World News

Colors: Blue Color

From May to November the waters along the NSW coastline become a living, moving spectacle as thousands of humpback, southern right, fin and other whale species make their way north. The NSW coastline becomes the world's best place for whale spotting and encounters, or to join the Saltwater Indigenous people celebrate this annual migration through Whale Dreaming ceremonies, festivals and experiences.

Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer Sandra Chipchase said, “Each year thousands of whales migrate north along the waters off the NSW coast, providing locals and visitors alike with the chance to see these majestic creatures up close and in their natural environment. It's exciting for young and old to spot a whale tail slapping or breaching its full body from the water".

“NSW has plenty of great whale watching experiences including fast boat cruises, lookouts and vantage points from stunning coastal walks, whale festivals and Whale Dreaming tours. With whale numbers increasing, it's not surprising that the State is often known as New South W(h)ales,” she said.

The long association between Aboriginal people and whales is reflected along the NSW coast where rock art sites document the powerful relationship with these creatures. In fact, the whale is an important totem for numerous Aboriginal groups.

South Coast Indigenous Tourism Operator, Ngaran Ngaran Culture Awareness, runs Whale Dreaming Tours to explain the importance and significance of whales. Operator Dwayne Bannon-Harrison, a descendant of the Yuin people said, "The connection to saltwater and sea creatures is of utmost importance to many coastal First Nation's people. In our creation stories the whales are elders of the sea that once walked from the land into the ocean. Whale Dreaming Ceremonies sing the safe passage of the whale migration, and ensures the connection and respect continues on. We perform these ceremonies in May and October.”

Business leaders and high-level policymakers will join forces for the first India-Commonwealth Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) trade summit. Three hundred Indian firms and more than 100 businesses from across the Commonwealth will be in one room in Delhi on the 30 and 31 May 2017 to enhance trade and investment partnerships.

“The Commonwealth has some of the fastest growing countries in the world. In fact, growth over the past two decades is more than double that in the European Union,” said Deputy Secretary-General Deodat Maharaj. “But intra-Commonwealth trade amounts to only 17 per cent of Commonwealth members global trade, and services trade has a much smaller share, only one-quarter of the total intra-Commonwealth trade. This is where the summit could help.”

Growth in the Commonwealth has accelerated over the past two decades recording 5 per cent in 2015 compared to less than 2 per cent in the EU. Since 2005 the share of the Commonwealth in the world’s gross domestic product (GDP) has increased and has overtaken the share of the EU. The growth in the Commonwealth is also supported by strong favourable demographics.

The Commonwealth Secretariat’s head of trade competitiveness, Rashmi Banga said, “The summit will bring together high-level policymakers and business leaders from Commonwealth member states to identify existing trade and investment opportunities.

“It’ll be an ideal opportunity for them to discuss ways to harness the huge untapped potential as well as common interests and concerns on topical trade issues.”

Among the topics to be discussed are Brexit, deepening intra-Commonwealth trade, trade facilitation in services and cross-border e-commerce.

“What’s exciting and different about this summit,” continued Mr Maharaj, “is that the high-level policymaker’s plenary sessions will be followed by business-to-business meetings between Commonwealth companies. Desks will be allocated to registered firms for business meetings with interested trade partners. They’ll be pitching to one another for bilateral business opportunities.”

A Commonwealth SME cooperation framework will be discussed by high level policymakers and association heads, leading to a declaration on the possible way forward.

Business will be focused in sectors. For example, textiles and clothing; gems and jewellery; leather and leather products; agro-processed products; low-tech machineries and mechanical appliances; packaging; and information and communication technology; to name but a few.

At the same time, the Technology Platform will give opportunities to Commonwealth businesses to make a presentation of their latest inventions that they want to sell. Companies are being encouraged to share low-cost technologies, and green technologies in particular, within the Commonwealth.

The Innovation Platform, sponsored by the Haydn Green Institution for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (HGI), in partnership with University of Nottingham in the UK, will provide an opportunity to Commonwealth businesses to present their ground-breaking ideas. This is the ideal showcase for start-ups, young entrepreneurs and students to try to commercialise their innovative ideas.

The summit is the first, and a unique, opportunity for Commonwealth countries to bring their strengths together, to deepen their trade and investment engagement and increase their share of the global trade pie.

"Buying a Spanish property from Taylor Wimpey España means more than investing in a stunning home in a great location, it means you'll be calm and carefree".
That's the commitment made by Taylor Wimpey España, the Spanish arm of one of the UK's leading and most trusted housebuilders, established almost 60 years ago in 1958.
Constantly evolving and changing to remain the very best, buying a home in Spain has never been easier due to the trust and confidence that many Brits have with this household name.

The expert team at Taylor Wimpey ensure that buying a property in Spain is easy and efficient from start to finish with one of their homes consultants in regular contact with clients every step of the way.
More than 4,000 happy clients can testify their satisfaction, in fact 98% have stated that they would buy again from Taylor Wimpey España.
The longstanding company is nonetheless constantly changing with the times and making sure that it is developing in order to meet the needs of 21st century Spanish homeowners. The company's recent initiative to brand their developments with names that reflect the unique identity of each project is proving a popular and worthwhile campaign.
Behind the scenes, the Taylor Wimpey España team hold competitions to decide on the name of a new development, enabling everyone involved to get creative. Only once the team become familiar with the project and its unique appeals, are they comfortable naming it.

St. Croix chef Ralph Motta is the newest Culinary Ambassador for the United States Virgin Islands Department of Tourism.
The Department announced that the executive chef of Motta Cuisine will represent the Territory at various in-market activations and events during the year to promote the USVI's exceptional culinary offerings.
This week, Chef Motta appeared on camera preparing a dish for "SoFloTaste"on WPLG-TV (ABC in Miami), in advance of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association's Caribbean305 culinary celebration, which will take place on Miami's Jungle Island on June 3.
During the segment, Chef Motta, who appeared with Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty, offered host Hunter Franqui a taste of a modern twist on boiled fish. He prepared the dish with poached mahi mahi in a butter sauce with a cilantro-lime yucca purée, passion fruit glaze, sauteed broccoli and microgreens.
Commissioner Nicholson-Doty said the Department was pleased the young Virgin Islander agreed to be an official envoy for USVI cuisine. "We're honored to have Chef Motta as a Culinary Ambassador. His incredible dishes speak for themselves, and he embodies what makes St. Croix's culinary scene so special - fresh farm-to-table and sea-to-plate cuisine, on par with and excelling beyond well-established culinary hot spots around the world."

Michigan is home to a number of unique and record-breaking attractions you won't find anywhere else. From the world's largest giant cherry pie pan to the world's largest Christmas store - you name it, the Great Lakes state has got it! Below are just some of the world's largest attractions that you'll find in Michigan.

World's Largest Haunted House - Erebus Haunted Attraction: Pontiac

Erebus, located in Pontiac, is a four story haunted house that was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records as the World's Largest Walk-Through Haunted Attraction in 2005. Erebus leads it's victims through four stories of unique and terrifying paths with fear so intense some call it PAIN!

World's Largest Christmas Store - Bronner's Christmas Wonderland: Frankenmuth The world's largest Christmas store with over 90,000 square feet of newly expanded shopper's dream! Bronner's is bigger than one and a half football pitches in size featuring over 50,000 decorations, gifts, and

World's Largest Cherry Pie Pan: Traverse City Near Traverse City, the cherry capital of the USA, at the Sara Lee Bakery Group, stands the World's Largest Cherry Pie Pan. The pan was made to hold the World's Largest Cherry Pie at the time (from 1987-1992). The huge pie weighed 28,350 pounds and was 17 feet, 6 inches in diameter.

World's Largest Weather Vane: Montague

This functioning weathervane is 48 feet tall with an arrow 26 feet long. The towering figure of the White Lake lumber schooner “Ella Ellenwood” which sails atop the World's Largest Weathervane was chosen because it best typifies the colourful but rugged history of the area.

Separate pirate fact from fiction with special tours at Pirate's Quest this May Half Term, 27 May – 4 June, and help the crew track down their ship so they can return to the Caribbean.

Visitors will be transported back almost 300 years, where they'll begin their adventure on board a Pirate Hunter's Ship called the 'Royal Anne' – a vessel that left England in 1721 with the intention of sailing to the Caribbean, but wrecked off the South Coast of Cornwall.

A real LIVE pirate from the infamous 'Republic of Pirates' will rescue visitors from the sinking Royal Anne, escorting them through a secret passageway, and then acting as a guide through several detailed sets and scenes – a chance to explore the mystical caves and murky streets of eighteenth century Cornwall, and discover the truth about REAL Pirates.

After arriving at Towan Blystra Docks, visitors will be invited into the local tavern, a safe haven for pirates, before deciding whether they're brave enough to enter the optional scare section, The Locker of Davy Jones. Eventually you'll arrive at the Captain's Ship, ready to return to the safety of the Caribbean waters.

The authentic pirates are brought to life by talented theatrical actors, who are guaranteed to make this a unique and memorable experience – a rare opportunity for all ages to learn something new about piracy, and experience the life of a seafarer during the 'Golden Age of Pirates'. Discover the REAL Pirates of the Caribbean.

Junior buccaneers can even complete a treasure map to earn themselves some treasure!

The Government of the United States Virgin Islands and Airbnb have confirmed the first tax agreement in the Caribbean, which will allow the platform to collect the Territory's 12.5 percent Hotel Room Occupancy Tax on behalf of hosts and remit the funds to the Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). The agreement will also create a framework to help promote tourism to the U.S. Virgin Islands, highlighting the cultural and historical heritage of this world-class destination.
Airbnb has been investing in partnerships in the region to support a thriving community of homeowners who are renting their spaces and creating new flows of local economic benefits.
Agreements have been signed with several countries and with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) to create policy frameworks for this growing hospitality trend of home sharing. Today's announcement spearheads the company's efforts in the Caribbean to collect and remit lodging taxes on behalf of hosts, allowing hosts to comply and give back to their communities.
The Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Kenneth E. Mapp, supported the agreement and noted that locals will increase their participation in the economic benefits of tourism. "This is good for our Government because it streamlines the collection process and enables more of our residents to participate in the visitor industry. Our hospitality sector will also greatly benefit from the promotional reach of this multibillion-dollar organization," Mapp said.
The agreement with Airbnb is a component of the Mapp-Potter Administration's Five Year Plan to fully restore economic stability to the V.I. Government through economic growth, increased revenue collection and better resource management. It will help improve and diversify the tourism industry and create unique experiences for and by the locals of St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas and their visitors.
Airbnb has about 2,000 active listings across the U.S. Virgin Islands and a typical Airbnb host earns US$7,700 a year. "Airbnb represents a supplemental income, which helps families pay their bills and improve their quality of life. As local hosts bring more tourism to the region, visitors get to know the country from an organic and more authentic point of view, spending in local businesses and services, as well as encouraging others to visit the islands as a result of their positive experience," said Shawn Sullivan, Airbnb's Public Policy Manager for the Caribbean and Central America.
Local authorities also pointed to the importance of the growth and diversification of tourism to the island and the improvement of tax collection for both hosts and government.
"This agreement brings to the table a well-resourced partner to help with our efforts to attract people to our islands," observed Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty.
Marvin Pickering, Director of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue, said the additional revenue would be beneficial for the treasury. "This voluntary collection agreement for the hotel room tax provides the bureau with an additional resource to ensure that the tax is collected and remitted in a timely manner. We look forward to pursuing this additional avenue of increasing the tax revenue from Airbnb hosts as they participate in our Territory's tax regime by fulfilling their filing and payment obligations."

Some of the world’s leading environmental experts will meet at a Commonwealth conference this week to see how they can take forward an innovative strategy to reverse the human impact of climate change. They are hoping their new approach will influence the debate among world leaders when they meet at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP23, chaired by Fiji in Bonn, Germany this November.

The Commonwealth’s Regenerative Development to Reverse Climate Change Conference, organised in collaboration with the Cloudburst Foundation, is the second meeting of experts, who believe that climate change does not have to be all doom and gloom, and there is potential to reverse its effects.

Last October, at Marlborough House, London, more than 60 scientists, ecologists, activists, academics and funders explored cutting-edge approaches to reducing carbon emissions and addressing global warming, while boosting development and economic growth.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland will present their findings at the Commonwealth Secretariat’s London headquarters on May 18, 2017. This includes submissions from Project Drawdown - a comprehensive plan with the potential to reverse global warming.

She said, "A pronounced increase in violent storms, floods, drought, desertification and devastating sea level rises – extreme events such as these are the realities that many people across the Commonwealth wake up to every day. This is why, from the moment I took office I have been working hard to address climate change.

“It is truly a historic moment for the Commonwealth as the first intergovernmental organisation to take on the bold challenge of flipping the narrative on climate change. What we are saying is that climate change is not only our biggest challenge, it is also our biggest opportunity.”

The Secretary-General continued, “Funders, as well as leading experts in a range of areas relating to climate change, came to our headquarters last year to give us a verdict on the feasibility of making reversal rather than mitigation our goal.

“We looked at existing working examples of the regenerative development approach, which mean actions to heal the damage we have caused to the earth and working with nature instead of against nature. For example, tapping into the power of volcanic hot springs for our electricity, geothermal power plants, regenerating coastal wetlands and constructing buildings that mimic trees in the way they dispose of carbon.

“The unanimous agreement was that, if we have the political will and work together, we can drastically reduce carbon emissions and reverse the human impact of climate change while accelerating economic growth and boosting development.”

Keynote speakers at the conference include global advocate on climate change action and former president of Kiribati, Anote Tong; former UN Secretary General’s special envoy on climate change and former president of Ireland, Mary Robinson; New York bestselling climate change author Paul Hawken; scientist Janine Benyus; design, art, science, and technology specialist David McConville; and authority on regenerative development Ben Haggard.

Secretary-General Scotland said the aim now is to find a strong business model for this “revolutionary approach” which can be tailored to the needs of Commonwealth member countries. The initiative will complement the Commonwealth’s Climate Finance Access Hub, which opened its doors last September and is helping countries to access millions of pledged funds for climate action.

The Maasai of East Africa have a long tradition of healing rooted in the powerful natural surroundings of the land. Resonating with indigenous techniques and inspired by nature's energy, the unique Zanzibar Spa at Essque Zalu Zanzibar has partnered with the award-winning AFRICOLOGY brand to create a series of locally inspired spa rituals designed to take guests on a unique, multi sensory wellness journey. An immersive experience created to transport guests to another place, offering a complete break from reality, treatments are carried out in a specially designed Maasai 'Village' by Zanzibarian and Tanzanian therapists with an in-depth knowledge of the culture. Guests are cocooned in traditional tents, with variants of the instantly recognisable red and black woven fabrics synonymous with the tribe and intricate wood carvings creating beautiful Maasai-inspired ambience. Bathed in the soft glow of suspended lanterns and the heady scent of locally sourced essential oils, the two hour ritual takes place during or after sunset and is intended to take guests on a journey of renewal steeped in the sights, sounds and sensations of Maasai customs.

The Eden Project will be taken over by a wonderful world of games over May half-term (May 27 to June 4).

Game On is a celebration of games for all ages and will be showcasing a huge variety of pastimes, including traditional playground games, classic board games and videogames ranging from old-school arcade classics to cutting-edge virtual reality experiences.

The event will be literally bigger than ever, with giant versions of old favourites the order of the day. Giant Guess Who? and Kerplunk will be joined by Massive Battleships, a super-sized team version of the naval guessing game.

Visitors will also be able to experience retro 8-bit classics on an enormous two-person controller modelled on the iconic Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) design and work together as a team to solve an enormous marble labyrinth.

The Cardboard Arcade will encourage social play and introduce retro classics to a new audience. They will also be giving visitors the opportunity to try a virtual reality experience of “walking the plank”.

The people behind Cardboard Arcade put free-to-play multi-player arcade machines in public places all around the UK, to encourage new friendships through gaming and to inspire people of all ages to see computer games as a creative and artistic medium.

Further virtual reality experiences will be available with a cutting-edge HTC Vive headset available for visitors to try with a range of software.

Polly Randle from the Eden Project's Live team said: “Game On will be showcasing a world of play at Eden this half-term, with games of all kinds for people of all ages. We're very excited to see how our visitors get together and try out new games, be it traditional board games or mind-blowing virtual reality experiences.”

Renault have provided a starting grid full of children's' go-karts and younger visitors can also try their hand at designing or recreating some of their favourite videogame characters with magnetic pixel art boards.

Activities from all over the world will be available to play including Karrom, a table game of eastern Asian origin similar to billiards, and Mancala, a group of two-player strategy pursuits with localised versions around the world played with small stones, beans or seeds. A selection of classic board games and the iconic table-football title Subbuteo will also be available to play.

An outdoor game zone will be set up each day so visitors can try their hand at traditional playground games.

Celebrated Trinidadian chef Richardson Skinner asserts firmly that the Caribbean can do much more to promote its cuisine to attract interest and travel to the region.
"In the past, visitors came to the Caribbean for sand, sun and sea ... and the food was just simmering on the back burner," reflects Richardson Skinner, the executive chef at Ti Bananne Caribbean Bistro and Bar, located at the award-winning Coco Palm hotel in Rodney Bay Village in St. Lucia.
Now, however, the chef, with over 20 years' experience in Trinidad, Martinique and St. Lucia, points out that travelers go out of their way for fresh culinary experiences, particularly for meals with a savor of the Caribbean.
"As crazy as it sounds, it's actually what's driving business right now," Skinner affirms. "Look at TripAdvisor, and see what visitors say in their reviews. More often than not, they're talking about what they ate on their vacation. Food matters."
The former auto mechanic, who is now a leading authority on Caribbean cuisine, tips his toque to the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), lauding them for launching Caribbean305, the region's newest culinary and cultural celebration taking place at Miami's Jungle Island on Saturday, June 3, 2017 at 8 p.m.
"This is huge," Skinner says, explaining that efforts to spotlight Caribbean culinary excellence need reinforcing. "This event showcases what I have always believed - that Caribbean cuisine can step up to the plate against any other in the world."
"People have high respect for Caribbean cooking," he says, recalling the inevitable flurry of questions about the region, its culture and its culinary arts whenever he hosts cooking demonstrations at events in New York and Toronto.
Skinner believes food can set the region apart from its global rivals: "Caribbean cuisine is right up there with the classic cuisine of the French or the Italians - right there, ripe and ready to be plucked."

As excitement builds towards the start of the ICC Champions Trophy on June 1, Birmingham’s Edgbaston Stadium and the National Asian Cricket Council (NACC) have announced a special cricket match between the fans of India and Pakistan.

With Edgbaston hosting the Group B fixture between India and Pakistan, as one of five ICC Champions Trophy matches, the supporters of both teams will contest the Edgbaston Fans Trophy in a T20 match on Monday May 15 at the nearby Attock Cricket Club.

What’s more the Edgbaston Fans Trophy is one of the designated stops on the Nissan Trophy Tour, giving all spectators in attendance a chance to have their photo taken with two of the most coveted trophies in world cricket, the ICC Champions Trophy and ICC Women’s World Cup.

Gareth Roberts, Commercial Director at Warwickshire County Cricket Club, said: “Edgbaston is proud to be an ICC Champions Trophy host venue for the third time and stage, what are arguably, the biggest games of the group stages.

There’s a huge amount of excitement building in the local community about our five matches, especially India versus Pakistan, which will be played here at Edgbaston; India won in the last meeting here in 2013 whilst Pakistan took the spoils in 2004.

The 2017 ICC Champions Trophy meeting between the two nations will be one of the biggest sporting events of the year and the Edgbaston Fans Trophy will be a celebration of this upcoming fixture, uniting supporters through the true spirit of the cricket.”

India v Pakistan, on June 4, is one of one of five marquee fixtures in the ICC Champions Trophy to be hosted at Edgbaston, with Australia v New Zealand (June 2), Pakistan v South Africa (June 7), England v Australia (June 10) and a semi-final also taking place in Birmingham.

Gulfraz Riaz, Chair of the NACC, said: “The NACC is delighted to see that this year’s Edgbaston Fans Trophy is being played between two of the most passionate groups of cricket fans in the world.

Just like last year’s game, the day promises to be a great occasion, celebrating the ICC Champions Trophy and ultimately having a fun packed day where cricket is the winner.

Cricket embraces and promotes all that is great about integrating different communities, on and off the pitch, and I look forward to a well spirited match and urge fans from all communities to come and support what promises to be a great event.”

This year’s match between India and Pakistan Fans will be the second Edgbaston Fans Trophy contest to take place at Attock CC, following a match in 2016 between Pakistan Fans and a Barmy Army team representing England fans.

Attock CC Chair, Naz Khan, said: "We are honoured once again to host the Edgbaston Fans Trophy at Attock Cricket Club. With a great summer of cricket ahead, this match will be the start of an exciting festival of cricket that we are all looking forward to.

A former fuelling vessel that was one of just a handful of ships that survived the attack on Pearl Harbour in 1941 has become a new artificial reef, world-class dive site and marine habitat in the British Virgin Islands. Set to boost dive tourism and raise awareness of ocean conservation, there is no better way to experience this new site than off the back of The Moorings crewed dive yacht, Poseidon's Pearl which comes complete with captain, chef and host.

Kodiak Queen, which was earmarked for the scrap heap, has just been saved, cleaned and sunk off Virgin Gorda in the BVI as part of a permanent eco-friendly underwater art installation. The 'BVI Art Reef' the project is being led by Sir Richard Branson and a group of leading entrepreneurs, engineers, artists and scientists all working together to give the ship an honourable and rejuvenating next chapter in her long career at sea.

Before it was sunk, an 80ft giant sea monster was created by artists out of mesh and fixed to the top of the ship so it can provide a structure underwater to help with coral restoration and create an invaluable marine habitat. It is hoped that everything from turtles, sharks, sea sponges and corals will live on, in and around the wreck. In time the project aims to raise awareness of the important environmental issues facing our oceans and capture people's attention on the importance of addressing climate change, protecting coral reefs, and rehabilitating vulnerable marine species.

One of the best ways to dive this exciting new site and learn more about the BVI Art Reef project is on an 'Ultimate Dive BVI' crewed package with The Moorings. It offers the chance to combine a week on a crewed yacht complete with private captain, chef and host with the opportunity to explore some of the BVI's most beautiful dive sites, including this brand new wreck. Guests will be able to sail right up to the dive site and dive directly off the back of the catamaran so there is no need to rendezvous with a dive boat. All equipment is on board – guests simply drop anchor and dive in, accompanied by the PADI certified dive instructor – the yacht's captain!

A former foreign minister from Ghana, Hanna Tetteh, will lead a team of Commonwealth election observers to The Bahamas for the country’s general election later this month.

This is the first time the Commonwealth will observe elections to The Bahaman parliament. The general election is scheduled for 10 May 2017.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland announced the make up of the observer group after receiving an invitation from the Government of The Bahamas.

“I’m delighted that former foreign minister, Hanna Tetteh, has accepted my invitation to lead the Commonwealth Observer Group. Her experience will be a real asset in this important assignment,” said Secretary-General Scotland. “In offering their assessment on the conduct of the election and the overall credibility of the process, the Group will be contributing to enhancing democracy in The Bahamas.”

The observers will consider all aspects of the electoral process and assess whether the election has been conducted according to the standards for democratic elections to which the Commonwealth of The Bahamas has committed itself.

The Group will be in The Bahamas between 4 and 13 May 2017 inclusive. The last general election was held in May 2012.

Turneffe Flats has long been recognized as one of Belize’s premier saltwater fly fishing, SCUBA diving and marine eco-tourism destinations. Located on the incredibly beautiful Turneffe Atoll, Turneffe Flats provides visitors access to the most biologically diverse atoll in the Caribbean.

Green Globe first certified Turneffe Flats for its sustainable operations in 2013 and again this year the eco-tourism resort has proven its environmental credentials with a notable compliance score of 89%.

Turneffe Atoll – home to this remarkable eco-tourism resort – provides pristine habitat for 260 fish species, 77 plant species and 5 spawning aggregation sites. The marine eco-system is a combination of healthy coral reef, both fringing reef and patch corals, expansive backreef flats, large lagoon systems, seagrass beds, and extensive mangrove forest. Turneffe Atoll is of significant economic and sociological importance to Belize as a major commercial fishery and ecotourism center, while also providing Belize City and the mainland coast with essential protection from hurricanes.

For the past three decades, Turneffe Flats has actively supported the sustainable environmental, economic and social use of Turneffe Atoll through a variety of efforts. The eco-tourism resort has worked to be a model off-the-grid green enterprise and has developed many innovative ways to combine top-notch service with minimal environmental effects.

Approximately 17 years ago, Turneffe Flats wanted to make a more formal commitment to conservation efforts so became a charter member of 1% For The Planet. Wanting to concentrate conservation efforts locally, the resort then formed an NGO named Turneffe Atoll Trust to focus efforts on the surrounding reef environment.

Since then the Turneffe Atoll Trust has worked with government in Belize to deliver legislation instituting landmark protection for important game fish – bonefish, permit and tarpon. Belize’s “Catch and Release Law”, as it is known, has now been emulated in several countries.

In 2012, the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve was established offering a new level of environmental protection for Turneffe. Turneffe Atoll Trust drove this process, which included more than 10,000 hours of consultation with stakeholders – mostly commercial fishermen. The consultative process, and the Management Plan for the new reserve, were together funded by Turneffe Atoll Trust and substantial donations from Turneffe Flats.

Pike Place Market, for many the heart and soul of Seattle, opens a £57 million extension of three quarters of an acre on 29 June this year. Extending this world famous farmers market will broaden the attraction of Seattle's beautiful seafront to visitors and sightseers.

Pike Place Market opened in August 1907 and is one of the oldest continuously operated public farmers markets in the United States with more than 10 million visitors annually. The construction started in June 2015 and when it opens, visitors will enjoy:

  • 30,000 square foot open public space encompassing a new extended modern market and viewing deck overlooking Elliott Bay
  • 47 new day stalls
  • 12,000 square feet of commercial and retail space for artisan purveyors
  • Multiple public art installations
  • Over 300 covered parking spaces, plus 33 bicycle spaces.
Pike Place Market is home to over 225 small independent businesses and more than 85 local farmers, all providing stalls ranging from arts and crafts to fishmongers, groceries and sweet treats. The market offers a diverse range of restaurants, seasonal produce, local hand crafted gifts and Washington made goods. The diversity of produce and upbeat tempo of Pike Place Market creates a memorable experience for all.

Flying fish you say? Correct! - only in Seattle.  Join the local fishmongers who celebrate a sale by tossing a fish through the air to one another.

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