Tourism Champion

03/08/2026

Perspective on Iran from Rick Steves

Join Rick as he explores the most surprising and fascinating land he's ever visited: Iran. In a one-hour, ground-breaking travel special on public television, you'll discover the splendid monuments of Iran's rich and glorious past, learn more about the 20th-century story of this perplexing nation, a...

03/08/2026

From a speech by World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA) President Sebastian Frankenberger during the Peace Ceremony in Nagasaki, at the recent WFTGA Conference.

As professional tourist guides, we do more than accompany visitors.

We explain history — including its complexity and its contradictions.

We provide context — where misunderstanding could easily take root.

We connect cultures — where distance might otherwise create division.

We explain. We connect. We give context.

And in doing so, we shape perception.

That is influence. And influence is responsibility.

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02/28/2026

One of (m)any mind-bending views of the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Every turn of your head is another perspective!

02/17/2026

The worn and battered USGS marker on the summit of Mt. Blue Sky reads 14,258'. The elevation as measured today (using precision devices available in 2026, vs. 1955) is 14,265 (4,348 m). It is the 14th highest 14'er in Colorado. "The 14th 14'er" -- easy to remember.

02/17/2026

Toponymy is the study of names.

The names of mountains, historic sites, and many other places including undersea features are not randomly chosen, and there is a process for selecting or changing place names.

The U.S. Bureau of Geographic Names (USBGN) has official naming authority. Reverting to the name Mt. McKinley when referring to Denali, the highest peak in North America, or referring to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, failed to follow the official process.

The Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board, part of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources has authority in the state. The board oversaw the process of renaming Mt. Evans to Mt. BLue Sky, a change which became official on September 15, 2023. In Colorado, there are 4053 named mountains.

Place names on soverign Indian lands are entirely within the purview of the Nation; not the USBGN or any state agency.

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02/11/2026

The Canyon Spirit, formerly the Rocky Mountaineer, is a great rail adventure. I recommend it, and would love to have Facebook friends join me for one of the trips I am managing for Gate 1 Travel in 2026.

01/28/2026

https://voyagedenver.com/interview/conversations-with-steve-kaverman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Kaverman. Hi Steve, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?Weeks out of high school I started working as a tour […]

01/20/2026

The Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range of the Rocky Mountains, looking south from 25,000' above Monarch Pass. Salida, Colorado visible on lower left.

12/27/2025

Watch closely and you'll catch a glimpse of me!

12/11/2025

Moose vs. Elk vs. Beaver vs. Gray Wolves vs. Human Impact. Our natural world is complex, and balancing the needs of competing species can be difficult and unpredictable.

I willl be leading tours to Rocky Mountain Natioal Park again in 2026. This will be a useful interpretive resource.

Moose’s impact on one of Colorado’s most cherished landscapes has been a concern over the years.  Now Rocky Mountain National Park officials are launching an effort to address it.  A recent webinar marked “the very beginning of this planning process,” the park’s large mammal ecologist, W...

11/30/2025

Just one of the shameful atrocities committed against Native Americans. This one, right here in my home state of Colorado.

The sounds of weapons firing split the quiet air in the early morning of November 29, 1864. Under the command of Colonel John M. Chivington, Union soldiers were instructed to fire on the Cheyenne and Arapaho people camped peacefully along the banks of Big Sandy Creek, a white flag waving from the top of a tipi. That marked the deadliest day in Colorado history.

Recognizing the 161st anniversary of what became known as the Sand Creek Massacre, we are encouraged to reflect on that day—what led us to that moment, and what we can do to prevent such an atrocity from happening again.

Please visit the contemplative exhibition "The Sand Creek Massacre: The Betrayal that Changed Cheyenne and Arapaho People Forever" at the History Colorado Center in Denver, then join the candlelight vigil at the Denver Public Library’s Central Branch. If you can’t make it to Denver, consider visiting the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site.

In the meantime, the Sand Creek Massacre Syllabus provides excellent resources for you to learn more. Here is a link to the syllabus with a list of books, articles, podcasts, videos, and other resources: https://h-co.org/sand-creek-massacre-syllabus