A report by Ritu Makhija
Ecotourism attempts to bridge the gap between wildlife conservation, nature education, community involvement, and tourism. Nudging visitors away from the destructive mass tourism model towards more mindful ecotourism and sustainable tourism will require not just raising awareness, but also empowering visitors to choose the right experiences that benefit wildlife and local communities. Certification of service providers as sustainable and ethical initiatives can help tourists searching for unique yet low impact wildlife destinations and holidays in India.
Initiatives such as TOFTigers are working to fulfill this niche. TOFTigers is a non-profit NGO, promoting sustainable tourism in India and Nepal. Along with conducting an eco-rating for resorts and lodges in India and Nepal, the NGO also works on other initiatives involving ecotourism and sustainable wildlife tourism. An update on some of these initiatives is below:
_C-1300_1712300094.jpg)
TOFTigers is nudging visitors away from the destructive mass tourism model towards more mindful ecotourism and sustainable tourism. Photo: Kunal Ingale.
TOFTigers’ guide training programmes are aimed at enhancing the knowledge and skills of local guides in wildernesses. These not only improve the quality of guiding services but also instill a deeper understanding of conservation principles among guides, thereby fostering responsible tourism practices.
In collaboration with Utsav Camp, SAMPAT Foundation and HATS, TOFTigers, conducted a 12-day Guide Training Programme in September 2023. The 35 participants, many with little or no prior experience, gained invaluable insights into various aspects of the region’s wildlife and biodiversity including the impact of feral dogs, pugmark identification, bird and butterfly watching, the flora and fauna of Sariska, ethics and professionalism for a naturalist, and even snake identification and rescue techniques.
Curated during the pandemic, these sessions invited industry experts to guide the travel fraternity through the unknown times ahead. These discussions gave an in-depth understanding of how sustainability can be embedded in the tourism ethos. To date, these educational sessions continue monthly, with the aim of raising awareness and inspiring action among travellers and industry professionals alike. Find a link to the sessions here.
TOFTigers collaborations with domestic travel agencies and lodge operators involve face-to-face workshops and training sessions on sustainable tourism practices with the purpose of engaging with key stakeholders in the tourism industry. The aim has been to empower travel agents and accommodation providers to be agents of change.
As a representative of Travelife, a leading European sustainability certification programme for travel agents, TOFTigers is determined to play a pivotal role in advocating for sustainable tourism standards in India. By facilitating the adoption of Travelife certification among businesses, we are committed to guide and handhold the agent’s community to integrate sustainability into their operations and products.
TOFTigers is nudging visitors away from the destructive mass tourism model towards more mindful ecotourism and sustainable tourism. Photo Courtesy: TOFTigers.
The TOFTigers Wildlife Awards, established in 2010, highlight initiatives promoting sustainable tourism and wildlife conservation efforts. The primary objective is to acknowledge and celebrate the efforts of stakeholders, businesses, communities, and individuals and serve as a platform for fostering meaningful business-to-business networking opportunities within the travel trade community. By highlighting exemplary efforts, the awards inspire others to follow suit and contribute to biodiversity and habitat conservation.
The 6th TOFTigers Wildlife Tourism Awards were held in collaboration with the Sanctuary Nature Foundation on December 5, 2023, at Bikaner House, New Delhi. This year’s awards with the theme ‘Recognising and Rewarding the Good Work’, honoured outstanding contributions to sustainable and responsible tourism in the Indian subcontinent. The event brought together a diverse array of stakeholders from state tourism officials to businesses, service providers, photographers, community enterprises and wildlife enthusiasts.
Praveen Pardeshi, Member Administration at Capacity Building Commission, Government of India, was the keynote speaker. In his address he emphasised the need to discourage fencing around lodge boundaries within tiger reserves to preserve wildlife corridors.
Dr. Anish Andheria, President and CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Trust, delivered a compelling address highlighting how “tiger conservation serves as a flagship for conservation tourism, which communicates the message that this landscape is not only for one species but shared by all creatures, big and small.” He further emphasised that several wildernesses have come to life on account of tiger conservation initiatives.
The awards covered 14 categories, recognising excellence in various facets of sustainable wildlife tourism. Categories include outstanding ecolodges, wildlife guides, wildlife promotion companies, community initiatives, and tourism initiatives, among others.
The winners and runners-up alike have set exemplary standards, showcasing that responsible tourism is not just a choice but a necessity for the sustenance of our planet's natural treasures. Through these awards, TOFTigers hopes to inspire the travel trade community and others to prioritise sustainability, conservation, and community engagement for a brighter, more responsible future.
Ritu Makhija, a passionate and responsible travel enthusiast, is Director-Sustainability, at TOFTigers.
_C-1920.jpg)