. Ben and Remy would probably be waiting for me there. We had discussed before that if we ever got separated, we would meet at the next town or village on the riverbanks. If they weren't there, I would be in trouble. In Mongolia there are no soup kitchens; without money I would get nothing. The only food I could count on would be what I could get from the land myself. I had already been eating wild rhubarb and stinging nettles over the last couple of days. Maybe I could find more. I climbed back into my kayak and began the journey northeast….As dusk began to fall, I discerned the outline of two nomads on the shore filling their water urns. I waved as the men looked up in surprise. "Sambano!" I yelled the local greeting. "Sambano," one of the young men called back. They eyed me suspiciously as I paddled up to the bank…To win their trust, I stepped out of the boat and motioned for the men to try it out. Soon they were splashing, laughing, and clapping me on the back….. So I wouldn't die.

Finally, Tengle, the taller of the two dark men, grabbed my hand and beckoned me to his ger (the felt tent that Mongolian herders live in)….We walked together to the ger and I entered the smoky, cozy interior. Tengle's wife, a robust woman of about 30, immediately handed me a bowl of yak's milk tea, soon followed by rice and horse meat. I wolfed the sustenance down, my stomach becoming satisfied for the first time in days. Tengle made motions asking whether I would like to spend the night there. I would. As I lay curled up under the yak skin, I wondered where the other were. The following day, I set off after another meal of rice and horse meat. I had carved a hat out of the flotation foam from the kayak. The vicious sun had given my mild sunstroke and I hoped the hat would help. Tengle, noting my blistered shoulders, literally gave me the shirt off his back. I kissed him on the cheek….. I would float on the river for about 15 hours each day, allowing the river to do most of the work….Two days after saying goodbye to Tengle and family, I heard a shout coming from the shore. I turned, at first thinking it was Ben and Remy. As I drew closer, I saw three dark-skinned men fishing from the banks. One of them pointed to a green bag that lay by his feet. Hallelujah! The film bag! If I made it out alive, we would havethe film documentary after all. Each evening, I would pull my boat ashore, start a fire, and then begin my ritual of searching through the surrounding brush for anything edible. One of my most joyous moments came when I startled a bird from its nest at the base of a cliff. In the nest lay three speckled eggs -about half the size of a chicken's. Any other time I would have quietly admired their beauty and moved on. Today was a different story. I picked up one of the eggs and gently cracked it. Within I could see a network of veins from the partially formed fetus. I closed my eyes and downed the contents. It really did taste good! I ate the other two smacking my lips…… At night I would climb inside my kayak… as far as I could so only my head poked out from the neoprene hole….. Water was my greatest concern. I had no way of treating it. The whole way down the river I had seen hundreds of animal carcasses, victims of Mongolia's killer winter….Would these rotting, putrified animals give me some sort of extreme intestinal disease? It is one thing to get a major sickness when help is at hand, it is another when you are alone and fighting for survival. I arrived at the small wild-west looking town of Hutag five days after the capsize. I pulled my boat ashore and walked through the mud towards the community. There was no sign of Ben or Remy. …Eventually I found a store. The open-fronted building contained racks of biscuits, corned beef, sardines and bread. I smiled at the shopkeeper, pointed to the packs of flat breads and held up two fingers. She placed them on the counter and then wrote on a piece of paper 2000 togrogs ($2) I pulled out a pack of five films and made gestures to trade. She shook her head. I added two more films and shook her head as if to say "not for al the films in the world". The bread in front of me was so close, yet untouchable. I was tempted to grab it and run. I began telling her in English how much that bread would mean to me, and how many kilometers I had paddled to get here. Finally, sick of hearing my gibberish, she relented. …For the next 55 hours, I paddled day and night - almost non-stop. I took one six-hour break on a windy afternoon to catch some sleep. Seven days after last seeing the lad, I arrived in Suhbaatar hungry, skinny, tired, but alive. I couldn't wait to see the others, to get a decent meal, clean clothes, and some sleep. As my boat touched the shore in the puring rain I chuckled to myself. What a journey. Sounds like a happy ending? Not quite! Ben and Remy weren't there. (Colin Angus of Victoria, B.C. is the author along with Ian Mulgrew, of Amazon Extreme: Three Men, A Raft and the World's Most Dangerous River (Stoddart, 2001) After spending five days in Suhbaatar, his companions Australian Ben Kozel and Canadian Remy Quinter - caught up with him. The adventurers went on to follow the Yenisey in Russia's Siberia. The posted their adventures on a website at www.raftyenisey.com/extremrafting_low.htm)

BLM 2 Marooned in Mongolia - Activity "A river is a guide that will show you the life and blood of a region. It is a random road that neither shields one from terrors nor detracts from beauty. The Yenisey will take us past villages that cannot be found in the pages of an atlas and reveal people who have never met Westerners before"

Expectations: In this activity you will have an opportunity to show your understanding of: • how a variety of factors are used to define regions • different types of regions • some factors that influence traveller's destination choices • how to classify different types of travel and tourism and explain reason why people travel • how to analyse the effects of human systems and natural systems on travel and tourism • the need to respect the cultural traditions of others • how to analyse the effects of cultural, economic and political motivators and barriers on travel and tourism • the use of correct geographic terms • the use of information from different sources • how to produce different types of maps • ways to communicate effectively in written and visual forms Read the excerpt from the article "Marooned in Mongolia" and answer the following questions: 1. a) Find a map of Northern Eurasia in an atlas (e.g., p. 85 in Canadian Oxford School Atlas, 7th edition) and locate the Yenisey River. b) Draw a sketch map of the region surrounding the river (its drainage basin). c) Label the following features in the correct location: Arctic ocean; Yenisey river and its main tributaries; Russia; Mongolia; Selenge River (tributary in Mongolia, referred to in the article as Selenga); Suhbaatar; Ulaanbaatar ( Ulan Bator); Gobi Desert; Lake Baikal 2. Who is the author of the article and what was his purpose in writing it? 3. What was the goal of the expedition? 4. What type of tourism would you say the author and his companions were participating in? 5. Describe the demographic characteristics of the author and his companions. 6. Would you say these variables are typical for people engaging in this type of tourism? Explain your answer. 7. For this journey, what were the travel motivators and barriers? 8. How did human and natural features affect the author's experience? 9. a)

Describe the region the adventurers were traveling in and its characteristics. Refer to both natural and human features. b) What type of region is this?

10. Can you identify any issues related to travel and tourism from this article? 11. Write a paragraph explaining why you would or why you would not want to travel in this region.

BLM 2 b) Marooned in Mongolia - Answers 1.

A I S S R U 2. Colin Angus of Victoria, B. C. wrote the article to inform people and to generate interest in his adventures, books and future documentary. 3. The goal was to explore the Yenisey River and create a film documentary of the adventure and of local culture and natural environment in the region. 4. This is hard adventure tourism (see student text p.61), perhaps even extreme adventure. 5. Typical variables of age, sex, free time, responsibility, education, health, finances, should be mentioned (see student text pp. 7-8) 6. Young, educated, males from developed countries are the usual participants in this type of adventure travel. 7. Motivators: a combination of physical, cultural and prestige motivators (see student text p. 6) as well as economic motivators as the author may hope to make a living this way. Barriers: fear and safety concerns, isolation, natural hazards, foreign language, unfamiliar cultural characteristics and natural environment 8. Students should describe the effects of the above motivators and barriers on the authors' experiences. 9. a)

natural features: drought, harsh winter, river valley, rapids, flood, harsh sunlight, wild foods, wildlife: birds, yak, livestock carcasses creating water pollution, human features: sparse population, small dusty villages, felt tent houses, herding of horses, yak, friendly people, foods: yaks milk, horse meat, rice. b) Refer students to chapter 2 in the student text. This is a multi-factor region.

10. Hunger and poverty, especially after death of livestock, possible cultural conflict if tourism were to increase, drought and floods may be aspects of climate change.

BLM MAP 1