Spotlight 2010

8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010

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promoting responsible tourism

10Nov2010

ISSUE FOUR • NOVEMBER 2010

O cial Sponsor

the face of joafter despai

Joyce.

8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010


Silent

There’s another side to our world, though. And this one has a much quieter, but nonetheless,

important voice. The continuing challenges and problems of the world have led many of us

to believe that there must be another way. An alternative means of ensuring that travel and

tourism remain as top economic drivers for future generations.

I like to call this the ‘Silent Revolution’ because the voices that are raised globally are not strident or

piercing but they are just as penetrating and heartfelt for all that. Spotlight is an example of this Third

Way. Its pages are crammed full with people whose dedication, hopes and beliefs are a shining example

of just what can be achieved.

Since Spotlight was launched four years ago to coincide with WTM World Responsible Tourism Day in

association with the UNWTO, there has been a small but definite shift in the opinion of not only the

industry, but also consumers.

Perhaps the global events of the pas t few years have had something to do with it. Or it mi ght just be

that people are sickened by the endless waste, the continuing destruction of our

beautiful landscapes, the gradual decline of our wildlife and the suffering of

communities who should be at the centre of much of what travel and tourism

undertakes.

An informed, caring but dynamic and highly successful travel and tourism

industry can play such a critical part in helping all of us to hold our heads up

and look the next generation in the eye.

More people than ever before are not only taking notice of responsible

tourism, but are beginning to accept that the industry has a duty to maintain

and protect all that is relevant to the business of travel and setting in place

appropriate strategies at boardroom level.

Some readers take a copy home with them, sharing it with

colleagues and friends. Others read it online through the WTM

World Responsible Tourism Day website www.wtmwrtd.co.uk.

Enjoy Spotlight Magazine and its unique style.

Let it release passion and energy for a different, more sustainable

approach.

Happy reading!

Warmest best wishes,

Fiona Jeffery

Chairman, World Travel Market

RevolutionThe ‘noise’ of the world is deafening. Catastrophic

natural disasters, lack of water, austerity and

endless pictures of under-nourished children too

weak to eat or drink. Politicians talk, United Nations

leaders plead and many of us look on in dismay.

10Nov2010

For further information on how to get involved with WTM World Responsible

Tourism Day and to use the o cial WTM WRTD logo, log on to www.wtmwrtd.com

Contact co-ordinator Araminta Sugden on the WRTD hotline

telephopne: +44 (0) 1892 535943

Edited and produced by: Jane Larcombe Communications, Tidebrook,

East Sussex, UK +44 (0)1892 785071

Design and production by: The Creative Workshop

+44 (0)1580 212551 www.tcws.co.uk

Cont

02 TOP MANHe is highly motivated

04 CRY TIMBER!Chopping down red him up

06 TOUGH TESTRacing for a good cause

07 WEATHER FRONT Time to act is now

08 MOTHERLY PLANS Tackling the future carefully

10 NEVER SURRENDERAlways trying to beat the odds

11 KIND CUTMaking use of an unlikely crop

12 MAKING BIG WAVESA bridge over troubled waters

12 HOT STUFFCooking up a winner

13 KICKING ONAiming for bigger goals

14 TEAM PLAYERSFamily on a mission

16 PASTURES NEWEthiopia in a fresh light

18 SWEET TRIUMPHFrom cosmetics to travel

18 AWARDS PARADERecognition for getting it right

20 GALLOPING SUCCESSNomads land a tourist boost

21 WHAT A WORKERPotjana leads by example

22 HARD TALK Tony Juniper meets BBC’s Stephen Sackur

24 CHANGING COURSEAry shows a better way

26 BROTHERLY LOVEAfrica called them back

27 PARADISE FOUNDLinking luxury and decent standards

28 WELL VETTEDJenefer gives a helping hand

29 FULL OF HOPEShe’s out to turn the tide

30 BELOVED COUNTRYLiving a dream

32 DOWNHILL SAVIOURMy sport is not bad for us

33 HE LOVES LAURAEating up the miles together

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leven years ago, Fiona Jeery, Just a Drop founder and

hairman of World Travel Market, was shocked at the

elentless toll of misery.

ut a seed of an idea started to take shape when she

iscovered that the lives of millions of children could be

aved by relatively small amounts of money.

ealising the simple truth that just £1 ($US1.53 or €1.21)

an provide a child with clean water for ten years set

Fiona o on a desperate ght which she could never

have envisaged.

It’s a never-ending journey with countless travel,

hospitality and leisure companies, industry organisations,

tourist boards and professionals helping to raise money

for water projects wherever needed. With just two full-

time sta and an army of willing volunteers, Just a Drop

has helped more than one million children in 29 countries.

WestgatePrimarySchool incentral KenyaismuchlikeanyotherintheThirdWorld…250

oisy,livelyyoungsters,a thirstfor learningandometruly inspiring,dedicatedsta.

It is almost a year since a catastrophic earthquake ripped apart Haiti,killing more than 230,000 people in a few seconds of Hell on earth.

of £$€ turns to waterPoverty, disease, drought and a growing lack of safe water means

hat a child dies every 20 seconds somewhere in the world.

Youcanbecome a‘Friend’and donating$US3dollars a

monthoverayearcanprovidesafewatertoafamilyfor

life.Butthere’ssomuchmorethatcanbe donetoshow

supportasan individualorcompany.

Logontowww.justadrop.org forideasorcontactAna

Sustelo,JustaDropCoordinator on+44(0)2089107782

oremail [email protected]

There are many ways of helping Just a Drop

Turningtaps on

Still help Haiti

Hundredsofthousandsofsurvivorsstillliveinemergency

shelterslongafterdepartureofjournalistswhobrought

theattentionoftheworld.Unlessthecountryishelped

backonitsfeet,manymorewillsueranddie.

JustaDropisfocusedonhowtohelpconstructivelyin

eortstogivethesepeoplesomequalityoflife.

“Theemergencyservicesdidagoodjobimmediately

afterthequake,providingwaterpurifyingtablets,food,

shelter,medicinesandmuchmore.ButifHaitiistohavea

future,thentherealworkstartsnow,”saysFionaJeery.

“Wewanttoseepeopletakechargeoftheirlivesagain

throughagriculture, employmentand education.In

doingso,theiroverallprideandsenseofwellbeingwill

begradually restored.”

JustaDroplauncheditsJustHelpHaiticampaignwithin

hoursofthedisaster.Itstartedfundraisingsupported

bymanytopoperators,organisationsandtrademedia–

suchasAllLeisureGroup,Kuoni,ThomasCook,TUITravel,

InternationalInst itutefor PeaceThrough Tourism(IIPT),

TTGIncontri/TTGItalia,AdvantageTravelCentres,Hayes

&Jarvis, theEuropean TourOperators Association(ETOA),

PATAUK,NomadicThoughts, ANTOR,The Co-operative

TravelandBrighterPR.

TimKingham,JustaDropengineer,spenttendaysin

SeptemberassessingthesituationinHaiti,liaisingwith

reliefagenciesontheground.Thecharitywilldirectits

eortstohelpimprovethewatersuppliesforschoolsin

theareaofPortauPrince,thecapitalandlargestcity.

“Watersourcesareina stateofuxinHaitirightnow

andthereismuchthatJustaDropcandotomakea

dierence,”said Kingham.

Thecharityhasraisedmorethan£140,000fortheJust

HelpHaitifund–andthe entireamounthasbeenring

fencedtohelpthecountry.

Theappealisstillopenanddonationscanbemadeatwww.justadrop.org

assrooms,a kitchenand single-sexdormitories havesomehoweenacquiredforthosechildrenfromremoteareaswhowould

therwisebeunabletogetaneducation.Thefacilitiesarebasic,

utdothejob.

owever,there’s justone terrible,almost unimaginable

roblem…theschoolhasnocleanrunningwater.Notaps,no

oilets,nowashingorcookingwaterbutJustaDrophasthrown

heschool–andthechildren–a preciouslifeline.

hecharityisinstallingunpollutedwaterandsanitationsystem.

TheproblemsofdailylifeforWestgatearetypicalofthosethat

ustaDropcontinuallyhears,”saysFionaJeery,whovisitedthe

rojectinOctober.

Theschooliscloseto theEwaso Nyiro Riverwhichhasbeen

rtually dry forthepast threeyears.Shallowwellsaredugdaily

o sourceasmallamount of waterbut it isnothinglikeenough

orsu ciently cleanto keepthechildrenhealthy.

“Recently,theriverbegantoowagainwithnewrains.Butthiscausesfurtherdangersasitattractswildlife,occasionallywith

tragicresults.There’salsoariskofcontaminationfromdead

livestock. Thisconstant challengeof sourcingrelatively clean

waterconsumesanenormousamountoftimeandeort,”adds

Fiona,“restrictingtheschool’sabilitytoprovideaconsistentlevel

ofeducationwhichissovitaltothecommunity.”

CommanderChrisMahony,RN,leadingtheprojectonbehalf

ofJustaDrop,saidthatalltheworkisbeingcarriedoutby

thevillagersandthereforehasthedoublebenetofcreating

employment.

“Keycostsinphaseoneisthepurchaseofa pumpandecopower

sources,”hesaid.“Thesecondpartoftheprojectwilltakeplacein

February2011when wewill completethe villageinfrastructure

andinstallmuchneededwatertothemedicalcentre.” SPOTLIGHT2010

8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010


Gavin Bate almost died on Everest in

2007. He owes everything to PasangTendi

Sherpa, who has an incredible nine

summits to his name.

“I was 100 metres below the peak

trying to do a non-stop, oxygen-less,

north-south crossing of Everest when

I contracted a pulmonary oedema. I

was sure to die because the liquid in my

lungs was spilling out of my mouth and

asphyxiating me.

“Pasang was following, found me, gave

me oxygen and helped me o the

mountain, saving my life.”

Gavin’schoiceof attackingEverestalpine

styleminusbreathing apparatushasgiven

hima uniqueinsightinto thedeath zone.

He explains his climbing passion: “In

itself, standing on top of a mountain is

selsh and quite pointless – also one of

it’s attractions – but even with Everest

I felt I needed an added motivation to

reach the top. Moving Mountains charity

gave me that.”

He climbed

Sherpas. Bu

The friend a

a kneecap a

summit on

three di c

while carry

He lead the

part of his a

Briton to as

the contine

turned bac

when his te

In 2005, alo

without ox

1953 Base C

other camp

the summit

touching it

queue. He r

truly stood

Last year hi

and minus

oxygen

back.

Eve

is

A

–

m

a

of

Gav

me, t

bei

ou

po

Everestlife-saver

to exist. It might lack facilities but isn’t chaotic.

People worked well together, didn’t wish to

be patronised with handouts. They wanted to

learn how to improve themselves and have that

sense of pride and self-esteem.. It showed me

how I could make a real difference.”

“The greatest moments of my life have been

the friendships gained from running Adventure

Alternative. For me, responsible travel is all

about relationships. My employees are my best

friends, my children, my family if you like.

“I have made personal connections, directly or

indirectly, with every employee. I feel it is my

duty to look after them. Ultimately my strategy

is about offering them the same privileges as

my UK staff.”

The Himalayas have lured him for 18 years

and when free of his crampons and ice axe

he has relished valuable enriching time

staying in Sherpa villages. He has marvelled as

hydro-electric power stations, water networks,

schools, monasteries and clinics rose up

through the MM charity and management skills

he passed on.

“This co-operative endeavour has completely

reversed the exodus of young people who

can now obtain jobs in businesses, such as tea

plantations, education and healthcare for their

kids.”

All the regional staff is paid permanently even if

there are no customers. It is a company pledge

to provide full time employment.

“Nowthereismorethanenoughworktogo

roundandtheclientsvaluetheirenhanced

experienceandthesheerhappinessofthestaff.

“If you have no contact with the porters,

cooks and guides who ensure your holidays

are wonderful then they can become just a

number on a budget sheet.

“My approach is always to make the effort

to visit them in their home village, to take an

interest in their future and livelihoods. They

enjoy being involved rather than having

a business model they don’t understand

imposed on them.

“Thousands of street children have benefitted

from the Moving Mountains programme and a

few are in university. The back-up for children

and families ranges from counsellors and

advisors, to football clubs, project and grant

teams and even welfare providers.

“We have schools, early child development

centres, clinics, orphanages, homes and

community centres all over Kenya – all self-

supporting, with many receiving an income

from the company through tourism, gap

students and volunteers.

“Each client represents a sum of money to

contribute to the network. While this is not a

new idea, our management and

implementation is different. Committees have

been taught how to manage finance and

develop themselves. There are strictly upheld

principles of transparency, to a point where the

pride comes from just how honestly it is

managed.”

Bateconcludes:“I thinkthattheway Iintegrate

thecharitywiththecompanycanberolled

outeasilyintoatemplateforotherfirms.It

justtakes thewill tochange.

A lot of it is about redistributing

some gross profit, creating a

structure in which to spend

that money in a way which will

properly allow development.”

‘.. .it ’s still tremendouslyfullling to watchsomebody grow into ane upstanding citizen.’

solicitorbutbeingonthebreadlineforcedhimtobecomea

mountainporter.Thatishowhe metGavin,whotrainedand

employedhimasatrekkingguide.

HeistodayadirectorofAdventureAlternativeNepalandMoving

MountainsNepalandhelivesinNewJersey,USA,withhiswife

Lakhpaandtheirthreechildren.

Batesays:“MovingMountainstookhiskidsallthewaytoUS

collegelevel.Chhongbaisstillaguideanddevelopscommunity

conceptvillageprojects–thelatestbeingtodevelopalarge

waterirrigationsysteminthelowerHimalayawhichisfundedby

MM.Again,AAwillprovidethebusinessmodel

andthemanagementtrainingtoallowhim

thisopportunity. Ultimatelythis ishis dream

comingtrue,I’mjustimplementingit.Far

betterthataSherparatherthanmebetheface

ofprogressivedevelopmentinNepalIthinkthat

charitiesshouldhandovertheirprojects

morethantheycurrentlydo,andlet

thelocalsbethearchitectsof

theirown success.”

C hhon gba

Chhongbaand Gavin–beforehetriedthemask!

–

S

e has confronted breathless danger while tackling the majestic Mount Everest ve times; walked

cross the Sahara Desert and India; dodged bullets in Somalia and Rwanda. Nothing, though, stirs his

drenalin more than helping society cast-os escape poverty and accomplish extraordinary feats.

G

avin Bate makes Superman look like

a weekend amateur, according to

the many people whose lives he has

sformed.

e views it rather more modestly. “I’ve just

d to do things right according to my beliefs.

wed while scrapping ships in India, China

Pakistan in the early 90’s, that any company

would give workers career opportunities,

damental rights, a full-time salary and the

nce to develop, regardless of their class or

cation.

w the gaping disparity between a Western

mmodity like scrap steel with the earning

wer of an illiterate guy on a beach.

ereas the vessel itself yielded millions of

ars on the global market, the thousands of

n who carved it up into sheets in incredibly

gerous conditions received 50 cents a day

not a single protective benefit.”

Some 18 years ago Bate, whose first love is

climbing, formed Adventure Alternative which

now operates in tandem with the Moving

Mountains charity that he founded while living

on and off for six years in the slums of Nairobi.

Experiencing first hand how badly pear-shaped

things can go in the Aid s ector, Bate resolved to

run MM on a system of integrity and effi ciency,

with no administrative costs.

“Driving trucks under fire to refugee locations

for big organisations was scary enough without

the frustration of clerical errors. For example,

I once delivered 2,000 hot water bottles to a

desert camp.

“Iwanted toestablish clearaccountability

andmanagementstrategywithmycharity

anddevelop self-ownershipthrough long

commitmentto educationand training.”

Hehas raisedapproaching £600,000through

hisdaredevildeedsinthepast10years,recently

leadinga mountaineeringexpeditionto China

wherepartofthepassagewasbycamel.

But he is adamant: “My biggest achievement

is seeing all my employees around the

world develop into competent, confident

personalities with children of their own whom

they know will never fall into the black hole

traps that they encountered in their own lives.

“I wanted tourism to give them that whereas so

often it doesn’t. Sometimes you look at where

the money goes and it’s obviously not to local

communities and workers.”

One of four brothers, 44-year-old Gavin is uncle

to five children. But he’s ‘Dad’ and ‘Godfather’

to many people in Nepal and Kenya.

“My lifestyle has meant sacrifices, not least

spending life as a bit of a nomad, but it’s still

tremendously fulfilling to watch somebody

grow into a fine upstanding citizen.”

After studying psychology and English in

Belfast, he has kept a home in Northern Ireland,

despite sometimes travelling for seven or eight

months a year.

His ‘itchy feet’ have carried him to about 200

countries but he concedes that traversing the

Sahara from north to south aged 21 was a “bit

foolish.” The six-month journey included a spell

detained in jail by Algeria as a suspected spy.

“The years travelling and working in developing

countries is at the heart of my interest in

levelling the equation between investor and

beneficiary, particularly in the tourism sector.

I see this as a moral code. I just followed my

nose, and did what came naturally.

“My home in the Nairobi slums was a two-room

shack in a forested area. It was frugal but I

considered my neighbours as friends and

fellow humans.

“I learnt to speak Swahili and sampled the

sub-strata of society which enables a ghetto

LY KIOKO was acutelitt lenine-year-oldurchin

ar withabigsmile– but undoubtedlydoomedfor the

hs ofgluesniffi nganddrugs –when hetriedtopickGavin’s

pocket oneday. “I felt his handinmy pocket,”says Bate.

moment changedhis life. I tookhimtothe slumschool

eI was teaching.”

y,17yearson,KellyisDirectorofAdventureAlternativeKenya,

emanages26full-timestaff –24whowerestreetkidsfrom

theslums–plusaseasonal

forceofmorethan50.Hesits

onseveralcommittees,isa

trusteeof MovingMountains

Kenyaandregularlyfliesto

Londonfor training.

“Marriedthis year,he

appreciateshischildrenwill

neverhavetogothrough

thesametoil,”saysGavin.

“Heseeshimselfasliving

proofofthepowerofhardwork,andliterallyasthefutureofhis

country,one nottainted bycorruption.

“He’samodelwitharippleeffect.WhenKellytalks,thekidslisten

inawaytheywouldn’tifitwereme.Youonlyhavetolookin

wonderathimamongthemtounderstandhisinfluence.”

Kelly,27,says:Gavusedtotellmeatage3yearsthatonedayI

wouldbeadirector.HeisamanofhiswordsandIandmanyother

beneficiariesarethesuccessstoryofhiswork.

“IfIweretowriteeverythingabouthimitwouldtakeabookbutit

wouldn’tendtherebecauseIknowhehasmorethingsplanned.”

ROSIE GATHIRIMU,29,marriedwithathree-year-old

daughter,says:”MbuyuisGavin’snametomeandallthechildren

inKenya.ItmeansFather.

“Meetinghimwasthemajorturninmylife,”shesays.“Iwason

thewaytothestreets;atthecrossroads.Hepointedmeinthe

rightdirection,supportedandbuiltmetomypositionnowandI’m

forevergrateful.”

TodaysherunsMovingMountainsKenya,isaqualifiedNGO

managerandsocialworker.Shealsoregularly

visitstheUKandattendscommitteemeetings

fororganisations likeFairTrade Volunteering

–setupbyBateand otherlike-minded

businessmen–andTourismConcern,the

charitythatfightsexploitationinglobal

tourism.Rosieadds:“I’mamazedtolookback

andappreciatethevisionhehadallthoseyearsago.Hehadbelief

inmewhenI wassowoundupwithproblems,suchasmymother

almostbeingjailedfordebts.”

Hetoldhershewouldtaketenyearsbutfinishupspearheading

supporttowards childrenthroughout Kenya.

“Leadershipwasa thingformen,” sherecalls.”It wasatough ride

toreachhere.Thewomen’sroleinKenyaisstillverysubservient.

AlthoughIwassmartIhadnohope,nofundstogotocollege.Gavin

changedthatformeandmysister.Bothofusarenowgivingtothe

communitytheskillswegainedfromGavin,schoolandlife.”

Rosie’sparentshadno incomeforfoodand rent.Sheworked

weekendsface– paintingkidsat localbarsand restaurants.Any

moneyleftoverwent

towardsschoolfeeswhich

shesharedwithherbrother.

“Itwasamixtureattimes

ofbeinginschoolforaweek

andanotherathomesoI

couldraisemorecash.”

SomegirlsRosieknew

lurchedintodrugs,

prostitutionandcrime.She

stayedstrongdespitewhile

atvolunteercamphavingtosleepseventoasingleroomhouse12ftx

12ft.Herbedwasachair,the“mattress”apileofclothes.

Rosiesays:“AtthecampsiteImetallthe childrenfromthestreet

whohadevenlessthanme.”Laterinanotherroleshesleptonthe

schoolcorridorwiththekids.

Gavinmarvels:“Shehasstruggledagainstachauvinist,prejudicial

atmosphereintourismbutwiththesheerweightofsupportfromus

shehasrodethestormandhernaturaltalenthasshonethrough.”

CHHONGBA SHERPA wassevenwhenhewalkedsix

daysbarefootfromhisvillagetotheHillarySchoolinKhumjung,

Nepal.Heprogressedtosecondaryschoolandaimedtobea

Moving Mountains

Wecall himFa ther

K elly

R osie

Spotlight on Kenya

Thrills,passion,danger–allwork iftohelp children

SPOTLIGHT2010 SPOTLIGHT2010

8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010


It was 2.15am outside Cairo Airport

when shocked Chris Warren felt a

grasping hold on his arm. It was Aussie

backpacker Sophie Ewin.

Clearly, she was frightened of being alone.

They are now locked together in a green

embrace, married 18 years, survivors of some

tumultuous times. Grit and determination

marks them out.

Deciding not to kick its heels waiting for

government to lead, Kangaroo Valley thinks

globally, acts locally, and aims to be the

world’s rst destination to achieve carbon

neutrality.

Chris, classied as dyslexic at 13, earned a

living on a loading bay and driving before

putting himself through college.

From marketing, advertising, journalism and

PR he began his own enterprises with o ces

in London, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

When newly wed, Sophie was stranded in

Egypt – waiting 18 months to obtain a visa

to join Chris in Saudi Arabia. She used the

solitary hours to learn Arabic.

Sophie, 40, and Chris spent ve years

moulding Crystal Creek Meadows, 150k

south of Sydney, into such shape that it has

won both the Australian Tourism

Awards for hosted accommodation

and sustainability.

They buy in green-generated electricity,

recycle water and waste and oset with

tree planting.

Australia confronts the frontline of climate

change – risk of bushres and drought,

soaring temperatures and cyclones.

Since last May Warren has conducted a series

of presentations around the country.

He says: “A lot of people in Australia want to

change. We are trying to show it isn’t hard.

“Tourism makes a major contribution to

energy use here so it is appropriate for us

to respond now. It is very di cult for those

living in cities to comprehend climate change

– it is intangible to them. But if you live in the

country it is a very evident issue.”

In seeking a secure future for their three

children– Max, 13, Samantha 12, and Christie,

six – the Warrens reacted ahead of the game.

From “naïve beginnings” Chris forged links

with an impressed leading company that

usually works on million dollar international

projects and was supplied with similar audit

tools to run a smaller version of a corporate

programme – calling it Green Kangaroo.

Within weeks 26 outts and 14 households

voluntarily enrolled. The numbers have

increased to a third of local tourist operators.

There have been carbon usage cuts from 50

to14 tonnes. Everything from reducing and

calculating footprints to sourcing funding

information can be done online.

Successful business examples include

Cloud Song (chalet accommodation)

Banksia Park (self-contained cottages)

Kangaroo Valley Safaris (canoe hire) Man

from Kangaroo Valley Horse Trail (activity)

and Jing Jo Cafė.

New Zealander Alison Baker, of Banksia Park,

says: “I think it is fair to say that had Chris not

introduced the whole concept of carbon

neutral, we would be still waiting for the

Australian government to come up with their

plan. I think the community here is all about

the next generation.”

Geo and Gail Fearon, who run horse trail

rides, say: “Many living here are attracted

because of its special environment; they

are concerned with preserving it. Chris

has crystallised a movement led, not by

politicians or a reliance on their directives,

but by individuals taking personal

responsibility NOW. I live on the land and I

have seen the climate changes over the past

10 years. “

Chris adds: “We are poorer as a people

without moral and ethical values. They are

the foundation to making sustainable social

change. Many local operators are already

applying their own philosophy.”

Former car salesman Glyn Stone, who

operates a canoe hire rm, led the ground-

breaking 2003 campaign for Kangaroo Valley

to become plastic bag free. He has now

moved on to replace petrol-driven vehicles

with energy e cient alternatives.

Cloud Song accommodation has been

generating excess solar power and diverting

it to the grid without expecting nancial

payback.

Bold and brash – just like the Aussies love

it – Chris once went to a council assembly

meeting and declared: “The Green Kangaroo

project is a wonderful demonstration of

community commitment. You need to

recognise that much more has to be done

and we nee

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doorstepw

approvedp

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toboycott p

standpipes

Chrisadds:“

supporting

approachto

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“Local busin

competitio

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grown that

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“When indi

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‘It is very di cult for those living in cities tocomprehend climate change – it is intangible to them.But if you live in the country it is a very evident issue.’

Plantingatree,

lookingafter

wildlifeandthe

environment…

actionswhichhave

helpedtheWarrens

winawards

This guillotining became the cut

off point that inspired him to be

“completely committed to changing

world.” As a result of the lost battle three

s ago to save these gum trees in Kangaroo

ey, 150 kilometres outside Sydney, he’s stuck

protecting the environment with waste,

er, greenhouse emissions and local culture

es embedded “clear in his brain.”

s and wife Sophie’s award-winning luxury

ommodation and spa is carbon neutral and

in the vanguard with local fellow believers

howing Australia the way.

recalls: “I thought ‘I’m coming up to the

5 and 0. The business is doing well. I could

er go golfing, talk about wine or instead

into the future, especially as we have three

dren.’ I drew a line, telling myself ‘This is

ntless. When my lad reaches 16 how am I

ng to argue with him when he asks: ‘Dad,

t did you do about the climate ch ange

?’ and I answer ’Well, I played golf.’

ecided I‘ve all this experience, having spent

ny years working with different countries

nationalities. I’ll use it.“

former Londoner became an instantly

verted modern-day eco warrior leader.

finished a responsible tourism MSc degree

year. He’s chairman of the council green

mmittee, president of the local community

ist association and chairman of the regional

anisation.

now he’s also forming the International

tre for Responsible Tourism-Australia, a

-profit research and training base.

s is all about ‘social’ in the sustainable

rix,” says Warren, aged 52. “Whatever

act I have made, I know I couldn’t have

e anything without help in the community.

e real Australia is about the rural

communities. It’s about their struggle and the

unique landscape.”

This was never more clearly illustrated than in

the bid to rescue a cluster of trees on a scenic

highway that spears right through the hugely

popular Kangaroo Valley, two hours outside

Sydney , and receives hundreds of thousan ds

visitors annually.

“I had notification of plans to improve safety

by removing these trees,” he says. “Not

because they were old and threatening to fall

in the road but because three years earlier a

five-seater car carrying six lads, who had been

drinking , drove into one of them. None was

wearing a seatbelt. All died. They were doing

twice the legal speed limit of 80k.

“I took exception to the Road Traffi c Authority’s

decision. I could not understand the idea.

I got so infuriated because I realised their

choice came without applying ethics, logic or

common sense.

“Contrary to my usual personality, I put my

head above the parapet and spoke about my

objection to the proposal on local radio and

within the village community of about 340. Lo

and behold, a whole load of people agreed.

“At packed public meetings to discuss the ‘cull’

none of the victim lads’ relatives opposed.

I did hear later that one family wanted the

trees spared. There was a single expression

of disapproval from a family which suffered a

casualty from another incident.

“There was one tree only that had been struck

on that dangerous stretch and overall it made

more sense to reduce the speed limit to 60k.

“Then came the day when the cutting down

was to begin. I was still upset. I got in my car in

the morning to voice again my complaint. But I

couldn’t park nearer than 1. 5k from the site!

“It seemed everybody was there. Interestingly,

the protest brought together all kinds of

persuasion – right wing liberals to communist

greens.

“When the lorries turned up the crowd

spontaneously chanted …’No more business in

the valley.’ We all knew the company.

“For a while we did a pretty good job of halting

the trucks. Then we shifted aside to let the

school bus pass – I waved to my children – but

from a military point of view it was

a mistake. The police swooped

and prevented us re-blocking the

road. That was it.

“The campaign wasn’t successful

but it established regular discourse

with the road safety authorities over

all relevant issues. We are now treated

with a degree of respect.

“Those trees represented

something to people – and they

were also home to a lot of wildlife.

“Replacement species planted

more than five metres off the

highway have not grown.

The whole episode

persuaded Warren there

was a vacuum. He began

formulating his concept

to try to encourage the

destination to reduce its

greenhouse gas footprint.

He FightsRoot & Branch

he 97 trees that faced the axe seemed of minor signicance measured against the six billion plus lost

the world every year. For Christopher Warren it was life dening.

‘It seemed everybody was there. Interestingly, theprotest brought together all kinds of persuasion –right wing liberals to communist greens.’

Storyofthebig

ght…Chrison

themegaphone

Noworryabout emissions…

ChrisandSophiepedalthe openroad

Spotlight on Australia


8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010


Emma Whittlesea and Shona Owen see change all

around them and are not taking their eye off the

climate ball. Theissueis verymuchaliveandkicking

forthemastheyreceiveregularevidence.

“Inabusinesssurveythisyear56percentsaidtheywere

aectedbyextremeweather–mostlyrainfall– and63per

centthinkthattheywillbehit inthefuture.Halfofthose

sampledareadaptingandpreparingforchange,”saysEmma,

SustainabilityStrategist forSouth WestTourismin theUnited

Kingdom.“I’mconvincedthattheindustryhasto become

resilienttothechallengeandputthisonthe agendafor‘now’

ratherthanthe‘future.’“

Shona,who isthe NationalTrust’sCommunicationsand

MarketingManagerinDevonandCornwall,says:“We

arealreadyplanningaheadbecause10percentofour

income-generatingassetsare withinvulnerablecoastal

locations–thatispotentially£1.3milliona yearlosttosupport

conservationwork.”

Sheadds:“AtMullioninCornwall,theGrade-IIlistedhistoric

harbourisexposedtothefullforceofwesterlyAtlantic

gales.It hascost£1millionplusinrepairssincethe1990s.The

increasedfrequencyofstormstakesitstolleveryyear.The

Trustrecognisedthattheimpactofclimatechangeandsea

levelrise wouldmakedamage morefrequent and,possibly,

unsustainable.After an18-month studyand consultationswithinterestedparties,itwasagreedthatthesitewillcontinue

tobemaintainedbutthenextmajordamagecanonlybe

madesafe notrepaired.“

Thefateoftheharbour–whichattracts80,000visitorsa

yearbenetting smallbusinessessuch asaccommodation,

restaurants,craftshopsandgalleries– isaclimaticsignof

theeconomictimes.It makesit hardfortheTrust–mottoto

‘protectspecialplacesforeverforeveryonein England,Wales

andNorthern Ireland.’

TheTrust’sresearchintothelongevityofWestburyCourt

Gardens,poised closeto theRiver Severnin Gloucestershire

anddatingbacktothelate17thcentury,paintsa starkvision.

Itssurvivalhopesareprecarious–sealevelrisesposingplant

saltpoisoning andheavy rainfallsthreateningooding.

TheTrusthas thedilemma ofwhat defensivedecisions

itmakes–andon whatscale–orwhethertoacceptthe

inevitableand manoeuvrewithinthose limits.

Theweatheriscallingthetuneinawaythatshapestourism

likeneverbefore. With1,130kilometres,the Trustnowowns

andcaresforalmostonetenthof coastlinecoveringEngland,

Walesand NorthernIreland.

Thesestretcheswill becomeincreasinglysubject toerosion

andoodingoverthenext100yearsandtheTrustcannot

putthisprobleminthe pendingtray.Ithasto intervene

immediatelytodrawattention,changeattitudesandbringin

newmanagementapproaches.

Shona, aged41,hasworkedwiththeNationalTrustsince1998

andstudiedsomeTrustbuildingsandparklandaspart ofher

MastersinHistoryofArt.

“I’veseenrsthandtheimpactof extremeweatheron Trust

properties,”says Shona.“Colleaguesagree weare witnessing

changein somanydierentwaysanddegreesofseverity.

“We’reencounteringincreasedstorminess,monsoon-like

delugesandtimesof drought.Weare surethistrend will

continue,soweare adaptingtocounter everything…fromhow

werepairhistoricbuildings’roofs tothe waywewater gardens.“I’mcertainthattheTrustcannotgo italone.Iwasconvinced

afterbeinginvolvedat Boscastle–a Cornishvillagehitby a

surpriseoodsixyearsago–andat ouraward-winningdune

restorationprojectatSouthMiltonSandsinDevon.

“Nowadaysweexplaintopartnersandthepublicwhatwe’ve

learntandwhatourconcernsarefora specicsite;thenwork

witheveryonetodevelopandimplementanactionplan.

Thishelps identifya sustainablesolutionand recognisesthat

what’shappening goesbeyond NationalTrustland.”

Emma,aged34, hasbeen involvedinsustainabledevelopment

sinceleavinguniversitywitha degreeinenvironmental

scienceandsays: “IbelieveRe

practicableandI seeand fee

“TheSouthWestof England

OutstandingNaturalBeauty

WorldHeritageSitesandlas

visitorsplus95milliondayv

“Myaimisto encouragethe

helpbusinessesto workharm

naturalassets,ensuringthei

elevatethe implicationsof e

today’smindsetandtogetth

businesses.It isnota farawa

destinationsastheMaldives

“Iwanttohelpcreateknowl

thethinking andsolutions to

Emma,whoisdoingadocto

tourismoflowcarbongrow

ahugeareaandclimatecha

theneedtomitigateandred

toadaptingandpreparingit

bea moreobviousconsidera

intrinsicallylinked.” www.cl

As debate rumbles on over the science, cause an

realistic women entrenched in tourism ar

preparation for extreme weathe

their current priority lis

Weather gir

21milliontripsrepresent

worth$US6.5billionin20

overseasvisitors.With95

employmentvaluereach

IntheUKeightoftheten

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spotlightfa

Change habits now say Spotlight on the

Imagescou

EmmaandShonahavewitnessedstorms,

hotspots,oodingandmajorerosion

Stjepan Pavicic devised and directs the Wenger

Patagonian Expedition Race because he wants the

world to know about the wilderness mystique – and

lenges – that set aside this area of Chile.

ewildering and bewitching mixture of forest, glaciers,

untains and waterways – gateway to Antarctica – makes it

remely special to this 43-year-old Chilean-Croatian.

ife is devoted to opening the region’s doo rs to sustainable

ism, ensuring conservation and safety from unfettered

mmercial activity.

enthuses: “Chilean Patagonia is spectacular and remote – so

que that few people have seen anything quite like it.

s race – launched in 2004 and with a different route each

– makes it possible for the competitors to experience

ning pristine parts of the region.

ushes them to their limits. Sleep deprivation is common and

ntal strength is as important as physical stamina. Only up to

er cent usually finish.

ere are 15 international teams of four and they cover about

kilometres of enormously varied terrain by a combination of

king, orienteering, mountain biking, sea kayaking and rope

k. The semi-professional field can range from marines to

te agents.

h squad navigates with just a map and compass and passes

eral checkpoints. All have access to GPS and satellite phone in

ergency.

ers have in recent years

rcome blizzards, kayaked

whales in the Magellan

Strait and biked

through

the amazing hills of the Wildlife Conservation’s Karukinka reserve.

“Two years ago a group tried a short-cut and ended up stuck

in wilderness for four days. They were beaten by the incredible

forests and we rescued them.

“Last year an American proposed at the closing ceremony –

deducing that the couple could face anything after surviving the

race together.

“Over the years 25 countries – ranging from Australia to Uruguay

– have competed.

“The route is kept secret until 24 hours before the start although

next year we are revealing that it will focus on ords of the great

Southern Continental Ice Field and Torres del Paine.

“British team Helly Hansen Prunesco have won the past two

events and are returning to defend their title.”

But the regular winner for Pavicic is Patagonia. He has attracted

widespread exposure to the issues confronting the region.

The Chile community recognises his efforts and he sits on a

panel to nurture and expand sustainable tourism through

concerted actions.

Pavicic’s multi-national Nomadas Outdoor Services race

organisation has helped guard against threats from peat mining

and logging by increasing the land value as a tourism asset –

promoting its global recognition and initiating science projects.

While monitoring such things as beaver dam wreckage,

the other side of the scale is how Pavicic’s event helps

conservationists identify how eco lodges and protected

pathways can bring tourist benefits.

“We have explored more than 4,000 kilometres of specific routes

and take our athletes far off the beaten track and that has wide-

reaching benefits,” says Pavicic.

He’s working with the Wildlife Conservation Society, having

created the public usage plan for their conservation area in

Karukinka on the island of Tierra del Fuego, where he grew up.

He adds: “We are inaugurating a fund-raising element to operate

in tandem with the race. For 2011, the focus will be on attracting

$US20,000 to support saving the Patagonian Huemul, the deer

species which figures on Chile’s coat of

arms and is at risk of extinction.”

‘Racers have in recent yearsovercome blizzards, kayaked pastwhales in the Magellan Straitand biked through the amazinghills of the Wildlife Conservation’sKarukinka reserve.’

ercely-obsessive geologist will send 60 lion-hearted competitors into unknown territory for 10 days

ext February to save an endangered species, help tourism and enhance the environment.

High-yingrisksandhigh-octaneenergy

onfoot,bikeand kayak,toa backdropof

incrediblescenery

Racing for his prideSpotlight on Patagonia

Onyour

marks–go!

Stjepan–organiser

SPOTLIGHT2010

8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010


intensive agriculture in the form of food production. It’s why I

strongly encourage ways to ‘decarbonise’ tourism - as part of

transforming society. Renewable energy sources, as well as less

carbon intensive lifestyles and holiday patterns will be essential

in such a transition.

“New Zealand will face a massive challenge with its long-haul

markets. About a third of visitors come to see friends or relatives

so they have a strong motivation to travel and will resolve to

overcome price hikes.

“But there will be social impacts of disconnected families

after thresholds have been reached. This might affect overall

migration patterns with Kiwis returning home.

“Europeans may be less likely to migrate to the end of the world.

Of course, the biggest market for NZ is Australia and so long as

aeroplanes fly this will exist - and be vital for the economy here.

“Some progress will be made in aircraft energy effi ciency yet the

travel cost will be much more expensive.

“Much could depend on the future habits and trends of the USAand China/Asia public. They are just one long-haul flight away

from NZ so that potential remains.

“Overall, I can imagine that travellers would stay longer, for three

months, say, if the visa rules were relaxed. This means that new

products would need to be introduced to cater for this change

of audience. Shipping will become an alternative – although it’s

still relatively energy intensive and takes a long time.

“The other great hope for the NZ market is domestic tourism,

reversing a current flow - about 1.8 million go abroad every year

compared to 2.4 million inbounds. It is not all doom and gloom,

but tourism will be reduced.”

SusanneisinvestigatingtheobstaclesaspartofaNew

ZealandPeakOilThinkTankwithleadingscientistsfroma

rangeofareas. It’sseeking possibleideasforthe countryto

becomeindependentofoil -and ideallyotherfossilfuels such

ascoal.

“This is where peak oil and climate change merge. I hear

interesting moves from the Maldives, and individual destinations

such as Australia’s Sunshine Coast, starting to develop strategies.

These decarbonising efforts will also reduce tourism’s burden on

the atmosphere.

“However, the overall trend is still to believe in ongoing growth

and infinite resource availability.

“For tourism the absolute challenge will be in long-distance

transport. Maybe destinations simply need to rethink their

customer bases. For some this will be hard; think of Kenya.

“The hype around bio fuels for vehicles has been

dampened. It does not make sense to use

productive land for them because thebalance is not worth it: You put almost

as much energy into the project than

you yield.

“The solution is probably in electricity.

Wind is already quite competitive and

solar will become so - it is, after all, the

most abundant resource of energy

we have.

“There are some issues around storing

the energy and also producing the

equipment (for which we inconveniently

need oil). I think these proble

in nuclear as a long-term solu

possibly in 50 years.

“The earlier a country manage

in the future. Some are in a be

Japan: totally reliant on impor

vulnerable. In contrast: France

term with nuclear power, lots

energy effi cient transport syst

Susanne’s climate change wo

is currently working on a seco

New Zealand co-author Prof J

on climate change impacts an

extra researchers probing the

“I fear for those places remo

who spend eno

convinced

miracle“The

So

l

t

co

dest

from re

...andher fears

Ma k ea Da te!

W TM World Responsible

Tourism Da y

9 t h No ve m be r

2011

Spotlight

A Mother’s Pride

Susanne’s natural-born optimism is sometimes shaken to

its roots when she sees in vivid close up the suggestions

of her work.

m typically a positive person, but the knowledge that I have of

world (or at least what I believe) makes me sometimes rather

simistic – or shall I say realistic, “she laughs.

anne, 36, is a sustainable tourism expert, an Associate

essor at Lincoln University in Christchurch, New Zealand, with

us on energy use and climate change.

ay she is concentrating hard on the cru cial subject of peak oil

duction – and what happens when that resource becomes

e and more scarce. Her early impressions are of a monster to

unleashed. And she ponders how she might help tame it.

nia brings so much joy to life and makes you focus on the

mediate future - which is great because when I think about

ger term, global issues I get quite worried.

sonally I hope that my family and I will ‘get away with it’ and

is why we started to do things like grow vegetables, installble glazing and bike when we can! Even Zania got her first

e bike. Jake, who is a fitter and turner and now looks full time

r Zania, thinks practically.

ving skills and being able to ‘do something with your own

ds’ will always be in demand.

en I think about how limited oil supplies and climate change

significantly affect us I envisage human civilisation surviving

in a different context.

e bright side is that I think living in New Zealand is a lucky

ce – I came here 10 years ago from Germany, near Munich,

ere I was born and educated. New Zealand has many

advantages: a low population base, a relatively unspoilt and

resilient environment, self suffi ciency in food production and, to

a large extent, energy supply.

“My greatest concern is that at som e point I might be torn

between staying here where my home is now – Jake is a Kiwi –

and being emotionally drawn back to Germany to my family to

look after my parents and be with my siblings and their children.”

“At the moment, visiting regularly is financially still feasible, even

though it does add to our personal carbon footprint...but those

times might change. We will then have to look at longer stays

such as a sabbatical and Jake will finally have to learn proper

German!”

Susanne studied for a master’s degree in ecology at Karlsruhe

University but her yearning for travel eventually took her to NZ

where she did a doctoral thesis on the energy use of tourism in

the country and its environmental impact. “I am still here,” she

smiles.

“My key interests are still the resource consumption of tourism

and how we can find ways of being more effi cient and smart.

“Initially I looked at this from a climate change perspective - i.e.

greenhouse gas emissions – and the effects of extreme events.

“But I recently became interested in the concept of peak oil and

started doing research.“

She is pretty much a ‘lone ranger’ in the field where tourism is

involved. It is not yet a mass topic. She hopes to convince her

peers of its significance.

“I feel now we are looking in the wrong direction - focusing

so much on climate change when we are near to a potential

collapse of the global transport system,” says the woman who

relishes the sporty outdoor life.

Susanne had been granted funding for a three-year programme

to examine NZ tourism’s vulnerability to oil shocks. The

programme is in its final phase. We saw in 2008 a blink of what

might happen when prices reach ed a record high of $US145.

“Airlines put on surcharges yet still many of them went bankrupt,

or had to be rescued by government,” she recalls.

”People changed their behaviour within destinations - for

example in using car hire and restaurants.

“Oilisoftenreferredtoas thelifebloodofoureconomy.

Thesameappliestotourism.

“Without oil nothing really works - manufacturing, mining,

transportation, any social activity and, most importantly,

usanne Becken looks lovingly at

er 18-month-old daughter Zania,

aying blithely unaware, and

onders what sort of world will

xist for her in 20 years’ time.

‘Considering that the resources are coming close to ultimate in production– and really it does not matter overmuch whether in ve or 10 years’ or if it has happened already - the implications for global tourism will be huge.Even larger and more pressing than the results of climate change.’

Susanneonan away-from-it-alloutingwithZania andJake

Spotlight on New Zealand


8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010


resentmentorviolencedirected atoverseasvisitors. We

needjustthreemonthswithoutnewsandallwillchange

hereforthebetter.NonewsisgoodnewsforPakistan.

“Itmight seemincongruousbut thecricketscandal is

asbiga horrorastheoods,”admitsNajeeb,whohas

ledliaisonand logisticalsupportteam

onPakistantours.“It’sa matterof

nationalpridebeing devastated.

Thesportisalmosta religion.

Believeme,my mothercan’t

understanda wordof English

butshewillbewatching

theAshes series

betweenEnglandand

Australiainher remote

Himalayanhome.”

N obodyknew aboutKhanpurLake, aone-hour drivefrom

Islamabad,untilNajeebAhmed Khanintroducedwater-

basedteam-building activities.Hegave localslifejackets

andconvincedthem tobuy smallboatsto runtouristtrips.

Todaythereare about60 boatbusinesses;ensuring more

then80 familiesderiveincome.This co-operativeproject

mushroomed-withintwoyearshehadthecapacityto

accommodate1,200peoplein luxurytentsand Khanpur

isnowoneofthemostvisitedtouristspots.Avillagercan

makeenoughmoneyduringagoodweekendtofeedhis

extendedfamilyfor amonth.

Hedevised aunique schemetoprotect snowleopards

aftershepherdscomplained thattheywere losing

livestock.Withnancialsupport fromfriends,he promised

compensationforevery goatkilled.

Ponyandcamelrides bringinmoney forup to200 families.

Hissloganthis yearis “Onetouristthree trees”and

plantationsiteslookedafter bylocallabour have

beensetupwiththehelpofforestrydepartments.A

communicationsrm hasjoined forcesinthe campaignto

plant30,000 specimens.

HimalayanHolidayssponsor20 portersevery yearfor

safetyand highaltitudetraining.Brothers Hussanand

AsadSadparaare climbingMountEverestthis year

andNajeeb’scompany playedaleading rolearranging

expeditionnancesfrom thegovernment.

Najeeb’steamworked voluntarilywiththeWorld

HealthOrganizationandUNICEFon polioeradication

programmes-assistingsurveillanceteams visitingfar-

ungareasof Pakistan.

HeledthewayafteranSOScalltohisseasonal

highaltitudeporters tohelp afterthe 2005Kashmir

earthquakeaswinter approached.Theycarried

winterizedtentson foottohigh places.Theyprepared a

reportonlossoflifeandtourismlivelihoodandontheir

recommendation30hotelswere reconstructed.

Theywerethersttouroperatortoorganiseasponsored

expeditionclean-upatK2 MountainBasecampand

BaltoroGlacier,bringingback20tonsof rubbish.

Two hundred plus Sri Lankan farmers, mainly wo

believe it but a crop that they hardly gave a seco

revitalising their income – and ghting climate c

CuttiPover

Fisherman Chandana Kumara earns $US4.5 dollars

a day…if he’s lucky. Many days his luck’s out. Wife

Anusha is providing a safety net for the couple and

their two daughters as one of a new army of woodcutters.

Anusha, 27, has brought in nearly $US30 already by wielding

her small machete. And there’s no fear of the money stream

running out.

They are fuelling the Heritance Kadalama Hotel, reducing its

diesel use by 165,000 litres a year, slashing CO2

emissions by

500 tonnes and slicing $US90,000 o outgoings.

The hotel operates with a bio-mass power set up that is

taking 60 tons of Gliricidia wood a month.

The tree’s natural replenishment cycle means it can be

harvested every six months.

Remote and rural Kandalama residents, with too many still

below the poverty line, are seizing the opportunity to covet

more than their vegetable patches.

Gliricidia was considered an extremely poor relation

alongside tea, rubber and coconut plantations. It served

a purpose as boundary fencing, shade plant or creeper

support. Now it is established as the fourth crop of Sri Lanka

– ideal for the dry zones and needing little attention. The

hotel’s power project has 950kw capacity and

a fantastic list of fringe benets means up to

750 families have access to electricity and

clean water.

Since the

harvesting programme sta

increased employment pr

worth around $US65,000 t

central Dambulla region.

Thehotel’sprotshaveris

visitorsduringthecivilwa

foreignexchangepayment

Charmarie Maalge, Found

Tourism Partnership Sir La

Aitken Spence Hotels, says

economic benets of using

that the hotel is actively en

production.

“It requires 720 tonnes bio

local instead of distant sup

and lower petrol or diesel

“There is a series of educat

which around 300 commu

slow process convincing s

changing their growing tra

Malin Hapugoda , managin

adds: “Heritance Kandalam

with its 35,000 internation

half from the United Kingd

planting Gliricidia for the v

“Its properties regenerate

you cultivate one acre you

of 12 tons, nearly $US900.

“The hotel, a national icon

credentials which are mon

measured annually. It puts

conservation and eco issu

reputation for empowerin

with more than 55 per cen

including two executives,

Spotlight on Pak

Najeeb–battler

Smilingnow–the Kumarasw

babydaughter

NajeebAhmedKhan haskept histourismbusiness

aoatand createdan internationalreputation

despite9/lland theterrorismfears aftermath,

arthquakes,politicalmayhemand cricketscandals.

heoodsofthisyear,though,sunkthecountrytonewlevels

fagony.

Hunger,diseaseandstar vationarehanging overthe heads

fmillions.Eventhebestscenariosuggeststhattherewillbe

rolongeddisruptioninto2011,”hesighs.

Hetransformedhis o ceinto anemergencyHQ, switchingto

eliefdutieshis sta of15 mountainguides,36 freelancehigh

ltitudeportersplus campingcrew andstudent volunteers.

Najeebfrettedfor newsof his68-year-oldmother,who was

ompletelycuto inhis northernmountainhome townof

unji.“Ragingwaters broughtdown telephonelinesand

onnectingbridges.It tookmy brotherHidayatullaheightdays

oreachthefamilyhome.

Mostroadswerewashedaway,”hesays.“Itwilltakemonths

ospanthe800-metrewideRiverIndus.Sothe1,200families

aveto takea 27kmhazardousfootpath.Everywhere elseis

otallyinaccessible.

Wedecidedtofocusourrescueeortsontheseisolated

ommunities.Iwas stuckin Islamabadwhilemy brotherand

illagevolunteerswerebusy shiftingabout 85displaced

amilies,includingmyown, tosafety. Communicationwas by

atellitephone.“

lsewhereNajeeb’speoplewere helpingstrandedvillagers,

oordinatingwiththe militaryand liaisingwithtraveller

roups.Theyplayed theirpart inrescuing35 Japanese,22

Germans,12Spanish, 70Pakistanis.The GermanEmbassygave

receptionas athank-you.

Najeeb’scompany,www.himalayanholidays.pk, providedfree

oodandsheltertotruckdriverstrappedfor17daysat3,400

metres.“The areais huge,the northernmostpart ofPakistan,

oweconcentratedontheterritoryweknewbest,Nanga

arbat.

Idon’tseeanybodylookingsooninthatdirectionintermsof

rehabilitation.Ithas beenbadly aectedby humanloss–47

dead.Morethan100familieswerestrandedineldswiththeir

livestock.Twomonths latertherewas stillan acuteshortageof

fuelandnowaterorelectricitysupply.Itwasa storyrepeated

inalmosteverytowninthevicinity.

“Ninetypercentofmyeldsta comefromtheareaandare

ideallysuitedfor climbingandare moreresistantto cold.They

ledout 276stuckPakistani families.

“Thesolelinkwasbyair.Helicoptersortiescanreachthere

onlyongoodweatherdays.Mostightsliftedoutforeign

tourists.Wetriedtoteamupwithourvolunteerstoorganise

raftsasthewatersreceded.Onetimewehad30riverguides

butonlyonecraft.”

Thisregion housestheworld’s ninthhighestmountain.Its

nametranslatesto NakedMountain.The peopletherewould

havebeenleftnakedofhopewithoutmensuchasNajeeb.

Hebrusheso hiscontribution:“Therewasonlyso muchthe

governmentandthe armedforcescoulddointhe faceofsucha

massivedisaster;everyoneinthecountrytriedto addasmuch

helptheycould. Whereasthe2005earthquakeandthe internally

displacedpersons’crisisweredevastating,theywere

containedwithina geographicarea,”hesays.

“Ancientruinsthat havestoodfor thousandsof

yearshavebeensweptawaybutmoretragicis

theterriblehumancasualtyrate– morethan

20millionsuering,160,000squarekilometers

inundated,onemillionhomes lostor

damagedand20percentofthecountry’s

cropland destroyedorseverelyspoilt.

Thefullextentofthecatastrophe

remainsunknown.

“Thosewhosuerarealwaysthesamepeople,poorand

oppressedworkingmassesof Pakistan.

“Therehavebeen50oodsinthepast28years.Inallofthose

calamitiesthelivesof thoseaectedwereneverfully restored.”

The42-year-oldNajeebremainsan optimistand acceptsthat

“youcan’t predictwhat’s nextin Pakistan.”

After13 yearsas aneager-to-learnfreelanceguide,he

branchedoutonhisowninOctober,1999withvetents,one

jeepand twosta andsoon becameenormouslyrespected

andtrusted.

But“after 9/11,the internationaltouriststayedhome. Iwas

strugglingforsurvival unableto meetphonebills andsalaries

ofsta,whoeventuallyleft.Ijustkeptexploringnewwaysof

stayingin mychoseneld.”

Thisyear hehas receivedonly32 internationaltourists,most

forlessthen10days,against118in2009.About490domestic

travellerscancelledbecauseof theoods. Tradeisdown 90%.

Itwilltake4to5 yearstoregainpre-ood,pre-earthquake

touristgures…assumingnomorecalamaties,

Headds:“Younameit,wehaveithereInPakistan.Youcannot

plananythinglongterm,Ifit isn’tanaturaldisaster– therewas

a6.3Richterscaleearthquakesoonaftertheoods–thenit

couldbe politicalturmoil,bomb blast,or corruption.

“Despiteallthis hardshipanddi culties,I don’tregreta single

momentof mytourismprofessionalcareer. I’veexperienced

dierentcultures,ethnicgroups andreligions.

“Ifthereislifeafterdeath,I’llstillbedoingthesamethingand

wouldliketobein thesameplace.I’dhopetherewouldbe

honestpoliticians,though!”

Najeebhasimpressed HighCommissionsandmulti-national

corporationswithhis organisationalskills.Theyadmired his

stickability,refusingtob owout whileall aroundhimrivals

abandonedtourismventures.

Hesits onseveralPakistan tourismcommitteesbut has

beenon themove withresponsibletourisminitiativessince

2003whenhe beganopeningup previouslyunknown,

undevelopedlocations;generatinga livingfor the

impoverished.

“Pakistanhaseverything– 168outoftheworld’s200highest

mountains,oneof thelongest glaciersoutsidethe Polar

regions,theworld’s twomost ancientcivilizations.It is

thebirthplace oftwo religions,SikhismandH induism;

Buddhismourishedherein Taxila.

“Wehavethe bestmangoesand cotton;fourseasons

inonecountryrangingfromdesertinthesouthto

Himalayasinthenorth.ButstillPakistanisn’tonthe

worldtouristmap.“Mostpeoplewhovisit

popularNorthernPakistanareassafeas

anytouristintheworld.Forexample,

Pakistanhasneverhadatouristbus

attacked.Thereis nobitterness,

Pakistan is running out of tears to shed with a catalogue of

disasters that would shrink gladiators to jelly. But this former

teenage trekking guide stands his ground, passionately battlingfor his beleaguered country.

all oddsAgainst

‘There was only so much the government and the armed forces could doin the face of such a massive disaster; everyone in the country tried to addas much help they could.’

SPOTLIGHT2010SPOTLIGHT2010

8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010


ell Cookedpoignant – she has a 10-year-old adopted son plus a four-year-

old ‘miracle’ daughter and knows the value of love to a child.”

Sevda, 39, runs Thomas Cook’s summer and Neilson’s ski

programmes. She inspires her team and suppliers to support

Stilian Paflagoniski in Kosharitsa, just 5km from the Sunny Beach

tourist area.

It houses 22 children with mental or physical disabilities. Some of

the new-born babies will remain there all their lives.

A new chapel, air-conditioning, soft-flooring play area and

kitchen equipment are among the improvements from regular

fund-raising activities and donations. Sevda also organises an

annual trip to the Aquapark for the children, who lovingly call her

Auntie Sevvy.

DolnaBaniaOrphanageat Borovetscatersfor56 childrenaged

fromthreeto18.Itistheirhomeandschool.Thecentrespecialises

inpreparingyoungsterstointegrateintothecommunityand

trainsthemforjobssuchas farmingandhairdressing.Some

childrenareinterestedintourismandifEnglishcan beaddedto

theircurriculum,ThomasCookwillbeinvolved.

As a local, Sevda has a deep understanding of the issues that

affect communities in the country. She wants to use Thomas

Cook’s influence to create opportunities.

Jo adds: “Sevda is recognised by local hoteliers for her dedication

to sustainable causes. Her commitment, leadership and

popularity show how one person can affect the attitude and

responses of destinations.”

Mother of two, Paula Francisco ,a consumer affairs executive,

has spent 10 years in the Dominican Republic but is perpetually

shocked by premature baby deaths.

According to the CIA World Factbook, nearly 26 children per

1,000 die before reaching 12 months.

Paula says: “I find it desperately sad.” She puts enormous effort

into generating extra income for the Ricardo Limardo Hospital as

part of Thomas Cook’s benevolent programme on the island.

Jo says: “Our team here, with the backing of guests and suppliers,

has raised more than $US20,000 over the past few years. This

funding has paid for running water, toilet facilities, windows and

air conditioning in the new natal baby unit.”

Paula – “I love working here” – adds: “We’re all involved in helping

local communities. Our resort team sees how they struggle on a

daily basis even down to purchasing patterns at their Colmado

(local corner shop).

“At the end of their stay clients activel y seek ways to help and

they donate clothes, beachwear and toiletries. These are taken

by incoming visitors on a

jeep safari tour to remote

regions.

“Local villagers are grateful

and holidaymakers are

touched by the experience.

One, a teacher, was totally

motivated by meeting

a counterpart at Imbert

village school in Puerton

Plata. She contacted us

on her return to work

at Wakefield District Commun

possibility of ‘twinning’ with I

Technology and access to ele

in the village but Paula broug

offi ce. There they linked up o

the internet.

aKICK startThe last ball is long kicked. Now the wait is on to conrm

whether South Africa’s World Cup legacy proves a

winner for the home crowd left behind when more than

500,000 tourists drifted away.

The ear-piercing vuvuzela, traditionally used to

attract people to meetings, is still creating a big

noise in the economy for a co-operative of 40

women from Imizamu Yethu township.

They had been attending literacy classes at Hout Bay, Cape

Town, and creating fancy paper/card goods when hitting on

the idea of decorating the football fan horn.

The designs included beading and the South African flag and

were so impressive that Woolworths ordered 6,500, which

sold at about $US45 each. The women worked feverishly

from a Wendy house and a few

containers and brought in

almost $US145,000 for theircommunity project.

Now the focus will be

on an export drive –

trying to emulate the

incredible rocketing

fortunes of Craig Marais, who was jobless and,

he admits, “near down and out” in the build up

to the World Cup.

Hedevisedasock-likebrandedcoverfor

thevuvuzelaandfroma one-manoutfithe

expandedto 100plus staff attractinginterest

fromIsrael,France,GermanyandBrazil.“Alotofordersarefor

overseas,”hesays.

The football tournament visitors inspired a range of Springbok

down-at-heelers to go for gold an d their target is to retain

their customer base. The World Cup brought 650,000 jobs and

the challenge is to retain employment levels. The 40,000

extra police have stayed in place.Alfred Baloyi was living and working in a squatter’s

camp near Soweto before taking to a new height

his invention of decorating makarapas, hard

hats like miners’ helmets. He has moved

base to a studio and gives work to 50

artists.

Helen Turnbull of Serendipity Africa

– Supporting Sustainable Tourism

Development, says:

“Sofarasthe responsibletourismlegacy

goes,someinitiativeswerearra

committeesfor visitingfans top

peoplefrom underprivilegedco

“This went a long way to reassu

welcome and safe. But the mo

specific demand for township

“People came prepared to look

sophisticated tourism. They watheir holiday with those that co

“As well as seeing the ongoing

Africa, the fans came away insp

those that live in less fortunate

“Wehopethatmanywillbeb

theywillsee positivechange

departmentsthathave pled

motivationasinthe leadup

continuegrowingthe much

socialsystemthatwillreach

Signofthe

goodtimesat

NaplesAirport

andwithMiss

Solar,second

right

Johnny X’s daily routine in Cornwall, one of the poorest

areas in the United Kingdom, was rubbishy… devoid

of ambition, example and future.

His fragile temperament got him expelled from

nstream schooling; his sole interest keeping him up half

night. Johnny was addicted to computers, especially

tary games. He looked destined for a dead end.

bal Boarders have grasped him to their athletic

sts and introduced him to hope. He is ‘Surng to

cess’ thanks to their pioneering approach helping

dvantaged, lost-their-way kids.

s a collaborative eort with dedicated Short Stay

ools’ sta. We are only a cog in the wheel of this

abilitating work, but it is the most rewarding aspect of

business,” says Mod Le Froy, director/founder of the

ng holiday and leisure company based at Marazion,

of the Cornish beaches they use delicately.

ese children have all kinds of behavioural problem –

ging from dyslexia and autism to suering from social

usion. They come mostly from a seriously deprived area,

h in unemployment and endemic crime – 90 per cent

oke, 50 per cent are on drugs.

nny,nothisrealname,hasbeenwithusfortwo

rs.Seeingthechangeinchildrenlikehimissomuch

resatisfyingthan normalinter-actionwith clients.It is

emelychallenging.Theywon’t engagearecocky and

ressive.Sometimestheywalkoutofthedoororjustdon’t

nup.Wesetanagendatogivethemownershipoftheir

grammewhichis nevermorethan 1-4coach-pupilratios.

hnny was belligerently anti-social.

a never-to-be-forgotten incident, coach Steve Hancock

d to engage him after everybody in the bus had been

en a choc bar. Steve was driving and asked J to look after

– instead he ate it!

”Steve joked,

never made a big

deal about it. Over

time the pair struck up a

relationship until 13 months later Johnny

handed him an identical bar. It was a powerful message of

gained respect.

“I’ve seen lads become extremely aectionate and tactile,

hugging their coaches, asking how they are in an adult way.

This would have been denitely no-go at the beginning.”

Global Boarders use some prot from their $US1,500 a week

luxury tuition holidays and corporate breaks to operate the

scheme that has trained 75 nine to 16 year olds this year.

Apart from local councils’ nancial backing, the mental

health charity MIND has given them a grant.

Plymouth University are examining the data accumulated

over the course’s three-year existence and found

measureable, signicant improvements.

“One other calculation suggests that if we coped with

200 kids a year and kept them out of the justice system it

would save the taxpayer £4.7million,” says 38-year-old Mod,

surng for ve years and mother of a seven – year – old son.

“J, like many reluctant, contemptuous beginners, would

take 45 minutes to get into a wet suit and another 25 to

reach the water. Once in the sea he became a dierent

person.

“His attendance became regular but it was surprising once

when he arrived two hours early, sitting with his parents

in a van. Then I learned the vehicle was the family home –

theirs had been burned down in an arson attack.”

Next year four boys who have known troubled waters will

do work experience – hoping to become lifeguards and

surng coaches.

om surng obsessively on a keyboard or

ames console to riding the waves – this

oubled child’s amazing turnaround

npoints an emotive strand of

ustainable tourism.

sur f in g to

MISS Solar emerged alongside glasses of limoncello

as striking aperitifs for an experimental

environmental awareness day in Italy.

The appeal of agriturismo took on a new slant at Sant’Agata,

Sorrento, in a mixture of low emissions journey, cooking

instruction, tree planting, herb, spice and flower hints.

Jo Baddeley, Thomas Cook Sustainable Destinations Manager,

says: “We’re excited by the feedback we received from this trial

run and the cookery event will become part of next summer’s

programme.

“Apart from the potential substantial benefits to local growers,

it’s a fantastic way for our customers to sample rural life.

“The 20 holidaymakers travelled by electric bus and watched

food and liqueur demonstrations before enjoying a four-course

meal of local products. They planted olive trees and watched our

representatives parade as characters such as Miss Organic, Mr

Water Reserve and Solar – who powered her way to the fashion

show title of Miss Environmental 2010.

“There was a real message behind the fun, which was

sponsored by our local coach company and Fattoria Terranova

Farm. The initiative links with our Naples Airport arrivals hall

poster campaign to promote sustainability, which isn’t widely

understood by Italian suppliers. I’m looking forward to seeing

positive change – thanks to the dedication of our resort team in

Sorrento.”

Jo co-ordinates worldwide action by employees as Thomas

Cook pays ever-increasing attention to responsible, social and

philanthropic travel.

She pinpoints Sevda Ivanova in Bulgaria as “a wonderful example

of someone with a strong desire to make a real change.”

Jo reveals: “Sevda’s long-standing

relationship with two

orphanages is especially

It’s so Eating and drinking like a

budding gourmet is high

on the list of Thomas Cook’s

2011 menu. All in the cause of

responsible travel.

Sevdawith

husbandDanny

andtheirchildren

Dejanand

Stella

Success

Allonboardforagreatwaytowave

goodbyetodismal days

Spotlight Around the World

8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010


reflects Mandip, president of the country’s Ecotourism Society,

and with a reputation that has gained a string of awards plus

the title India’s Most Versatile Adventurer.

“The village of Khonoma, in Nagaland, was in the black books

because of their hunting of the protected Blyth’s Tragopan

Pheasant. They knew it was wrong but it was tradition and

people were hungry. It was explained that they could earn

probably five times what they were netting from the meat by

running home-stay businesses and guiding birdwatchers to

the endangered rare species. Everybody wins.”

Ibex helped in this trial programme to persuade the younger

generation to end the hunting.

Some of the company’s other projects have included:

anthropological and deep sea fishing expedition; studying

indigenous tribes, Himalayan trips – they prepared Singapore’s

team to surmount Everest – and the ‘Ice Trek’ in Ladakh on the

frozen River Zanskar.

The area is landlocked for six months and at 15degrees below

excruciatingly hard to survive economically. By ‘opening up’

the territory in 1994, about 1,000 travellers have visited, stayed

locally, been fed and guided and the money attracted is double,

treble summertime income.

As business surged, so Mandip has been handcuffed to his

desk more than his “adventurous genes” would prefer.

“I have to ensure, though, that each year I have my outdoor ‘fix.’ I

do at least three to four weeks on expedition.

“The whole family – we have two children – team up on an Ibex

Explorers’ Fellowship tour.

“Some of these explorations are reconnaissance based and non-

commercial but have turned out to be two-pronged. Afterwards

we have helped convert them into tourist destinations to

empower the locals.”

It will surprise nobody that their offspring have a lust for travel

and that 23-year-old Himali (Daughter of the Snow) and Himraj

(King of the Snow) were named after the Himalayas. Himali is a

writer and intermittently joins up with Ibex journeys. Himraj, 19,

in his third year at Colorado College doing film and Asian studies,

has inherited the outdoor enthusiast bug and rock climbs.

“Anita happily shelves any reluctance to be with us all on every

Fellowship journey,” chuckles Mandip.

Beneath Anita’s playful banter with Mandip is a strong vein

of pride. She pinpoints Ibex year-old link with Responsible

Voluntouring in Rajasthan which has improved teaching

methods in the region’s rural villages.

She is also delighted by another trend: ” We organise minutely

customised luxury travel where clients – some of them women-

only tours – combine their holiday with a humanitarian cause of

their choice.”

‘Take nothing but photographs, leave only fo

Camaraderiewasatits h

threefriendsin1986inth

MountMeru–considereaccordingtomythology

“Itwasthe mosttechnica

andbeforeitwebecame

ourpacks weeven cuto

recallsMandip.Thebond

andmoved lightningfas

days,returningin two.

Camaraderieisa keyelem

willinglyjoinedtheIndo

attheSwissAlpseightye

itmightcontributeto pro

Glacierinthe Himalayas

overthe borderareaand

Conservationistsfretabo

thepresenceof soldiersf

Camaraderieisneeded b

Indiantravelindustryto

veyearswhen touristn

vetotenmillionayear

policyinplace toavoidd

spotlightfa

MandipandAnita,

stilllockedtogetheras

onedespitehislustfor

adventure

It’satrunk route

AlltogetheratEverest

includingchildrenof‘the snow’

ApeakmomentforMandiponMountMeru

S

Indian mould-breaking travel entrepreneur Mandip Singh

Soin jokes: “Anita pulls my leg and grumbles every trip

together that she was tricked into it a ll and tells me she

d so easily have married into the other side of the family – in

nce, banking or investment.

e is a lover of the outdoors like me. But sometimes her

husiasm is less than mine!”

erstandably, one of those occasions of doubt could have

n while accompanying him up a live volcano.

dip smiles: “We have been married 25 years and the fact that

are still talking despite working and living together must say

ething! The secret? We look together in the same direction.”

that path they have trod has never worried them if it

been against the flow. It might well be called a route of

ovation, caring and crusading on behalf of the environment

its often-deprived community dependents.

dip, 53, has been bewitched by nature and its challenges

m age 14 – inspired by his head teacher.

e principal had climbed on Everest and his British friend,

untaineer Chris Bonington, often stayed at our school. It was

tivating listening to them. I was hooked.

nk adventure was already in my genes. My father was an

y offi cer, who also did Para trooping,” says the man who

variously chanced his arm – and legs – at bungee jumping,

diving, rock and ice climbing, downhill skiing, hang gliding,

aking, rafting, cycling, camel desert crossing and an elephant

edition.

h a Masters in history in his pocket and a diplomat’s role

koning, Mandip escaped on a year off to confirm his instincts

it wasn’t the life for him.

ability to survive on subsistence diet came in handy later

when he toured Europe with little cash. He took climbing

ructor’s roles in Britain.

ponsible travel became ingrained the moment I started out

bing and trekking – it was natural to look after those same

oundings that were providing excitement and fulfilment.

u also develop an empathy with teammates – the guides,

ers and cooks. You realise that you almost certainly couldn’t

h the summit without them and an intense respect grows.

he same feeling generated towards the pristine area you

er – you don’t want to threaten closin g it up by bad actions

h as leaving garbage behind, burning valued juniper trees

firewood, despoiling the water systems. All that was stillpening until the early 80s.”

dip was heavily conscious of these and other pitfalls when

ointly founded Ibex Expeditions in 1979. “It was the first big

us,” he recalls.

managing director his mantra remains: Take nothing but

tographs, leave only footprints.

h one of us can make a difference – and I know we must.

ng the impact of pollution on the ozone hole in the Arctic in

9 made a real and lasting impression.”

and director Anita , 51, maintain a personalised service

ring for up to 1,000 people ann ually and keep introducing

new regions to a portfolio that provides eco tours, adventure

escapes, luxury, safari and cultural breaks.

There is a core of about 500 repeat clients. These range from

authors and artists to professionals and priests and they sign on

for trips in India of up to six weeks.

“There is always a demand for places – our first expedition in

1980 was 12 strong and some of those come back again and

again,” adds Mandip.

“An 83-year-old Italian priest, from Bologna, who teaches

mathematics, has been with us seven times. He enjoyed

Himalayan expeditions but more recently, cultural trekking. I

think I have some catching up on the red wine intake if I am to

emulate him and carry on that long!”

Loyalty among his customers is repeated within

his staff. His chief guide has been with him

30 years.

When Mandip ventured into the

business he quickly saw flaws that

he wanted to remedy. It grated

him that tips weren’t reaching the

community and that the porters’

incomes were derisory.

“The industry could be seen as

takers rather than givers. Over

a period that has changed,”

he’s glad to say. “I wanted to

improve wages.”

By a terrible coincidence

he was quickly able

to show his personal

commitment to

revolutionise theapproach to

tourism. He

joined in

emergency

work

alongside his staff whose families and homes were affected by

earthquake disaster.

“By tiny actions things have built up into a fairer situation.

Money has come into villages for educational, health and

training schemes.”

There is no fast track to bliss for the underprivileged but

Mandip has been gloriously uplifted by the examples of

bandits and poachers transforming themselves from zeroes to

heroes.

A potential World Heritage Site on the River Chambal in central

India, brimming with bird species, crocodiles and fauna, was off

bounds for many would-be travellers for fear of being robbed.

Wary local administrators wanted to cancel the night before

Mandip’s team was due to set out to reconnoitre the area. They

relented yet instead insisted the group must be shielded by a

posse of 14 armed policemen. That guard was finally reduced

to four.

This bold expedition three years ago laid a framework, created

an atmosphere of trust with the locals, who had been scraping

an existence off the land, and persuaded them of better

prospects in becoming naturalists and guides.

Training progress has been slow and deliberate; the political

will is now picking up zest, though, and everything should be

in place by the end of the year.

“They can then earn an honourable tourism

income, without the risk of being thrown in

jail, leaving behind mothers

and children,”

s wife, Anita, teases that she could be luxuriating and dispensing cocktails in chandeliered

plendour instead of trudging alongside a ‘zany’ explorer.

FamilyValues‘Responsible travel becameingrained the moment I startedout climbing and trekking – it wasnatural to look after those samesurroundings that were providingexcitement and fullment.’

Spotlight on India


8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010


often have to walk more th

and then return carrying 1

“I don’t think there is much

to communities. This is a w

also think it unlikely to be a

However with the advent o

growing opportunities.”

But he has seen living stan

kind of place that Hollywoo

enjoy near anonymity trav

AIDS advocacy group DATA

He could certainly aord th

than $US35 a night – includ

and pack animal.

Marketing and booking co

the host communities and

cent and the guides 25 per

prot goes to the commun

invests the surplus into a g

Cooks earn the equivalent

are being pushed hard to i

a minimum of 10birr (62cen

“Our target is to get them o

salaries need to be set by t

otherwise it will cease to b

Chapman.

The money earned goes on

essentials but communitie

coee, spices, food and clo

“All the women cooks at M

says Chapman, “especially

one. She used to be painfu

with a condence. She has

community.”

Dassashe Enanaw 30, who

brothers, earns about eigh

has improved. Previously I

these are reduced. I have b

items, such as spices, salt, c

plus clothes for the family.

to sell property such as chi

“I have had three training s

and hygiene which I now a

Other sta jobs range from

housekeepers. There is sco

and building materials. Gu

birds of prey and Gelada Ba

visitors to locals and explai

Tourism is the great hope fo

tireless eort are now direc

that take clients to other de

income, improve lives and

empower women.

The man who played sever

volunteer – while subsidisas technical adviser in 2006

“That position required a w

be renewed this year, so it

table already – to start a pr

Tours, to handle marketing

“We are ironing out how th

Community based Tourism

Chapman lives in Addis Ab

Olivia, nine, and Tristan, 10

and have inherited their fat

Markjustlovesthe

peopleandtheir

country

Spo

Sowing the seedshey still use oxen to till what is often surprisingly fertile land in a

ountry where the public perception is drought.

Mark Chapman loves Ethiopia and strives constantly to push its credentials. “The

country is beautiful; the people are dignied and hospitable despite their annual

struggle to make ends meet in one of the world’s poorest places,” he says.

culture accounts for 85 per cent of total employment in an economy that is ghting to

ersify. Nearly 40 per cent grind out a living that keeps them below the poverty line.

the smiles of people light up Chapman who was the rst white face seen by many rural

pherds and subsistence farmers.

pman, 45, born in Kent, UK, rst visited Ethiopia in 1992 as a back-packer. He

rned in 1998 with ideas on how to develop a new model of tourism. That

m has mushroomed to bolster a network of 15 villages.

ecalls: “Seeing the countryside and the people in it I soon realised the

ential. Then in 1999 the concept started to come together; I termed

tially fair-trade tourism. It has evolved into a community-based

em where, ultimately, the villagers can operate their own tourism

inesses.

e communities now manage tourists without any help –

founding sceptics who doubted this could happen.”

he start, plans hit many false starts and shortages

money. Construction began in 2002 but ran into the

ers. Chapman would not surrender and 12 months

r was instrumental in launching TourisminEthiopia

SustainableFuture Alternatives or TESFA, which

ans hope in Amharic.

e’d found the ideal place to begin, Mequat Mariam,

ch remains our No 1 site, “he says.

e growth of the business has far outstripped my

ectations. I thought we would do well to have a handful

tes with maybe 10-15 clients a month.

r main locations attract more than 40 monthly and once I

seen how visitors enjoyed the experience I began to feel

this could be rolled out over the country; dreaming that

opia could become as famous for its community based

rism treks as the Himalayan model is for Nepal.

und 150 locals are now trained and employed because

op of the overnight sites there are lunch stop

ces for trekkers. Also some communities

ve meals on the trail.

“The target is to expand into new regions, possibly developing other extra services the

communities can provide – its currently accommodation, food and guiding – plus

encouraging more adventurous tourism.”

Another Chapman objective is to make enough good wells

available – with hand pumps – or protected sources

so that communities have access to clean water.

Women are tasked with fetching water and

‘Our main locationsattract more than 40monthly and once I hadseen how visitors enjoyedthe experience I beganto feel that this couldbe rolled out over thecountry.’

of tourism

Ti lli ng th el an dby ox en… sh ow in gtr adi ti ona lc ra ft s… it all makes for an amaz in gtr ip… w elc ome db yf ri end ly host s

Spotlight on Ethiopia


8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010


“IrecallwhenItoldAnitaI wasleavingtostartatravelbusinessshe

calledme intoheroffi ce(fullofseeds,nutsandplantsfromaround

theworldsoontobecomeingredientsinnew products.)

“Shetookoutahugepieceofpaper.Ononesideshe toldmeto

rightdownallthe ‘rules’ofhow thetravelindustryoperates.Then

shesuggestedIbreakallofthemandto writeexactlytheopposite

ontheothersideofthepaper.Itwasa greatlesson.”

Headded:“AfterquittingIstudiedformymaster’sdegreeinRT

underProfessorHaroldGoodwin.Hehas beenanacademic

mentorforme throughout.I haveretainedcloselinksandthathas

beenanimportantfactor.“

Francis’sAfricanknowledgesurfacedashe sunkhislifesavingsinto

thevisionandworkedalonefromhome.Orat leasthetried.Two

peoplewereso impressedbythisenterprisetheyinsistedon

helpinghimwithoutpayforayear.Today,nearly10yearson,they

aredirectorsofthecompany.

Hesays:“Wecouldn’thavepickedaworsetimetobegin.Nobody

wasinterestedin travelafter 9/11;the dot.comscene hadcollapsed

andbeinggreenor ethicalwasnotsharp.Butamongthemany

turningpointsin2004/5theindustrybegantorealiseforthefirst

timethatithada widersenseofresponsibilitythantomakeas

muchmoneyasitcould.Ethicalconsumerismtookoff inthe

supermarkets.

“Someofthebiggerplayersbecameactivein thefield,realising

responsibletravelwasnotjustforthenerdsbutthatitwas a

seriousissue; notoff puttingbut importantand interestingto

tourists.Thechangebeganandhascontinuedsince.

“Idon’tbelievetouristsjumpoutofbedinthe morningandsay‘I

musthavearesponsibleholiday.‘

“Rathertheythink,‘Iwantaslightlymorerealexperiencefrom

goingawayandthesetypeofbrezaksofferitand,at thesame

time,do somegood.’

“WhendonereallywellRTis designedaroundlocalpeopleand

theirculture.Thatisthemagicinit. Weneedthereconnection

betweenthetravellerandthehome communities’wayof life.

“Therehavebeentoomanypicturesofpalmtrees.Tourismcan

learnfromthefoodindustry,whichcleverlyuseslabellingto

highlightthefarmerwhomadetheproductfromhiscrop.”

WhenFrancisrelaxesit iswithHeidi,hiswifeoftwoyears,atLewes,

Sussex,wheresheownsandrunsa boutique/home-wareshopin

whatwasa15thcenturychurch.

“Mybigprojectistorestoreavintagewoodencanoe,andlaunch

ontheSussexRiverOuse–veryresponsibletravel!”

But not everything will be plain sailing for Francis and the

industry. He foresees aviation flying into thicker clouds of

pricing and emissions controversy and also has strong doubts

about the mooted global certification scheme proposals for

responsible travel. His optimism won’t be suffocated, though,

and he is “amazed that this is the seventh year of the company’s

Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards” hosted by World

Travel Market.

“Thestandards risecontinually andthis encouragesvital healthy

competition.Wereceive nominationsfrom newplaces, some

we’veneverheardof,everyyear.”

Francispointsout:“Asamarke

responsibletravelcanbuildin

becomingasimportantasval

boundariesto cross.

“Forinstance,itdoesn’thavet

Peru.Youcanequallyrelaxina

runbythelocals,gofishingw

thedistinction.Therearefarm

greenhotelstovisit.

“Oneofthebigmythsis thaty

time.Ithinktheopposite.You

Youfeelabitmorepartof the

FrancishasoftenreturnedtoA

lessoninadvicefromanelder,

“I pitched up in a traditional n

parks. When I was about to le

me for coming to stay, asked

then shocked me by saying: ‘I

done.’ I was taken aback. Ther

and he wanted a bigger retur

told me to go back and tell ev

Village. I thought it sounded g

although not just confined to

intention to go a stage furthe

been forming.

“Whenacommunityisclearo

createa relationshipwiththep

marketinganddistributiontom

Asfortherecessionbedevillin

Focusonwhatmakesyoudiff

yoursenseofhumourandtak

‘Focus on what makes youdierent, treat your suppliers well,keep your sense of humour andtake long walks!’

JustinFrancisandProfes

responsibletravel.comin

Oneof theirrstemploye

theworld’sforemostauth

spotlightfa

ofEmiratesAirline centresits focuson large-scalebio- diversity

protectionprojectsandemissionsreduction.Thisisreflectedin

habitatrehabilitation, wildlifesafety andthe reintroductionof

threatenedspecies intoscientifically-managed reserves.

ThisphilosophyishighlightedatAlMahaDesertResort&Spa

whichwas directlyresponsible forproposing, andnow administers,

thesurrounding225km 2 DubaiDesert ConservationReserve. The

projectshowcasesconservationonanationalscale.

It isthelargestformallyprotectedconservationreserveintheGulf

andrecognised bythe UnitedNational EnvironmentProgramme.

ThesameguidelinesarereplicatedatWolganValleyResort&

SpainAustralia’sBlueMountains,whichopenedayearago.The

resortoccupiesjusttwopercentofa4,000-acrereserve,whichis

undergoinghabitat rehabilitationafter 100years underagriculture.Theonlyresortinrecenthistorytoreceivepermissiontobebuilt

adjacenttoaWorldHeritageArea,Wolganisthefirsthoteltobe

internationallyaccredited ascarbon neutral.

Currentlyinpre-construction,CapTernayResort&Spainthe

Seychelleswillfollowanidenticalapproach.

“Fundingandworkinginconservationformorethanadecade,

EH&Rhas demonstratedleadership inraising awarenessabout

sustainabilityina regionoftheworldwhereenvironmentalbest

practiceshaveoftenhadgivewaytorelentlessdevelopment

schemesandresourcerestrictions,”wastheverdictofjudgeswho

wereimpressed bycollaborative researchand environmentally

sympatheticarchitectural designs.

#

CommunityBenetAward

Itbeganasaripplebutisr idingonthecrestof

awave.Thesmall-scale,community-basedWhaleWatchKaikoura ,inNewZealand,takestheCommunity

BenefitAward.

Formed23yearsagobyfourMaorifamilies,this

tourismventurehasturnedintoathrivingset–upthatis

thecatalystfortherevival,sustainablegrowthanddevelopment

ofanentireregion.Throughgeneratingprofits,WWKhassecured

thelandofKaikourapeninsulaforthepopulation,whichhaslived

therefor1,000yearsandwasunderthreatofdisplacementthrough

railroaddevelopments andpoverty.

Amongmany gestures,the businessgives annualwhale- watching

schooltrips, donationsto Kaikourahospital, coastguardand fire

brigade.It fundsmarine research.

Apartfromthedramaofup-closeencounterswiththe

GiantSpermWhale–equivalenttothesizeoffour

elephants–Kaikourahasalsoproducedshorejoy.

ItwasthefirstcommunityinNewZealand,thesecondintheworld,toreceiveGreenGlobe

certification.

Thecountdownapproaches.Closingdateforentriestonextyear’sawardsisDecember

10.TheWorldTravel&TourismCouncilinvitesthosewhodemonstratebestpractice

insustainabletourismtosubmitapplications.Entrieswillbeacceptedonlineat

www.tourismfortomorrow.com forthe fourcategories.

Forfurther information,contact SusannKruegel, Manager,Policy Initiatives,susann.kruegel@

wttc.org.For mediaenquiries, ElliottFrisby,Communications Director,at [email protected]

DESTINATIONSTEWARDSHIP

AWARD

C

C

Justinfondlyrecalls his

visittothevillageof

KawasainZambia

Spotlight o

Itwasa boldmovetoleavealucrativejobasheadof

worldwidemarketingwith BodyShop, thebooming natural

beautyproducts company.“I’dalways, naively,thoughtthat I

uldliketobe anentrepreneurwhocreateda brandthat

becamea householdname.Iam stillalong

wayfromthatbutitremainsanambition

thatdrivesme on.I haveasmuch

energyand enthusiasmto achieve

it,”saysFrancis,chiefexecutiveof

responsibletravel.comanda

burgeoninginfluence inthe

industry.Fromthe“momentsof

misery”sufferedinthefront

roomcum offi ce

ofhisdingy

Brighton

flatin

Sussex,England, theoutfitisnowhousedinoffi ces with22

full-timestaff andhas transformedto gainglobal recognition,

marketingholidaysin 150countries.

“Myfatherhadhis ownbusinessas achildren’stoyinventor.Perhaps

that’swheresomeof theentrepreneur’sspiritcomesfrom. “Butit

neededentrepreneurialwordsyou don’toftenhear,doggedness

andstubbornness,tosurvive,” hereveals.Aged 44,he smiles:“I’ve

beendoingthisnearly 10years –and I’mnotfinishedyet.”

Todaythereisno guiltor apologyoverresultsthatshoweda

turnoverlast yearof £15million-worthofholidays withimpressive

growthover 12months despitethe recession.

“Ihavefeltdilemmasaboutmanythings,flying,aviation,wildlife

tourismbuttheone thingthatI haveneverhadtheslightest

doubtaboutisrunningthisforprofit…combinedwitha strong

setofprinciplesandvalues.”

Francisadds:“Aftertheearlytoughtimes,wehavebeensolidly

profitablefor fiveyears.

“Wearechangingandgrowing,seekingtooffersomethingfor

everybody,trying newthings; broadeningour market,expanding

thescopeofthesite.

“Thereare dynamicand excitingdevelopments,including

launchingin theUnited Stateswith responsiblevacation.comand

theopeningoftravelquestionandanswerventurethe

iKnowaGreatPlace.comsite.

“Ibelieveitisreallyvitalthatbusinesseslikeminemakemoney

becausethatistheonly waywearegoingtopersuadeothersto

copy.It sendsamessage.

“Thisisnotonlyaboutthebalancesheetbutourroleandplacein

society.Ifindthe conceptthatbusinessisonlyforprofitold

fashioned.“Inmyexperience,thevastmajorityofthosesaying

theyarecontributingtoresponsibletourismaredoingsoinsome

measure.Ican hardlythinkofanybodywhohascompletely

fabricatedaclaim.Iworrylessaboutanybodywhomight

justhaveexaggeratedtheirefforts.I’mfar moreconcerned

aboutthemajoritywhodon’tgiveatoss.”

Hewas26 whendecidingtodropeverythingtospenda year

discoveringAfricaby “publictransport, cycling,camping and

walking.”

Afterwardshereturnedtohiscareerin advertisingbeforejoining

TheBodyShopandbeinginspiredbyfounderAnitaRoddick’s

livewireinnovation.Headmits:“Ithoughtherbrandwasreallycool

plusdeliveringastrongsenseofvalues.Ireckonedthatwas

brilliant.IdecidedI’dliketoemulateit.Lookingaroundtherewas

virtuallynothingfroman ethicalperspectiveintravel.”

When responsibletravel.comwasupandtickingalongnicelyhe

wentbacktoseeMsRoddick,whowasimpressedenoughwith

hisprogresstoinvest.

Hesays: “IstillthinkofAnitamostdays.Imissherwitand

advicebuther inuenceremainsasstrongas ever.MostlyI feel

it’saboutencouragingme tobe moreradical,moreactivist,to

dosomethingeveryday totry toaddresssomeof theinequality

andunfairnessintourism.

Body &Soul

#GlobalTourismBusinessAwardFortyyearsofexpertisehassoaredtoa

newhighforFrenchcompanyAccor.The

nationcomesintheshapeofwinningtheGlobalTourism

essAward.

’soperatinginflu encespans nearly100 countrieswith

000employees.Itreachesoutandtouchesthelivesofan

ing32millionpeoplein40countriesofdiversecultureswhere

hilosophy andsustainable activitiestrigger widespread

oval.Theirbenefitstelescopeoutnotonlytoemployeesbut

munitiesandtheyhavealsobecomeacknowledgedfortheir

frewardsandincentivesandexpensesmanagement.

Accor’sglobaloutletsasoneoftheworld’sforemosthospitalitygroupsembracesnearly500,000roomsin4,000hotelsincluding

brandssuch asSofitel, Pullman,MGallery, Novotel,Mercure,

Suitehotel,Adagio,Ib is,Etap Hotel,Formule 1,hotelF1and Motel.

It isoutstandinginternationallyinservicestocorporateclientsand

publicinstitutions.

Thejudgespraisedtheirdevelopmentmodelandcorporate

responsibilityapproach,sayingitis“underpinnedbyadeep

respectforpeopleandtheenvironment.Whethertheyare

individualactionsorlargecollectiveprojects,allinit iativeshelp

makeavirtuouscirclerespectfulofemployees,customers,host

communitiesand theplanet’s naturalresources.”

Theirprogrammesincludeallformsofchildprotection,ranging

fromsextourism–since2002ithasbeenattheforefrontofthis

fight,engagin gstaff ina comprehensivetraining programmeto

detectsuspiciousbehaviourandhowtoreact–tocombating

epidemicsand promotinghealthy eating.

Accorisactivelyinvolvedinotherhealthissues,joiningtheGlobal

BusinessCoalition onHIV/AIDS,Tuberculosis andMalaria in2005.

Alsohighonitslistofpriorit iesisreducingwaterandenergy

consumption,improving wastesorting andrecycling, plus

biodiversitypreservation.

#

DestinationStewardship

Award

Lessmeansbest,lowtradeshigh,couldbetheslogansof BotswanaTourism Board asitrevelsinthe

distinctionof winningthe DestinationStewardship Award.

TourismisthesecondlargestcontributortoBotswana’sGDPand

TheOkavangoDeltaRamsarSite(ODRS)isthepremierattraction

andNo.1employerinthecountry’snorthernregion.

But,facedwiththechallengeofsustainabilityandequitability,

Botswanabravelydecidedonfewertouristsatlowerdensit iesand

highertariffs.

Alegislative frameworkmanages thisfuturistic approachand

ensuresthatbedandvehicledensit iesaresetatconservativelevels

andgeographicallyspread.Allstakeholders,local,nationaland

international,benefit; theiraccountability isclear andalternate

threatstotheareaaremanaged.

ODRSisaunique55,374km2 water–and–game-richareawithin

thecountry’s desertenvironment. Itcomprises 9.5%ofB otswana’s

totallandarea,includestheUNESCOWorldHeritageSiteTsodilo

Hills,MoremiGame Reserve,wildlif emanagement areasand

communitylands.

Partnershipbetween state,private sectorand ruralcommunities

hasbeenestablished.Some34percentoftheadultpopulation

inODRSworkintourismandwildlife,contributingtothe

conservationof fragilehabitat.

Thejudging panelreported: “Operatorsand tourismsuppliers

withintheODRShavetakenBotswana’stourismvisiontoheartand

havecreated world-classfacilities.”MyraSekgororoane,Chief ExecutiveOffi cerof BotswanaTourism

Board,said:“Theawardmeansalottous.Italsochallengesand

motivatesustocontinuetocompeteonbestpracticesandproduct

offeringsglobally.’’

#ConservationAward

Tourismand conservationcan blend

successfullytogether atthe highestlevels.

Thatistheproofandmessageof EmiratesHotels& Resorts

emergingtopofthelistfortheConservationAward.

Launchedin 2006,this premierhospitality managementdivision

here were more than 160 entries in all categories

r World Travel and Tourism Council’s 2010

ourism for Tomorrow Awards.

AchieversHigh

he sweet smell of success could not satisfy Justin Francis. He

ented another route to business fullment.

Spotlight on Global Awards


8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010


‘P Noi’ arouses the best of emotions – aection, admiration, inspiration. She seeks litt

Utterly DedicatedSlums inspired her

Potjana Suansri’s selfless commitment carries a workload

that can leave those around her humbled and in awe.

Potjana, 45, has been unwaveringly devoted to

Thailand’s rural class for nearly half her life.

She is project co-ordinator of the Thailand Community–Based

Tourism Institute (CBT-I), housed at Chiangmai University.

Her efforts working side by side with those less privileged have

given her an international reputation.

Peter Richards, a close colleague for seven years, says: “Potjana,

or P – Noi (older sister Noi) as her friends call her, is highly

respected and retains trust at all levels because she has worked

consistently with the players who make community-based

tourism work – community members, tour operators and tour

guides, government and academics. She is a ‘people person’, not

a ‘project person.’

“She has never sought limelight. It is not part of Thai culture. Also,

P Noi regards work and success necessarily as a joint effort.

“However, it is without doubt right to say that she is married to

her job. I have never known anybody work so unbelievably hard

– seven days a week and often from 6am around the clock until

1-2 in the morning.

“She is smart and skilled, totally sincere – one of the foremost

pioneers of responsible rural tourism – and the leader of the

Thai community-based tourism movement – bringing

the struggles of the isolated to the attention of

the country’s government and urban

middle classes.

“Others have also done

much excellent

work.

Potjana drew the map for community-based tourism. Her

methods for helping local community members to develop

and manage their own tourism experiences have had a huge

influence in Thailand, the region and further afield.

“Outside of our core team of seven, her magnetism means we

can call on a regular group of ten volunteers and an extended

network of up to 40 more who will invariably respond to any

request for a helping hand that she makes.”

Funding for CBT-I comes from various sources and activities such

as consultancy and training for community members and tour

operators.

Her close-knit team, knowing money can be a nightmare

problem, continue their labour of love. Salaries are moderate and

it’s a month-to-month battle to raise them.

There are an incredible 80-100 communities involved in CBT-I

now compared to the 12 when the unit was formed in its current

shape four years ago.

Potjana admits: “Community-based tourism is not easy. It takes

a lot of time and endeavour – both from the communities and

the facilitators.

”Finding the tourists that understand the concept and want to

learn about it – and fortunately for us have the ability to educate

others – gives us hope that eventually we can change society.”

Richards, 35, married with two children, started as a volunteer

in 2002 after learning about Potjana’s work and became CBT-I

marketing and development co-ordinator.

“It was a challenge, a chance to contribute towards something

good,” he says. “In today’s globalised world, CBT is a unique

opportunity for people from different countries and cultures to

meet, learn, share experience and develop more respect and

understanding.

“On one side is the cultural experience for the

tourist. They can stay with the

daily life – be it fishing, farmin

traditional art and craft.

“The other side is we try to us

environmental work in the co

various projects. My role is to s

like that kind of experience an

It is also locating tour operato

communities could liaise with

Potjana’s first job as a 22-year-

the Bangkok slums determine

campaigned over two years fo

upgrade health, education, em

community levels. The people

and she devised a banking sy

reduce the overbearing press

The biggest convincing lesso

from those days was that the

rural villagers often did not im

when they headed for the city

work. She believes these folk

opportunities to remain at ho

their traditional livelihoods an

She opened the eyes of the c

better off to the struggles of t

fellow countrymen.

Potjana, as founding member

is quietly proud that over

15 years CBT-I has been

at the centre of the

coming together

of communities,

consumers,

academics and

industry partners,

crossing of barriers of class, re

wealth and nationality.

‘It is without doubt right to say she is married to her job. I have never

known anyone work so unbelievably hard - often almost around the clock.’

Potjanahasdevoted

herselftomaking

tourismworkfor

communities

Spot

Meta Mertens calls it her horse heaven…the sweeping

plains of Mongolia, where she is proud to play a part

maintaining centuries of equine history.

has witnessed the country’s primary nomadic lifestyle resist

ft into the cities for work.

e fall of communism, a resulting severe economic depression

the coincidental death of his famous horse-training father

990 persuaded my friend Jamsran Ganbold to move his wife

two children to the countryside,” says Meta.

wanted to follow in the footsteps of his ancestors and work

h horses. He has been successful and his string has won many

dals in Mongolian races, known as Naadams.

ve stayed with Ganbold and his family for six years and

e found a kindred spirit in him. He typifies the guardians

Mongolian traditions. His presence, with others like him, is

talising Gun-Galuut Reserve. They keep out poachers, build

repair fences and bird outlooks, protect endangered species

ensure good grazing opportunities for the nomads’ livestock.

ponsible eco tourism provides jobs which are diffi cult to find

young people without advanced education.

as also been an influencing factor in bolstering people such

6-year-old Ganbold, a former truck lift driver.

xt summer Selena Travel, which introduced me to Ganbold,

ns the first Mongol Horse Center as part of the responsible

ism programme. I’m assisting with this project and we

ect to create several jobs.”

Nyamsuren Geserbadam, better known as Nyama, is 29 and

Selena’s managing director. She says: “ We have been dedicated

to preserving nomadic lifestyle through responsible tourism

since 2001 and we bring in 1,200 visitors each year. We strive to

support local communities by involving them in activities to earn

cash to keep themselves and their customs alive.

“I am Mongolian from the Gobi desert, the southern part of

Mongolia. My grandparents were nomads and I did not want to

see these people suffer.

“My experience with Raleigh International Expedition, the British

charity organisation, influenced me to pursue a career in tourism.

I joined Selena just after finishing university, majoring in English.

“Mongolia’s population is about three million and one third

lives in the capital Ulaanbaatar. Roughly 1.4 million are nomads

or semi-nomads. Eking out a living is tough and, of course,

youngsters have been lured away.

“The nomads did not have enough cash outside of selling dairy

products, cashmere wool and livestock. We have helped to ease

the problem after forming a mutual co-operative triangle with

them and the local a dministration offi ce. Thirty per cent of all

tourism income goes into the village’s annual budget and they

invest in conservation schemes at the reserve.

“Our Steppe Nomad eco tourist Camp on River Kherlen is wind

and solar power driven. It provides jobs and locals, including

Ganbold, rent us their animals and his sons provide horse, camel

and fishing guide services.

“The wives keep the camp’s kitchen stocked with meat, cheese

and milk from family goats, sheep and cattle.

“As our top repeat client, Meta has seen families’ fortunes change

for the better.”

Meta’s association was triggered because she decided to start

part-time lecturing after adding a master’s in geography to her

degree in environmental studies.

“I had moved to San Francisco, USA, from Holland and until then

my professional life was exclusively in the corporate world,” she

says. “Then in my first class as teacher I had to discuss Central

Asia and realised I knew little about it. My research meant

I discovered Mongolia and two things instantly caught my

attention – horses and wide open spaces. These had been the

quest of my life. I can’t explain why because there is no family

connection but I have been fascinated by horses since a toddler.

I first rode aged six.”

Meta, now 53, adds: “I go to Mongolia for up to six weeks every

summer. “Horse racing is extremely popular but changing

somewhat because of cross breeding.

“Ganbold has 200 horses and is part of a Gal – a close-knit co-op

of trainers – and they have made me a member. It’s an honour

to help prepare our horses for competition. They consider me

‘family’ and I can’t imagine life without them and their support.

“Ganbold and his partners Batbayar and Byamba are Gun-

Galuut Community Association Boa rd management offi cials

empowered by the local government to conserve eco-systems,

preserve nomadic culture and develop sustainable, community-

based tourism.

“Each September, backed by Selena, they organise Nomads’ Day

with games, rituals, sports and music.”

Gabold’s two sons are university graduates, his 11-year-old

daughter an A-grade pupil and wife Altai, ex-sales clerk, has

opened a butcher’s shop that is supplied from their 1,000 plus

livestock collection.

They started out with just a few head. Their example shows what

hard work – and tourism – can do.

hey can ride like the wind but the galloping hooves of time

reatened to dilute, perhaps obliterate, their nomadic traditions.

Horse Power

‘Responsible, eco tourism provides jobs which are di cult to nd foryoung people without advanced education.’

Mainpicture:Onlykids(fromabout4to14years

old)ridein theNaadams.Upto350 horsestake

part,atspeedsof 40kphoverdistancesof27km.

Above:Metaiswelcomedlikefamilyby the

trainersandshesitson herhorseAmbassador,

giventoherbyGanbold(picturedright)

Saving their heritage with…

Spotlight on Mongolia


8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010


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AdvertL E i tr m rk th riti h r c tin r r ti n, 1

a moment when governments could be looking

at dierent ways o achieving a more joined up

set o outcomes, or example looking at ways in

which there could be incentivising investments

into green technology. From this we could get job

creation, stimulation o demand and new markets

emerging at the same time as cutting carbon.

SS: Do you think working with celebrities works?

TJ: I think the celebrity side o lie can be powerul

but it needs to be done with caution and it

needs to be done with the right people. The

work that Friends o the Earth did with both

Razorlight, Radiohead and with Thom Yorke

was with people who understood what they

were doing. It wasn’t something which was

an empty piece o PR pu that wasn’t

connected to some more substantial action.

SS: What about working with Prince Charles?

Does he have credibility when he argues for

sustainability and yet runs an extremely

expensive large public household?

TJ: I think the Prince o Wales has developed credibility

on these subjects or having been consistent

on them or orty years, and having developed

an enormous amount o personal expertise.

SS: When he undertakes a trip around Britain to

preach the green message and he’s travelling

on the royal train at tens of thousands of

pounds a day expense, this doesn’t seem to

be a message that’s entirely coherent.

TJ: It’s the way the Royal Family would normally

travel to those kind o events. They’re going

round the country to draw attention to

excellence, they’re using the royal train not simply

as a means o transport but also as a way o

convening meetings, inviting people there,

it’s being used instead o hotels. It’s got multiple

unctions that helps to draw attention to the

issues in a way that is hopeully helpul.

SS: Do you fear that working so closely with

the Prince might lead some to question

whether you’ve accepted the embrace

of the establishment too readily?

TJ: I’ve been working with the establishment and

on the inside o the dierent institutions which

govern us or 25 years.

Some o the time I’m doing this both with

a public ace as a campaigner but nothing really

changes until the powerul institutions and

organisations begin to adopt their own reasons

or making change.

I’ve always taken the view that we have to garner

change and nurture change whenever we get

the opportunity.

SS: What kind of change? You’ve co-written a

book with the Prince, Harmony, the striking

theme is what we’ve heard from him before,about learning from the past. Some would

say that we need to be thinking more radical

thoughts about new technologies rather

than harking back to some idyllic era.

TJ: My view is that the suite we have is already

sufcient or us to solve most o these problems

right away without inventing anything else.

What we have to do

bring them to lie on

We’re saying in Har

question o technol

having the right mi

right kind o techno

and the right kind o

that work with the g

SS: You trained as an o

years campaigning

threatened bird sp

acknowledge that

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that comes we are

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take action. The gu

in Copenhagen bas

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to something that m

That’s disappointing

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is already underway

and habitat destruc

introduced species.

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can still keep this se

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SS: Tony Juniper, than

on HARDtalk…

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“ The fnancial situation is not

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Telephone +44 (0) 20

carolyn.gibson@bbc

Tony UNIPER

HARDtalk is the lagship programme

on BBC World News that asks the

icult questions. In this specially

mmissioned interview or Spotlight,

ephen Sackur, one o the BBC’s most

spected journalists goes head to head with

ny Juniper, environmental campaigner,

een Party member and editor-in-chie

National Geographic Green Magazine.

Some o them on the other hand don’t really

understand the seriousness o this and they pay

lip service to it, some o them are even hostile

to the idea that we should be investing in major

change. But in the end most politicians do

realise that their personal ortunes are linked

to reecting what the public mood is about,

and in the United Kingdom and elsewhere

in recent years there has been demand.

SS: I wonder whether you feel you might have

been naive on occasion? You shared a

platform with David Cameron, it appeared

to give some sort of legitimacy to his claim

to vote blue and go green, and yet his actions

since becoming Prime Minister don’t suggest

that environmental causes are his number

one concern.

TJ: The decision to share a platorm with David

Cameron was calculated as a means to get his

commitment in a way that he couldn’t revert

away rom, towards backing legislation on

climate change at the domestic level in the

United Kingdom, and it worked.

It was a spectacularly successul move rom

the point o view o what Friends o the Earth

was seeking to achieve which was the highly

ambitious goal o securing parliamentary

support or the world’s rst domestic level

climate change legislation.

That moment with David Cameron I think was

actually quite a crucial one, not only in getting

him to buy into the need or this particular law,

which rom the beginning really didn’t look

as i it had a hope in hell o succeeding, but

it also put really quite severe pressure on

Gordon Brown.

SS: Your own colleague in the Green Party,

Caroline Lucas, the only elected Green MP

said that she sees Tory policy as ‘vote blue

and screw you’which perhaps is a little

embarrassing for you?TJ: No. The way in which we managed to manoeuvre

the parties to do what was required I think

justied the extent to which we’re appeared in

public in a way which might make them look

greener than they actually are.

The coalition government in my view has been

disappointing since the election in terms o how

they put green issues on the agenda. They haven’t

really. What they have done is to undertake

some quite brutal acts o cutting against the

Sustainable Development Commission which has

been closed down, and the Royal Commission

on Environm ental Pollution which has also been

closed down. Two world leading institutions.

They now have a lot to do to prove themselves

i they are serious about being the greenest

government ever. There’s no sense o that yet.

SS: How damaging is the global recession?

TJ: The nancial situation is not helpul, however this

is not a moment to say that there’s no money and

thereore we can’t do anything. It’s a moment or

more creative thinking, to be looking in ways

where we might be redirecting existing money

that’s in the system.

One o the things that’s high on the list is the tens

o billions o dollars o agricultural subsidiesbeing spent in the world at the moment, mostly

on unsustainable damaging agriculture. I we

could shit those subsidies towards higher

productivity in the tropical regions so the ood

output can be increased at the same time as

preserving the orests I think there are some

very posit ive synergies that could come rom

existing resources. I think the recession is

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Tony, you’re a green activist who happens

to be an optimist, does that hold good after

the failure of the Copenhagen Climate

Summit at the end of last year?

That was a disappointing moment in a long

journey that started back in the late 1980s,

but ortunately it’s not the only thing that’s

happening in the world at the moment. I don’t

think we should take the view that all is lostbecause we don’t have that agreement yet.

Is there any reason to invest

much faith in politicians?

Well, some o them have a natural, personal

interest in these subjects and take leadership

actions in driving the debate orward to the

point where we actually get change in the world.

Advertorial


8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010


Indonesiacovers1.3%of

10percentofallowerin

world’smammals,16per

17percentofbirdsandm

marineandfreshwater

Themany islandsof

widerangeof habita

mangroves,savann

limestonehills,to m

andsnowcapped

PopulationS

4000to6000an

whichisin Leus

LeuserNationa

Aceh),Batang

spotlightfa

The village is seven hours from thenearest city via a combination of driving and trekking.

INDECON and the villagers have made three loop trails along its

jungle tracks for hiking, camping, introduced tubing with safety

standards, caving and other adventure tourism options.

The community benefits from entrance fees, guiding, river-

crossing, accomodation and restaurant sales.

“Giving the community access and legally empowering it

to participate in conservation was a first for Indonesia,” says

Suhandi. “The disappearance of logging also calmed down

conflict in the region.”

“At the age of 22 during university, I was involved for three

years in orangutan research, much of it in Gunung Leuser Park.

It is an extraordinary place – home to eight primate species,

mammals such as elephant and anoa (dwarf buffalo) plus rare

plants and birds.

“In my final year I did school talks and was incredulous when

learning that the kids had never heard of – let alone seen –

Raffl esia Acehensis, one of the rarest and largest flowers . And

they lived just next door!

“I invited them to visit the research station at weekends and they

were thrilled. But I was criticised by expatriate researchers afraid

of possible disturbance.

“It convinced me that research must give benefit to local

communities. I started to wonder how to combine improving

locals’ income while persuading them simultaneously to

conserve natural resources as an asset.”

As part of that drive INDECON has s teered more than 1,000

people through training to boost ecotourism strategy. This year

alone there have been 14 sessions with an average attendance

30-40 drawn from guides, local government offi cers and

community members.

“As tourism is highly affected by external factors and seasons, we

always recommend locals to view (eco)tourism as an alternative

livelihood and keep their current jobs,” adds Suhandi, married

with three children.

Suhandi’s innovative approach spread his reputation and he

was approached to work some magic for Waerebo, home of the

oldest indigenous tribe in Manggarai regency, Flores.

It was inaccessible to all but the most determined tourist – the

village is seven hours from the nearest city via a combination of

driving and trekking.

Suhandi established Waerebo Tourism Organisation; made up o f

19 community members. He has persuaded UNESCO-Indonesia

offi ce, BirdLife Indonesia and others to become involved in

promoting trips to marvel at the unique traditional cone-shaped’

houses that shelter multiple families.

Now, five years on, the 123 households (population 800) have

welcomed 800 travellers, managed home-stay

and started to make products.

Suhandi was ‘adopted’ as a community

member in a ritual ceremony.

He took along other local

communities to share their

experiences of developing village

tourism.

Other outstanding collaborative

projects came when Suhandi was

appointed by UNWTO-Bonn unit

as coordinator for implementation

of their tourism programme in

Pangandaran, West Java, Indonesia in 2007.

He has been assisting a community

struggling to recover. It had recorded 1million

visitors in 2002 but the 2006 tsunami brought

a devastating downturn to 150,000. A new

approach allows extensive participation

of local stakeholders in a major rethink

to link natural conservation to tourism

development.

This plan has been admired by local

and national government. The

Ministry of Culture and Tourism is to

replicate the model, with some local

adjustments, in other destinations.

Arydidthreeyears

researchwith

orangutans

Spotl

A ry Senjaya Suhandi will never forget the day that

the villagers of Tangkahan decided that one of

their 5,000-strong community had betrayed

m. It showed the 48-year-old biologist he was winning the

paganda battle.

andi, brought up in a city of nearly eight million population,

fought a long battle to demonstrate the importance of the

ntry’s abundance of trees, fauna, flora and wild life.

ustrated him that staggeringly beautiful national parks were

ged by communities scrambling around the breadline.

nservation policies are vital to Indonesia’s economy and its

ple’s future,” he says with passion. “My heart has fallen into

tourism because I feel it is the right approach to serve nature

increase community welfare.

erall, we have one of the richest countries for biodiversity. I

ked the move away from the old mass tourism approach to

ourage visitors to minimise their impact and help transform

onesia into a more responsible destination.”

gnificant breakthrough came when a defiant rebel was

ght cutting down trees and breaking an agreement to

ect the country’s second largest park, Gunung Leuser.

Ordinarily this man would have been ignored, a blind eye

turned. Instead he was reported. He remained under arrest for a

year but is now an active member and vice chair of Tangkahan

Tourism Organisation.

“It’s a huge challenge to get people to change from illegal

loggers to conservationists,” says Suhandi, founder-executive

director of Indonesia Ecotourism Network (INDECON.)

“It’s a big step in life-and in their income. Illegal loggers can

make three million rupiahs or $US350 for two weeks’ work.

Looking after the forest, they earn around $US180, plus the

money they raise through agriculture – roughly $200 per

month.

“This was a centre of illegal logging but even when local firms

upped their fees to sway the villagers, they held fast.

“They replied, ‘I’m proud because I’m keeping the forest for

my children.’

“We had launched our campaign through younger people. They

told their fathers of the long-term impacts of deforestation. The

men, in turn, went to the village elders over the dangers of illegal

logging.”

The no-more-cutting deal, part of Tangkahan Ecotourism

Master Plan, was funded by the European Union, Indonesian

Government and the national parks authority

It was launched six years ago and is “still operating successfully.”

Suhandi says: “It has created alternative income and jobs –

especially for young people – produced local investment,

improvement of public infrastructure by local government.”

The progress can be seen in last year’s International tourists

– never less than 50 a month and peaking at 263 in July. The

domestic annually to Tangkahan reached 20,220.

The forest spans almost 800,000 hectares. Tangkahan zealously

guards 8,000 of them. It opens up only 1,500. Yet this is still one of

the region’s premier ecotourism destinations with two rivers, 11

waterfalls, hot water springs and bat caves.

s illegal loggers turned ‘policemen’ it signalled the arrest of a

orrying decline in lost biodiversity and lessened the risk to the

itically endangered Sumatran orangutan.

InspirationalAry

Suhandikeeps

willingcolleagues

inthepicture

whileeducating

childrenandhis

eortsarerewarded

withaceremonial

adoption

‘I did school talks and was incredulous when learning that the kids hadnever heard of – let alone seen – Ra esia Acehensis, one of the rarestand largest owers in the in the World. And they lived next door!’

WinnerLogging up a

Spotlight on Indonesia


8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010


Standards were set high from the outset to show staff the value

of being conscientious and to generate self esteem and pride in

their natural heritage, culture and customs

“Thisbeliefsurfacesstronglywhenguidestakeguestsintothe

forest,explainingthetraditionalusesoftheplants,orwhen

introducingthemtotheirvillage,familyorthechief,”sayslodge

residentdirectorPatrick.

“Ourstaff simplyneedtostatetheyarefromNkwichitoguarantee

themapositioniftheyapplyelsewhere.”Fewdo.

Theyemployonlylocals,morethan60.Withthestaff turnover

minimal,thedepartureofformermanager,JuliusMkambula,ranks

asexceptional.Hehadpreviouslybeenalabourerina remotefarm

about10hours’driveaway.Fatherofthree,hetodayhashisown

lodgebusinessandemployssixpeople.

Juliusdeclares:“I wouldnothaveeverythingyoucanseebehind

mebutformy salaryfromNkwichi.Ihavetwo houses,onefor

renting,theotherformyfamily.Thesehavenewtin roofsandI

haveevenputglassinthewindows.

“Noweverybodyisveryjealousandthatmakesmeproud!Ihave

alsobeentaughthowto useacomputer.”

FranciscoIndiano,a 23-year-oldtrainee chef,always yearnedto

resumetheschoolinghehadtoabandonafterhisparentsdied

whenhewas17withfoursiblings.He becamethefamilybread

winneras arockcarrier.FormerguestBeverleyAbbotstarted

sponsoringhimtocompletehisfinaltwo years.

TheNkwichi wheelof transformationhas spokesoff including

theManda WildernessCommunity andConversation Trusts

plustheUmojiAssociation– whichmeans“asone”–a natural

resourcemanagement umbrellalinking 15villages representing

20,000people.“Evenwhilethelodgewasbeingconstructedwe

spenttimetravellingthearea,sittingundermangotreeswith

communityrepresentativesdiscussing aconservation area,“says

Paul,44, marriedwithtwodaughters.

This’meet– the–locals’exerciseresultedinthem buyinginto

theideaand120,000hectares–equivalenttothesizeof Greater

London– wassetasidebythecommunitiesasa protectedzone.

Uniquely,it isnowlegallyregisteredandshare-ownedbythem

anditsmaintenanceandoperationhavebeenproppedby

technicalassistance fromthe MozambiqueGovernmentplus aid

fromtheIrishandSwedishGovernments

“Thisunitedbodyhasachievedsomuch.Theyrealisethatthey

areintheboxseatto drivetheirdevelopment,theirfuture,”says

Patrick.“Each decisionis closelymonitored forits sustainability.

“UmojihasnegotiatedwithNGOsanddonorstofundacentral

offi ceandfurthertrainingprogrammes.Theyhavealsodonedeals

withtourismoperatorsforaccesstoMandaWildernesswithits

appealofwildlifeandoutdooractivities.

Theaspiringcommunitiesarecertainlynofools.Theyunderstand

onlytoowellthateducationisthekeytocarry themforward.All

villagesvotedschoolsastheirNo.1priority.Theymakethebricks,

contributethelabour. Mozambiqueprovidestwo teachersper

school.Nkwichi raisesfunds.

Patrickadds:“Sofartenschoolshavebeencompletedandthe

spreadandlevelofeducationhas soaredalongwithselfvalue.

“Otherfinishedprojectsincludea maternityclinic– previously

therewasnoneina 100kmradius.“Addtothata maizemillanddemonstrationfarm.Through

trainingsessions,thishashelpedteach700farmerstodiversify

theirproduction, conservetheir soiland groworganic vegetables

tosellatmarket.Wearebigcustomers.“

Fromthe earlytrials, tribulationsand collapses,Nkwichi Lodge

boastssolar powerand energy-effi cienteco-stove cooking.It

hasrisentotheheightsofluxury,exclusiveappeal.Itsattractions

includesnorkellingamong 1,000-plusfish species,exploring the

bushanddiningundera huge,2,000– year–oldbaobabtree.

Andithasa whisperingbeachcallingoutatriumphofcommunity

spiritand co-operation.

The package that confronted Mr. and Mrs. Carter-

James after ripping away the tinsel of their

paradise location in Mozambique stays with them

today. “Behind the stunning lm-set backdrop was poverty

that took your breath away,” says 30 -year-old Amy, a marine

zoologist from Woking, United Kingdom.

“Food shortages annually threatened the survival hopes

of thousands. It was a remote, forgotten society. The local

water source was shared with elephants. Children were too

valuable at home working to be allowed to attend school –

if there even was one nearby.

“Medical care was through traditional witchdoctors or a tiny

ill-equipped clinic.

“Starving people ocked to the sea to forage for sh and

the desperate consequence was vital reef devastation;

slash and burn agriculture was not only unproductive but

destroying their forests.

“Yet the combination of the amazingly beautiful beach

in the Quirimbas National Park and the surrounding

deprivation was ideal to build the holiday business

that fullled our dream and criteria – extreme hardship

alongside fantastic tourism potential and every guest

benetting the local community and environment.

“I’d resolved three years earlier –working in Kenya – to try to

do something to counter injustice, to seek to bridge the gap

between ‘the have’s and have not’s.’ “

This was it; the moment. Husband Neal, 32, a former

professional footballer with Tottenham Hotspur and

Arsenal, agreed. The couple have spent the past eight years

establishing the nine-roomed luxury lodge. Its commercial

success has been matched by the health, comparative

wealth and educational progress for 12 villages and 15,000.

“Determined to prove the local tourism industry wrong, we

engaged a near 100 per cent local workforce from 2004 as

building began and when opening t wo years later.”

Abidarre Alide, son of a sherman from a nearby island,

was down to his last few dollars after near miraculously

funding his way through two years of university. His sharp

mind so impressed that he became the country’s rst lodge

general manager and he’s now their director of operations

in Mozambique.

“Aby also assists on logist

partner Nema, which emb

Millennium Development

programmes, run by volu

village,” says Amy.

”We have given at least v

10 per cent of our revenue

we guarantee that 100 pe

goes directly to grass root

become personally involv

The target today is to spre

out the low-cost, high-im

consultancy Thin Cats Thi

Quissira Saide has been w

promotion to ground man

year. The father of eight, w

admiringly: “In my village

go to school and have a m

healthy.”

“Restaurant supervisor Idr

seriously ill for three mon

a good hospital and visite

lodge,hemightnothave

Life begins at 40 didn’t have any resonance in th

beyond the fabulous Guludo Beach. Most peopl

they reached 38; children that survived birth ha

three of making it to their fth birthday.

TheGuludofoundation a

Cleanwateraccessfor

Buildingtwoprimary

Dailymealfor 802chil

andhealth

100scholarships,educ

8,000mosquito netsd

womenand dramatic

Nutritionandsanitati

vevillages

HIVeducation

Saleand developmen

spotlighti

Beautyand the b

Theirparadise

found…Amy

andNeal

Spotlight

PatrickandPaulSimkin

wouldbe entitled

tohighlightJoyce

Salewa’ssurvival experience.

Notabitof it.Forthem,

JoyceepitomisesNkwichi

ge’screed.Sheisonecasehistoryamongmanycramming

overflowingsuccessfolderofthebusinessthatthebrothers

medoutof passionatLakeNiassa,Cobué,Mozambique.

hadknownlocalcommunityvillagechiefZaitisincethestart

heproject.HebroughtJoycetoustoask ifwecouldfindhera

because ofher terriblesituation,” saysEnglishman Patrick.ewofourstaff havestartedoutlikethis– indireneedof

port.Idon’tknowwhatwouldhavehappenedtoher.But

yearsonJoyce,wholivesa45-minutewalkaway,isstilla

endablemember ofthe housekeepingteam.”

engaNkwichi derivesits ‘SqueakingSands’description from

lfishermenwhoinsistthesugarwhitegrainsliterallysqueal

hdelightwhenanybodystrollsbarefootoverthem.Nkwichi

ge,bycontrast,shoutsitsname– personifyingtheidealsof

onsibletourism.

enPaulandIsatponderingourfuturesina Londonpubone

ht15yearsagowe agreedthelureof Africawascallingus

back.Wealwaysknewitwould.Welovedthewildspacesandthe

people.Butperhapsitseemedawilddreamtoimaginewecould

setupa gamereservetobe ownedbythosewholivedaroundit–

athree-pronged sustainableproject ofconservation, community

developmentandeco- tourism,something thatwould bringlocal

benefitsratherthanconflictswithauthorityandparkmanagers.”

PatrickquithiscareerasaresearcherforTVdocumentaries

inLondon.Paulkepthisjob asanAid workerandis currently

livingin KenyabutworkinginSomalia,helpingtotry tobuild

agovernmentthere.“Youcan see…hehasalwayslikeda

challenge!”says Patrick.

“Wewerebornand

broughtupin Easternand

SouthernAfricaandalso

livedinItalyandSouth

America– ourmother

isArgentine–becauseourfatherworkedfortheUnitedNations

DevelopmentProgramme– changingcountryeverythreetofiveyears.BeforestartingNkwichiweneededbackground.I took

positionsatlodgesandreservesaroundAfrica,whilealsoscouting

potentiallocationsfor ourscheme.” Paul,though, providedthe

breakthrough.

InRwandahehadmetLolaCastrothroughherroleforUnited

Nations’Commission forRefugees andreceived thetip-off about

theunsulliedbeautysurroundingLakeNiassa..Patrickwentonan

exploratorytrip andliterally discoveredthe “perfectspot.”

Lolabecameandremainsoneof thesixfinancialbackers.

“Wehadtoraise$US500,000to launchour dream,”saysPatrick.

“ThisisnotaboutPaulandme.Yes,wewereandare apartof it

all.Butreallythishasalwaysbeena teameffort,embracingoursix

investors,all thestaff plusvillagers.”

Itwas2003beforeNkwichithrewwideitsdoorstovisitorsbuthad

‘soft’openingswithanexperimentaltrickleofgueststoboostcash

flowduringtheinterveningfiveyearsofconstruction.

Duringthattimetheprojectreceivedencouragingsealsof

communityandgovernmentapproval.Ittookpatience– gear-

grindingbureaucraticmachinery finallyproduced thenecessary

documentsand licences.

“The local population had readily agreed to our plans but

the elders felt it wise to consult the ancestors,” recalls Patrick,

aged 39. “A graveyard ceremony and another in the forest,

the supposed ‘home’ of the spirits, saw offerings of sugar

and cigarettes made. Apparently, this was suitable enough to

convince the ancestors!”

The enticement for the locals was the prospect of employment.

They had known only subsistence living from fishing in simple

dugout canoes or from bartering crops. The Mozambique

minimum wage then was $US40 per month; now it is $80.

They gathered natural materials and built the lodge by hand

with minimal environmental and aesthetic impact at a cost of

$US200,000. Another $US300, 000 went on equipment.

That same workforce – many without formal education –

have been trained to become guides, waiters, housekeepers.

This mother was destitute after her husband’s death

from suspected malaria left her to care for seven

children, one a icted by polio. Today she earns

enough to feed, clothe and send them all to school.

Brotherhood

Asurvey reportrevealsthat onaverage eachNkwichi

sta membersupports 15familymembers, meaning

900people aredirectlyhelped bylodge wageswhichare

about$US6,000a month.

PatrickSimkinismarryingMoroccanMeriemZinenext

January.Theymetatthelodgeayearagoandshehas

convincedhimtotryto emulateNkwichiinherhomeland.

Theyhave alreadyearmarkedtwo potentialsites.

spotlightinfo

‘This is not about Paul and me. Yes, we were and are apart of it all. But really this has always been a team eort,embracing our six investors, all the sta plus villagers.’

mo tingresponsible tourism

t he f ace of jo y af ter despair

Jo yce...

07/10/2010 16:20

Thesta whowork happilyto makethelodge aluxury location,which

helpskeepthe villagersinemploymentand playingleadingroles

Paul Patrick

Spotlight on Mozambique


8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010


HIVsocial workerAilieTamdownplaysher stirring

commitmenttoMadagascarwhenshe sayssimply:“I’ve

alwaysbeenhumanitariandrawn.

“Livingthereratherthanbeing athomewith myhusbandBen,

werecentlycelebratedour firstanniversary,is certainlyalot more

challenging!Butit isextremelystimulatingandrewarding.Thereis

alwayshope.”

ThescaleofobstacleswheresheisbasedatFortDauphincould

dauntthestrongest-willedcharacter.She boldlyfacesthe reality

thatmorethan90 percentof its55,000populationlive below

thepovertylinewithilliteracyratesupto80percent,more

predominatelyamongwomen.

Ailie,fromCardiff,UK, isworkingspecificallyamong femalesaged

13-25to educatethemonsexual health,thedangersof transmitted

diseasesandthefurther problemsthatcancreate.

“Asavolunteeronaresearchplacement,I ledaprojectlastyear

toimproveHIV preventioneffortsforNGO Azafady,whichhad

experienceddiffi cultiesreachingyoungpregnantandmarried

women”,recalls Ailie.

“Iworkedamong HIVpatientswhilestudyingat Liverpool.

OnceI completedmyMastersinsocialworkIknewIwanted

togo toAfrica topursuefurther educationina four–yeardoctorate

inHIV epidemiology,specialisinginsocial analysisof

pregnantwomen.

“Iwasamazedathowinequalityin

Madagascarwasreinforcingthe

women’s

tendencyto engageinhigh-riskbehaviorthatincreasedtheir

vulnerabilitytocontractingHIV.”

Theearlysteps ofprogresswill expand–bolsteredby herselection

from2,500applicantsfor the£45,000VodafoneWorldof Difference

grant.Itgives herthechanceto setup aspecialisedHIV maternal

preventionproject witha full-timefemaledoctorandthree part-

timepeergroup educators.

Theschemeis vitallyimportantforthe futureof theisland’shealth

–andchancesof prosperity–because theworst-caseprediction

isthatin 15years’Madagascarwill havefolloweddownthe pathof

countrieslikeKenyaandSouth Africa,whereup toa quarterofthe

populationisinfected.

“Westill havetimeto preventthisdevastatingdiseasefrom

obliteratingthisbeautiful country,”saysresilientAilie.

Sheviewsher involvementin Madagascarintheround –a spokeof

responsibletourism:“NGOexpatsprovidean incomeforMalagash

aswebuyhomefoodandgoods,rentpropertyanduselocal

labour,forwashing,ironing,taxis andguides,for whichwepay

aboveaverage.

“Azafadydoamazingwork amongthecountry’smost deprived

communities,200,000 peoplehavebenefittedfromat leastone

ofthehealth, education,conservationorconstructionprojects

undertakenthroughan amalgamationof volunteersandlocals.

“Iadore theunpredictabilityofworkingfor Azafadybutoccasionally

Iexperiencewaves ofcultureshock whichremindmeof the

deprivation.Girls areencouragedto marryor becomepregnant

fromas youngas12 astheir familiessimplyjustcannot affordto

feedthem.Thissituationpromptswomen togenerateincomevia

sexworkingand thiscouldbe theequivalentofUS50

centspersession. Sextourismi

rifein thesouth.Multiplepartn

Malagasyculture.It iscommon

whilehiswife ispregnantor ha

“Unprotectedsex andmultiple

inFort Dauphinwhicharepred

40percentamongwomen. Th

centinthepastfouryears.

“Settingupthe first-everanten

women’sassociationshasa str

supportnetworkto createa sa

discusssexual healthandchall

“Myaimistoempowerandun

informeddecisionsand,ultima

thatpersuadeshusbands,brot

attitudeandactivity.”

Toincreaseher backgroundkn

theworkof Azafady,Ailiemade

volunteerplacement.

Sheadmits:“Emotionally,attim

tracks.I hadtoturnawaytohid

scrapingthetoplayerofmudf

holefor theirfamily’sdrinkingw

“Imeta pregnant14yearoldin

child.Thatwas distressing.

“EverymorningasI walkthed

wearingaplastic bagfor anap

“Thebiggestincidentto raisem

beingdiagnosedHIVin FortDa

“Iwant toput moneybackinto

afragile ecosystemthatishigh

beingtakenas typicalof theW

needto keepa logicalheadon

ButAilierefuses tobe deflecte

comprehendsher undertaking

adds:“I feltso optimisticabout

projectfromthe beginning,ne

toooverwhelmed.I havenotfa

anyhostilityand whenI speak

BenanddescribewhereIam

hecan visualisebecausehe ha

beenhere.”

Hefullybacksherandwhenh

visits,therewillbe thebonuso

someextra responsibletourism

toMadagascar.

Champion Women’s

200,000 people have benetted from at least one of the health,education, conservation or construction projects

Two women sifting a mud hole to extract water; the rst child

diagnosed with HIV; a pregnant 14-year-old mother holding her

baby… these are among the stark images that have convinced a

25-year-old, newly-wed woman to leave home for a year.

Azafady:www.madagascar.co.ukVolunteersperyear: 120Projects:Englishteaching,schoolbuilding,communityconservation,sustainablelivelihoods,healthand sanitation

Ailie’saimsincludetraining

localwomentosowhealth

messagesthroughsinging,

dancingandappearingin

threecarnivals

Spotligh

he once lost a job because of her sleepwalking. But she is wide-eyed and

wake advancing the merits of vetted responsible tourism.

Jenefer Bobbin has a dream… to

ne-tune an innovative verication

scheme that throws a beam of light

to inform travellers and protect lowly-

aid workers.

enefer has always tried to keep the world

n the picture. Initially, she wanted to be a

V camera operator; instead she won high

raise for her skills in website development.

n between career shifts, she worked as a

hotographer on cruise ships.

oday she has her lenses rmly focussed on

system of verication that could resolve

ots of grey areas in responsible tourism

ompanies’ mission statements.

enefer has produced a manual of RT

uidelines and principles. Now is the start

f an ‘all-systems-go’ campaign to have it

ecognised, adopted and followed.

A handful of companies are showing

enite interest in the idea and, hopefully,

thers will join them,” she says.

n Nepal for the third time road-testing

erication progress, Jenefer adds: “I not

nly aim to set it up in Nepal but globally.

wouldn’t single out Nepal as needing

he process the most. They’re no worse

han many countries and, overall, I’ve b een

mpressed with businesses that have put

hemselves up for scrutiny.

Basically, rms interested must have a RT

olicy outlining their accomplishments on

ocial, economic and environmental fronts.

They will sign up to make an annual report

measuring achieved standards against their

upposed targets. These claims are then

ndependently checked.

t highlights or exposes shortfalls and

eciencies. The more companies in the

ystem the more it will weed out the

mposters.

think by understanding what companies

ren’t doing makes things more apparent

nd transparent for

the layman to help select with whom to

book.”

Jenefer, 35, from Cornwall, had executive

roles in London and New York before she

became disenchanted over a lack of RT as

a business ethos. She recalls quitting three

years ago a £30,000 position because it

was too intense to combine it with her RT

Master’s degree. “I decided to work for

nothing for nearly ve months with Nepal

trekking outt socialtours.com – where I

could mix my studies with some genuine

hands-on RT experience.

“I rented out my London at to enter

the unknown. It was a huge step. I

remember being in the taxi from Tribhuvan

International airport at Kathmandu, having

left a safe job, thinking ‘What have you

done Bobbin?”

Before departing, her mentor, Professor

Harold Goodwin, raised the subject of

developing a reporting initiative of p eople’s

RT successes compared with intent.

“To be honest, I wasn’t 100 per cent

sold on the idea but was happy to take

on the task as my dissertation. I felt this

would help open doors and give me the

alternative experience to get me out of the

IT pigeonhole.

“I’m now a rm believer of the verication

scheme. It is denitely easier for local

businesses to implement rather than a

complex (and often irrelevant) certication

scheme.”

Jenefer, with an engineering degree in

Information Systems and Multimedia

Communications, can smile now about

going walkabout in a trance below

deck and being medically discharged.

That pulled down the shutters on her

photographic ambitions.

Now she is walking a newroute – and is grateful for

the backing given her by

Raj Gyawali, founder-owner of socialtours.

“He let me work for his outt, using it as a

guinea pig. I helped enhance his RT policy

and then moved on to examine in depth if

his company was doing what it said.

“It was quite a shock for Raj to discover he

didn’t meet some of his targets. It clearly

signposted areas he had let slip. It made

him concentrate and refocus.”

Next month he undergoes his yearly audit

and report seeking verication. That means

closing the gap on his aim of “ten per cent

prots going on sta benets.” In previous

checks he had fallen well short.

The verication process comes strongly

into play monitoring porters’ treatment and

conditions. “Here Raj sets his load-carrying

limits low – at 20 kilos – partly because

he anticipates commonplace instances of

trekkers piling stu on the porters along

the way. Also he recognises porters can

solicit extra weight for the increased pay.

“You see girls as young as 16 carr ying 60

kilos,” points out Jenefer. “The heaviest

load I saw was 102k being humped by a

man wearing ip ops.

“The limits are supposed to be 30k, though

this isn’t enforced. All it takes is a couple of

hundred rupees extra (about $US3) for the

porter to be prepared to carry additional

luggage. I hired a porter who started out

just under the 20k but he volunteered for

a further burden when another trekker

joined our group. He insisted that his load

was easily manageable and confessed he

needed to earn more because his wife was

sick. I felt it wasn’t my place to tell him what

he could or couldn’t do.

“While many international companies’

porters go overloaded, that never happens

with the mules, conned to 50kg. There’s a

simple reason. They stubbornly won’t movewith excess baggage!

The human

workhorses accept abuse because they are

often remunerated by kilo rather than total.

“And there is always someone on the

sidelines prepared to step into their place

and do the donkey work.

“When I climbed Kilimanjaro in Tanzania the

porters’ loads were weighed before being

allowed through the gates to the mountain

trail. They are restricted to 20k maximum –

ten less than their Nepali counterparts.

“It needs a combination of companies,

trekkers and authorities to act.

“The verication scheme’s aim is to educate

people and highlight such practices.”

Socialtours boss Raj says: “Since we opened

in 2002 we have sought to have vision

and commitment to RT, doing things our

own way. We believe that responsibility is

something felt individually.

“Wehavebeeninvolvedin severalinitiatives–

energyusage,continuoussta development,

andliaisonswithnationaland international

partners–all tobroadenour knowledgeand

behaviour.But itwas hightimeto measure

againstpreachingandndfuture direction.

Therewerealwaysquestions:‘Whatareyou

doing?Howmuchresponsibilityispractised?

“We’ve always wanted to go deeper and

prove that RT makes perfect business sense.

Without doubt, auditing has benets,

provides proof and has tremendousmarket advantages.”

‘You see girls as young as 16 carrying 60 kilos…

The heaviest load I saw was 102k being humped bya man wearing ip ops’

Loads of Ambition

Jennefer– farsighted

Raj–keentoimprove

It’saweightymix…

muletrainsand human

carryon’s

Spotlight on Nepal


8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010


Headmits:“Itwasa shotinthedark.I cashedinallmy

chips,astheysay.IfI hadn’tbeensuccessfulitwould

haveputmebacktozero.”Hesoldupeverythingand

histotallife savingsamountedto£2,000 whenhe

arrivedintheUK.Thatwassupposedtolasta year.

“I was very much like a horse with blinkers on

when I arrived in 2004. I wanted to be able to

return to Belize with something positive. I

thought I had prepared well yet at Gatwick

Airport I remember not knowing how to

catch a train to London or to Greenwich

University.

“Instead, I went by taxi and it

seemed to account for about 20

per cent of the money I had! I didn’t

make that mistake again.

“The first night I remember sleeping

between the mattress and the springs

because I was cold and had no bed linen.

The following day I got myself together.

“I was fortunate to get a job near the

university – working in McDonald’s.

They were hiring students. It saved me

financially. It was all a climatic, cultural

experience. I look back on it fondly. It gave

me increased expectations and drive

when I returned to Belize in 2006.”

Last summer, aged 30, he was back on

English soil on a legislative drafting

course – primarily for people who work

in parliamentary counsel offi ces or justice

and attorney general departments. He was the only one not in

the legal profession.

However, he was not a fish out of water. His father, Nicolas, 57, is a

lawyer with a small practice in Belize.

“I’m the first member of the family for couple of

generations not to go into law. That background

has enabled me in a lot of ways. I have inherited

the mentality, I suppose, to help me in

understanding the processes. “

His brief in London was to gain technical

know-how to advance government

guidelines and policies for tourism, which

has overtaken agriculture as the

main industry in

Belize – 52 per

cent of gross domestic product. “I’ve learned a lot of techniques

which can assist us,” says Yashin, never inhibited by breaking

new ground.

Belize , independent only since 1981, where the basic wage

is about $US2 an hour, is lucky to have exceptional men as

compelled as him to raise standards.

He adds: “What makes me feel good is to see first generation

young people at school able to do so because their mother or

father is employed in tourism. These wages support them to go

to university.

“This sparks me – watching these sons and daughters have

access to some of the chances that I got.

“Several examples warm me. One young man whom I work with

occasionally is an indigenous Mayan lad from southern Belize.

None of his family had been trained or attended university.

“His father took a job in a local hotel and it exposed the boy to

tourism. It inspired him. He got himself into the University of

Belize, finished his bachelor degree and today is running his own

tour operation company.

“He is from Toledo – my favourite area for its hiking and

appealing peace and tranquillity – and the region contains more

than 30 Mayan villages, where they have survived happily and

predominantly off subsistence agriculture.

“There is a Mayan High School, Tumul Kin, where the pupils

are trained in the traditional language, music, agricultural

practices and tourism

“That living culture has to be preserved, embraced and

encouraged. There is already a micro industry growing

with women selling their embroidery and basket ware.

The income can help fund education and electricity.”

Ruraleducation presentsdiffi cultiesbecause beyondGrade

6(age12)theprospectofattendinghighschoolislimited

bytransportandtuitioncosts.Tourismincomeis keyto

addressingthis. “We need to monitor tourism thresholds but

are starting to see a lot of imp

brought in systems and liaised

much more effective and ma

Yashin has two sisters, Simoan

graduates – who live in Florid

not tempted to join them.

“Belize can be hit by hurrican

great environmental disasters

something like that would ha

economic terms.”

There is also climate change

happen to The Great Blue Ho

200-mile Belize Barrier Reef R

in the world.

“We are investigating how to

programme to protect it but d

such scientific research. You h

“I have a three-year-old son D

what the world will be like for

“We have learned to deal with

always knew what people we

to appreciate it.”

BelizePrimeMinisterDea

commitmentsthattouri

country’seconomy.Tour

$183.3million

Onaverageonly40perc

mainlyboutique–areta

thereisscope Belizeisno

numbers.It isgarneringt

tolargelyundeveloped,

watching–withlimitedi

YashinDujonsays: “Aira

clear.Ibelieve ourprodu

complicatedforEuropea

viathe UnitedStates,Me

“Wearehopeful aboutin

course,theairline indust

“Ourpopulationis300,0

plus800,000 cruisetrave

testof protectingwhatth

howmanyyoucansafel

whoworksin tourism.”

spotlightfa

‘What makes me feel good is to seerst generation young people atschool able to do so because theirmother or father is employed intourism. These wages support themto go to university.’

FromLeft:Walking

aneline between

trainingforthetask

ofreceivingeager

cruisepassengers

andpreserving

everythingforthe

nextgenerations,suchasthree-year-

oldDamian

S

Y ashin Dujon has obsessively devoted much of his time

to what happens to his country.

“I have lived and been away from Belize many times,”

ays” but I am always drawn back and want to help it improve.

at we are doing now really e xcites me. Every day I love my job.

optimistic that the next 12 months will see huge progress

ur legislation policy and Master Plan for responsible tourism

h mandatory standards for sustainability. The idea has a lot of

mentum.

ere is much work to complete but I’m full of hope. We are just

ing started. We have a long way to go.”

hin, technical offi cer at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil

tion, adds: “There will be mistakes along the way but I’m

ng down the road to the benefits we will reap ultimately

m the effort being put in now.

ok forward to that chall enge to turn dreams into reality.

a student in Colorado I was oblivious about ‘dream catchers’

l a Native American Cherokee friend taught me about them

how they’re made.

u hang them above your bed to trap nightmares or to help

when in need of luck. The trick is you have to be given one

pal. I ended up giving mine to someone who needed it

e than me. I have not received one since!”

hin has made his own luck. By 24, he had completed studying

wo degrees. But he would never have imagined the path

ad as he departed a cosy family atmosphere in the capital,

mopan, to take a scholarship among 25,000 students in the

es.

ft a city that had just two grocery stores, a population of

0, one high school – the same children who were classmates

at three years old were still there with me when I left. It was a

tight-knit community where you knew everyone by name or

sight. You said ‘Good morning’ to everybody you met.

“I cried all the way to the airport and on the plane until I fell

asleep.

“I had been out the country before but never to a cold climate.

I found that my lightweight jacket was inappropriate for the

snow! Those four years greatly affected my life, not so much the

academic work but the exposure. I travelled an immense amount

– especially national parks – and saw cities such as New York,

Los Angeles, Houston. I was immersed in a completely different

society in a developed countr y. With different laws!

“I was used to buying beer. It was quite natural. So when I went

around the supermarket shelves on my first shopping trip I put

some in with my food. .

“Asked to give ID, I offered my Belize driver’s licence. It worked

then but not the second time. The cashier said: You’re only 16. I

can’t serve you. I was not allowed another beer all four years in

the US! “I was still too young to drink alcohol when I finished my

degree. I had to have a graduation celebration drink back home. “

Aged 20, qualified in natural resource management and

interpretation, Yashin landed “my dream come true ro le.”

He worked for five years as the Director of Parks and Personnel

for the Archaeology Department.

“I managed all the archaeological tourism attractions… ruins,

caves and parks. Forty-two per cent of the country is made up of

protected areas.

“I had been fascinated by archaeology since a lad, had visited

most sites. I used to joke that it was the one job in my life that I

would have done for free.”

But he agonised over what to do when

Belize was faced with big

problems after 9/11.

“It had a potentially ruinous

effect on our economy as travellers

shut up shop. There was a spell when

we couldn’t make ends meet before we

started to embrace the mass tourism

generated by the cruise ships.

“It was a financial success because it

prevented the country falling into

a visitor shortage. People could

consider it a necessary evil or

bask in its glory.

“For somebody like me mired in

conservation and preservation,

it was disastrous. We were looking

to control numbers in fragile areas. It was

frustrating.

“At the time we were not really equipped to take on so many

visitors – the average cruise ship passenger list was 3,000.

“The congestion was ridiculous, parking impossible. The

footprint was too heavy.

“I decided conservation wasn’t enough. It was my passion for it

that really drove me away.

“There had to be something else for me if I was to help tourism

drive the country.

“Looking back now I see that we had resources of high value.

And Belize has been able to resolve some of the issues. We have

better routes, roads. We are still upgrading and are at the stage

of balancing out the level of infrastructure required with what

we can accomplish.”

Six years ago he gambled his career to fly into England to take

a Master’s degree in Responsible Tourism, underwriting the

venture “at a cost of around £13,000 – an unattainable figure for

most in Belize.”

Dream Catchere learned about a dream catcher while staying in the United States. Today he catches,

ves, gives and chases dreams for the future of Belize.

‘There will be mistakes along the way but I’m seeing down the road tothe benets we will reap ultimately from the eort being put it now.

look forward to that challenge to turn dreams into reality.’

Spotlight on Belize


8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010


eronica Tonge has loved skiing for 25 years. She is now living it 24/7 –

career, hobby, passion and campaign rolled into one.

She’s intent on showing the world it isn’t just a self-

indulgent pastime that pays no heed to the habitat. But

that it’s a power for good

m her London home in England, Veronica has started the

ly-unique responsibleskiing.comto prove this kind of holiday

protect the environment, introduce economic boosts,

serve energy, repopulate ghost villages and revive faded

ures and traditions.

says: “Winter sports tourism has often been targeted as the

t damaging activity around. I disagree. It can be a saviour

mountain communities. My aim is to work with the travel

ustry, destinations and the media to apply the principles of

onsible tourism to skiing.

witnessed new piste development where the landscape

seemed untouched. I couldn’t identify where

the work had been done. I’ve experienced

lifts – which have had a notoriously

blanketed reputation as noisy and energy-

sucking – so quiet you couldn’t hear them

50 metres away.

“And I’ve met farmers able to

continue making a living like their

forefathers.

“I want to help people

understand the issues and

encourage change, but also

demonstrate that skiing

responsibly doesn’t mean a

reduced experience.

“You can use logic to

prove it will be a better

ski holiday – one that

they’ll want to repeat.”

She willingly concedes a

massive skiing bias. People

have said she should have

trained to be an instructor after

starting the sport after 12.

Skiing was her St. Bernard,

and rescued her from her

first job in the City after graduating in business management.

“I hated it – and left after six months to go and do a ski season.

I had always been interested in the travel industry and had

nearly taken a tourism course. I relished each day working in

France among the skiers.”

Every role she undertook after that – whether in marketing,

business analysis, project management, or website

development – seemed merely a staging post to setting up

on her own three years ago. Veronica squeezed herself like a

concertina to study for a Masters in Responsible Tourism while

working full-time

“By then I was in the industry and had experience in online

and business travel, dynamic packaging, car hire and hotels.

I wanted more knowledge; to learn about the topics I had

seen while on holiday; how you balance the commercialism of

tourism with protecting the environment. I found that the type

of holidays I liked contained most of the responsible elements

but I wanted to investigate more. You will not be surprised to

learn that my masters’ dissertation was on skiing!”

She conducted surveys in the UK and Austria to find why

skiers chose a destination and whether they worried about

safeguarding its wildlife, local businesses and ensuring its

longevity. She also took a microscopic look at pistes, artificial

snow, lifts, infrastructures, communities, accommodation and

even diligently visited an organic waste water treatment plant.

She adds: “I’ve since continued doing extensive research and

worked with countries to understand their environmental issues.

“Lech in Austria was a fantastic positive example – however

throughout my travels I have seen the downsides of skiing and

tourism. Snow can hide a lot – it is often in summer that you

see the damage. What’s done is done. It is pointless looking

back in anger at the how, what and why of some examples in

Western Europe. What we can do is learn, improve operations

now and prevent mistakes in new developments. It needs a

blend of past, present and future.”

Veronica, 37, married to company director Mick – “I honed his

skiing, he taught me to play tennis” – has whizzed down the

black runs in more than 50 resorts across Europe, USA and

Canada and has visited at least as many for summer hiking.

One group of seven to eight villages in the Valais region of

Switzerland dwindled so devastatingly in the 60s that the

population was halved by migration. They were like the

forgotten people and, coupled with a lack of ambition, that

meant only one child every five years got to university.

“Today the area is revitalised because of downhill skiing and

tourism. Every year five to 10 children make university. There are

real viable work opportunities.

“Their location is ideal because skiing takes place largely above

the tree line, a large reservoir provides an hydro-electric system

which powers the lift network and the artificial snow production.

” However, they face diffi cult decisions – like many resorts – if

they are to progress further. Without building one more lift

to link two separate areas, they won’t be able to charge more

for skiers’ passes. That extra revenue is required to replace the

main cable car in a couple of years.

“The scope of skiing is opening up – China, Ukraine, Russia

and India are entering the marketplace. Eastern Europe is

developing venues and there is an emphasis on corporate

social responsibility. Countries such as Bulgaria have so much

potential, with beautiful scenery and fascinating culture,

but there are dangers in hasty development without local

community integration and strong infrastructure plans.

“Plans have to be produced for resorts which eliminate

poor practice. Many places are way ahead in green energy,

home insulation and recycling. Forest destruction should be

minimised and lost trees replaced with planting elsewhere.

‘I want to help people understandthe issues and encourage change,but also demonstrate that skiingresponsibly doesn’t mean a reducedexperience.’

SkiCrusader

spotlightfactsThelmstars’skiingplaygroundAspeninColoradois

notpussyfootingaround. Thecorporatemanagement

companyhasintroduceditsownclimatepolicyand

haslegallybounditselftoreduceannuallytheir

carbonfootprint. Theyestablishedtheindustry’srst

EnvironmentFoundationtogiveto localcausesinthe

community.

InAvoriazinFrancetheyhavecreated‘TheStash’–a

snowboardparkintheforestwithjumpsandrailsmade

entirelyoutofwood.Itis sustainable,easilyrepairable

andnotaneyesoreineitherwinterorsummer.

TheBewusstmontafonisa tourism/farming

partnership inAus tria’sMontafon Valley. Farmers’

incomeshavebeenincreasedbyremodellingcattle

rearingmethodsto dovetailwiththedistinctivefood

supplysoughtbyhotelsandrestaurants. Theycreate

entiremenusoutoflocalproduce.

Veronicahasseenlif ts,

energyand show

makingmachinery

allbecome

environmentally

friendly

Spotlight on Ski Resorts

RODOLFO RADA talks lovingly about

Laura as though his favourite

girl friend. In fact, it’s the name

bestowed on his ageing, sometimes creaking,

1987 VW Golf 1.6cc car that runs on burned

restaurant cooking oil.

Rada, an environmental ‘activist ’, covered 15

countries and 58,000 kilometres (36,250 miles)

in 669 days ending last March . He began at

Vancouver, Canada, and finished in his home

town of Punta Arenas, Chile, last stop before

Antarctica..

Target was Vancouver to Patagonia and back

in two years. Eco-warrior Laura needed a brake

and a break after her exertions, sometimes

carrying loads so heavy they bent her shaft.

Pioneering Rada, 28, is a rafting guide who

simultaneously campaigned against river

damming. He collected strangers as fellow

travellers who wanted to be part of the

adventure.

“This expedition relay attracted 16 people to

join me – ten nationalities as far flung as French

and Brazilian, ranging from anthropologist

to doctor to sports coach. It shows how the

environmental issues are global and the

responses required are in everybody’s interest.”

He was the only one to do the complete trip

and admits: “The project took many uppercuts

to the jaw; we looked up from the floor of the

ring to see no one. It was sometimes just us

battling. “

They brushed themselves down and remained

true to the objectives: spotlighting recycling,

pollution control, alternative energies,

sustainable practices, how to develop

responsible tourism throughout Latin America

and the action drive to keep rivers flowing

free. “I hope that we can

influence the way students

and others travel across

the continent,” he says.

The young idealists

shared driving, heartache,

highlights – and

breakdowns when Laura

had to be admitted to

‘hospital.’ Fortunately,

she survived all

surgery!

One passenger quit

through road rage,

another fell in love and

Rada’s good pal, Canadian

mechanic Steve Muray, who

had accompanied him on two

previous expeditions, flew home when his

mother became seriously ill.

Startedwith$US2,400, threekayaks,two

surfboards,oneraft,100litresused cooking

oil.Totalexpeditioncost: $US28.000with

$US20.000raisedenroute. Morethan500

restaurants,tengovernmentministries,ve

embassiesvisited.

During the journey Rada met Equador

President Rafael Correa, five environment

ministers, economics, sports and transport

government chiefs and did 80 presentations

and lectures to various audiences.

For a brief spell the team grew to five. They

didn’t even fit in the car and tensions grew.

Laura guzzled 8,000 litres of vegetable oil at

only 13-14 miles per gallon as she trundled

along catching all sorts of ‘ailments.’ The fifth

gear ‘blew’ in the final stages.

Lose10-15per centof powerand e ciency

onusedoil.Cruisingspeed56mph.Emission

down48percentcomparedwithdiesel.

“We completed our journey only because

of a network of amazing people,” he admits,

being given lodgings in a church and fire

station among other places. She carried a

back-up diesel tank – needed to ‘fire’

her and which gave 20 per cent

extra power. She took on

only $US500-worth of this

conventional fuel.

In Venezuela

they cashed

in paying $US80

cents for 40 litres!

There was the odd brush

with authority. Well, Rada was

pulled over 350 times by police

actually. But never fined. Instead of

a booking, the police usually added

their signatures to the 5,000

scrawled around Laura’s bruised

body.

In Colombia, one restaurant

had saved their cooking oil

for months and donated 300

litres to raise Laura’s cholesterol.

It prevented a financial crisis

because most establishments in

that country sell their oil for reuse.

Using cooking oil saved $US10.000.

“Latin American

restaurants

of their coo

millions of g

have a posit

society we n

explains Rad

He saw sign

interest amo

Programme

Nations Env

“Creating su

universities,

companies,

people who

– balancing

tourism ind

of importan

such as rive

Theyranou

Panama,Co

carcrashed

wererobbe

He’s set to ta

Climate C in

Rada and co

tragic earth

Learjet fell fr

passengers,

Minister. Six

Steve Muray

in Mexico C

When funds

photograph

Laura is 23, heavily tattooed and waits outside

kitchen back entrances to see what scraps she

can scrounge. It’s behaviour that has taken her

on exotic journeys.

Eating up the Mi

Canada

United States

Mexico

Columbia

Ecuador

Panama

Venezuela

Peru

Chile

Argentina

Costa Rica

Antarctica

Nicaragua

Honduras

El Salvador

Guatemala

Rodolfo verdict:Bestcountry: Colombia

Bestfood: MexicoandPeruBestbeaches: Montañita,Equadorand Pascuales,MexicoBestparty: PanamaCityBestconcert: RockalParqueinBogotaBestroads: USAand CanadaBestgirls: CostaRica,Colombia andArgentinaBestweather: Mexico

Through remote locations… with a

S

l l

l ll

l ll l l

l l ll

l l

l l

l

I ’ - l l

l l

l l

ll-

ll l

l ll l

r r i r ill li i r c

l r l r r r j r l i r

i rl . l c r i l

c i , r ill r i .

r i c l c r c i l i

r i l li li .

“ r c r ic i j i i l

r , r i i r ri i l , ,

l r , ici c r . i i i i

r , r l r r ,” Fi r .

“ l c r ir li i

r ric l r , l c i .I

i , ir r ll r i ll i ill

r ll r r . ”

r l c i l i i c i i i

r i r. I r r i i r

r r , r i i r i –

c ll L i r r , i, , I r l ,

I r i l I i r c r ri II ,

I c r i I li , r l r ,

r i , E r r r r ci i E ,

, ic , , - r i

r l ri r .

i i , r i r, i

r i i i i i i, li i i i

r li ci r . c ri ill i r c i

r l i r r li r c l i

r r ri c , c i l l r c i .

“ r rc r i x i i iri

r i c r c

i r c ,” i i .

c r i r i r , r

l i i – ir ri

c l c r .

, i c i l - x r i ri

c ir r c il r r r r l

r i l c i . cili i r ic,

j .

r, r ’ j rri l , l i i l

l … c l cl r i r. ,

, i r c i r r r

c l – c il r – r ci l i l i .

r i i i lli ll r i i .

r l il li r r ic l

r c i ll r ,” Fi r , i i

c i c r.

c l i cl E ir i r ic

ll r r r r . ll ll r il

rc ll r i i i li

r ci l cl c il r l .

“ c l , ri r i i r i . i

c r r r i r c il li , cc i ll i

r i c r l . r ’ l r i c i i r

li c . i c c l l rci r l i l cl

r c r i r ,”

Fi , “r ric i c l’ ili r i c i l l

c i ic i i l c i .”

r ri , , l i r j c l

r , i ll r i i c rri

ill r r r l cr i

l .

“ c i i rc c r

rc , ” i . “ c r r j c ill l c i

F r r ill c l ill i r r c r

i ll c r ic lc r .” SPOTLIGHT2010

8/8/2019 Spotlight 2010


Date post:	10-Apr-2018
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Spotlight 2010

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