Let's publicize REAL CBET (Community-Based EcoTourism) projects
 

Hi
Let's make a list of places, we can choose as an alternative to making the Rich (Neo-Colonialists in many cases) even richer

i'm talking about projects which are independant, Community-Based owned !!
(unlike other projects where some unknown part of huge profits are being donated to the local community)

<font color="green"> Please add ! especially such projects you've experienced, but those you've heard about as well ! </font>
later, we may consider to sum up according to country in different threads

examples:
<b>Zambia</b>
South Luangwa Accommodation:
(it should be quite an experience as well)
http://www.responsibletravel.com/Acc...tion900135.htm

<b>Kenya
Laikipia eco lodge </b>
<i>&quot;The lodge is a communally owned group ranch. The members have elected a Group Ranch Committee and Chairman to represent over 6,000 people.
It is situated on the 16,500 hectare Group Ranch, opened in December 1996 and is currently seen as 'the success story of Northern Kenya.'
Although the original construction of the lodge was funded by donors and built with the assistance and support of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, <b>the lodge is now independent</b>.&quot;</i>
http://www.responsibletravel.com/Acc...tion100036.htm

aby

P.S.
There are lots of positive CBET projects that are not independant,
therefore i suggest we refer only to those REALLY community owned
Just to give one example that is <b>not</b> specifically what i mean:
example
Tanzania
Kirurumu Tented Lodge
<font color="gray">&quot;Where Kirurumu operates
There are currently a number of core areas where Kirurumu currently works closely with Maasai communities. We have entered into Community Based Tourism Agreements with a number of Maasai villages that are becoming a means for them of escaping the poverty trap they have been in and thereby helping to secure wildlife corridors and dispersal areas. Each of these areas is scenically superb and exclusive core areas which we like to call Private Wilderness Areas. &quot; </font>
http://www.kirurumu.com/about/commun...%20tourism.htm

wilderness safaris and their work with community based concessions. It is no doubt that Vumbura and Duba's ability to extract the highest revenue has a lot to do with the management practices and advertising of wilderness safaris. Oh, owned surprisingly by those neo-colonialists!

I fully endorse the running of community based lodges. Though realistically, in the short-term they require a comapny like Wilderness safaris for a number of reasons. On the whole, this is to do with marketing and general running of the lodges. SAnta-wani is a camp in a wonderful position in the Okavango, though it could do with a face lift and some advertising from a major company to gain a client base. Much like Parfuri in Kruger.

A country like Zimbabwe, where the education levels have been historically higher, the system is easier to implement becasue of the higher skill levels. Countries like Zambia, currently require these neo-colonialists or management companies to run the lodges. Within the local communities of the national parks there are not the people with the experience to run such establishments.

The money raised from such community projects, or from lodge owners generous contirbutions are in time raising educational standards. Botswana is currently going through this generatioanl transition, with more black management staff now coming into the safari service.

On interesting point to look at would actually be the overall benefit derived from a &quot;neo-colonialist&quot; project, as you so put it, or a community based project. Take Mombo camp, charging guests $1200 per night. It must run at nearly 80% capacity year round. Wilderness pay a massive lease for that land, which filters its way into the local communities. Following on from that, Mombo has a

contd.....

Mombo has a large number of staff members. Lets say they employed 40 people for the two camps, it probably works out more beneficial in terms of wages for those from a community than working at a small independent run operation with a low occupancy rate. This includes the returns from guests staying.

Overall, the contributions from privately owned lodges should not be overlooked. Their livelyhood depends on those living in close proximity to the park gaining a direct benefit. Else, poaching etc could become rife. For that reason they are community orientated.

i could go on all day

ones 2 cents worth

aby
one question
would a lodge that is actually owned 50% by a local community and 50% by others be what you regard as real CBET?
David

Hi Aby,

I think this is a great idea. There is so much exploitation and as you call them neo-colonialists becoming richer.

I mentioned a place in a message to another writer - Boundary Hill Lodge in the Tarangire Conservation Area. This lodge is 50% owned and managed by the local Masai village at Lolkisale.

THere is no community based tourist agreement or anything like that...the local village actually owns and controls 50% of the Lodge.

I think there should be a lot more like this and that we should support them. Unfortunately I havn't been there myself, but am planning to visit Tanzania again in 2008 and would like to include that in my itinerary.
bye,

Malpa

In the process define: socialism, communism and capitalism.

What constitutes community? Must it be ethnic? if ethnic, does a 200 year old settler family have community rights, or is that only confined to members of bantu origins? Does philanthropy define a community member or is the philanthropist an outsider for initiating a social upliftment project, or can he benefit too?

This can be an awfully poisonous thread, whats your motive aby?

Yup. Dangerous thread indeed. I am all for community-based ecotourism -- to the extent that I think the local community should benefit economically -- and we Fodorites should support community-based places. This can take on many forms. Just because a camp may be 50% or even 100% owned by a &quot;white&quot; doesn't mean that the community is not benefiting or for that matter that the &quot;white&quot; is not part of the community. Some &quot;100% independent&quot; places need help and guidance. Il Ngwesi (&quot;100%, for example, could not have been built without the support from Lewa Downs (&quot;Neo-Colonialists&quot; you might say). Should we stop going to Lewa Downs now that Il Ngwesi exists next door? I sure hope not.

Let's not talk about &quot;Neo-Colonialists&quot;. All were born in Africa without choice. All consider themselves African.

Aby, <b>I</b> understand what you’re looking for. It’s quite difficult to get any good information. This looks like a real thing. http://www.ecotourismkenya.org/view-...ity.php?key=89
Some really dangerous ladies…

I try and help these guys when I can
http://www.projecttrust.org.uk/proje...anabametsi.htm
they dont have their own website but steve is doing some grea stuff.

kerikeri
I think this is a perfect thread for you to show the world what you have done for your poeple. We are waiting to hear from you.
Mark

Personally I am a big believer in encouraging Community based/owned projects. I have first hand experience staying at two that I very highly recommend.

1) Damaraland Camp in Namibia. It is marketed by Wilderness Safaris but is owned by the community and there is a phase out time frame for WS. I have never felt more exposed to the local community aspect of a camp or learned more about their lives than staying at this camp. It has won some big awards for its community based approach.
http://www.wilderness-safaris.com/ca...mp;method=menu

2) Buffalo Ridge Safari Lodge, Madikwe, S.A.
http://buffaloridgesafari.com

Buffalo Ridge is the first lodge in South Africa to be owned 100% by the local community. They have done a fabulous job building a gorgeous camp. And due to their success another community owned camp is being built in Madikwe but I don't recall its name.

I don't discount that any well run lodge/camp can bring great benefit to the community but I think the model that involves true ownership is a critical aspect that cannot be duplicated in any other way. For the community to be involved in every aspect and derive their own profits is building a sustainable framework for the long haul. There is plenty of room for all types of ownership models but personally I think it is critical to have as much direct involvement from communities as possible and I have made an effort to support them and I can say that the experiences at both of the above camps had a different feel from any other camps I have been to and I really enjoyed that and benefited from it.

Aby-

This is a great thread. I have noticed there has not been a lot of discussion on this board regarding eco-tourism that truly benefits local Africans, so this post could be a great reference.

There are two lodges in northern Mozambique that, although they are not community owned, are very positive iniatives for the communities in which they are based. Please take a look. I hope to visit and report back next year.

Guludo -on a deserted beach in northern Mozambique
www.guludo.com
&quot;Guludo has been built using strict ethical principles that have ensured our host communities and environment receive maximum benefit through the lodge. Guludo has recently won an award for its innovative design, which develops on local architectural styles, using exclusively local materials guaranteeing minimal environmental impacts.&quot;

Guludo Social &amp; Environmental Regeneration Fund
www.guludo.com/en/1/gulprocha.html



Manda Nkwichi Lodge and Manda Wilderness Community Trust - Lake Niassa Northern Mozambique

http://www.mandawilderness.org/

One of the main goals of the lodge is to ensure the lodge helpes to protect wildlife and provide social and economic benefits for local people.
&quot;The Manda Wilderness Community Trust works closely with Nkwichi Lodge to ensure local communities also benefit from the growth of responsible tourism in the region. The Trust also manages the Manda Wilderness Game Reserve which was created to protect and manage a 100,000 hectare community reserve on the shores of lake Niassa. The MWCT is registerd as a UK Charity.&quot;

<font color="blue">Let’s de-Toxicate the poisons right away !!!</font>
(I may even consider apologizing for the term “neocolonialists” )

Come-On gals &amp; guys; all I wanted is to create a list of places, where more profits go to the community (preferably the less rich community)
<b>Did not mean to ban anything </b>
Hopefully, Fodorites will be able to choose an alternative night here and there

Disclaimer:
<font color="red"> I DO NOT OWN THIS THREAD !</font>
<b>Mkhonzo</b>
Go ahead &amp; YOU define any community you’d like
&amp; add to the list of the CBET projects

<b>David987</b>
– yes add those 50% (better than %5)
but on the second row after the 100% ;-)


Thanks to all of you who posted

aby

Aby
I will go to the second row
BOUNDARY HILL LODGE
owned 50% by Lolkisale Village and 50% by local investors
before boking my upcoming trip to Tanzania I researced a lot
books, the fodors board
other websites including that of the World Bank (IFC) and received a lot of info from the operator I am using for my trip.
I chose to stay at Boundary Hill Lodge mainly because of the 50% Village ownership and what I have since found out from the management and websites this is the info I have from one of the owners
&quot;Boundary Hill Lodge has been built in the Lolkisale Conservation area which borders Tarangire national park
this conseravtion area is village land set aside by the local community to preserve the environment and wildlife. the World Bank and Boundary Hill Lodge contributed to the expenses in setting up this conservation area
there are 2 lodges in this consevation area
1. Tarangire Treetops formerly owned in part by Boundary Hill Lodge but now owned by Sopa lopdges and 2. Boundary Hill Lodge
Both lodges pay 15$ as a bed night fee to lolkisale Village
however BHL is also owned and run by the same village as such they have a 50% say in the management and profit sharing etc.
The Tarangire Conservatin Area is part of a hunting block and the villages in conjuction with both lodges are trying to stop hunting in this area.
Already farming land has been returned to the Conservation area
this infomation I received from Boundary Hill Lodge itself and confirmed it on the World Bank website.
For some reason some fodorites who probably haven't stayed at Boundary Hill Lodge dont have nice things to say about it.
After reading one posting the other day I asked the owners to send me a photocopy of the last page of the guest book to see if it was still under construction as I am staying there in early Feb. and was a bit worried.
This is one quote from a guest who stayed there in the last two weeks
&quot;a stunningly beautiful lodge, perfect location excellent food and service
didnt want to leave.&quot;

In short I think this lodge deserves our patronage and according to the feedback I have seen is hardly &quot;mediocre&quot; and deserves to be publicized as a real CBET
especially considering
Tarangire Treetops is owned by sopa lodges
and Swala camp is owned by A@K
and Olivers dont know?
after I have been there I will ofcourse see for my self
thanks David

Thanx David

so, Tarangire Treetops is supporting the local community $15 pppn
out of $475 pppn
http://www.tanzania-web.com/all_lodg...all_lodges.htm

well it is a bit over 3% ...

aby

As others have pointed out the true benefits of CBET versus private or corporate ownership is very difficult.

When you state &quot;all I wanted is to create a list of places, where more profits go to the community&quot; and then later say &quot;so, Tarangire Treetops is supporting the local community $15 pppn out of $475 pppn...well it is a bit over 3%&quot; you are not making sense. If Tarangire Treetops' profits are $3 pppn, then it's 100%. Clearly neither your 3% nor my 100% accurately reflect the percentage of profits (what you originally stated the thread was about) going to the community.

I should add that I am aware of one company-owned lodge that hasn't shown a profit for years (although it is finally approaching break-even) and yet during that period has contributed greatly to the local community. If a CBET had been running the lodge, the community would have lost money or the lodge would have gone out of business and the local economy would have suffered greatly. Now I am not saying that the issue you raise isn't important, just that you can't take an overly simplistic formula for determining which lodges to support.

There’s is definitely a need for information about which private company/local community partnerships are good, bad or ugly, but Aby is asking for 100 % community owned accommodation.

There’s the well-known Il Ngwesi in Laikipia.
http://www.ilngwesi.com/

The very unknown Il Motiok Women's Group owns Ol Gaboli Lodge, also in Laikipia.
http://www.ecotourismkenya.org/view-...ity.php?key=89

I’ve also found Kasigau Bandas in the Taita Hills, though they’re probably too basic for most Fodorites.
http://www.savannahcamps.com/tdc/kasigaubandas.html

And hopefully, Koiyaki Wilderness Camp will open in June 2007
http://www.koiyaki.com/

Does anyone have more examples??? This is important consumer information. Travellers seeking “small (white African or ex-pat) owner hosted lodges/camps” are very well catered for at Fodor’s. I understand travellers paying through their noses for being treated as family friends by people whose lifestyles figure in their (our) most erotic dreams. Wouldn’t this treatment by, for example, a group of Maasai women, also be of interest as a product in a capitalist economy?

As for the partnerships with private companies it’s difficult to know if their landlords are getting a fair revenue, jobs and a respectful treatment or if the company only hire outsiders, has paid some politician to forego all laws regarding landrights, and beat up “trespassers”. Either way, on their website there will be smiling children that have got a new school thanks to the company, and that’s also the story that tourist will be told. More information is needed.

BTW, CBET is not only about money, but also about who makes decisions.

aby
I like the thread
and seem to be one of the few people on this board who have stayed at Boundary Hill Lodge
I wish to make the following for what it is worth
I stayed there in August 2006 for three nights
and was ( I think) fortunate enough to talk to one of the owners Hartley King
he was there at the lodge having a meeting with the board of directors
I was eating lunch at the time and was introduced to them all.
I cant remember the names except that the meeting was in Kiswahili and Hartley was the only &quot;white&quot; person there.
He also told me he was the Chairman of the Board of Directors having been nominated by the Village involved
It was amazing to watch this meeting in a language I didnt understand and then to talk to them and get some first hand feedback was also fantastic this visit was the highlight of a 10 day safari I did with friends of mine
the projectas i found out was started in 1996 and the village have returned to conservation 80,000 acres of what could've been farm land bordering Tarangire National Park
I read a few reports at the lodge and it seemed this conservation area is critical to Tarangire National Park and was a first in Tanzania with Village ownership and is funded by the Global Environmental Facility.
Hartley did tell me there were initially a lot of problems with farmers and other
operators in Tanzanaia as his company had secured exclusive rights to some prime tourist land around Tarangire National Park
He also did tell me that the Village received US$ 50,000 when Boundary Hill Lodge sold their interest in Tarangire Treetops.
Not bad
I dont understand why some on this board are so critical of the project when they haven't even stayed at the lodge
hence my post
The lodge is fantastic and has a real attention to detail
the views are exceptional and the linen out of this world
there is hot water all the time and when I was there
the food was also excellent
As Rocco points out it is only 10mts from the park gate
and the lodge does offers night drives
and village visits
so Aby I like your thread and think people should be more positive on this board about this project and stop pushing the 'small white owned &quot; and dare I say as well another &quot;life style&quot;
type lodges/camps


Just for your info I do visit East Africa every two years and have done so for the last 16 years
one of my pet projects is saving the World Apes and I know a little about Malaria.
This is the second time I have posted (the first one was taken off the board)
even though I have read fodors on and off for a few years.
But I am what some others arent on this board a bonafide traveller.
thanks and Aby well done I like your posts

Aby
Hello
There doesnt seem to be too much interest in this post, however I thought it was a good one.
Maybe people arent interested in staying at realCBET
projects
Anyway why not do a summary country by country then people can add to it if and when they come across one.

I have no problem with CBETs or this thread but I do have a problem when the thread starts out by indicating that non-CBETS make &quot;Rich (Neo-Colonialists in many cases) even richer&quot; with no mention of the benefits the communities often enjoy. Here is a clear example of the benefits of a private lodge to the commmunity: http://allafrica.com/stories/200702051171.html

Let's see how much the community will benefit when a CBET tries to take over. Tune-in in 10 years.

By the way, I am very pro-community but I am also practical and at this point I believe that in many cases what is best for the environment and the community at this point in history is a good private lodge-community relationship not a CBET. Some CBETs are very good and a thread about them is fine, but don't make it a propoganda vehicle.

The relationship between community and tourists is not just a transaction &quot;on the day&quot; and can be, but not necessarily &quot;only&quot; best served by CBET -others have made excellent points here.

The article about the reaction of the local community to the recent violent death of lodge owner, historian and white community member David Rattray posted by tuckeg clearly shows the inter-dependence and relationships between lodge owners/operators and the communities - schools, tribal leaders et al in which they live.

These stats are from 2002 but do give an eye opener:-
It is about the South Luangwa National Park.
About 30,000 people live in the immediate vicinity
About 800 are employed by safari companies
a further 100 - 300 indirectly by tourism (eg. curio makers, marker gardeners etc)
Each wage earner supports on av. 15-20 family members (extended family).
That means as many as 23,000 in the local community (75%) rely on tourism for their income.
(source Travel Africa Autumn 2002 Edition 21 pp3)

As the CBET market isn't huge in Zambia (yet) the contribution made by various individuals and family run operations is immense - Have recently read how Jo Pope at Robin Pope safari's works with local community - Shenton's is another family run safari co in SL - the conservation work they do is fantastic by all accounts. Wilderness Safaris - whilst a big operator (and some say too big) move into conscessions and forego hunting - making the concessions safer for the wildlife the torist goes to see - involve the community and provide education for locals to become top notch guides, leaders and other roles in hosptiality within their operations.

Maybe each contribute in their own way -we contribute by going there, with sensitivity and respect and supporting companies that do the same within their communities.

Certainly it is wothwile investing, encouraging, providing quality education for current and future local people to be professional tourism operators.guides/hospitality workers and that they may choose to form CBET - and have the experience, skills and knowledge to do so - in the meantime the mostly responsible, community minded lodge operators contribute hugely to their communities.

Tourism is always open to our scrutiny as consumers - we are responsible for making sure the choices we make are ethical, support community, provide education opprtunities for young people in the area, are ecologically sensitive and sustainable.

I am a fifth generation Australian - I am appalled by the way our white colonialist forefathers conducted themselves in this land at the expense of the indigenous people here. Yet - I am here and I would think that those born in Southern Africa would consider themselves African in the same way I consider myself Australian.

Glad this thread perked up again -- never would have found it otherwise.

There is an interesting tourism route that was set up in Cape Town for an international conference on sustainable development (ICLI) two years ago, called the Cape Care Route (aka &quot;Trail of Two Cities&quot;). It includes 25 sustainable development projects, many community-based.

Check out the list of projects on it at http://www.tourismcapetown.co.za/xxl...083/index.html

There is also a Fair Trade in Tourism designation, which goes farther than just eco-tourism, to issues of sustainability, employment equity, fair wages, etc. It isn't always community-based either. The list of 22 FTTSA designated places (&quot;holidays&quot;) across SA is on their website at http://www.fairtourismsa.org.za/holiday/index.html

Namibia's community-based tourism organisation is NACOBTA, online at http://www.nacobta.com.na

There are some interesting projects also under development with Conservation International and local communities with national government funding and private sector partnerships happening in SA. One in particular is in Kamiesberg in Namaqualand (Northern Cape Province) but it's more than a year away from being finished. Others are in the pipeline too.

CBET is an important part of tourism for travellers who are conscience-driven when they make their travel choices. I think SA is starting to recognise this and is putting some money behind it at last.

Kurt

http://afrikatourism.blogspot.com/

good thread.

Try visiting the Retosa website for community based accommodation throughout Southern &amp; part of East Africa http://geosavvydev.com/retosa/index.php and also visit the North South Tourism Route http://www.south-north.co.za/. I did the Crayfish Trail last year and loved it.

Here are two in the Okavango Delta which are both of interest for fly-in travellers and have a website:

Santawani Lodge in NG33, run by Sankuyo Tshwaragano Management Trust,
www.santawanilodge.com

Gudigwa Lodge in NG12, run by Bukakhwe Cultural Community Trust,
www.gudigwa.com

(Gudigwa has been re-opened for last year's season, but apparently some &quot;expert&quot; Botswana agents are still not aware of this.)

Hi Nyama-
Do you know if Gudigwa is still being run by WS or is it now being run by the community (the website isn't working)? Would you know anything about Santawani? I'm looking for off the beaten track, preferably community run places in Bots for a trip in Sept.

Thanks

I have just published the interview with Luca Belpietro who both runs The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust and Campi ya Kanzi, an eco lodge managed with the Maasai in Southern Kenya. Whilst I cannot make any recommendation regarding the lodge itself it is clear from the interview what he and the Maasai together are trying to achieve.

One can read the full interview here:

<b>http://safaritalk.net/index.php?showtopic=257</b>

Matt

cruisinred, WS dropped Gudigwa two years ago. Management/marketing is now done by a Botswanan operator, Bigfoot Safaris (www.bigfootsafaris.co.bw).
(The website is working, must be problems with your ISP.)

cruisinred, there's another community-based operation in the Delta:

Makwena Lodge (or Makwena Camp) in NG24, run by Okavango Jakotsha Community Trust. That's the same concession where WS once had one of their first camps, Jedibe Island Camp. The Jakotsha people offer mokoro trails and island bush camping. I don't have contact details of this camp. Maybe you ask a local operator in Maun.

There's also Mbiroba Camp near Seronga, run by Okavango Polers Trust (www.okavangodelta.co.bw).

I forgot one that also needs support, Mapula Lodge in NG12 (www.mapulalodge.com). It's not community-based but run by a local operator, Swampland Safari Trails.

Aby,

You asked for “projects” so I think Maasai Manyattas are Econtoursim enterprises worth highlighting. Cultural manyattas (mock bomas) were formed to channel tourist-generated funds directly to the Maasai community and are established in, or near national parks. Within, Maasai dress in traditional garb, perform song &amp; dance, share traditions and sell handmade souvenirs to tourist.

To me this commoditizing of their culture is an extremely complicated issue. Is it exploitation? Unauthentic? Once can debate, but bottom line is they do generate money to people who need it badly and the Maasai benefit directly through tour guide fees and goods sold. Work in manyattas is not mandatory, but it is a way for the Maasai to benefit financially and join the conservation process.

I have been blessed to visit both; the manyattas are similar (and different) to true Maasai bomas. Onemajor difference in true bomas is they incorporate livestock (therefore dung and more flies), do not stage performances and there is more evidence of modernization. I consider the manyattas a ‘necessary evil’ in the face of financial need, declining land, and destructive wildlife. I support cultural manyattas. What say others?

To quote Edward Berger, “In tourism, authenticity is made, not discovered.”

Here's something for self-drivers in Kenya who want to visit Samburu:

Umoja Campsite, east of Samburu NR near Archer's Post, run by Umoja Uaso Women's Group,
www.umojawomen.org

here are some alternatives to canned hunting.

Update: Gudigwa has now its own website, www.gudigwa.com

ttt

for whoever bumps into this thread:

you may be interested in the following
<font color="blue">Does anyone still travel ECO-style? </font>
started by <b>pixelpower </b>
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...72&amp;start=0

IMHO one of the most important threads on this Forum

aby