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Space Tourism Value Chain: When East Meets West (Contributions to Management Science)
by Kang-Lin Peng IokTeng Esther Kou Hong ChenThis book benefits those interested in space tourism for doing business, conducting research, and teaching space services. The value chain analysis approach is applied to construct the knowledge system of the space industry from suppliers, consumers, agents, and related stakeholders. Space tourism has made a breakthrough in travel boundaries beyond Kármán line and impacted human living in many aspects, especially a vision of Mars immigration. The tourism industry has extended its reach to outer space. Space education has been popular in many countries because of human capital to serve in the new field. Researchers have developed unique methodologies to study space economic behaviors. The advancements in space technology and commercialization have formed a new market to drive a new era of space economics. Individuals can now venture beyond the Kármán line and fulfill their desire for space exploration through space tourism. This form of tourism offers a unique opportunity for individuals to explore the origins and limitations of human beings. This book provides an overview of the current state of global space tourism development, including its characteristics, direct and indirect stakeholders, and existing challenges. The successful implementation of space tourism cases by private enterprises in Europe and the USA offers valuable insights into China's space tourism endeavors. Given China's leading position in global space technology, space tourism represents a promising commercial development field that can benefit the country and its citizens.
COVID-19 Impact on Tourism Performance in Africa
by Peter ChihwaiThis book examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism performance in Africa. It covers a wide range of topics that will interest academic readers and researchers, including the effects of COVID-19 on various segments of the tourism sector. The aim is to provide a deeper understanding of the damage caused by the pandemic, enriching future research based on the findings and conclusions presented in the book. The research presented in this book is new and original, representing different perspectives from across Africa's 52 countries. It offers valuable insights for the business world on how to adapt and adopt communication strategies during crises such as COVID-19. Themes such as innovation, service quality, and continuous improvement during the pandemic are explored, providing lessons that can benefit the tourism industry in navigating similar challenges in the future. Additionally, the book discusses the future of tourism, presenting various perspectives on what the future holds for the tourism industry. This provides an exciting platform for tourism stakeholders to learn about the future of the sector from diverse and knowledgeable angles. The unique perspectives offered, especially those from Africa, will appeal to a wide and diverse audience, including ecotourists, educational tourists, adventure tourists, governments, academics, and other stakeholders.
Advances in Tourism, Technology and Systems: Selected Papers from ICOTTS 2022, Volume 1 (Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies #345)
by João Vidal Carvalho António Abreu Pedro Liberato Alejandro PeñaThis book features a collection of high-quality research papers presented at the International Conference on Tourism, Technology and Systems (ICOTTS 2022), held at University of Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile, from 3 to 5 November 2022. The book is divided into two volumes, and it covers the areas of technology in tourism and the tourist experience, generations and technology in tourism, digital marketing applied to tourism and travel, mobile technologies applied to sustainable tourism, information technologies in tourism, digital transformation of tourism business, e-tourism and tourism 2.0, big data and management for travel and tourism, geotagging and tourist mobility, smart destinations, robotics in tourism, and information systems and technologies.
Social Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation in Eco-Tourism
by Noor Raihani Zainol Muhammad Khalilur RahmanThis book approaches the field of social transformation from an ecotourism perspective. It unpacks the development of thought around social innovation as well as eco-tourism. After introducing various definitions and concept of social innovation and social entrepreneurship, the book then goes on to assess the current state of the environment and tourism leading into the discussion of how ecotourism social entrepreneurship can transform the industry for the better by analyzing five ecotourism case studies from Malaysia. Going beyond ecotourism social entrepreneurship in industry-specific contexts, the book serves as invitation to more participatory debate in academia in the field of social innovation and social entrepreneurship.
Environment, Resources and Sustainable Tourism: Goa as a Case Study (Advances in Geographical and Environmental Sciences)
by Ashoka G. DessaiThis book suggests sustainable economy from the viewpoint of tourism fostering low carbon footprint. Focussed on conserving heritage, culture and endemic biota of a crucial biodiversity hotspot of the world, the book discusses the impact of a large population, fast-paced development and excessive consumption of earth resources by tourism in a developing economy. The book (i) assesses the impact of overexploitation of earth resources on environmental components such as air, water, land and people, (ii) examines the sustainability of tourism on the physical, economic and socio-cultural environment including human lifestyles, (iii) presents the potential of tourism in promoting sustainable development, poverty alleviation and conservation of nature and (iv) formulates recommendations for tourism, fostering sustainable development in Goa, India. The book offers students, researchers, academics and professionals a comprehensive discourse integrating geological and societal perspectives on core issues. It generates critical thinking on the complex issue of sustainable tourism by providing in-depth perspective on peoples of different hues and their role in safeguarding the future of this unique region.
Innovation-Driven Business and Sustainability in the Tropics: Proceedings of the Sustainability, Economics, Innovation, Globalisation and Organisational Psychology Conference 2023 (SEIGOP 2023)
by Emiel L. Eijdenberg Malobi Mukherjee Jacob WoodThe edited volume presents the conference proceedings from the “Sustainability, Economics, Innovation, Globalisation and Operational Psychology Conference 2023” (SEIGOP 2023), organized by the Centre for International Trade and Business in Asia (CITBA) at James Cook University, Singapore. This edited volume places the highly dynamic, but also, jeopardized climatological – geographical region of the Tropics centre stage. The region is developing rapidly, with significant progress being made through the development of innovative technologies. The Tropics represent a region in which people live amid the greatest level of biodiversity anywhere on the planet. Nonetheless, propelled by rapid population growth, the Tropics is a region on the rise, with higher living standards and increased levels of international trade and investment. Densely populated emerging countries like India, Indonesia and Nigeria will be among the largest economies of the world by the end of the century. These upward socioeconomic trends are compromised by the impact of climate change on the Tropics’ biodiversity. Such developments have forced policymakers, businesses, and local communities to search for more sustainable and creative ways to live and work. For these reasons, this edited volume presents theory-driven conceptual, qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods studies on the impact of innovation-driven businesses on the complex interplay of socio-cultural, economic, and environmental factors in the Tropics.
Women in Aviation: Management, Talent and Empowerment During Crisis Era
by Nor Aida Abdul Rahman Nurhayati Mohd NurThis book is a comprehensive review and empirical study on women capacity building, leadership characteristics, talent management and women challenges in crises era from an aviation perspective. This book offers a blend of comprehensive and extensive high quality research outputs from highly reputed authors and editors. This book aims to address the following objectives:• explores the women empowerment facets in aviation and its challenges in crisis era, which will be covered throughout the book. Such facets of women empowerment include women awareness of the right of equality, self-confidence, changes in society and at the workplace and capacity building.• examines the women leadership values in aviation, which will be covered throughout the book. Such leadership values include women leader behaviour, impact and followers, leadership characteristics and technology skills• covers key challenges that women in aviation experiencing during crisis era of pandemic Covid-19, war crisis and disaster• readers will be able to understand women research studies in unexplored field, aviation from different points of view. In this sense, they will be able to compare, contrast and comprehend whether the women issue from aviation sector are difference lenses, and delivered similarly or otherwise in different sector or parts of the world. This enables readers to understand differences and subsequent application towards women empowerment and leadership in wider context• readers will gain benefit from multi worldwide contributors which coming from women leaders in the industry who’s also a member of worldwide women association such as women in logistics and transport (WILAT), Women in Transport (WIT), Women in Corporate Aviation (WCA). Moreover, this book, proposes a mixture of theory and practice with effective case studies, aims at reaching primarily doctoral, postgraduate, graduate, and final year undergraduate students in business and marketing, logistics and transport, gender studies, cultural studies, and it will also useful and suitable to read for both managers and decision-makers around the world too.
Heritage Conservation and Tourism Development at Cham Sacred Sites in Vietnam: Living Heritage Has A Heart (Global Vietnam: Across Time, Space and Community)
by Quang Dai TuyenThis open access book considers the growing field of heritage tourism from community perspectives. It explores how the Cham—Vietnam’s large ethnic minority—reconcile their needs for economic development with the boundaries circumscribed by their traditional culture. It examines struggles that local minority stakeholders like the Cham face when trying to participate in areas of development that typically fall under State control. How will tourism affect the ancient sacred spaces that are the Cham’s lifeblood? In what areas is their participation permitted? From what areas are they excluded? Through a novel mix of indigenous methods, participant observation, local voices, and rich ethnographic description, this book provides a rare glimpse into the discourses that have been percolating throughout the community in recent years. The relevance of this study extends beyond the Cham community, and aims to resonate with experiences of the myriad indigenous and minority communities around the world who face similar issues with heritage conservation and tourism development. This book is of interest to students and researchers of heritage studies, tourism management, cultural studies, Asian studies, as well as policymakers, and academicians seeking current research on the connections between culture, conservation, sustainable development, and tourism.
A Social View of Socotra Island: People, Culture, Heritage
by Nataša Slak Valek Ahmad Abdelmoniem ZedanThis book focuses on Socotra Island, geographically based in Yemen, and aims to explore the island from the social sciences point of view. This book focuses on people indigenous to Socotra, Socotri cultures, heritage and also offers contributions from business, tourism, linguistic, communication, and anthropology. While a lot has been published in natural science about Socotra’s endemic species, biodiversity, and nature in general, social scientific research of the island is very limited. This book addresses therefore addresses this gap and explores various topics of tourism, behaviours, cultures, and language.This book focuses on a clear social science approach of Socotra. The purpose of this book is to publish research about the people, behaviors, heritage, and potential tourism of Socotra. The Socotra Archipelago has long been a land of mystery. It is unknown as a tourism destination for many, however, is a popular destination for adventurers, photographers and travelers who like to travel to remote and undeveloped places. This book explains how Socotra has limited resources of electricity, which is provided by diesel generators, Internet is very slow and limited to certain points on the island. There are no shopping malls or five-star hotels. Roads, schools, and hospitals have been built only recently. This book shoes how these island people do not know the development as we do, which makes it principally interesting to research. Previous interviewers of Socotri people about tourism development in the island have faced many challenges such as language barriers, lack of understanding the meanings and interviewing content, lack of support for the anticipated research results. This book successfully undertakes this challenge as not only in understanding the language, but understanding phenomena like e.g. tourism. Whilst acknowledging the ways in which indigenous island people have never travelled or seen a developed city. Thus, words like ‘developed’, ‘tourism destination’ or ‘washing machine’ may be unfamiliar terms for them. Therefore, new and innovative research methods that are sensitive to Socotra people were implemented in the creation of this book.
Human Factors in Tourism: A Layperson's Approach (Design Science and Innovation)
by Prabir MukhopadhyayThe textbook covers the application of human factors in different facets of tourism and hospitality industry. It talks about appropriate ambience creation for guests, so they can enjoy their stay. This book enumerates different human factors aspects of dealing with tourists, conducting guided tours, or ensuring that tourists are completely satisfied from the tour in detail but in a layperson’s language. This book discusses details of the application of human factors in the tourism sector. This book aims to fill the gap between the literature available on tourism that deals with people and human factors that deals with the interaction among people, space, and products. This book aids the students and instructors in understanding and teaching different human factors issues in this sector. Further, this book will help professionals in the industry in providing quality services to their clients.
Ecotourism: Environment, Health, and Education (Sinophone and Taiwan Studies #7)
by Wei-Ta Fang Arba'at Hassan Max HorngThis book bridges the gap on the critical issues of ecotourism and direct economic assistance to the conservation of local ecological and human resources. It covers various topics and case studies by ecotourism destination and ecotourism route from Sinophone and Taiwanese perspectives. Each chapter of this book includes comprehensive proposes as an important core value for planning and operating ecotourism. According to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this book highlights our balanced understanding of sustainable tourism from the perspective of human ecology. Ecotourism needs to integrate the perspectives of population biology, bioanthropology, biomedicine, and public health and strengthen the connection between human ecology and disease. It is here to provide a comprehensive guide to all fascinating places for ecotourism courses. We encourage the following persons to read relevant chapters: (1) ecotourism entrepreneurs: business operators such as homestays, hot springs, ecological farms, and travel agencies; (2) ecotourism researchers: scholars and experts, university (specialized) college students, primary and secondary school teachers, and other ecotourism, environmental education, resource conservation, tourism and dining, leisure and recreation, other related fields researchers; and (3) ecotourism practice management and planners.
Advances in Tourism, Technology and Systems: Selected Papers from ICOTTS 2023, Volume 2 (Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies #384)
by João Vidal Carvalho António Abreu Dália Liberato José Angel Díaz RebolledoThis book features a collection of high-quality research papers presented at the International Conference on Tourism, Technology and Systems (ICOTTS 2023), held at Anáhuac University, Bacalar, Mexico, from 2 to 4 November 2023. The book is divided into two volumes, and it covers the areas of technology in tourism and the tourist experience, generations and technology in tourism, digital marketing applied to tourism and travel, mobile technologies applied to sustainable tourism, information technologies in tourism, digital transformation of tourism business, e-tourism and tourism 2.0, big data and management for travel and tourism, geotagging and tourist mobility, smart destinations, robotics in tourism, and information systems and technologies.
Advances in Tourism, Technology and Systems: Selected Papers from ICOTTS 2023, Volume 1 (Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies #383)
by António Abreu João Vidal Carvalho Pedro Liberato Hazael Cerón MonroyThis book features a collection of high-quality research papers presented at the International Conference on Tourism, Technology and Systems (ICOTTS 2023), held at Anáhuac University, Bacalar, Mexico, from 2 to 4 November 2023. The book is divided into two volumes, and it covers the areas of technology in tourism and the tourist experience, generations and technology in tourism, digital marketing applied to tourism and travel, mobile technologies applied to sustainable tourism, information technologies in tourism, digital transformation of tourism business, e-tourism and tourism 2.0, big data and management for travel and tourism, geotagging and tourist mobility, smart destinations, robotics in tourism, and information systems and technologies.
Vaka: Saga of a Polynesian Canoe
by Tom Davis Pa Tuterangi ArikiThis saga of Polynesian voyaging is told by Sir Tom Davis, Pa Tuterangi Ariki, KBE, in the form of a novel, a fascinating account of 300 years of voyaging of a single historic canoe by his own forebears as told in their traditions.
Mr. China
by Tim ClissoldLa increíble historia de un banquero de Wall Street que viaja a China con cuatrocientos millones de dólares y aprende, de la manera más dura, que ese país no juega con las mismas reglas de Occidente. A principios de los noventa, cuando China abrió finalmente sus puertas a los negocios, Wall Street de inmediato quiso entrar. La llegada de los banqueros de Nueva York, con sus especializaciones en Harvard, sus camisas de rayas y sus mocasines con borlas, listos para negociar con los viejos amos chinos, crea el escenario perfecto para un choque entre los billones de Wall Street y la cultura más antigua del mundo. Tomada de la vida real, ésta es la historia de un recio banquero que se traslada a China buscando la gloria. Decidido a montarse en la gran ola de la inversión, se une con un ex guardia rojo y un inglés que habla mandarín. Entre los tres consiguen cuatrocientos millones de dólares y compran fábricas por todo el país. Pero cuando creen que con los contratos que han firmado tienen todo bajo control, comienzan a darse cuenta de que en China las cosas no funcionan de la manera que ellos conocen y son testigos de cómo desaparecen sus millones. "Ésta es una historia increíble... bien escrita, que absorbe completamente la atención y es muy divertida." Literary Review "Todas las compañías que tienen sede en China deberían armar a sus ejecutivos con una copia de esta sorprendente, divertida y culturalmente comprensiva historia de los peligros de hacer negocios en el salvaje oeste asiático". "Los libros del año" de The Economist
Facundo: Civilization And Barbarism
by Domingo Faustino SarmientoPublicado por primera vez en 1845, el Facundo es uno de los textos fundacionales de la cultura y la literatura argentinas. Obra excepcional que cruza distintos géneros y registros —del ensayo histórico a la biografía novelada, pasando por la argumentación política y el estudio geográfico y cultural—, la vida de Facundo Quiroga, caudillo federal del interior del país, es utilizada por Sarmiento en su campaña antirrosista para explorar el espíritu político, económico y social de la época y revelar, finalmente, la dicotomía central en la que el autor ve cifrado el porvenir argentino: civilización o barbarie.
Rock is here: Buenos Aires. La guía definitiva para conocer los lugares históricos del rock
by Marcelo LamelaLa guía definitiva para conocer los lugares históricos del rock de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires: más de cien recorridos por casas, estudios de grabación, plazas, bares, estadios y teatros donde se creó el rock argentino. Los primeros rockeros argentinos tomaron la música que llegaba de Estados Unidos y, fundamentalmente, de Inglaterra para moldear un sonido propio -y un mensaje claro y único a partir de componer las letras en su idioma-, que convirtió a Buenos Aires, década tras década, en la ciudad de habla hispana más importante del movimiento. Esta guía conduce a más de cien lugares en los que se desarrolló y vibra la historia del rock argentino: casas, estudios de grabación, plazas, bares, estadios, teatros, donde se compusieron canciones inmortales, se grabaron discos eternos, se formaron bandas legendarias o se produjeron actuaciones inolvidables. ¿En qué lugar de Buenos Aires Patricio Rey y sus Redonditos de Ricota presentaron Oktubre? ¿Dónde hizo su primer show Soda Stereo? ¿En qué espacio mítico Tanguito compuso "La balsa"? ¿Cómo ubicar los escenarios de los recitales más emblemáticos de Charly García? ¿Dónde queda el que fue el bar favorito de Luca Prodan? ¿Cuáles son los sitios que recuerdan a Luis Alberto Spinetta? También están aquí aquellos lugares relacionados con los artistas extranjeros que visitaron la ciudad: Queen, Nirvana, Paul McCartney, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, entre muchos otros. Con lenguaje directo e información completa y actualizada, la guía se organiza por barrios y detalla cómo llegar a cada lugar. También descubre sitios y artistas no tan conocidos. Se trata de un recorrido fascinante por espacios, personas y sucesos que inspiraron a millones; lugares bellos por sí mismos o por lo que se creó allí, sin olvidar, por ejemplo, aquel donde se produjo la tragedia más grande relacionada con la música en la ciudad.
La vida descalzo (In Situ: Playas Ser.)
by Alan PaulsAlan Pauls entremezcla recuerdos, fotografías y reflexiones para escribir un verdadero manifiesto sobre la playa. Mezcla de autobiografía, ensayo cultural y documento imaginario, La vida descalzo es un homenaje al lugar común donde seguimos siendo felices sin miedo. Mar, arena, sol y la euforia de estar legalmente semidesnudos: la playa sigue vendiendo virtudes de paraíso natural, pero esa utopía salvaje es también el objeto eminentemente cultural, preñado de sentidos y valores sociales, que moldean la literatura, el cine y la comunicación de masas. Con un pie en la memoria personal y otro en el análisis cultural, Alan Pauls revisa las caras múltiples de un espacio clave de la vida moderna: la playa como experiencia íntima y como estereotipo, simulacro de vida primitiva y conquista de la civilización, limbo personal y espectáculo multitudinario, teatro de erotismos privados y escenario público hot que carga de intensidad nuestros veranos de todos los años. «No sé por qué, buscando qué mito de origen, va a la montaña la gente que acostumbra ir a la montaña. Sé que los que vamos a la playa -a Villa Gesell como a Cabo Polonio, a Punta del Este como a Mar del Plata, a Florianópolis como a Mar del Sur, a Cozumel como a Goa- vamos siempre más o menos tras lo mismo: las huellas de lo que era el mundo antes de que la mano del hombre decidiera reescribirlo. La playa reúne en su fisonomía de tabula rasa los valores de una era primitiva, previa a la historia, y todos los rasgos de un escenario póstumo, que una catástrofe natural o el zarpazo de una fuerza aniquiladora habrían reducido a lo más elemental: un paisaje de restos y escombros microscópicos. La playa es a la vez lo que estuvo antes y lo que vino después, el principio y el fin, lo todavía intacto y lo ya arrasado, la promesa y la nostalgia.»Alan Pauls
Antártida: Historias desconocidas e increíbles del continente blanco
by Agustina Larrea Tomás BalmacedaLa Antártida es el lugar más extraño del planeta, la única parte de la Tierra donde los humanos nunca podrían sobrevivir sin ayuda. Este libro presenta un compendio de historias de distintas épocas, proezas de su pasado e interrogantes sobre su futuro. Dos grupos de aventureros se enfrentan en un desafío que les costará la vida: navegar miles de kilómetros para llegar a tierras desconocidas antes que los rivales. Una expedición militar argentina lanza a un perro en paracaídas desde un avión para rescatar a exploradores perdidos en la inmensidad. Una mujer aislada por un crudo temporal decide operarse a sí misma de un tumor. Una supuesta misión científica planta una bandera gigante en la nieve al grito de "¡Heil Hitler!". La enorme extensión de la Antártida parece envolverlo todo: misterios sin resolver, amores, peleas, muertes e historias de superación personal. Tras una exhaustiva investigación, este libro rescata las grandes epopeyas y también las pequeñas historias de quienes se animaron a habitar un territorio tan misterioso como encantador. El resultado es una guía atrapante que recorre el pasado, el presente y el futuro del continente antártico e intenta responder una pregunta: ¿qué secreto envuelve este lugar al que muchos quisieron y siguen queriendo ir sin saber demasiado sobre él?
Floating on a Malayan Breeze
by Sudhir Thomas VadakethWhat happens after a country splits apart? Forty-five years ago Singapore separated from Malaysia. Since then, the two countries have developed along their own paths. Malaysia has given preference to the majority Malay Muslims - the bumiputera, or sons of the soil. Singapore, meanwhile, has tried to build a meritocracy - ostensibly colour-blind, yet more encouraging perhaps to some Singaporeans than to others. How have these policies affected ordinary people? How do these two divergent nations now see each other and the world around them? Seeking answers to these questions, two Singaporeans set off to cycle around Peninsular Malaysia, armed with a tent, two pairs of clothes and a daily budget of three US dollars each. They spent 30 days on the road, cycling through every Malaysian state, and chatting with hundreds of Malaysians. Not satisfied, they then went on to interview many more people in Malaysia and Singapore. What they found are two countries that have developed economically but are still struggling to find their souls.
Viagem ao sonho americano
by Isabel LucasA América pelos livros. Uma viagem literária (e muito mais) pelos Estados Unidos da América, com Trump em pano de fundo. Um dos melhores livros do ano:Revista Visão * Comunidade Cultura e Arte * blogue literário Deus me livro O que é a América?Numa viagem pelo país que (ainda) é visto como o centro do mundo, Isabel Lucas sonda a condição americana, os seus mitos, paradoxos, medos e fragilidades, mas também a sua grandeza e capacidade de reinvenção. O ponto de partida para esta viagem foi a literatura, esse território onde ainda há lugar para questionar, desconstruir, reimaginar. Partiu de autores e obras de referência e explorou as suas geografias - a New Bedford de Moby Dick, a Newark de Philip Roth, o Texas de Cormac McCarthy, o Sul de Toni Morrison, o mapa da classe média de Richard Ford e John Updike, entre muitos outros. Nestes e noutros lugares, reais e imaginados, encontrou uma América que tem medo de se olhar nos olhos e outra América, a que quer olhar para dentro para se purgar dos males e avançar. Descobriu uma América que se fecha perante o desconhecido e outra América, a que vê na diferença a sua maior riqueza.Partindo dos livros, esta é também, inevitavelmente, uma viagem pelas ruas da América, pelas suas gentes, pelas vozes anónimas e pelos seus mitos, entre eles, o tal sonho fundador. Afinal, o que é o sonho americano? Será o sonho de um país ou o sonho de um mundo inteiro? Sobre Viagem ao sonho americano:«A propósito de sonho, não posso deixar de ressalvar, neste livro da Isabel, o privilégio de termos simultaneamente a repórter que nos descreve com argúcia e sensibilidade os muitos lugares de que se faz uma viagem de um ano e 97.000 quilómetros, a entrevistadora que nos revela os nossos semelhantes, iluminando-os, a critica literária que escolheu dezasseis obras fundamentais da literatura norte americana e depois acrescentou outras tantas, e finalmente a viajante aventureira.»Dulce Maria Cardoso «Nesta jornada intimista encontramos uma aventura de escrita pessoalíssima, ao mesmo tempo humana e intelectual.»José Mário Silva, Expresso «Jornalismono seu melhor. Daquele que exige tempo, tempo para fazer e tempo para digerir.»Pedro Dias de Almeida, Visão «Apresenta a América de uma perspectiva muitíssimo original. O livro merece, a todos os títulos, figurar como uma das melhores e mais originais obras produzidas nos últimos anos em matéria de literatura de viagens.»António Araújo, Público «Estelivro é um pedaço de grande literatura que merece ser amplamente lido e receber prémios.»Vasco Rosa, Observador «Um livro que está entre o jornalismo old school feito à séria e uma escrita perfumada e inspirada. Para o leitor, trata-se de um verdadeiro festim.»Pedro Miguel Silva, Deus me livro «Entre os melhores livros de não ficção do ano. A não perder.»Marco Alves, Sábado
Viva México
by Alexandra Lucas CoelhoO olhar de Alexandra Lucas Coelho sobre um país de contrastes. Finalista do Prémio Portugal Telecom de Literatura Uma viagem, em 2010, da Cidade do México à fronteira mortal de Ciudad Juárez, das montanhas de Chiapas às selvas do Yucatán, em que o poderoso mundo indígena das Américas se cruza com a convulsão do presente. Alexandra Lucas Coelho encontra migrantes clandestinos e crentes na Virgem, sobreviventes dos cartéis e zapatistas, rappers feministas e travestis, operárias e botânicos, arqueólogos e mágicos. Uma travessia transformadora por um país tão arcaico quanto futuro, que entra na pele e comove desde o primeiro dia. Os elogios da crítica: «A escrita é rápida, muito nítida, às vezes lírica, sempre de uma extraordinária atenção aos detalhes e capaz de maravilhosos achados verbais. (#) Se tivesse que resumir numa frase aexperiência de ler Viva México, diria que esta é uma prosa que não descreve, ilumina. E assim a viagem de quem narra torna-se, quase sem darmos por isso, a viagem de quem lê. Sorte a nossa.»José Mário Silva, Expresso «À semelhança do que já acontecia em Caderno Afegão, também neste livro há uma dimensão poética que o eleva acima de um comum livro de viagens, isto é grande "literatura de viagens". (#) Este livro é uma delícia, que sem dúvida poderá ombrear com os clássicos do género. Se a inveja for mesmo um pecado, Viva México pode tornar-nos pecadores, porque invejamos a coragem necessária para esta viagem fora dos normais circuitos (mesmo para os mais afoitos), o despojamento para atravessar lugares da selva mexicana onde os habitantes do Velho Mundo pouco se aventuram.»José Riço Direitinho, Público «Quem tem da reportagem a ideia ingénua de aceder à cor local, ao ambiente e a meia dúzia de histórias, ora comoventes, ora chocantes, bem pode preparar o cérebro para a convulsão destes textos. O que aqui lemos não é o México dos postais, ainda que por aqui andem a Virgem de Guadalupe, as caveiras açucaradas e os sombreros. E também não é a hecatombe mostrada com cores sanguinárias, naquele tom fabricado para nos deixar chocados com a miséria alheia durante uns minutos, antes de passarmos às notícias da bola. O que aqui lemos é o resultado do encontro, dos muitos encontros que a repórter procura e regista. São as pessoas a matéria destes textos, as pessoas e a sua bagagem, que pode incluir sombreros turísticos e assassinatos impunes. (#) Não é propriamente o lado humano, no sentido mais lamechas que o termo pode ter, mas antes a certeza do confronto em cada história partilhada: confronto diário entre o que se espera e o que se alcança, confronto dialéctico entre o passado de um país e a sua construção presente. E isso faz pensar e olhar o mundo de um modo que nenhuma reportagem-choque alcança.»Sara Figueiredo Costa, Time Out
Cidades do Sol: À procura de utopias nas grandes metrópoles da Ásia
by Paulo MouraCom que sonham os habitantes do futuro. Paulo Moura viaja pelas megacidades da Ásia Oriental em busca da utopia. Uma reflexão eloquente sobre o mundo contemporâneo. «A viagem é um lugar de reflexão, mas também o lugar de todas as ilusões. Esta - a viagem de um português pela Ásia em busca de utopias - é decerto muito antiga.» A influencer que criou uma cidade imaginária em Jacarta. O escritor de ficção científica da Silicon Valley do Oriente. O nonagenário filipino, nomeado para o Nobel da Literatura, que está a escrever um romance sobre Inteligência Artificial. O outro escritor, em Hong Kong, que imaginou fazer upload da consciência humana para um computador. O casal chinês autor de um livro proibido que vendeu 7 milhões em fotocópias. O homem que liderou a revolta da China rural. O fotógrafo que forçou o governo vietnamita a aprovar a lei sobre o casamento gay. A rainha da Internet em Manila. O filósofo de Java com uma teoria global. O famoso rapper indiano que fez carreira apelando à submissão dos jovens… Quem mais nos arriscamos a encontrar numa aventura pelos grandes espaços urbanos da Ásia contemporânea? Não é preciso muito para entrar na alma de Bangalore, Jacarta, Saigão, Manila, Seul, Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzen, Xangai, Pequim, Linquan ou Chongqin: uma mala pequena, duas mudas de roupa, um par de sapatos, uma escova de dentes, caneta e bloco de notas, telemóvel, portátil, passaporte e um pretexto para a viagem: procurar utopias nas cidades do futuro.
Viagem ao coração de uma guerra futura: Ucrânia, Rússia, leste da Europa, 1995-2022
by Paulo MouraAs razões para se começar uma guerra são sempre muitas. E são precisamente as mesmas que tornam a paz obrigatória e urgente. Assumindo a posição de um viajante do futuro, Paulo Moura perscruta os caminhos que levaram a uma guerra absurda, mas que se desenha desde 1945. Vistas do futuro, todas as guerras são absurdas. Uma máquina fotográfica que talvez tenha pertencido a Hitler. Uma cidade de cientistas, no meio da Sibéria, que desencadeou o fim da guerra fria. Um banqueiro comunista. O star-system da mafia russa. O regresso do rei búlgaro. A prisão do ditador sérvio, Milosevic. Os bastidores da indústria porno húngara. As fronteiras polacas de todos os tráficos. O clube noturno mais ousado de Moscovo. Um jogador de póquer em Maidan. Reuniões secretas dos nazis ucranianos. Oligarcas revolucionários na Crimeia. Da Rússia à Ucrânia, passando pelas várias fronteiras físicas e culturais que dividem os verdadeiramente europeus daqueles que o não serão ainda, esta é a narrativa de uma série de viagens feitas entre 1995 e 2022. A perspetiva é a de um viajante do futuro, que se desloca para observar as raízes da discórdia, encontrar abominações, diferenças irredutíveis, ódios antigos - ideias e sentimentos pelos quais valha a pena matar e morrer. Excerto «Sabe-se que os regimes comunistas cometeram muitos crimes. Mas ocorre-me muitas vezes, quando visito países que viveram décadas sob influência marxista-leninista, que o maior crime do chamado comunismo real não foram a opressão, os gulags, os milhões de mortos. Foi terem-se apoderado de alguns dos mais belos sonhos da Humanidade, para os enxovalharem. E assim terem hipotecado o futuro, por séculos. A Justiça, a Igualdade, a Solidariedade, são valores desprezados, ou objeto de grande desconfiança, em todos os territórios sobreviventes do comunismo. Na Rússia, nos países da Europa de Leste, são muitas vezes os cidadãos que se consideram mais progressistas, mais sérios, mais íntegros, mais vanguardistas e mais corajosos que tendem a simpatizar com o nacionalismo e a extrema-direita. É esse o sórdido, imperdoável crime, o verdadeiro horror da aventura comunista: ter-nos roubado a possibilidade de sonhar. Por quanto tempo mais?»
The Yogurt Man Cometh: Tales of an American Teacher in Turkey
by Kevin RevolinskiPart travelogue, part memoir, The Yogurt Man Cometh is the story of Kevin Revolinski's year-long adventure as an English teacher in Turkey. Revolinski relates in candid style his encounters in a foreign culture, all told with an open mind and a sense of humor. An enjoyable read for anyone who has spent time in Turkey or who plans to do so.