Lifetree Adventures Announces New Christian Travel Option
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
http://www.live-pr.com/en/lifetree-adventures-announces-new-christian-r1048205429.htm
Lifetree Adventures, a Christian travel operator based in Loveland, Colorado, recently launched tours to meet the growing demand for Christian travel, and is the first of its kind to offer Voluntourism specifically from a Christian approach.
Loveland, CO, August 27, 2008 (PRAvenueNW) -- Voluntourism, the growing trend of travelers seeking vacation options combining tourism with volunteer service, just got a spiritual shot in the arm. Lifetree Adventures, a Christian travel operator based in Loveland, Colorado, recently launched tours to meet the growing demand for Christian travel, and is the first of its kind to offer Voluntourism specifically from a Christian approach.
“Every Lifetree Adventure has two key components: adventure activities and Christian service projects—packaged into one amazing trip,” remarked Joel Fay, Lifetree President, “so you might find yourself exhilarated by thrilling zip-lines in the jungles of Costa Rica, and then take that passion and apply it to fixing dilapidated housing for young children and their families.”
Each of Lifetree’s adventures include three and four star hotel accommodations, touring national landmarks, free time, service days, many meals and meeting new friends—likeminded travelers, and indigenous people who need help. Christian travelers can help build a church, lead a Bible study, play games with disadvantaged children even help feed whole neighborhoods all while enjoying the vacation of a lifetime.
With tours operating in the fall of 2008, Christian travel participants can discover the excitement of exotic destinations while serving the needs of indigenous people through eight trips to four Latin American countries: Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala and Peru. For 2009, Lifetree has added Vanuatu, Alaska, Mazatlan, Kenya, Tanzania, Australia, Israel and Egypt as destinations. To view Lifetree’s 2009 Christian travel adventures please visit: http://www.lifetreeadventures.com/future.aspx
For more information, or to reserve a trip, travel agents and travelers can go to http://www.lifetreeadventures.com or call 800-747-2157 Monday through Friday MST.
Contact:
Alexia Nestora
Lifetree Adventures
P.O. Box 275
Loveland, CO 80539
8007472157
alexia@lassocommunications.com
http://www.lifetreeadventures.com
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
World Religious Travel Expo draws 28 countries form 6 continents
World Religious Travel Expo drawing participants from 28 countries, 6 continents to Orlando
Website article link: http://www.churchexecutive.com/news.asp?N_ID=1443
LITTLETON, CO – Travel providers and planners from 28 countries on six continents will gather in Orlando, Florida, Oct. 29-Nov. 1, for the inaugural World Religious Travel Expo and Educational Conference. With registration still underway, organizers are already preparing extra exhibit space to accommodate companies that continue to join the first large-scale forum of the $18 billion worldwide religious travel industry.
Destinations, tour operators, cruise lines, attractions, hotel properties, car rental companies and a host of other providers and planners from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Europe and the Holy Land will be represented at this assembly of Who’s Who in the growing faith tourism industry.
“Faith tourism has evolved to the point where a gathering of this magnitude is necessary for the industry to respond to the needs of today’s faith-based consumers,” said Kevin J. Wright, president of the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA), host of the event. “Our global partners recognize that – just as in music, books and film – contemporary religious consumers represent tremendous market potential for travel organizations willing to provide meaningful products and services that meet their specific needs.”
The exhibitors and products show the diversity of the faith tourism industry. Alongside obvious religious travel suppliers such as the Steps of Paul Coastal Cruises and the tourism ministries of Egypt, Greece, Cyprus, Jordan and Israel, are those with a less overt connection, such as:
EcoAndes Travel, Ecuador (Adventure tours in South America)
Nissi Holidays, Uganda; Cordial Tours and Travel Services, Tanzania (Africa safari operators)
Armenian Tourism Development Agency
Korea Tourism Organization
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
Condor Verde Travel (Mexico and Venezuela)
The WRTA Expo will feature two venues: The International Tradeshow and The Educational Conference. The combined event provides a one-stop opportunity for travel suppliers, destinations and wholesalers to come face-to-face with more than 400 agents and church travel planners to develop partnerships, introduce new products and services, generate qualified leads and build long-term relationships.
The Expo will be held Oct. 29-Nov. 1, 2008 at the Gaylord Palms Resort Hotel & Convention Center in Orlando. For more information, including a complete list of exhibitors, visit www.religioustravelexpo.com.
Website article link: http://www.churchexecutive.com/news.asp?N_ID=1443
LITTLETON, CO – Travel providers and planners from 28 countries on six continents will gather in Orlando, Florida, Oct. 29-Nov. 1, for the inaugural World Religious Travel Expo and Educational Conference. With registration still underway, organizers are already preparing extra exhibit space to accommodate companies that continue to join the first large-scale forum of the $18 billion worldwide religious travel industry.
Destinations, tour operators, cruise lines, attractions, hotel properties, car rental companies and a host of other providers and planners from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Europe and the Holy Land will be represented at this assembly of Who’s Who in the growing faith tourism industry.
“Faith tourism has evolved to the point where a gathering of this magnitude is necessary for the industry to respond to the needs of today’s faith-based consumers,” said Kevin J. Wright, president of the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA), host of the event. “Our global partners recognize that – just as in music, books and film – contemporary religious consumers represent tremendous market potential for travel organizations willing to provide meaningful products and services that meet their specific needs.”
The exhibitors and products show the diversity of the faith tourism industry. Alongside obvious religious travel suppliers such as the Steps of Paul Coastal Cruises and the tourism ministries of Egypt, Greece, Cyprus, Jordan and Israel, are those with a less overt connection, such as:
EcoAndes Travel, Ecuador (Adventure tours in South America)
Nissi Holidays, Uganda; Cordial Tours and Travel Services, Tanzania (Africa safari operators)
Armenian Tourism Development Agency
Korea Tourism Organization
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
Condor Verde Travel (Mexico and Venezuela)
The WRTA Expo will feature two venues: The International Tradeshow and The Educational Conference. The combined event provides a one-stop opportunity for travel suppliers, destinations and wholesalers to come face-to-face with more than 400 agents and church travel planners to develop partnerships, introduce new products and services, generate qualified leads and build long-term relationships.
The Expo will be held Oct. 29-Nov. 1, 2008 at the Gaylord Palms Resort Hotel & Convention Center in Orlando. For more information, including a complete list of exhibitors, visit www.religioustravelexpo.com.
Monday, August 18, 2008
More and more people taking faith-based vacations
Article link: http://www.star-telegram.com/religion/story/819894.html
Newspaper: Forth Worth Star-Telegram
By TERRY LEE GOODRICH
tgoodrich@star-telegram.com
For Bernard and Carol Kern, the highlight of their May trip to Turkey came in the Garden of Religions in the seaport city Antalya.
The retirees from North Richland Hills said that as they stood in the shadow of a mosque, a synagogue and a chapel, they thought of the words of the biblical prophet Malachi: "Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us?" (American King James Version)
To view the full article, please visit: http://www.star-telegram.com/religion/story/819894.html
Interested in religious tourism?
Faith-based travel is rising dramatically, said Kevin Wright, president of the World Religious Travel Association, a Colorado-based global network.
Here are some of his observations about religious tourism during a question-and-answer session with the Star-Telegram:
I have heard travel called the "fourth pillar" of the faith-based consumer marketplace. What does that mean?
Faith-based music and publishing industries grew enormously in the past two decades, the film industry in the last decade. Now we’re seeing an increase in people incorporating their faith into travel.
Talk about the history of faith-based travel.
Well, religious tourism is possibly the oldest form of tourism, with roots lying in the Egyptian empire, when they would host religious festivals. They had to have food, drinks, camel rides.
Pilgrimages to Jerusalem or Mecca, as well as mission trips, have been the bread and butter. But now what we’re seeing is more what we call "fellowship travel" on other trips and vacations.
How is fellowship travel different from simply taking a trip with someone who shares your faith?
An example is faith-based cruising. Some will have a speaker or speakers from their faith community or maybe some authors. Sometimes, Christians sell out a whole cruise with Christian artists on board. That’s especially appealing for the younger generation, because these [musicians] are their celebrities.
There also are Caribbean and Mediterranean trips, with the Mediterranean having a little more in the way of religious sites like Ephesus or Greece or New Testament sites.
But there are even trips to Alaska and faith-based African safaris. You ask, "What the heck makes that faith-based?" Just traveling together with prayers before meals and devotions make that faith-based, and now a number of tour operators are faith-based.
________________________________________
A growth industry
Overseas religious travel by Americans over the past five years has increased 54 percent, nearly twice the 28 percent increase in general overseas travel, according to the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries.
12 percent of travelers said they are more interested in taking a spiritual vacation than they were five years ago.
The appeal of a spiritual vacation spans age groups, with about one-third of each (18-34 years old, 35-54 and 55-plus) expressing interest.
— Terry Lee Goodrich
Newspaper: Forth Worth Star-Telegram
By TERRY LEE GOODRICH
tgoodrich@star-telegram.com
For Bernard and Carol Kern, the highlight of their May trip to Turkey came in the Garden of Religions in the seaport city Antalya.
The retirees from North Richland Hills said that as they stood in the shadow of a mosque, a synagogue and a chapel, they thought of the words of the biblical prophet Malachi: "Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us?" (American King James Version)
To view the full article, please visit: http://www.star-telegram.com/religion/story/819894.html
Interested in religious tourism?
Faith-based travel is rising dramatically, said Kevin Wright, president of the World Religious Travel Association, a Colorado-based global network.
Here are some of his observations about religious tourism during a question-and-answer session with the Star-Telegram:
I have heard travel called the "fourth pillar" of the faith-based consumer marketplace. What does that mean?
Faith-based music and publishing industries grew enormously in the past two decades, the film industry in the last decade. Now we’re seeing an increase in people incorporating their faith into travel.
Talk about the history of faith-based travel.
Well, religious tourism is possibly the oldest form of tourism, with roots lying in the Egyptian empire, when they would host religious festivals. They had to have food, drinks, camel rides.
Pilgrimages to Jerusalem or Mecca, as well as mission trips, have been the bread and butter. But now what we’re seeing is more what we call "fellowship travel" on other trips and vacations.
How is fellowship travel different from simply taking a trip with someone who shares your faith?
An example is faith-based cruising. Some will have a speaker or speakers from their faith community or maybe some authors. Sometimes, Christians sell out a whole cruise with Christian artists on board. That’s especially appealing for the younger generation, because these [musicians] are their celebrities.
There also are Caribbean and Mediterranean trips, with the Mediterranean having a little more in the way of religious sites like Ephesus or Greece or New Testament sites.
But there are even trips to Alaska and faith-based African safaris. You ask, "What the heck makes that faith-based?" Just traveling together with prayers before meals and devotions make that faith-based, and now a number of tour operators are faith-based.
________________________________________
A growth industry
Overseas religious travel by Americans over the past five years has increased 54 percent, nearly twice the 28 percent increase in general overseas travel, according to the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries.
12 percent of travelers said they are more interested in taking a spiritual vacation than they were five years ago.
The appeal of a spiritual vacation spans age groups, with about one-third of each (18-34 years old, 35-54 and 55-plus) expressing interest.
— Terry Lee Goodrich
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