ECOTOURISM OPERATORS
BY
MARIA BEGOÑA VALIDO RIVERO
INDEX
WHAT IS ECOTOURISMPAGE 1
WHAT IS AN ECOTOUR OPERATORPAGE 1
THE ECOTOURISM MARKETPAGE 1
ECOTOURISM DESTINATIONSPAGE 1
SELECTING FIVE ECO TOUR OPERATORSPAGE 2
BAOBAB TRAVELPAGE 2
ALTERNATIVE TRAVELSPAGE 3
KARAKORUM EXPEDITIONS MONGOLIA LTDPAGE 4
NV METSPAGE 4-5
BORNEO ECO TOURSPAGE 6-7
BORNEO ECO TOURS ENVIRONMENTAL AUDITPAGE 7
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESOURCESPAGE 8
What is ecotourism?
To answer that question we should look at the meaning of the word ecotourism first. Eco derives from the Greek word oikos, loosely translating as habitat, and is an abbreviation of the term ecology. The word tourism developed from the Hebrew word Tora, which means to study, learn or search. On this basis, many organisation and
researchers have tried to define ecotourism, but little consensus has been reached. This is mainly due to the many forms in which ecotourism activities are offered by a large and wide variety of operators.
According to the International Ecotourism Society ecotourism is:
‘responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and sustains or even improves the well-being and welfare of local people’.
The Ecotourism Association of Australia puts it more specific, namely as:
‘ecologically sustainable tourism with a primary focus on experiencing natural areas that fosters environmental and cultural understanding, appreciation and conservation’.
So ecotourism could be seen as a form of tourism containing as many of the following
ingredients as possible:
What is ecotourism?
Nature-based, with the main motivation for travelling the observation and appreciation of nature as well as the traditional cultures prevailing in natural areas.
supporting the protection of natural areas by generating economic benefits for host communities, providing alternative employment and income opportunities for local communities and increasing awareness towards the conservation of natural and cultural assets.
minimising the negative impacts upon the natural and socio-cultural environment
including educational and interpretation features enhancing environmental awareness
organised for small groups of interested people
What is an ecotour operator?
An ecotour operator is holidaymaker which is working around the globe to provide travelers with stimulating travel experiences that benefit the visitor, the environment and local cultures. They create the ecotour which is a well-planned, interactive learning experience that introduces small groups of travelers to new environments and cultures, while minimizing impact and supporting conservation efforts.
The ecotourism market
The World Tourism Organization (WTO) estimates that there were more than 663 million international travelers in 1999. Tourist arrivals are predicted to grow by an average 4.1% a year over the next two decades, surpassing a total of one billion international travelers by the year 2010 and reaching 1.6 billion by the year 2020.
The World Resources Institute found that while tourism overall has been growing at an annual rate of 4%, nature travel is increasing at an annual rate between 10% and 30% (Reingold, 1993).
Ecotourism Destinations
According to The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), the most popular ecotourism destinations are:
USA, Nepal, Belize, Galapagos Islands, Kenya, Australia, Peru, Brazil, South Africa and UK..
Selecting five ecotour operators
I decided to do the selection of the five ecotour operators according to the destinations because an ecotour operator working in Australia faces more competitiviness than an ecotour operator working in Arabaria Saudi. The competitiviness can have a negative influence in the way the ecotour operator works.
Selecting five eco tour operators
When people choose a holiday destination the first thing to consider would be security. People prefer go to places like Australia rather than go to conflictive places like Arabia Saudi. At the same time people prefer to buy their holiday packages from a well-known ecotour operator. There are a lot of ecotour operators working in the more demanded eco destinations accross the world but only a few of them are working in not quiet demanded areas and is very difficult to get to know about them. Are the ecotour operators working in the crowded destinations respecting all the environmental rules?
I have choosed a variety of destinations from the different ecotourism hotspots around the world. Three of them facing a lot of demand like Brazil, Africa and India and two of them from less popular areas like Mongolia and Malaysia. After choose the destinations I did an investigation through some web pages like www.greenglobe21.com, www.ecotourism.org and www.google.com to find the ecotour operators that matched the conditions that I was looking for:
■Well-Known, well establiced and very well advertided ecotour operators.
■Very small scale and not very well advertised ecotour operators.
■Working in different destinations around the world.
■Specialized in a particular area or destination.
■Level of credivility. How environmental are they?.
BAOBAB TRAVEL
Who are they?
BAOBAB is a small, UK based, specialist eco tour operator, born out of a
combination of a love of Africa and travel, and a desire to actively work with and
support local communities in the Developing World. Their philosophy has been recognised by responsibletravel.com.
Which products and services do they supply?
Baobab has a range of group trips, including special themed trips. Trips can be booked in combination this means you can pick the itineraries that interest you most and create your ideal holiday.
Which scale of operation do they have and where do they operate?
Baobab is a big-scale and well established eco tour operator that operates in Africa offering group trips and themed trips based in Tanzania.
Which type of market do they serve?
They do not give any information about their type of market.
BAOBAB TRAVEL
Do they directly benefit local inhabitants?
They support the protection of natural areas through generating economic benefits for host communities. Providing alternative employment and income opportunities for local communities and increasing awareness towards the conservation of
natural and cultural assets.
Do they have a waste management policy?
Many of their hotels actively contribute to local community projects, and have environmentally friendly ways of dealing with waste and energy needs
Do they provide a cross-cultural sensitivity orientation for travelers?
They provide educational and interpretation features to enhance environmental
and cultural understanding. Before the tourists depart they provide them with a detailed information pack about their destination.
Does the operator limit the number of participants overall?
They are committed to keeping group sizes small, so as to prevent them becoming intrusive to local cultures or damaging to the environment
BAOBAB TRAVEL
How many days will the group be in each locality?
They offer various durations
Are the logistics well planned?
Their preferred flight agent, North South Travel, is fully ATOL bonded (ATOL number 5401) and non-profit making. Their profits are channelled into the NST Development Trust, a registered charity (no. 1040656) supporting grass-root projects in the Developing World, particularly benefiting disadvantaged sectors of the community and contributing to the promotion of sustainable tourism
Are local people employed?
All their hotels employ local people
Do they avoid or minimize environmental impacts on fragile ecosystems?
They minimises the negative impacts upon the natural and socio-cultural
environment, and wherever possible generates positive impacts
Do travelers contribute, either through money, materials, or labor?
Travelers are encoraged to buy all produce from local suppliers.
Do they have expert guides?
They do not have information about that.
BAOBAB TRAVEL
Will travelers stay in locally-owned accommodations, eat in locally-owned restaurants, use local guides?
They only work with small-scaled hotels that operate in a way that supports the local community. Many of their hotels actively contribute to local community projects, and have environmentally friendly ways of dealing with waste and energy needs. They avoid at all costs, hotels that are owned by foreigners, whose profits disappear out of the host country.
Positive and negative economic impacts:
The company “earmark” a certain percentage or profits for local environmental organizations or other responsible ecotourism projects, for example using the flight agent, North South Travel..
All their hotels employ local people and buy all produce from local suppliers to ensure that money goes directly into the local economy.
Positive and negative socio-cultural impacts:
They employ local people on their hotels but they do not say if they employ local people for both service and management positions.
BAOBAB TRAVEL
The participants are not required to educate themselves through learning materials and reading lists about the destination.
They do not have a stated code of ethics and conduct for both the company and for tourists.
They do not give information about their guides and their qualifications.
They actively contribute to local community projects.
Positives and negatives environmental impacts:
They do not say how many bus, air and train travel are involved.
They do not speak about the clean energy source that they use and how they avoid generating garbage and other wastes
They have environmentally friendly ways of dealing with waste and energy needs.
ALTERNATIVE TRAVELS
Who are they?
Alternative travels eco tour operator was founded in 1990 and for the past 14 years has offered the opportunity to witness and participate in Indian daily life, particularly rural life. They emphasize the importance of real personal contact with local people, believing that this is the only way for Non-Indians to gain genuine insight into a culture as diverse and complex as that of India.
Which products and services do they supply?
They offer tailor made tours in Rajasthan for individual and small groups taking full account of your personal aims, interest and budget. They promote a full discovery of the Rajasthani culture and customs giving ample opportunities of itineration with local both in villages and cities.
Which scale of operation do they have and where do they operate?
They are a small-scale eco tour operator and they operate in north and south of India
ALTERNATIVE TRAVELS
Which type of market do they serve?
They do not give any information about their type of market.
Do they directly benefit local inhabitants?
They involve local people at different stages of their activities so that they benefit as well by this kind of tourism.
Do they have a waste management policy?
Their environmentally friendly ways of dealing with waste and energy needs are:
■ Use of alternative energies; photovoltaic solar panels, solar water heating system, solar oven, low energy consumption bulbs.
■ Organic farming & food
■ Eco-friendly housing; Pampas grass and sun dried clay bricks, mudplaster and ochre
■ Water conservation; Through traditional Indian way of bathing (bucket and mug), collecting water from the rain fall. This water is used for agriculture
ALTERNATIVE TRAVELS
■ Recycling
■ Healthy living
Do they provide a cross-cultural sensitivity orientation for travelers?
They put great emphasis on both orientation programmes and personal preparation (reading and lectures). Therefore we provide reading list and other suggestions to help you prepare for your trip.
Does the operator limit the number of participants overall?
Size of the group would be preferable from 6 to 9 persons.
How many days will the group be in each locality?
They offer from two to five weeks of discovery tours. They take their time to discover the area they are visiting by staying longer in each place and not rushing.
Are the logistics well planned?
They do not give information about that.
ALTERNATIVE TRAVELS
Are local people employed?
All their employees are local people.
Do they avoid or minimize environmental impacts on fragile ecosystems?
They are deeply concerned by environmental issues , they take precautions as much as possible not to exhaust the local resources (water, electricity …), not to create unnecessary trash. They include trekking and camel safaris in their tour. They give the opportunity to discover the countryside at a slow pace and you are less polluting of the environment
Do travelers contribute, either through money, materials, or labor?
Travellers only consume the local community products.
Do they have expert guides?
The guides are passionate and expert. They offer tours both in English and French
Will travelers stay in locally-owned accommodations, eat in locally-owned restaurants, use local guides?
The accommodation is always selected with great care for their authenticity and charm. they vary from family run guest-houses, camping, to lovely Heritage-Hotels.
ALTERNATIVE TRAVELS
Do they “earmark” a certain percentage or profits for local environmental organizations or other responsible ecotourism projects?
Part of the benefits induced by their tours are donated to the association “The Friends of Shekhawati”. This association aims at the safeguard of the Shekhawati wall paintings.
Positives and negatives economic impacts:
They spread part of their benefits between associations to help them to keep the Indian heritage.
They employ local people in all their business areas both services and management positions.
Money coming from travellers goes direct to the local community.
Positives and negatives socio-culture impacts:
They have got a stated code of ethics and conduct for both the company and their tourists
They provide the travellers with a cross-culture sensitivity orientation and participants are required to educate themselves through learning materials and reading lists.
ALTERNATIVE TRAVELS
They have got a well experienced group of guides helping travellers understand and appreciate their environments as well as the host culture.
They make a strong effort to keep travellers involved.
Positives and negatives environmental impacts:
They have got a waste management policy, using clean energy sources, avoiding generating garbage and other wastes and minimizing environmental impacts on fragile ecosystems.
KARAKORUM EXPEDITIONS MONGOLIA LTD
Who are they?
They are a Mongolia eco tour operator. Their travel itineraries are carefully prepared to give the traveller the most rewarding experience of Mongolia. They offer all inclusive packages – transport, food and accommodation
Which products and services do they supply?
They have prepared a range of itineraries that aim to get travellers out of the city and into the fresh air. All their itineraries are for one week trips, Saturday to Saturday. They also offer active adventures and cultural journeys for a minimum of two weeks.
Which scale of operation do they have and where do they operate?
They are a big-scale eco tour operator and they operate in Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar
Which type of market do they serve?
They offer a range of itineraries to suit all interests and levels of fitness. In fact, they place more emphasis on time with the local people than burning up the miles. Their market range from 2 to 72 years and they are children friendly
Do they directly benefit local inhabitants?
Yes, they do by trainig local people and involving them in a Karakorum Expedition.
KARAKORUM EXPEDITIONS MONGOLIA LTD
Do they have a waste management policy?
They do not give any information about this topic.
Do they provide a cross-cultural sensitivity orientation for travellers?
Their active adventures are created to make feel the traveller as part of the scene, breathing the air, meeting the people and taking every opportunity to participate in unexpected happenings along the way
Does the operator limit the number of participants overall?
Groups are refreshingly small, typically between 4 and 8 persons.
How many days will the group be in each locality?
They offer from one week intinerary trips and active adventures and cultural journeys for a minimum of two weeks.
Are the logistics well planned?
Traveller have to get by themselves to Ulaanbaatar . They provide the rest
Are local people employed?
Yes, they do
KARAKORUM EXPEDITIONS MONGOLIA LTD
Do they avoid or minimize environmental impacts on fragile ecosystems?
They do not give any information about this topic.
Do travelers contribute, either through money, materials, or labor?
They do not give any information about this topic.
Do they have expert guides?
They have got a team of Mongolian, Australian and American staff that are busy planning, running and researching new trips all year round. When not on the job, you can usually find at least one of them on a river or up a mountain. Their full-time staff is complemented by a fantastic team of herders, park rangers and drivers, spread throughout the country, who provide their local knowledge and skills to make every trip special
Will travelers stay in locally-owned accommodations, eat in locally-owned restaurants, use local guides?
They do not give any information about this topic.
KARAKORUM EXPEDITIONS MONGOLIA LTD
Do they “earmark” a certain percentage or profits for local environmental organizations or other responsible ecotourism projects?
They do not give any information about this topic.
Positive and negative economic impacts:
They do not say if they distribute some of their profits or benefits into the local community, in any kind of environmental organization or in any responsible ecotourism project.
They employ local people but they do not say in which business areas both services or management positions.
They do not say if money coming from travellers goes direct to the local community.
KARAKORUM EXPEDITIONS MONGOLIA LTD
Positive and negative socio-cultural impacts:
The participants are required to educate themselves through learning materials and reading lists about the destination.
They do not have a stated code of ethics and conduct for both the company and for tourists.
They give full information about their guides and their qualifications.
They do not say if they actively contribute to local community projects.
By training local people and involving them in a Karakorum Expedition they do their best to contribute to the local communities where their trips go.
Positives and negatives environmental impacts:
They do not have a waste management policy to minimize environmental impacts on fragile ecosystems.
They do not say how many bus, air and train travel are involved.
They do not speak about the clean energy source that they use and how they avoid generating garbage and other wastes.
NV METS
Who are they?
METS, translated in English as “Movement for Eco-Tourism in Suriname” is established by the government of Suriname in 1962 and is now an independent company of which Surinam Airways (SLM) is the largest share-holder. METS is a company specialized in:
■ Since 1992, tours into the interior, the capital city and other interesting locations in the coastal area of Suriname
■ Since 1995, management of recreation-resort Colakreek lies at approximately 50 kilometers from Paramaribo
METS is a ‘green’ travel tour operator which means that the exploitation of responsible tourism is her primary goal. An example of this is that during all trips into the interior, the environmental polluting waste is taken along for responsible processing in Paramaribo. This ‘green’ idea with regard to the safe-keeping of the environment is also maintained in the policy of the Residence Inn Hotel
NV METS
Which products and services do they supply?
The development of sensible tourism in Suriname on an industrial and economic basis, is the most important principle of METS. METS provides this by:
■ Developing tourist activities on its own as a company
■ Supporting initiatives of the indigenous inhabitants
The starting-point of the above-mentioned goal is the direct involvement of the indigenous population in the activities of METS. This involvement manifests itself by means of:
■ Cooperation-agreements with the owners of the facilities;
■ Management of the METS facilities by local inhabitants;
■ Labor-agreements with the local inhabitants;
■ Off-take of goods and services from the local inhabitants;
■ Stimulation of goods and services for immediate supply to METS;
■ Taking care of education, public health and other primary benefits in coordination with responsible parties.
METS also offers complete tourpackages for more than one day in which international air-transportation, hotel accomodation, meals and transport from and to the airport are included.
NV METS
Which scale of operation do they have and where do they operate?
They are a small-scale eco tour operator and they operate in Suriname part of the extensive South-American Amazon rainforest in Brazil.
Which type of market do they serve?
Considering the character of their trips, they advise you not to take children younger than 8 years along on the trip. Their market range from 8 to 60 years.
Do they directly benefit local inhabitants?
Participation on one of their tours is a sure guarantee for a memorable trip while you are at the same time contributing, through eco-tourism, to the protection of the indigenous population and the environment and in so doing help to develop these in a responsible manner.
Do they have a waste management policy?
during all trips into the interior, the environmental polluting waste is taken along for responsible processing in Paramaribo. This ‘green’ idea with regard to the safe-keeping of the environment is also maintained in the policy of the Residence Inn Hotel.
METS also exerts itself to actually involve the indigenous people in the tourist activities. By means of small scale development projects it is accomplished that they not only manage the tourist product, but are also made aware of maintaining the natural environment
NV METS
Do they provide a cross-cultural sensitivity orientation for travellers?
They give a full orientation about the local people at Palumeu, the Amerindians and the place.Quality, satisfied guests and the direct involvement of the local population are the starting-point of all METS activities.
Does the operator limit the number of participants overall?
They do not give any information about this topic.
How many days will the group be in each locality?
They offer from one day to five days intinerary trips.
Are the logistics well planned?
Traveller have to get by themselves to Paramaribo. All trips start in Paramaribo. From there, you leave by small airplane (approx. one hour) to your destination in the interior. All other transportation is by dug-out canoe or by walking through the jungle.
NV METS
Are local people employed?
Local people are employed on the service sector and as guides mainly.
Do they avoid or minimize environmental impacts on fragile ecosystems?
METS is a ” green” tour operator which means that it keeps the banner of sensible tourism. By means of small scale development projects it is accomplished that they not only manage the tourist product, but are also made aware of maintaining the natural environment
Do travelers contribute, either through money, materials, or labor?
They recommende the travellers to take some pocket money for bar expenses and Suriname souvenirs. Visitors, can give support directly for the benefit of the development of the village community by participating in various projects. One of the most recent projects is the establishment of a school at Palumeu which was made possible through a donation of visitors to the resort. Another project involves the establishment and furnishing of a medical post at Palumeu. METS intermediates between visitors and the coordinating persons/institutions.
Do they have expert guides?
Each trip is being guided by experienced tour guides, most of whom are people from the interior themselves. The guides know all aspects of the Surinamese interior and are trained to avoid risks. Apart from the local dialect our guides speak Dutch and English.
NV METS
Will travelers stay in locally-owned accommodations, eat in locally-owned restaurants, use local guides?
Their “jungle-resorts” are equipped with comfortable overnight-facilities, a dining-room and bar and a recreation-room. The holiday cabins are built from local material and are set up in traditional style. Each comfortably decorated cabin has two single beds with “klamboes” (mosquito nets).
The food is partly obtained fresh, locally. The generous meals consist of typical Surinamese dishes, prepared by local cooks. Water intended for consumption is first cooked for quite a while on wood fires.
Do they “earmark” a certain percentage or profits for local environmental organizations or other responsible ecotourism projects?
They give support directly for the benefit of the development of the village community by participating in various projects.
NV METS
Positive and negative economic impacts:
The company “earmark” a certain percentage or profits for local environmental organizations or other responsible ecotourism projects, for example projects for the establishment of a school at Palumeu .
Local people are employed as guides, cookers, etc..
Money coming from travellers goes direct to the local community through donations for local projects, using local acommodation, buying local suvenirs, etc.
Positive and negative socio-cultural impacts:
The participants are required to educate themselves through learning materials and reading lists about the destination and the culture of their inhabitants.
They have got a very well established stated code of ethics and conduct for both the company and for tourists.
They have got experienced tour guides, most of whom are people from the interior themselves.
They make a strong effort to keep travellers involved.
NV METS
Positives and negatives environmental impacts:
They only use one small airplane to get to the destination in the interior. All other transportation is by dug-out canoe or by walking through the jungle.
They have environmentally friendly ways of dealing with waste and energy needs but they do not speak about the clean energy source that they use and how they avoid generating garbage and other wastes.
By means of small scale development projects it is accomplished that they not only manage the tourist product, but are also made aware of maintaining the natural environment.
BORNEO ECO TOURS
Who are they?
Borneo Eco Tours is winner of several international tourism awards for its unique tours. Set up in 1991 by Albert Teo who has over twenty years of experience in the nature tourism industy in Borneo and staffed by 40 well trained personnels and with a fleet of 15 airconditioned vehicles, speed boats and river boats, rafting equipment of the highest standard.
Which products and services do they supply?
Borneo Eco Tours specialises in nature based tours including exotic cultures, botanical and birdwatching tours, wildlife river safari, whitewater rafting and jungle trekking among others.
Which scale of operation do they have and where do they operate?
Small-scale eco tour operator operating on the island of Borneo, Malaysia.
BORNEO ECO TOURS
Which type of market do they serve?
They do not give any informationa about this topic.
Do they directly benefit local inhabitants?
They provide educational opportunities and environmental awareness for the staff, guides and local communities.
In 1997/98, funds were raised from local and overseas tour operators and hotels to provide local families with water tanks for the collection of rainwater for drinking, as river water often contains water-borne diseases. In 1999/2000, further clean water supplies have been established for local families.
Tourists are often invited to tea at the houses of local villagers, allowing residents an opportunity for extra income.
From Nov 1999, local dances are being offered to tourists to support the local community
They encorage the visitors to support the local economy and people by purchasing supplies if available.
BORNEO ECO TOURS
Do they have a waste management policy?
They have a management policy for waste water, fresh water resources, energy efficiency, conservation and management and waste Minimisation, reuse and recycling.
Do they provide a cross-cultural sensitivity orientation for travellers?
Information regarding the company’s environmental progress and contributions is available for guests, as is a Code of Practice but they do not say if visitors are provided with a cross-cultural orientation.
Does the operator limit the number of participants overall?
They do not give any information about this topic.
How many days will the group be in each locality?
The offer from 1 day to multi-day trips.
Are the logistics well planned?
They do not give any information about this topic.
BORNEO ECO TOURS
Are local people employed?
Yes, they are but they do not explain where.
Do they avoid or minimize environmental impacts on fragile ecosystems?
They minimize the environmental impacts by the the noise control, the land use planning and management, their waste management policy and the protection of air quality.
Do travelers contribute, either through money, materials, or labor?
Travellers are encoraged to support the local economy and people by purchasing supplies if available.
Do they have expert guides?
All the tours will be conducted on private basis accompanied by their naturalist guide.
Will travelers stay in locally-owned accommodations, eat in locally-owned restaurants, use local guides?
Borneo Eco Tours also operates the award winning 20 rooms ecolodge Sukau Rainforest Lodge. Opened in May 1995, it is built on stilts using different Borneo hardwood species and is completely self sufficient in water and power supply, utilising rainwater and solar energy. Every room has an attached bathroom with solar hot water shower while electricity is supplied at night by solar batteries.
BORNEO ECO TOURS
Do they “earmark” a certain percentage or profits for local environmental organizations or other responsible ecotourism projects?
World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF Malaysia): Borneo Eco Tours has been appointed the official ground operator for WWF Annual Conference 1999 in Kota Kinabalu from 16-18th November 1999 for the pre and post conference tours.
Visit Sabah 2000 Postcards: Borneo Eco Tours, together with Sabah Handicraft Centre has just released 50 designs of Sabah Postcards to promote Visit Sabah Year 2000. A total of 150,000 copies of the postcards were printed with the logo of Visit Sabah Year 2000.
Working with WWF Malaysia under the Partners for Wetlands scheme to implement a standard code of practice for all other lodge operators in Sukau
BORNEO ECO TOURS
Positive and negative economic impacts:
The company “earmark” a certain percentage or profits for local environmental organizations or other responsible ecotourism projects
Money coming from travellers goes direct to the local community through donations for local projects, using local acommodation, buying local suvenirs, etc.
They employ local people but they do not say in which business areas both services or management positions.
Positive and negative socio-cultural impacts:
Information regarding the company’s environmental progress and contributions is available for guests, as is a Code of Practice but they do not say if visitors are provided with a cross-cultural orientation
They do not say if they have got a stated code of ethics and conduct for both the company and for tourists.
They provided educational opportunities and environmental awareness for the staff, guides and local communities.
They have got experienced tour guides.
BORNEO ECO TOURS
Positives and negatives environmental impacts:
They have got a very well plannified waste management policy to minimize environmental impacts like:
■ Used cooking oil is reused for lighting oil lamps.
■ Waste office paper is used for message blocks or photocopy paper.
■ Newspapers are sent to be recycled.
■ Soap/shampoo sachets have been replaced with refillable dispensers to minimise waste and packaging
■ All waste water is treated in a septic tank before it is discharged
■Some outboard engines were replaced with alternatives that were more expensive but much quieter and 50% more fuel-efficient. The old engines are used for spare parts
■Television and radio are not supplied at the lodge so that guests can experience the sound of the jungle.
They do not say how many bus, air and train travel are involved but they say that if tour boats are not full, efforts are made to share boats or combine trips with other tour operators in order minimise pollution and fuel wastage. Solar-powered electric motors are used on river cruise boats in addition to outboard motors to reduce disturbance to wildlife
Borneo Eco Tours Environmental Audit
POTENCIAL IMPACTS
Borneo Eco Tours made the decision to build their own lodge the village of Sukau, located on the Kinabatangan River on the east coast of Sabah, on the island of Borneo. They decided it must be different and unique from other lodges. Most of their tours can be copied by our competitors overnight, and our overseas tour operators are often tempted to change local operators based on price. But when these tours are combined with a unique lodge, the same tours stand a better chance of competing in an industry that is becoming more homogenous.
With this hotel Borneo Eco Tours cause a economic negative impact because more than 80 percent of travelers’ fees go to hotel not to local accommodation.
For instance, positive environmental impacts are:
Solar energy: As the site is very isolated, they inquired about the idea of using solar technology for generating electricity and hot water. No commercial companies have attempted to use it on a big scale in Malaysiae. Based on the engineer’s calculations, they required 120 units of solar modules, each producing 53W, and 100 units of batteries when the lodge is running at full capacity.
Borneo Eco Tours Environmental Audit
Due to the high cost of solar technology, they could not afford to purchase sufficient solar panels and batteries. A hybrid system was adopted with 20 units of solar panels, 4 pieces of dry battery cells (sufficient for 30 percent occupancy), and 2 units of solar hot water heaters. A 5KVA generator was installed to supplement the power requirement. Due to the high incidence of cloud cover and high humidity in Sukau, the system later proved to be inadequate. A 15KVA generator had to be installed. While expensive, using both solar batteries and a generator gave them the reliability and added pleasure of a continuous 24-hours upply of electricity. They can enjoy the sounds of the rain forest at night, while they rely solely on their solar batteries for power. In contrast, the local government can only supply electricity for 12 hours per day.
Electric motors: They purchased one electric motor to tiest on boats in the Kinabatangan river. It proved to be workable under certain conditions, and they decided to order four more motors. With the use of the motors, tourists do not have to tolerate the noise of the outboard engine or the pollution of the exhaust while watching wildlife. At the same time, they can get closer to wildlife for photography. (Wildlife is also not as nervous in the presence of boats with electric motors.) Being the first tour operator to use the electric motor has given them much publicity and helped them to be recognized as a leader in environmentally sensitive tourism.
These are positive environmental impacts
Borneo Eco Tours Environmental Audit
ELEMENTS AT RISK
■ Reuse and recycling of different materials
■ Energy efficiency, conservation and management
■ Fresh water resources
■ Waste Water Management
■ Use of hazardous substances
■ Transport use, boats
■ Land use, forest
■ River and beaches erosion
■ Air quality
■ Noise levels
■ Wild animal life
Borneo Eco Tours Environmental Audit
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESOURCES
Cooper C, et al. (1998) Tourism Principles and Practice (second edition) (Longman)
Waring S and Neil J (1999) Ecotourism: Impacts, Potencial and Possibilities ( Butterworth-Heinemann)
Davidson R and Maitland R (1997) Tourism Destinations (Hodder and Stoughton)
Janer A (2000) Brazil: Is the Sleeping Giant Waking up to Ecotourism? In the International Ecotourism Society Newsletter third quarter 2000.
Lindberg k., Furze B., Sstaff M., Black R., (1997) Ecotourism in the Asia-Pacific Region: Issues and Outlook. (Burlington, VT) The International Ecotourism Society.
