Since the new programs were introduced, the town has expanded to include a school, a health clinic that offers maternal health services. The town is also regularly visited by the Kouprey Express which provides lessons on environmental and wildlife conservation such as pollution prevention, waste and sanitation, energy use and more. Since the beginning of the project, the illegal activities of smuggling, poaching and slash-and-burn farming has decreased an estimated 70%.

Chi Phat now offers many activities for tourists run by the local community, such as swimming at the waterfalls, night fishing, and traditional Khmer cooking classes. In the close surrounding areas, visitors can choose from trek and mountain bike to explore the village and nearby forest, bird watch from traditional row boats, enjoy wildlife excursions at popular waterholes, or visit the local bat caves and burial grounds. There is also an insightful half day trip to the Million Tree Nursery where visitors can see how the forest is being regenerated and how over 99 species of tree seeds are handled from gathering to planting, afterwards planting a tree themselves to add to the legacy.

Today, many of the guides and forest rangers are former poachers who not only share their history and beauty of the forest, but also protect it from the poachers who remain. The community is learning that by protecting the flora and fauna, they can attract more tourists, therefore generate more income for Chi Phat, while working tirelessly to restore the ecosystem to its former glory. With the introduction of ecotourism, most villagers have acquired better jobs and go through their days knowing they are doing something that’s not only good for themselves and neighbors, but is setting a brilliant example and impacting the planet.

The post Chi Phat Village Sets a Shining Example of Community Based EcoTourism appeared first on Visible Asia.

Located to the north-west of Bandipur National Park, Nagarhole National Park covers 643 square kilometers and is home to a vast array of wildlife including tigers, elephants and leopards, the highly prized sandalwood and teak trees, as well as many local tribes and indigenous communities called Kurubas.  Nagarhole was deemed a wildlife sanctuary in 1955 and moved up to a national park in 1988, then, in 1999 it was declared a tiger reserve as well.

In the early 2000s, over-hunting and poaching were the leading threats to the local wildlife in Nagarhole and other nearby parks, including the careless poaching of elephants for their ivory tusks. Also around this time was a peak in the most recent threat to the area’s ecosystem, the overharvesting of sandalwood and teak trees. Large-scale cutting shrinks the habitat causing a major disturbance to the local wildlife. To make matters worse, due to the increase in nearby commercialization and the relocation of many tribal families, some of these tribal communities gave up their traditional ways and began looking for new ways to support their families.  One unfortunate income option the locals found was being paid by poachers to serve as guides and trackers in the forest, which clearly wasn’t healthy for either the communities or the forest.

Nagarhole National Park now forms a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which is one of the last standing and more protected habitats for the regions endangered species such as the elephant and tiger. It is a major focal point of conservation in Karnataka under Project Tiger and Project Elephant. The area is also attributed with having a high-density tiger population due to the lush thickness of the forest providing cover, the widespread accessibility to water from streams and small lakes as well as the river, and a very high population of small to medium mammals for the predatory tigers to hunt.

One outstanding example of a tourism company that is truly operating with the local community in mind is Evolve Back. Evolve Back is a luxury retreat located on the Kabini river that is using tourism to help the area’s flora regrow and wildlife repopulate all while empowering the local community. Using measures such as only planting local trees and plants, restoring previous farming areas to wild, naturally growing swaths of land, and using only organic manure on the property, the local environment is returning its original rich and diverse state. By using clean energy techniques and some cutting-edge technology they are not only supporting but sustaining and improving the environment. Some of the simpler methods include onsite water treatment, a local piggery to manage food waste, enclosures around machinery to minimize noise pollution, usage of lights optimized to minimize disturbance to nocturnal wildlife, wind-powered generators, and only using electric buggies inside the resort, furthering the local ecosystems regrowth. Lastly, Evolve Back financially supports the anti-poaching camp and provides employment opportunities to locals, giving the indigenous tribes new ways to support their family, while still respecting the forest.

Today, it is imperative that we support the many companies in the tourism industry whose goal is to improve and empower the local peoples, traditions and ways of life, rather than modernize, impede or interrupt. Make sure you do your research on the lodgings you choose when visiting places such as the breathtaking Nagarhole National Park, with its abundance of culture, wildlife and natural beauty. Choosing companies that are directly involved in supporting the local communities, and not just financially, will ensure that the generations to come will be able to experience the rich cultures and natural wonders of the world as they are meant to be.

The post The Evolution of Sustainability in Nagarhole National Park, India appeared first on Visible Asia.

The Spirit of Big Five Foundation supports this project because it offers positive solutions to chronic poverty and unemployment to the most disadvantaged youth in the country. These kids need jobs to help them climb out of the poverty pit they have fallen into by the happenstance of birth.

JYDP has been opening doors into that field since 2006, first at Jetwing Vil Uyana property in Sigiriya and later expanding their programs to other areas of the island including Negombo, Galle, Hambantota, Passikudah, Jaffna and Nuwara Eliya.

Our latest update shows that the Spirit of Big Five is supporting training for 53 students, paying for training for eight students at Jetwing Yala; 37 at Jetwing Lighthouse; and another eight students at Jetwing Vil Uyana.

The goal in replicating this program across the island has been to provide the Sri Lankan hotel industry with adequately trained entry-level employees, while simultaneously involving local communities by providing local youth who successfully complete the program and go on to find employment.

The program began as a community inclusive initiative to address the challenge of youth unemployment and has now evolved into a sustainable solution to the shortage of employees in the hospitality industry. More than 25 such projects have been completed around the island in the last 12 years. Projects such as this are more important today as the country works to regain its footing after recent civil unrest.

This project has a special meaning for Big Five’s CEO, Mahen Sanghrajka, because he, too, began his career in travel by training in hotel management in Nairobi, Kenya.

“I am always heartened when I see programs offering young people this kind of training. It gives them a stake in their own future,” said Sanghrajka.

The post Northern stars appeared first on Visible Asia.

The nonprofit Jetwing Youth Development Program (JYDP), which helps fund training for children of war in northern Sri Lanka, was launched in 2006 with the opening of Jetwing Vil Uyana property in Sigiriya. The Spirit of Big Five Foundation was attracted to this project because it offered hands-on help to young people in the area to encourage them to consider careers in the hospitality industry.

The JYDP puts young men and women through tourism training and finds them jobs in hospitality within Jetwing hotels in Sri Lanka. The program focuses on improving socio-economic wellbeing in rural and marginalized communities through employment in tourism. It also positively influences the country’s reconciliation efforts. The training is free to students, who earn certificates equal to internationally accepted NVQ standards, and have employment opportunities at Jetwing hotels.

Rasiyapriya discovered the JYDP and joined, hoping to find a brighter future. She went through the six-month program that included professional and personal development, encompassing theoretical and practical training. She took courses in English, tourism and hospitality, hotel operations, general etiquette and health and safety at work. The final phase of her apprenticeship was on-the-job training, which she completed at Jetwing Yala, a property in southern Sri Lanka. She perfected her culinary skills, which was her primary interest. She now works in the kitchen of Jetwing Jaffna, supporting her family, and is on her way to fulling her dream of becoming a professional chef.

The Spirit of Big Five Foundation is proud to partner with Jetwing Youth Development Program (JYDP) to help young people like Rasiyapriya discover a positive future much like the country itself is working to reclaim its place on the international stage.

The post Sri Lanka’s next gen & the spirit of Big Five appeared first on Visible Asia.

The problem of illegal animal poaching stretches across the globe – from the Florida’s marine turtles, to Africa’s elephants, to India’s tigers. Many agree that it will take major actions and out-of-the-box thinking to discover solutions that will help alleviate the growing threat to the animal populations of the world.

Down south towards the tip of India in the state of Kerala, Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary has developed a solution that is seeing some success. It seemed a simple approach – offer a deal that means the poacher gives up his hunting and poaching and starts working for the other side, protecting the animals.

In a recent article in the Christian Science Monitor, writer Feliz Franz wrote about a group of poachers who became protectors in Periyar. “For more than 20 years, they hunted the animals they now protect. Today, they work as tour guides and caretakers of the national park, thanks to an initiative by the local forest department. Once the problem, they’re now the solution: a root-cause approach that helped win Periyar a biodiversity award from the United Nations in 2012. This year marks the 20th anniversary of their appointments as forest officers.”

Spread over an area of 925 sq. km/, 357 sq. mi, this is one of the 27 tiger reserves in India. It is also a major watershed area for two important rivers of Kerala, the Periyar and Pamba. The reserve is also home to more than 30 species of mammals as well as tiger and elephant. In 2008, 24 Bengal tigers were counted across the park. Other mammals include the gaur, sambar, wild pig, Indian giant squirrel, Travancore flying squirrel, jungle cat, sloth bear, Nilgiri tahr, lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur, Salim Ali’s fruit bat, stripe-necked mongoose, and Nilgiri marten. About 266 species of birds can be seen in the park, including migrants.

Facing a growing number of armed poachers in need of money, the rangers understood that policing alone would not rid them of poachers in the Cardamon Hills. At the time, Periyar’s tourism industry was less developed, making opportunities for a good living scarce.

In 1998, a group of poachers were offered a deal. With the government’s approval, the forest department offered them a way out. All charges against them would be forgotten if they helped stop Periyar’s poaching problem.

A couple of years ago, Big Five CEO, Mahen Sanghrajka, was working with National Geographic Travel’s World Legacy Awards reviewing properties for an award. “CGH Earth properties started out with one of their major initiatives set towards preserving the local biodiversity of both flora and fauna. Aiming at the source, they started many programs to help educate the local tribes. Thanks to these and other mutually beneficial arrangements, incidents of encroachment, poaching and illegal logging have declined in Periyar,” Sanghrajka said.

After a century of decline, tiger numbers are on the rise. At least 3,890 tigers remain in the wild, according to the World Wildlife Fund. At Periyar, tigers have increased from 21 in 2001 to 48 currently. As welcome as this is, it is clearly not enough. Much more work is needed to protect this species, as there are no poachers-turned-protectors in the 26 other parks. More of these patrols need to be established as well as other measures taken to keep this incredible ecosystem and its inhabitants thriving.  Unfortunately, this invaluable project is slated to end once the officials retire.  We certainly hope this is not the case. We shall see.

The post What can we do about poachers? appeared first on Visible Asia.

Click to Tweet: .@bigfivetours launches new sustainable travel website, Visibleasia.com

May 30, 2018 (Stuart, Florida) – Big Five Tours & Expeditions announced today the launch of Visibleasia.com, a new travel website inspired by sustainable tourism in 16 countries throughout Asia and the South Pacific. The latest in a collection of new websites from Big Five that focus on sustainable tourism, Visibleasia.com is equipped to engage, inform and ultimately connect travelers and travel advisors with opportunities to explore destinations that benefit the local communities and the planet.

Visibleasia.com follows close behind the debuts of two other sustainable travel sites from Big Five Tours & Expeditions, Safaritours.com, launched in March, and Galapagos.com, launched last October. Like its predecessors respectively focused on safari opportunities around world and the archipelagic home of some of the rarest species on earth, Visibleasia.com presents a clear picture of sustainable travel opportunities available in Asia and the South Pacific. This is done through a memorable tiger icon ranking (one to five tigers, with five being the highest) indicating the progress that each destination is making within the sustainable tourism realm. For example, one tiger means that a country is in the early stages of sustainable tourism, while five tigers reflects a country that has established sustainable tourism programs in place at the national level.

“We’re excited to roll out our latest website for travelers and travel advisors that explores destinations throughout Asia and the South Pacific that support sustainable tourism ultimately safeguarding cultural heritage, improving local livelihoods, and saving endangered species,” said Ashish Sanghrajka, President of Big Five Tours & Expeditions. “Our company has always been and will continue to be deeply committed to making the world a better place through purposeful travel experiences that reward friends and family with trips they’ll always remember, while also benefiting the countries they visit.”

The rankings on Visibleasia.com are based upon the three pillars of sustainable tourism including:

• Environmentally friendly practices
• Support for the protection of natural and cultural heritage
• Contributions to the social and economic well-being of local communities

The website also features the blog, Visible Pause, which shares travel information, ideas, challenges and solutions on sustainable tourism in Asia and the South Pacific. With Asia representing about 30% of the total land area of the planet and roughly 60% of the global population, you can bet there is a lot to discover on Visibleasia.com.

For high-res images, please click here.

For more information please contact:

Casey Hamilton
Hawkins International PR
212.255.6541
casey@hawkpr.com

About Big Five Tours & Expeditions

Founded in Kenya in 1973 by Mahen Sanghrajka, Big Five Tours & Expeditions is renowned for customized, luxury adventure travel to more than 45 destinations worldwide. Big Five has been recognized for its sustainable tourism commitment. The company has twice won the Virtuoso® luxury travel network Sustainable Tourism Leadership Award in 2014 and in 2016. Condé Nast Traveler magazine recognized Big Five with a World Savers Award in 2013. For more information about Big Five’s customized journeys, contact info@bigfive.com or call one of our destination specialists at (800) 244 3483. Also visit www.bigfive.com.

The post Big Five Tours & Expeditions Shines a New Spotlight on Sustainable Travel in Asia and Beyond, Launching Visibleasia.com appeared first on Visible Asia.

Browse the Sustainable tourism countries.

The post Welcome to the new Visibleasia.com! appeared first on Visible Asia.