How do I join the Hospitality Network?
You can join as long as you agree upon “The ten commandments of hospitality and fair travel” and the “Ten principles of the Hospitality Network” established by the network and consequently try to put them into practice. Considering some discipline and responsibility from part of the participants, concerning the commitment to the rules of the network. Carpathia will not supervise in any way the activity of the network members! That’s not our scope – we want to practice hospitality, not espionage! Even more, we presume that the network participants are completely independent in what they are doing and responsible for this. (Since there isn’t any measurable benefit for a participant in joining Carpathia and breaking afterwards its playing rules, we expect no threats to the network due to the lack of control of its members. Trust into the members and members self control will keep the network well working, for sure!)
How can You become an Active Member?
Either:
1)By Editing touristic information for the homepage (accommodation, places to see, tips, ideas etc.) and post them either as a comment on the Web blog or directly in the main body of the Web blog (password needed) or send directly the texts to Hanshedrich@gmx.de.
2)By Becoming a Regional Volunteer and search for more tourism information on the internet etc. and post these information on the homepage or send them directly to Hanshedrich@gmx.de
What is to posted on Carpathianet?
Please DO post on the site and in the magazine: private accommodation facilities (Bed&Breakfasts), small hostels where one can know the owner and get in touch with locals as well, small, cosy restaurants, taverns to eat local food, have a drink with locals, get in touch with “real life” on the spot, craftsmen, associations of craftsmen, small but good tour operators, good/small scale fares, markets, festivals, places to visit for sustainable tourism like protected areas, heritage sites, ecological, social, tourism NGOs from the region, contact persons and any information of potential interest for cultural/ ecological tourists. Generally look for offers with “added value” in terms of nature preservation, heritage preservation etc.
What is not to be posted on Carpathianet?
Please DO NOT post ANY “mainstream” accommodation (like hotels, big hostels), big tour operators, big shops, mainstream/fastfood restaurants, disco clubs and other things with a primary commercial approach lacking any ecological, cultural, spiritual “added value”.
(These are also well represented on the internet already!).
Is it really for free?
Yes it is and it will be for free! Nevertheless, we the network ‘managers’ wouldn’t mind to get a little something back from the network members in exchange for the hospitality that we are trying to offer you and your clients, guests, friends through Carpathia. What do we ‘want? No! No money donations at all, as you may think!!! This is a (almost) no-budget project and should stay what it is! But what about a small ‘present’ from you consisting of 1 piece of something per year? We think of a one day accommodation in your hostel, or a small product of your workshop/kitchen, or a specific service of your tourism company – only in case you really benefit from our network! What do you think of this moneyless hospitality exchange? Don’t worry: Since presents are for free, we will not bother you or even try to convince you to “freely” give us this suggested annual “hospitality tax”!
How do members communicate?
For the external communication there is:
1. an interactive homepage (www.carpathianet.wordpress.com) which is under- construction site;yet, there is a complete offer of the network members like accommodation, market places, fair trade shops, craftsmen fares, festivals, organic food producers, NGO portraits etc. The directory contains also offers of non-members that match the profile and scope of our network. The homepage gives all viewers the opportunity to comment on its content (like the quality of an accommodation or visited place).
2. We will issue a travel magazine (bulletin) in pdf-format (called “Carpathia – New Document for Traveling and Staying in Europe”) that will be distributed via email-attachment to the members of the network and is also supposed to be offered for download on partner sites (for example the homepage of a member tour operator or a member NGO). Currently we are working on the second edition of the Carpathia magazine.
The purpose of this magazine is mainly to be printed out and distributed(forwarded by email) to potentially interested persons/tourists whom you meet or who visit your offices etc. The reader should get interested to visit the places described and promoted in the magazine and to buy products/ services offered in the directory (Green Pages).
PS: network members may post a kind of ‘advertisement’ in the Green Pages, so that their offer should be more visible for the reader.
Who can write articles in the magazines?
Anyone who has the ability to write and would like to share with others his pieces of arts can send his/her articles to hanshedrich@gmx.de.
What about regional/national ‘editions’ of the magazine?
We would like to edit different magazines for different regions and countries in Europ;however it mainly depend on the need to have these magazine issued.
3. There could be edited also a newsletter soon!
As for the internal communication process members can use :
1. the yahoogroup of the network inwhich it is also a kind of registry of the network members (for membership see below). Who’s on the mailing list is a network member (unless you do not want to be on the list, inwhcih you have to unsubscribe). Through the yahoo group we can discuss common interest topics (complying to the usual playing rules of mailing lists: no SPAM, no personal debates/quarrels, only things that are of potential interest for the group or a relevant part of it).
To subscribe to the mailing lit you need to send an email to carpathianet@yahoo.com using the subject: joining carpathianet mailing list; inwhich the moderator will accept you.
What are the The 10 Commandments of Hospitality and Fair Travel ?
We all agree on and actively support the following principles of hospitality and fair travel
1. Travelling and Hospitality are indespensable linked to each other.
2. Travellers are guests, not just “Tourists”.
3. Locals are hosts, not just “Tourism personnel”.
4. Travellers and locals do respect the rights and needs of the communities they are living in.
5. Travellers, hosts and communities are partners, not competitors.
6. Travelling and Hospitality should act according to the best practices of ecology and sustainable development and should not harm participants or thirds.
7. Travelling and Hospitality should be for all participants of real and sustainable advantage – economically, culturally, ecologically, intellectually.
8. Travelling and hospitality need time to unfold their complete positive effects (relaxation, education, undertsanding) – travellers, hosts, communities too.
9. Travelling and hospitality offer the chance for approaching other cultures, languages, people, mentalities and ways of life in mutual respect and tolerance, for better knowing and sympathizing them.
10. Travelling and hospitality offer an opportunity to all participants for seeing their own cultures, places of origin, ways of life from a new perspective, for rediscovering their beauty and uniqueness, worth to be preserved and kept alive.
What are The working principles of Carpathia?
1. Independent Participants: The Hospitalitynetwork is an open circle of independently acting participants (individuals, associations, (small) companies aiming at preserving and strengthening hospitality and fair travel in Transylvania, Romania, Europe, the Milky Way and neighboring galaxies if possible.
2. Target Group: For this aim we try to interconnect individuals, companies, not-for-profit associations, craftsmen, organic food and regional products producers.
3. It is a network: The Network is not an association;therefore, we do not have association structures, budget or any hierarchies.
4. Open for new supporters: The network is open for individuals, institutions, companies, associations that accept and put in practice its values and working principles.
5. Decentralised and consensual: The network is organised on a decentralised basis and is being led and developed by its founders and participants on the basis of consensus.
6. Activity no debates: The active involvement of its members is crucial for the existence of the Hospitalitynetwork. Communication and interaction of its members should not stay in the sphere of theoretical debate but should forward the aims of the group and its members.
7. Coordinators not speakers: To forward its scope, the Hospitalitynetwork should name from its members coordinators, assistants and speakers, each with a clearly defined area of activity. For the beginning the coordinator of the network is Hans Hedrich, the founder of Carpathia, project coordinator with the NGO Sustainable Sighisoara (Romania)
8. Communication:Our communication tools are mailinglist, homepage, newsletter. Every contact and cooperation with tourism relevant initiatives and NGOs is highly welcomed.
9. Name: Carpathia – The Hospitalitynetwork for fair travel
10. Responsibility: Own responsibility of the network members for their activity. There is no control of the members activity through the network! Nevertheless, members who are reported to act against the values and principles of the network will be asked to leave it.
PS: Language, Questions etc.
For practical reasons we just use English, but don’t hesitate to post messages in other (international) languages or even in your mother tongue or multilingual messages! (We could also translate some messages if needed! So, just fell at home in the network…)
For any questions and suggestions (like potential new members you may like to introduce to us!), do not hesitate to contact hanshedrich@gmx.de or post o message on the mailing list once you are on it!
Well, that’s what Carpathia is at the moment – a small plant, but fast growing, and hopefully it’s vital and ‘sustainable’!
