Thursday, November 30, 2006

 

Tribes Travel: Boycott of Legacy Hotels

PRESS RELEASE … PRESS RELEASE … PRESS RELEASE … PRESS RELEASE …

29 November 2006

Tribes demands that Legacy Hotels Group stops their planned huge
tourism development in a World Heritage Site next to Victoria Falls
in Zambia

Tribes, the Fair Trade TravelTM company, announced today, 29 November
2006, that it will boycott use of Legacy Hotels Group of South Africa
due to their appalling planned development in World Heritage Site of
Mosi-oa Tunya National Park in Zambia, which includes the Victoria
Falls.

Whilst the Zambian government have given Legacy a tourism concession
here, UNESCO has told the hotel group that their planned development
of a massive 18-hole golf estate including two hotels, 500 chalets
and a country club would be "irresponsible" and that they would mount
a worldwide campaign to discourage tourists from visiting the area.
Legacy themselves have apparently admitted that the development will
cause "irreversible ecological damage".

Mosi-oa Tunya National Park is one of Zambia's greatest natural
assets. It includes Victoria Falls – one of the seven natural wonders
of the world - as well as a fragile and hugely important area of
riverine rainforest, woodland and grassed areas, plus a section of
the Zambezi River from 5km below and 35km above the Falls. There are
about 400 bird species in the National Park and 30 species of large
mammal. It is environmentally and scientifically extremely important.

Tribes is a specialist UK tour operator which works on Fair Trade and
responsible travel principles. The company offers tailor made
holidays to Africa (including Zambia and South Africa), South America
and parts of Asia. They were the Global Winners of the Responsible
Travel Awards in 2005 and the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards in 2002.

Legacy Hotel Group is a South African company with a portfolio of
luxury hotels, resorts and bush lodges in various countries including
South Africa, Namibia, and Tanzania. Their flagship hotel, the
Michaelangelo is recognised as one of the Leading Hotels of the
World.

Director of Tribes, Amanda Marks, said: "We think that a campaign to
stop this development should begin BEFORE it gets underway, and the
prime elephant habitat on the banks of the Zambezi is bulldozed ready
for such a travesty".

She continued, "We very much hope that Legacy will think again about
their plans here, and make the right decision based on ethics and
preservation of a World Heritage Site, rather than simply on money.
Certainly it would be good for Zambia to have the income and jobs
which such a development would bring, but does it really need to be
IN Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park?"

-ends-

Notes to Editors:
1. Tribes was founded in 1998 by Amanda and Guy Marks.

2. For more detailed information, contact Amanda Marks on
Amanda@tribes.co.uk or call 01728 685971

3. Other travel companies in the UK currently backing the proposed
boycott of Legacy Hotels are:

Expert Africa; Rainbow Tours; Dragoman; Okavango Tours & Safaris;
Aardvark Safaris, Wildlife Worldwide

This list is increasing daily.

TRIBES
12 The Business Centre, Earl Soham, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP14 7SA.
Tel: 01728 685971
Email: amanda@tribes.co.uk
http://www.tribes.co.uk

**Overall Winner of the 2005 First Choice Responsible Tourism
Awards**
Global Winner of the 2002 British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Awards

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