· Threats to the Amazon loom ever larger, as countries rush to exploit non-renewable resources at the expense of the forest's biological riches. A February 2010 report shows that almost three-quarters of the Peruvian Amazon is leased for oil and gas exploration.
· Responding to the increase in travel, hundreds of hotels, lodges and foreign and in-country tour operators have opened for business in the past few years.
· Some parts of the Amazon, such as Colombia, have been off-limits for the mainstream tourist but are opening up as the political climate changes or development makes areas more accessible
· Some previously pristine wilderness is no longer attractive as a tourist destination (witness the imminent opening of a ‘mega-bridge' over the Rio Negro near Manaus).
· Celebrity interest in rainforest conservation has gathered momentum in the past decade, particularly with the impetus provided by The Rainforest Foundation funded by Elton John and Sting. In May 2010, a charity concert for rainforests included performers such as Lady Gaga, Debbie Harry and Shirley Bassey, as well as Sting and Elton John.
· 2010 is the UN's International Year of Biodiversity, which is raising awareness about the Amazon. Actor Ed Norton was appointed the UN Ambassador for the International Year of Biodiversity, resulting in wide coverage.