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.Author's
Bio
Africa in
One Country
by Jerry W. Bird
 What
I truly love about the many Cameroonians I've come
to know - is that they "Accentuate the
Positive."
The
final leg of our journey was to Cameroon's Northern reaches,
where Savannah meets desert near Lake Thad, brought us to
Waza National Park. We stayed at an unforgettable site which
resembled a native village in that the individual units were
round with conical roofs. They were connected to the main
dining room by a network of stone steps. All in all it would
make a great place for a medium sized seminar or group
event. We received an attractive area map which contained
the following comments:
The park
was established by the Cameroonian government in 1968 to
protect the available natural resources, to encourage
tourism and to develop educational and research activities.
Thanks to the worldwide reputation of the Park UNESCO
decided in cooperation with the government to grant it
biosphere reserve status in 1982. Three main vegetation
types can be recognized in Waza National Park: a wooded
Savannah, an Acacia seyal forest and the flood plains of the
Logone. These plains are flooded each year from mid-August
until mid-November, which leaves until mid-November, which
leaves them inaccessible. Hardly
Partners
in Eco any height
differences can be found in the Park, which is situated in
the bed of the former Lake Thad. The characteristic rocky
outcrops at Waza village form the only exception. However,
the small gradients that do exist are responsible for the
annual retreat of the inundation waters towards Lake Tchad.
More about the Northern part of Cameroon will follow.
Our
purpose and goals: Another important step in a long march
towards investor awareness of tourism's potential to
transform Africa's economies was taken at ATA's 5th
Ecotourism Symposium. The topics of Commerce and Investment
were uppermost on the agenda. this was something I was very
pleased to see, having participated in Globe 2002 and its
predecessors for the last ten years, where the whole focus
is on hands-on solutions. The venue was Yaounde, Cameroon in
early December and it was followed by an Eco tour of the
country by North American travel agents and journalists. As
we continue to celebrate the International Year of
Ecotourism, Africa Travel Magazine is proud to add its voice
to the program. During our time in Cameroon, which included
almost two weeks of travel inside the country we took
several hundred photographs many of which are on the
photo
gallery pages
on this web site. Others have been provided by the ATA
official photographers, the Cameroon Ministry of Tourism and
fellow ATA members.
tourism: Africa Travel
Association has been building bridges between the developed
and undeveloped world for almost 30 years. ATA is an 'Eco
Pioneer,' staging Ecotourism Symposia in Senegal, South
Africa, Morocco and Nigeria. A close partner (SATH), Society
for Accessible Travel and Hospitality, shares similar ideals
and a common founder. Fighting for handicapped and senior
travelers, SATH has made huge strides. ATA and SATH work
closely with the International Institute of Peace Through
Tourism ( IIPT). All three associations joined forces in
Cape Town South Africa in 2001 with Ecotourism as a leading
topic on the menu.
Land, Culture, Wildlife:
A more active, involved, compassionate and caring type of
visitor has evolved in recent years. According to Nigeria's
Tourism Minister at last year's symposium, "Ecotourism
conserves the natural environment and sustains the
well-being of local people. The continent is endowed with a
vast potential of human and natural resources. Its tourist
locations include wildlife parks, non-polluted beaches,
hills and mountain ranges, waterfalls and warm springs.
There's also a rich culture; heritage, as expressed in our
arts and crafts, songs and folklore, paintings and
architecture, exotic cuisine and numerous historic relics
and monuments." We echo those encouraging
words.
Ecotourism &
Investment : As stated at the 2000 ATA Ecotourism Symposium,
"Economic benefits to be gained from tourism linked to
natural areas have long been recognized as significant for
conservation. By providing the nation an economic return, it
can justify setting aside large areas of land. Secondly,
entry fees can generate substantial funds for support
management. Thirdly, tourism expenditures on logging,
transportation, food, guides and souvenirs are a key source
of income for communities." This year, Africa Travel
Magazine is developing a series of Forestry Maps, showing
how the forestry and tourism industries are so closely
connected, with many aims in common. It will feature hiking
trails, national parks, historic sites, even logging train
rides and mill tours for tourists. We expert support, we
will help develop forestry promotion linked to tourism in
your area.
Cultural Treasures:
Throughout this edition and on our website you will see
examples of successful presentation of "Cultural
Ecotourism," an area that focuses on preserving the
languages, customs, costumes, family values, beliefs and
lifestyle features of this diverse continent. We welcome
your photos and items on the topic. Visit us anytime at
www.africa-ata.org, or contact ATA head office at
africatravelasso@aol.com.
Agricultural Tourism:
Watch our next edition for major features on agricultural
developments and Agri-Exchange and Blossom Tours facilitated
by this magazine.
Editor's Comment: We thank our tour supervisors
Ebenezer Elimbi, Jean Npombo and Boniface Piga. They were
great companions throughout my 30 days in the country. Our
travels in Cameroon will eventually be compiled in a book
that will help future travelers from North America enjoy
this fascinating country to the fullest. It was a month we
will treasure forever, and even as time passes, the images
and voices of Cameroon have not faded one iota - they've
become even more vivid in the theater of my mind. What I
truly love about the many Cameroonians whom I've come to
know - is that to a person, they "Accentuate the
Positive."
Jerry W. Bird is President
of ATA Canada Chapter, Editor and Publisher of Africa Travel
Magazine, and Webmaster for the ATA site
www.africa-ata.org/. He is also Publisher of Air Highways
Magazine, the Journal of Open Skies, featuring aviation,
tourism, transportation and business worldwide. His career
began with the Edmonton Journal Daily Newspaper, and
expanded into the full spectrum of media - radio,
television, magazines and Internet. He has won international
awards for creativity in audio visual and print
production.
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