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Slow Food Saturday: A green approach to food in Beijing

August 31, 2010 in Culture, Food, environment by Alex G | 1 comment

Is China becoming a ‘Fast Food Nation’?

Just two decades ago, most people in China ate relatively low-fat meals and regularly rode their bicycles to get around. Obesity was extremely rare.

Fast forward to today: more and more people eat greasy street food or fast food such as KFC and McDonald’s and fewer have the time or energy to get some exercise. The result: China now has 19 million clinically obese citizens, with that number growing by 30 to 50 percent each year, according to a recent PBS report (http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2010/06/reporters-notebook-obesity-rising-in-china.html).

Photo: Xinhua / Sadat

A group of food-conscious individuals is hoping to promote the idea of healthier eating habits this weekend in Beijing, with Slow Food Saturday at The Schoolhouse at Mutianyu.

What is “Slow Food,” exactly? According to the Slow Food Saturday website:

“Slow Food is about the heritage of food, about its tradition and culture, and about connecting with friends over delicious tastes. The Slow Food movement advocates preserving cultural cuisine, and in doing so preserving local foods, farming and ways of life. Slow Food is the antithesis to large-scale commercial food production and today’s fast-food culture. Slow Food brings back the joy in eating, and encourages us to connect over food.”

The Schoolhouse at Mutianyu, one of our preferred hotels in Beijing and a winner of our Best of China Awards 2010, has been a local pioneer in championing Slow Food for its clients and local community residents. As a sustainable tourism enterprise that offers dining, lodging, and meeting solutions in unique settings just an hour from downtown Beijing, the boutique hotel has redeployed existing buildings to new uses, created local jobs, supported other local businesses, grown their own vegetables and fruits while procuring other foods locally and made almost everything fresh and homemade on their premises.

This Saturday, September 4, in conjunction with the Slow Food Beijing Convivium, The Schoolhouse will put on a day of food, cooking, biking and more in the neighboring Great Wall International Cultural Villages of Mutianyu, Beigou, Xinying, and Tianxianyu to celebrate cooking, sustainable practices, and local communities. For a full schedule and activities, visit their website (http://www.slowfoodsaturday.org).

Event details:

Slow Food Saturday

Saturday, September 4th, 2010 from 10:30 am onward

Mutianyu, Beigou, Xinying, and Tianxianyu Villages

Starting from The Roadhouse (restaurant at The Schoolhouse), just north of the Mutianyu roundabout

For more information, contact info[at]slowfoodsaturday[dot]org.

Our take on Wendy Perrin’s 6 Travel Agent Tips

August 19, 2010 in News You Can Use, Travel Tips, What We're Reading by Alex G | 1 comment

(Photo: Condé Nast Traveler)

 In addition to being honored to be one of Wendy Perrin’s 135 Top Travel Specialists for 2010, we’re a big fan of the related spread in Conde Nast Traveler‘s August 2010 print issue.

Perrin not only describes each selected travel agent, but also provides guidance on how to use the interactive listing on the CNT website, and features sport-and-adventure-themed agent recommendations.

Our favorite feature is her 6 Travel Agent Tips – found exclusively in print – which empower travelers to craft the perfect trip with their specialist. Smart and useful, these hints can be applied anywhere in the world. So, we’re showing you how to use them to create a memorable journey in China.

Perrin says: Define trip goals: “The better you are at articulating your needs, the better the travel specialist can meet them.”

We say: Perrin is right on the mark with this first tip. There are many angles from which to experience China, so it is important to know where your preferences and priorities lie. Ask yourself what kind of trip you want to create. To jumpstart your thinking process, here are a few key words to consider: luxury, adventure, local, modern, traditional, cuisine, monument, history, hands-on, expert.

Perrin says: Get personal: “The more information you share, the more potentially spectacular the results.”

We say: Information = customization, and customization = the trip of a lifetime tailored specifically to you. Do you love birds? Try our Winter Birding trip. Are you a self-professed gourmet? We’ll expose you to China’s many local cuisines and flavors. Can’t live without your morning cup of joe? Maybe a trip to get a taste of Yunnan‘s locally-produced coffee is in order. Travel specialists can use your personal interests and preferences to make the trip all the more special.

Perrin says: Be a collaborator: “The best trips spring from a team effort between you and the specialist.”

We say: The relationship between traveler and specialist is incredibly important, to develop mutual understanding and ultimately, an unforgettable journey. We like frequent email communication and phone conversations to build the rapport. These interactions not only give us facts for trip-planning, but help us to understand how the client thinks and interacts. We adapt to their style so that they can trust us – and from trust springs successful collaboration.

Perrin says: Establish a budget: “State up front how much you want to spend.”

We say: This is particularly important with customized travel. China can be explored at all levels, so it’s important to gauge how specialized and unique you want your trip to be. You might want to visit a remote village in Yunnan, but skip on the private visit with the local shaman. Alternately, maybe it’s important to you to try the very best roast duck in Beijing. Whatever your spending preferences, make them known early.

Perrin says: Expect to pay a fee: “A travel specialist’s fee is either a deposit applied to the cost of the trip… or a markup built into the total cost.”

We say: At WildChina, creating customized trips that are perfectly suited to our clients’ interests and needs is of utmost importance. As such, we do not require a fee for your initial consultation. When a client is ready to confirm the trip, we ask for a deposit.

Perrin says: Guide the guide: “It’s your job to communicate your interest directly to the guide.”

We say: We take guide training very seriously, making sure that our guides’ English level, local knowledge, problem-solving skills and flexibility are all up to snuff. They know to observe and adapt to clients’ needs and wants, but you should also never hesitate to let them know what you want. If you prefer your guide to discuss architecture instead of history, describe personal anecdotes on life in China, or just let you roam in peace, let them know.

Mei Zhang elected to TIES Advisory Board

June 25, 2010 in In the News by Alex G | No comments

At its recent biannual Board meeting, The Board of Directors of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) unanimously agreed to implement a new structure of TIES Board, with the new Advisory Board consisting of ecotourism experts and industry leaders, and the Governance Board, which focuses on administrative and managerial tasks related to the governance of the organization.

Within this new structure, the former Board of Directors voted in eleven new members to the Advisory Board: Deirdre Campbell (Owner, The Tartan Group), Richard Edwards (Director, Planeterra Foundation and Co-Chair, Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference), Shadia Garrison (Consultant, Writer, Project Manager), Palitha Gurusinghe (President, Sri Lanka Ecotourism Foundation), Ariane Janér (Co-Founder, EcoBrasil), Kimberly Lisagor (Journalist, Author), Rick MacLeod Farley (Principal Consultant, MacLeod Farley & Associates), Paul Radchenko (Tourism Development Planner, Government of Alberta, Canada), Albert Teo Chin Kion (Managing Director, Borneo Eco Tours), Annie Vanderwyk (Indigenous Business, Education & Research Partner, Youth Connections, and Principal Cultural Consultant, Wild Earth Expeditions), Mei Zhang (Founder, WildChina). Full list of current Advisory Board members and their bios can be found on the TIES Advisory Board page.

WildChina recently interviewed Ayako Ezaki, TIES’ Director of Communications, on Mei’s new board position, Advisory Board projects, and what the board hopes to accomplish in the future.

WildChina Travel: Why did TIES feel that Mei was a good choice for the Advisory Board?
Ayako Ezaki: One of the areas where TIES would like to become more actively engaged is ecotourism and sustainable tourism in the Asia Pacific region. We have a number of Association, Business, NGO as well as individual members based in the region, and over the years various initiatives have been taking place (for example, the Asia Pacific Ecotourism Network [APES]). With new Advisory Board members who are actively involved in ecotourism networks in the region, we feel that we will have increased opportunities in the coming years for membership, education and communication outreach, events and partnership building.

In addition, we are particularly pleased to work with Mei due to her strong business background and industry expertise. As Mei has been actively engaged in ecotourism, adventure travel and sustainable tourism arenas for a number of years. Many on TIES team, including Dr. Kelly Bricker, TIES chair, have had the opportunity to learn about her various achievements directly and indirectly.

WCT: What kind of work do you plan to do with the board?
AE: We are seeking to set up sub-committees within the Advisory Board that may address general and ongoing needs (e.g. public awareness, partnership) or work on specific tasks related to certain projects or assignments. One of the first tasks, therefore, is to identify key areas that will become sub-committee focus areas, such as Asia Pacific (regional activities and partnership initiatives to reach out to existing organizations in the Asia Pacific region, such as the Asia Pacific Ecotourism Society, and to collaborate with potential new members) and Voluntourism (exploring opportunities to disseminate information and resources about voluntourism and to encourage greater traveler and industry engagement).

We also hope to work with Advisory Board members to implement several new projects, focusing on key topics and issues such as: ecotourism and indigenous communities, sustainable community development, and ecotourism and wildlife conservation.

Many of TIES Advisory Board members have played roles on the program/speaker committee for the annual Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC), and we hope to work with new Advisory Board members who are able to volunteer their time for the upcoming ESTC.

WCT: What does the board hope to accomplish in the next few years?
AE: The main goals of TIES Advisory Board are to support TIES mission and strengthen TIES initiatives by better representing our members’ needs and more effectively addressing current and emerging issues within the tourism industry. With a diverse group of global experts, we believe that TIES Advisory Board will be able to assist in positive development of the organization in terms of educational resources, community projects, and grassroots networking.

With new initiatives such as carbon offset options for clients, WildChina proud to join TIES in creating the future of sustainable tourism in China and beyond. See what Mei has to say about tourism in China, her role on the TIES Advisory Board, and questions she wants to answer about sustainable travel.

Read the entire TIES press release on new TIES Advisory Board members.

Traveling to the past: a heartwarming story of family heritage in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province

February 10, 2010 in Culture, On the Road by Alex G | No comments

In WildChina’s ten-year history, we have been witness to many amazing and life-changing experiences on our journeys. Recently, one of these incredible stories was uncovered in a conversation with Pan Wei and Christine, two members of our Corporate Services and Special Projects team.

A few years ago, they received a request from an American Chinese family to visit Zhuhai, in Guangdong province – their ancestral Chinese village – in which one of the parents’ grandfathers had lived. After a number of emails and calls, we were able to arrange a visit for the family.

Not only did the family successfully pay a visit to the area, but they were also warmly greeted by local villagers. In fact, the village held a celebration for the family in their ancient temple. All of the villagers brought local dishes for a banquet-style meal, including a chicken that was cooked on the spot.

The family was incredibly moved by their personal experiences with the villagers, especially since one of the older community members remembered the family’s relative vividly.

For us, the fact that we could reconnect a family with their roots and cultural heritage was an incredible accomplishment. Their experiences exemplified how we can enable guests to experience China differently with a personal connection to the people and places that we visit.

Co-operation the Key to Environmental Success

February 3, 2010 in WildChina Experts by Heather.Graham | No comments

I have now entered my final week of work for Changqing Reserve. Not surprisingly, I am feeling a mixture of emotions leaving the place that has become home for me for some time now: Firstly sadness at leaving behind the Reserve, the community of Huayang that has freely welcomed me, my new Chinese friends, the simple way of life, the fresh air, long walks, local food and rice paddy viewed runs. However, I also leave with excitement about the next chapter in my life and more importantly hope for sections of China’s spectacular environment that have ‘survived’ a history of thousands of years, and are now being managed as reserves.

Huayang Town, Shaanxi Province

Huayang Town, Shaanxi Province

Upon reflection of this year it really struck me that the achievements, which have been made were due to successful co-operations. For example, the development of the Eco-tourism Action Plan, my main project, was instigated and funded by WWF China, managed by myself (a volunteer from Australia), developed by a team of local Changqing staff members, and the resultant actions based upon recommendations made by all levels of staff, community members, scientists, international experts, local government and previous volunteers.  Likewise, the Reserve’s infrared cameras (as mentioned in a previous blog) are the result of a co-operation between Changqing National Nature Reserve, Dr Dajun Wang from Peking University, Shan Shui Conservation Centre and Conservation International. However, going back a step, perhaps the most successful example of co-operation that I have heard about here has been the establishment of Changqing Reserve. So, at the risk of finishing my series of blogs with what perhaps I should have started them with, I thought I would share with you the history of Changqing National Nature Reserve (CNNR), as I have heard it, threw local verbal accounts, and bits and pieces of information I have gathered during my time here…

Read the rest of this entry »

Spending some time with a Giant Panda in the wild!

January 27, 2010 in Uncategorized, WildChina Experts by Heather.Graham | No comments


Bamboo newly broken by a Giant Panda, Changqing Reserve

Bamboo newly broken by a Giant Panda, Changqing Reserve

It’s happened!! After months of learning about Giant Pandas, seeing videos about them, writing blogs about them, and constructing an Action Plan to minimise the impact of tourism to them – I have seen a Giant Panda in the wild!!!  Even now, nine days after this experience, I am still smiling when I think about it. Being winter and therefore having an increased opportunity to see them, my former manager, Mr Shi Jian, organised a car for me to spend a few days with one of our best trackers, Zhang Yongwen, in Changqing Reserve.

It is estimated that Changqing National Nature Reserve has approximately 100 pandas within our reserve boundaries. During June to September each year, the majority of these live in the high mountains, descending to the valleys for the colder months. According to Zhang Yongwen, due to their need to conserve energy, Pandas in Changqing often meander around existing tracks such as former logging roads, and Takin tracks. This means, that when tracking pandas in Changqing you walk along these valley tracks, and alongside rivers in search of signs that pandas have been nearby recently. Signs include freshly broken bamboo, a trail of fresh scats and if you’re really lucky the sound of bamboo breaking in the distance. However, as pandas meander off the tracks to find nice places to sit, chew bamboo and sleep – once you think you’re close to one, you often find yourself scrambling hand and foot up steep bamboo covered hills. Some may not like this side of tracking, but not me, I love it! It makes me feel alive, every scratch and bruise making me more determined, heart pumping loudly (‘will I see a panda this time’), it makes me feel like David Attenborough or a BBC cameraman!

Fresh Panda scat, Changqing Reserve

Fresh Panda scat, Changqing Reserve

Read the rest of this entry »

T+L’s Top Travel Trends for 2010, featuring Hangzhou, China

January 7, 2010 in In the News, Travel Tips by Alex G | 1 comment

Travel+Leisure recently came out with their Top Travel Trends for 2010 in their January 2010 issue. At number six is “Exploring Hot New Destinations,” which features Hangzhou (杭州), the capital of Zhejiang (浙江) Province.

Hangzhou West Lake

Visitors observe the sunset over picturesque West Lake. (Photo courtesy of igougo.com)

This city, a mere one-hour train ride from Shanghai, has continually been on the rise for a number of years. Indeed, it is home to the famed West Lake (西湖 Xihu), which simultaneously provides a gorgeous panorama of traditional Chinese landscape for those strolling along the lake, and high-end shopping just a few steps away from the water’s edge. Given its proximity to Shanghai and its beauty, it is no wonder that luxury accommodations continue to be developed in the area.

We’re happy to see that T+L mentions two of our favorite new hotels for clients – the Banyan Tree and Amanfayun – that have recently sprung up amidst the ever-growing tourism industry in Hangzhou. The incredible locations and views of these resorts make them a must-stay for those traveling to the city.

For more information on these accommodations or traveling to Hangzhou, send us a tweet or an email to our Private Journeys director, Barbara Henderson, at barbara.henderson@wildchina.com.

Wuxi: “Little Shanghai’s” Big Place in the Solar Industry

January 5, 2010 in In the News by Abby | No comments

This post is the second in a series by guest blogger Abby Poats. Abby Poats is a Research Associate based in Beijing with the Washington DC-based American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) US-China Program (USCP). She also teaches English at China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing through the Princeton in Asia (PiA) fellowship program. Her blog entries contain her personal reflections and do not reflect the views of ACORE USCP.

The city of Wuxi is located in south-central Jiangsu province about 130 kilometers west of Shanghai. A city with over 3000 years of history, Wuxi, known as the “Pearl of Lake Tai,” is home to a host of natural and cultural attractions, including beautiful Lake Tai and artifacts from the Wu era in mid-to-late second century.

Source: http://www.oice.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/wuxi/images/map-wuki1.gif

View of downtown Wuxi on the shores of Lake Tai

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Wuxi’s economy was largely based on agriculture, particularly rice. By the beginning of the 20th century, Wuxi’s economy had expanded and diversified to include textiles. While Wuxi’s economy is still based largely on textiles and manufacturing, the city’s booming development is increasingly attributed to high-tech industries.

With a total population of about 4.5 million people, Wuxi is a small city by Chinese standards, but with a booming economy driven by its eight industrial development zones, Wuxi today is known as “Little Shanghai.” In fact, in 2008 Forbes ranked Wuxi as the third best business city in China, and a recent national index ranks Wuxi’s economic development ninth out of 659 major cities.

In addition to Wuxi’s recent focus on information technology innovation, Wuxi is a national leader in renewable energy technology manufacturing. According to an official who spoke at the China International New Energy Expo (CINEE) held in Wuxi in September 2009, Wuxi is the leading solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturer in China and also hosts over 30 wind power production businesses.

Specifically, Wuxi-Singapore Industrial Park—a joint venture initiated in 1993 between the government of Wuxi and a Singapore-based industrial corporation—is home to the global research and development headquarters of Suntech Power, one of the world’s largest solar technology manufacturers. Established in February 2009, the headquarters in Wuxi themselves are home to an impressive 1 megawatt (MW) solar PV façade, the world’s largest building integrated solar photovoltaic (BIPV), grid-connected system.

Section of Suntech headquarters’ 1 MW Solar Façade, Wuxi

The first privately owned Chinese company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange in December 2005, today Suntech ranks third in the world for solar cell PV manufacturing and first for complete solar module manufacturing. With third quarter 2009 growth of almost 50% and three new large supply contracts in Europe, Suntech appears poised to further enlarge “Little Shanghai’s” economy and its role in the solar industry.

By Abby Poats

When WildChina Failed to Deliver

December 21, 2009 in On the Road by Mei | No comments

As I was wrapping up my day before the snow hit DC, an email popped onto my screen:

“I have made a gift of $3000 to the Nature Conservancy’s Yunnan program in honor of Wild China. I am so happy to know about this area of China. A magical place that needs and deserves protection. Kristine”

This is the most significant Christmas present I have received from a WildChina client. Kristine just won my respect and heart for donating the refund I gave her for a less than perfect trip to China.

This was Kristine’s first email to me after her trip:

“We loved the route and the scenery of Yunnan and the support staff (cook and driver) were fantastic. However…. Xiao (one of the guide) was very good about talking with Nico in Mandarin. However the first two days on the trail he was talking on his cell phone constantly which interfered with the serenity of the hiking and hampered chances for me to see birds (which he knew was an important objective for me). At the second campsite we were joined by two other large groups. It turned out that one group was guided by Xiao’s brother, and the other group had trekked with Xiao before and had been outfitted by him for this trip. From that point on, we could not seem to escape from these two large and noisy groups. They began hiking at the same time, stopped for lunch in the same places, camped in the same areas and clearly wanted to chat with Xiao on the trail. The noise and the size of the group significantly detracted from our enjoyment of the trekking and any opportunities to see birds along the way. This did not meet my expectation of a private trek and Xiao was clearly splitting his attention between the groups.”

There was more…

The email simply broke my heart. How, could this ever be possible? Generally, when clients seek me out to send me an email, I am used to reading the ones piling praises on our guides and staff. They make me happy, and remind me again and again why I am in service industry and not in fund management as most of my HBS classmates are. I just love the human contact and love the smiles we bring to clients. Also, negative on this trial? I could never have imagined that. I took my whole wedding party on this hike from the Salween Valley to the Mekong valley and it was the last frontier of China. Xiao was the best local villager I could find. How did this all change? But, I was in no position to defend WildChina but to apologize:

I am terribly sorry that you had such a negative experience, and I am sorry that our guides were not as considerate or professional as you expected. Let me investigate on this further and I’ll get back to you on this specifically. If I may, let me tell you a story about Xiao.

I personally insisted for the team to bring Xiao onto your trip, because I remember the first day when I met him. I went to his village with my backpack (after days of travel on the road, not 10 hours), and simply asked around a group of villagers if any of them would be interested in a job of guiding me through the mountain ranges across to the other side. Nobody except Xiao raised his hand. I don’t think any other traveler went to the village with such a strange request before. At that time, the village didn’t have electricity, and xiao’s house was dark and small. He had a bright and sincere smile, so I hired him on the spot. He guided me through the mountains for 4 days, and was the most attentive helper I could ever find.

Following that journey, I decided that it was such a wonderful experience, I took my own wedding party there, and xiao couldn’t be more attentive, and so were our Tibetan guides and chef. Xiao was so entrepreneurial that he called me up afterwards to see if I would invest in him to build a lodge. He had to make the call from the village pay phone, since he didn’t have one in his house. I appreciated his entrepreneurial spirit, and gave him the money. For me, it was a simple way to give back to the community, and if he could succeed, great, if not, I tried.

To help him develop a sense of customer service quality, I sent two American interns there over the next two years to work with him, helping him develop menus, helping him purchase sheets and mattresses and set up the first computer. Then, he emailed me one day, and said, “hey, I am online! And I have a new cell phone”
A year later, he sent me a message, “hey, check out my blog!”

Earlier this year, when I logged onto Flickr, I found his pictures there!

I haven’t been back for a while, and was simply delighted that someone would take the opportunity and develop a successful business out of it.

Then your feedback came. I could just picture him talking on the cell phone and busy talking to all the other guests. I just never imagined that would ever happen on that trail, and I don’t think our operations team could foresee that either. Imaging hiking crowds on that trail came as such a complete shock. The only reason I could see if October 1st holiday when travelers from Kunming also decided to discover the beautiful wilderness of Yunnan.

The fact this area is now covered with cell phone signal and popular with travelers, I don’t know if I am supposed to be happy about or not. The fact that your experience was negatively impacted upsets me tremendously. Xiao and our Tibetan guides may have become victims of their own success. How to deal with that, how to take it forward from here? I’ll have to pursue the answer.

After confirming the facts with our local guides, I sent Kristine a heartfelt note and a refund check of $3000 (needless to say, WildChina lost money, but that’s not the point):

“Our brand is about excellence, and our mission is to deliver excellence. On your recent trip, we did not deliver. There were forces at play, some we could control, some we could not. But the fact remains we are committed to excellence.”

She donated the check to TNC in honor of WildChina. What a beautiful thing!

What We’re Reading: “A Quiet Revolution: China’s Climate Future”

December 18, 2009 in In the News by Alex G | No comments

As the COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conference winds down today in Copenhagen, many questions have been raised and numerous reflections made on China’s stance regarding climate change and sustainable development. Since China has often been frowned upon for its less-than-stellar environmental record, it is thus interesting to read an article by guest blogger Scott Moore, from the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford, on Green Leap Forward regarding the significant measures China plans to take in order to grow sustainably in the future while reducing damage to the environment. Moore writes,

From increasing the share of renewable energy to promoting a new “low-carbon mentality” among its citizens, China has made a name for itself as the first industrializing country — ever — to make serious efforts to limit the contribution of its economic development to climate change. By some estimates, these measures will reduce China’s emissions by an amount greater than the total reductions achieved by all parties under the Kyoto Protocol.

How does China plan to do so? China’s method necessitates a complete developmental overhaul. As such,

Traditional heavy industry, and the highly-polluting, resource-intensive model of development which sustains it [China], will be replaced by a vision of nimble green enterprises, poised to lead China into the world’s economic future. At Copenhagen, China’s leaders make no secret of this ambition: they speak of building an energy system which is less polluting, more secure, and more efficient, and of an “innovative” development pattern that is higher-quality and lower-emitting.

What does this mean for China? Read about the implications of these plans for China’s development in the rest of the entry.

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