Help Tourism

Fiona Jeffery, Chairman of World Travel Market WTM, officially launched the Green Circuit during the celebrations of World Responsible Tourism Day in London. At the stand of the International Center for Responsible Tourism – India – she personally congratulated the members of the unique travel experience partnership:  Asit Biswas, Help Tourism, Sandeep Sinha and Gopinath Parayil from Blue Yonder Holidays, Ishita Khanna from Spiti-Ecosphere, Vishwaraj Gyawali from Socialtours/SocialTreks and Asit Biswas from Help Tourism.

Launching Green Circuit on WTM

Help Tourism is proud to announce that Sunderbans Jungle Camp has won Wild Asia’s Responsible Tourism Award 2009 in the category “Community-Based to Homestay Operators”.

Three reap regional responsible tourism award
By Wild Asia, 29 October 2009

Three out of eight finalists from six different Asian countries participating in Wild Asia’s 4th Responsible Tourism Awards emerged as winners, proving that sustainable destinations can be made a reality within the travel industry. Established in 2006, the Awards is the first of its kind in Asia and is held annually, aimed at recognising accommodation providers in Asia that are making a difference.

Dr. Reza Azmi, founder and director of Wild Asia shares the need for sustainable tourism as it is something very close to heart having dealt with many environmental and social issues over the years. He adds, “Seeing how crucial the impact of tourism was on natural areas in Asia, as early as 1998, Wild Asia started to understand what it was that made a good tourism operator. An operator we could confidently label “eco” or “responsible”. Today, after more than a decade of thought and dialog with tourism operators, we now believe that we need to move away from simply ticking off “green” practices. What we now look for are operators that we can trust; have the best of intentions; that can demonstrate they understand their local issues and have people in place that can sustain their efforts.”

Operators such as ITC Mughal (Agra, India), El Nido Resorts (Palawan, Philippines), and Sunderbans Jungle Camp (Bali Island, India) have surpassed judges’ expectations by scoring high against the Awards checklist and are this year’s award winners for the following categories of accommodation operators respectively – large; mid-sized to small; and community-based to homestay.

Through self-evaluation checklist submissions and site verification visits by judges and fact-finders to all finalists’ destinations, the winners have demonstrated their strong abilities to meet the Wild Asia’s Responsible Tourism Award checklist’s forty criteria, which comprehensively cover aspects of local employment and economies; respecting local laws, cultures and sensitivities; responsibilities towards employees and communities; recognising the children’s rights; and protecting the environment through a suite of conservation initiatives, efficient use of resources, as well as responsible waste management.

Moving beyond checklists, these operators are fully supported by owners and top management to internalise the elements of responsible tourism and have resources in place to ensure it remains a sound business strategy for economic development. Trusted by their stakeholders whom they actively engage, they are also able to communicate their best intentions to operate responsibly and can therefore make a real difference where they do business.

Never to settle for business-as-usual, these operators are committed to improving the way they do things, i.e. from raising awareness to learning and capacity building; periodic monitoring of performance objectives and seeking innovative solutions for continued improvement; and building partnerships with like-minded organisations to develop holistic strategies in meeting the requirements of responsible tourism.

Mariglo Laririt, resident Biologist and Environmental Manager of El Nido Resorts understands the need for continuous improvement in the midst of celebrating successes. “We feel affirmed and this (winning the awards) spurs us on for ways to improve ourselves. We share this achievement with our partners at El Nido.” 

Understanding and internalising the essence of responsible tourism, these operators are catalysts for positive change within their sphere of influence, inspiring others to embark on the green journey while at the same time, still affording customers with the memorable holiday experience the travel for in the first place.
Wild Asia would like to congratulate winners and finalists for their commendable efforts and commitment in achieving high standards of environmental protection and social responsibility that form the critical pillars of their business philosophy.

————————–
Wild Asia’s Responsible Tourism Award 2009 winners:
• Large Accommodation Operators
ITC Mughal, Agra, India
• Mid-sized to Small Accommodation Operators
El Nido Resorts, Miniloc, Philippines
• Community-Based to Homestay Operators  
Sunderbans Jungle Camp, Bali Island, India

• Wild Asia’s Responsible Tourism Award 2009 finalists: 
  • Large Accommodation Operators
  Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
  • Mid-sized to Small Accommodation Operators
  Soneva Fushi, Kunfunadhoo, Maldives
  Nikoi Island, Bintan, Indonesia
  • Community-Based to Homestay Operators  
  Andaman Discoveries, Phang Nga Province, Thailand
  Lamai Homestay, Khorat, Thailand

For more information about Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Awards have a look at http://www.wildasia.org/main.cfm/RT/Annual_RT_Awards

India’s No.1 business channel, CNBC Awaaz, was looking for the best in travel and tourism.

CNBC AWAAZ Travel Awards is divided into 41 award categories which include 28 research based categories, four categories decided by the jury panel and 9 citations.

One of those categories honored what Help Tourism is all about: The Best NGOs engaged in Sustainable Tourism. And…

WE GOT IT!!!

Here’s a media review on the Awards

It has been almost three months since the devastating cyclone struck the Sunderbans delta. And the battle still continues with poor rain falls, no agriculture followed by the hungry autumn looming large. Thousands of villagers have been displaced; many more have already migrated to the cities leaving behind their heavy hearts, but millions have no choice but to stay back and continue their day-to-day battle in this hostile terrain. The cyclone had hit the Bengal coast on Monday, 25th of May 2009 and has left a massive trail of destruction in different parts of the state. The scale of destruction and the suffering of the effected people were unprecedented.

A long-term plan for creating livelihood options, rebuilding houses, repairing schools and creating fresh and clean water sources is still awaited although reconstruction of man-made embankments has been possible in most of the affected areas. Despite the human tragedy and loss of properties that the cyclone and subsequent floods had caused, the mangrove forests of Sunderbans and its animal life have been mostly intact.

The government’s response to the cyclone devastation was immediate but the relief operations delayed to start as local communication systems were found to be paralyzed and many areas inaccessible by the impact of the cyclone. The army and Border Security Force personals were called in for carrying out rescue operations and air dropping of food packets in the inaccessible terrains. NGOs played a vital role in the relief, rescue and rebuilding operations cutting across all corners.

The Government of India had incepted the Natural Disaster Management Program (NDMP) in 1992-93 following the devastating Latur earthquake to suggest a long-term strategy for managing natural disasters in the country, but from the reaction of NDMP after the cyclone it seems they have not realized that costs of disaster mitigation are far more economical than spending huge money on relief and rehabilitation.

It is beyond any doubt that after a natural disaster of such an extreme magnitude, in which properties and lives of countless people are devastated, anger against the government administration is usual. The Aila affected legendary Sunderbans islanders have been exceptional and have demonstrated their towering courage, resilience and unfathomable fighting spirit instead of showing any anger. One can still see smile on their faces!

Help Tourism and ACT along with their partners, associates, supporters, patrons, and friends have been working non-stop in the villages since 25th May. Our team of volunteers visited most of the affected islands and tried to help out the communities by providing medical assistance, food, water, temporary shelters, clothes, lanterns, mosquito nets, torches, tents. Several thousands of ponds have been dewatered with the help of our pump sets and embankments have been repaired in Bali and adjoining Islands. Medical camps are being regularly organized with specialist doctors and our trained health volunteers. Mangrove plantation programme has already begun to protect the embankments and villages. Support has been extended to the local schools so that normal classes can resume. A mobile medical boat has been placed to provide medical assistance and medicines to far flung areas. This mobile medical facility has a fast-moving ambulance boat also so that the serious patients can be shifted to referral and specialty hospitals.

Many individuals and friends have generously extended support to help us continue our work. It is impossible to mention every one’s name here as the list is long. We apologize for that. Complete details will be available on the website of ACT(www.actnowornevr.org) soon. We and our local partner in Sunderbans Bali Nature & Wildlife Conservation Society are grateful to Wildlife Protection Society of India, Sanctuary Asia, Hemendra Kothari Foundation, Samarpan Foundation, Parabar Cultural Group, Cyclone Aila 2009 Facebook Support Group, Charities Aid Foundation India, West Bengal Voluntary Health Association, Diakonie, Modella Caretaker Centre & School for their generous contribution, support and encouragement.

It is indeed important to mention at this stage about the exemplary and responsible participation of the Travel Industry. Our partners and associates in the Responsible Tourism Network (www.rtnetworking.org.), representing global solidarity to responsible tourism practices, extended all possible support and stood by the effected people of Sunderbans from the day one of the Aila menace. We are particularly grateful to The Blue Yonder (India), Social Tour.com Travels (Nepal), Travel to Care (India & Denmark) and Grass Route Journeys (India) for their leadership and initiatives.

We hope to have all of them with us as the battle continues……..