Sunday, April 27, 2008

Dear Sandy Dhuyvetter,

I train professional tour directors and guides online through over 1,500 colleges in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Since the course is online, I have trained students throughout the world, including Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Nigeria, England, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria and more.

I’ve been training through the colleges since 1993, with my goal to increase the professionalism and opportunities for all tour directors and guides. You would be surprised how little most people know of our careers, especially in the U.S. I wrote my textbook, the "Tour Director Training Guide", to promote training in the community colleges. In most countries it takes between nine months and two years of training. The U.S. has very little training available for travel careers other than for travel agents.

If you think your listeners would be interested in knowing about the opportunities in local, domestic and international tours and programs, please let me know. I am available for interviews. Additional information and press releases are available on my website at http://www.tourtraining.com/. Thank you for your consideration.

Cherie Anderson
Professional Tour Management Training
http://www.tourtraining.com/

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Sandy's smile is a charm says e-mailer

Hi Sandy,

It was a pleasure meeting you at the Airline Distribution conference. I must compliment you for a beautiful smile you have that makes one so relax and wanting to talk to you more. If ever I have a chance you will be my mentor and I must learn to smile like you.

I hope you have a good trip home and if you are in Kuala Lumpur please do give me a call.

Stewart Kwan
Mainstage Malaysia


Monday, April 21, 2008

Tanzania: Not A Bloody Hell


Dear All at Travel Talk Radio,

The world contains small pockets of paradise found on very few places on earth. I am in Tanzania, the Land of Kilimanjaro, in East Africa.

Some 140 kilometers south of Kilimanjaro there are a range of mountains millions of years older than Kilimnajaro [South Pare Mountains], scientifically referred to as part of the Eastern Arc chain of mountains.

This is where you can find plants and animal species found nowhere else on earth. My place is strategically located to overlook Tanzania's 15th newest national park, Mkomazi (Game Reserve), where one-third of plants classified as unique in the world can be found, as well as 90-percent of all botanical species in Tanzania.

I AM NOT IN BLOODY HELL. ON THE CONTRARY I AM IN a little known PARADISE in the South Pare mountains. My clarion call is "BEYOND WILDLIFE A COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE."

Please visit us at www.tonalodge.org. My very best wishes to you all and thanks for asking.

Elly Kimbwereza
Managing Director of the TONA Lodge
Mbaga Village, Tanzania


Crowds Throng the Streets of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for the Olympic Torch

Malaysians celebrated the passing of the Olympic torch through Kuala Lumpur last Monday, April 21.

LIVE from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: The Olympic Torch Goes On

The Olympic torch made its appearance in Malaysia during a mid-afternoon run on Monday, April 21, in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. The 16.5 kilometer long relay began from historic Independence Square, passing in front of several city landmarks before coming to an end at the Petronas Twin Towers at Kuala Lumpur City Center (KLCC).

Security was tight throughout the parade route and, as an additional precaution, the arrival of the ceremonial run at KLCC was pushed up an hour early. A team of 1,000 personnel from the Malaysian Police Special Action Squad guarded the event and escorted the torchbearers. As heavy rain fell throughout the late afternoon, the cheering crowds at the city center were undeterred, waiting cheerfully and patiently for the moment when the torch would arrive. During the final arrival of the run at the twin towers, umbrellas were in every hand and celebrators wearing yellow, blue and green rain gear and waving Chinese flags was the colorful backdrop that could be seen from every room at the adjoining luxury hotel, the Mandarin Oriental.

In conjunction with the Olympic torch run, music and food and celebration were the course of the day. As night fell, the party continued as the people of Malaysia proudly noted to the world that the torch had come and left their country safely.

The last time the torch came through Malaysia was during the 1964 Japanese Olympics.

The next stop for the 2008 torch run will be Jakarta on April 22, and then the flame heads onto Australia, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Vietnam and finally Hong Kong at the end of April before reaching its final destination of Beijing.