Whale watching sites proposed as heritage areas
by Tom Anstey | 01 Sep 2015
The designated sites will be the elite in whale watching, engagement and conservation / Flickr.com/Nestor Galina
A new accreditation scheme recognising areas of the world considered to be centres of excellence and responsibility in taking care of and engaging with cetaceans has been established in the hope of boosting tourism and enabling sustainable management of these sites.
The World Cetacean Alliance (WCA) – the world’s largest partnership working to protect whales, dolphins and porpoises – will be granting Whale Heritage Site status to multiple locations, with the recognised sites having to showcase the highest standards of responsible whale and dolphin watching while also engaging with local communities and foreign tourists.
The plan will be laid out at the Whale Heritage Sites Summit taking place in October in Horta, Portugal, with delegates agreeing the final criteria for site designation and the first site expected to be named in early 2016.
“The best possible way to protect ocean wildlife is to encourage people to see it for themselves in a responsible way,” said WCA secretariat, Dylan Walker.
“If, through Whale Heritage Sites, those same people can also experience coastal communities that celebrate and care for their marine natural heritage and understand the importance of a sustainable approach, we may yet win the battle to save our oceans.”
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A new accreditation scheme recognising areas of the world considered to be centres of excellence and responsibility in taking care of and engaging with cetaceans has been established in the hope of boosting tourism and enabling sustainable management of these sites. The World Cetacean Alliance (WCA) – the world’s largest partnership working to protect whales, dolphins and porpoises – will be granting Whale Heritage Site status to multiple locations, with
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by Megan Whitby | 09 Apr 2024
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GoCo Health Innovation City in Sweden plans to lead the world in delivering wellness and new science
by Kath Hudson | 28 Mar 2024
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by Megan Whitby | 22 Mar 2024
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by Megan Whitby | 02 Feb 2024
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One&Only One Za’abeel opens in Dubai featuring striking design by Nikken Sekkei
by Megan Whitby | 19 Jan 2024
Kerzner International has officially opened the doors to its striking new vertical resort, One&Only One Za’abeel, in Dubai. The opening marks the launch of the first-ever urban One&Only outpost. Located in the One Za’abeel development designed by architects Nikken Sekkei, the destination boasts dual skyscrapers intersected by the world’s longest cantilever bridge, The Link, which is suspended 100 metres above street level. “We have set aside convention and reinvented what
Luxury spa hotel, Calcot Manor, creates new Grain Store health club
by Kath Hudson | 18 Jan 2024
Luxury spa hotel Calcot Manor, located in England's Cotswolds, is launching a purpose-built fitness and wellness sanctuary. Opening in February, The Grain Store will have indoor and outdoor gyms, a spin shed, holistic studio, exercise studio and café with a terrace giving sweeping views over the countryside. The gym will have a functional space, cardio zone, free weights, resistance and a place to fight postural issues: the Proverb assisted stretch
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by Liz Terry | 11 Jan 2024
Huafa Snow World, a 131-hectare sport and entertainment destination in Shenzhen, China, designed by architecture firm, 10 Design is slated to open in 2025. The development is anchored by a 80,000sq m indoor ski resort, currently expected to be the largest of its kind in the world when it opens. Huafa Snow World will have a balance of retail, entertainment, commercial, hospitality, civic and cultural elements with the aim of
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by Megan Whitby | 05 Jan 2024
Rural Scottish retreat Murrayshall Country Estate has received the green light for its £30 million (US$38 million, €34.8 million) masterplan. The proposal includes plans for an extension to the 40-key four-star hotel in Scone, Perthshire, as well as the addition of a new spa and leisure facility with treatment rooms, a spa pool, spa cafe, gym and studio, a leisure pool and outdoor spa terrace. Proposed updates also include a
Aman's Janu hotel by Pelli Clarke & Partners will have 4,000sq m of wellness space
by Kath Hudson | 04 Jan 2024
Janu, the new hotel brand from luxury operator Aman, is gearing up to launch its first location this March in Tokyo. The property will feature one of the city's largest gyms. Part of a 4,000sq m state-of-the-art wellness centre, the 340sq m gym will feature five group exercise studios for spinning, aerial yoga, golf simulation, functional training, Pilates and high-impact circuit training, as well as the first boxing ring in
Therme Group confirms Incheon Golden Harbor location for South Korean wellbeing resort
by Megan Whitby | 03 Jan 2024
Global wellbeing organisation Therme Group has announced the location of its first Asia Pacific project. The upcoming resort will open in South Korea’s Incheon City as part of its Golden Harbor development. A memorandum of agreement was signed on 20 December by Therme’s senior vice president Stelian Iacob and Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) commissioner Kim Jinyong. The identification of the Golden Harbor site follows an initial letter of cooperation
Universal Studios eyes the UK for first European resort
by Kath Hudson | 29 Dec 2023
Universal Studios is assessing the feasibility of opening its first European resort in the UK, following the purchase of a former brickworks in Bedfordshire. The theme park operator has confirmed it’s in the “very early stages of exploring the possibility of a potential park and resort experience in Bedford.” Parent company, Comcast Corporation has purchased the 480-acre site, which previously had planning permission for 1,000 homes. Universal Destinations and Experiences
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by Megan Whitby | 20 Dec 2023
The King of Bhutan has announced plans for a new economic hub immersed in nature and designed by architecture firms Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Arup, and Cistri. Referred to as the Mindfulness City, the masterplan for the future Gelephu Special Administration Region (SAR) is informed by Bhutanese culture and its strong spiritual heritage, as well as the country's Gross National Happiness (GNH)* index. The goal is for the SAR to
Rural locations are the next frontier for expansion for the health club sector
by Kath Hudson | 19 Dec 2023
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Tonik Associates designs new suburban model for high-end Third Space health and wellness club
by Kath Hudson | 18 Dec 2023
KSL-owned Third Space has unveiled its latest club in Wimbledon, south-west London. The development marks the first of many forays into residential locations for the operator, following the recent securing of a loan facility of £88.5m. This is the ninth club from the premium fitness operator which has four further openings slated for residential areas of London in the next two years: Battersea, Clapham Junction and Wood Wharf in 2024
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