Ethical, Responsible and Fair TOURISM, and PLANTS

You may well ask:

• What does Tourism have to do with Plants?

First of all, I would like to introduce you to this idea of Ethical, Responsible and Fair Tourism!

As the name suggests, it is a form of tourism that seeks to interact with local communities without being invasive, to show the tourist the local reality rather than the “ picture in the adverts”, and to help these communities by sharing the profits with them, supporting local projects or using their services.

I recommend visiting the website of Mó de Vida – Cooperativa de Comércio Justo to learn more about the origins and principles of this kind of tourism - http://www.modevida.com/turismo1.html.

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF THE TRIPS:

• Local Mediators/Guides

• Small-scale accommodation

• Public or local transport

• Small groups

• Transparent pricing and a cooperation share

• Preliminary meeting

• Travel documentation

All these principles of ethical tourism trips are very ambitious, but tremendously worthwhile!

The Magic Moments weekends are short trips and, without being so presumptuous as to say that we meet every requirement of ethical, responsible and fair tourism, I would like to look here at the AROMATIC AND MEDICINAL PLANTS WEEKEND.

LOCATION – EVORAMONTE (Estremoz municipality) AND ORADA (Borba municipality), two villages in the Alto Alentejo, away from the more conventional tourist spots

ACCOMMODATION – Herdade da Marmeleira (Fundação Obras). An old Alentejo estate bought 5 years ago by a Dutch couple, who rebuilt this farmstead, creating an artists' residence through the Fundação Obras and developing the cultural life of the municipality by organising exhibitions, performances and concerts with the resident artists.

MEALS – Taken at the Herdade, except Saturday lunch and dinner, which will be at the Orada Fair.

ACTIVITIES – Saturday - Visit to the Orada Edible Herbs Fair and taking part in its activities; Sunday – Medicinal Plants Workshop at the Herdade da Marmeleira

TUTOR – Fernanda Botelho, who lives in Tojeira (Sintra municipality). She gives medicinal plant workshops in various parts of the country. At the Orada fair there will also be other guides, local or otherwise, for the various activities.

SUPPORT – The organisers stay with the group throughout the weekend and are available to help with any questions.

GROUP SIZE – 8 to 16 people

TRANSPORT – We will travel in private cars, encouraging participants to share lifts and to share the costs of them

WEEKEND DOCUMENTATION – Each participant is given documentation on the various Plants in the Medicinal Plants Workshop and a little about the village of Evoramonte, and at the Fair you will be able to obtain further information on plants or on the municipalities.

PRICE – €150/per person, broken down as follows:

(for a minimum of 8 participants)

• Accommodation at the Herdade – €44

• Meals at the Herdade – €28

• Tutor (accompanying the group throughout the weekend and leading the Medicinal Plants Workshop) – €30

• Organisation (planning, programming the weekend, promotion, taking bookings, logistics, accompanying the group throughout the weekend) – €30

• Documentation – €5

• General Expenses (flyers, promotion, travel, Sunday snack) – €13

Participants who sign up with 2 or more people at the same time get a 5 or 10% discount (€7.50 or €15). This discount comes out of the organisation fee.

THE PRICE INCLUDES:

• 2 nights' accommodation in a double or triple room at the Herdade da Marmeleira

• Meals at the Herdade: Friday – late supper, Saturday – breakfast, Sunday – breakfast, lunch and snack

• Taking part in the Fair Activities

• Medicinal Plants Workshop

• Documentation

THE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:

• Transport to the weekend locations

• Saturday Lunch and Dinner, which participants are free to choose at the Fair's little food stalls

Note: What defines ethical tourism is not the rules listed, but the exceptional intrinsic qualities that characterise it.

This kind of tourism can only be offered by those who do it for the love of it and for the pleasure of sharing. It is a way of life!

**There are still places left on the Aromatic and Medicinal Plants Weekend. Make the most of this opportunity and find out more here!

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