Santa Monica, CA -- "The" "Amazing Race's" is off and running but some travel experts are running their mouths off, claiming it's giving world traveling competitions a bad name.

For instance, Bill Chalmers, a travel book author and winner of travel competitions says the CBS reality show is making the contestants commit a traveling competition no-no since there is no interaction with the culture or people of the countries they visit, but are forced to "run through them instead."

In fact, he claims the show "makes fun of the places and people they go to."

It's something that makes Chalmers more grateful for real around-the-world travel competitions that don't portray a false idea of traveling such as the Eco Challenge and also one Chalmers is organizing called The Global Scavenger Hunt.

He says these original kinds of challenges allow competitors to actually "immerse themselves in the culture" and not worry about drama or ratings.

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