NABOISHO COMMUNITY CONSERVANCY: EAST AFRICAN CASE ON HOW UPMARKET RESPONSIBLE TOURISM CAN WORK IN COMMUNITY WILDERNESS AREAS (AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT)

Transcription

1 NABOISHO COMMUNITY CONSERVANCY: EAST AFRICAN CASE ON HOW UPMARKET RESPONSIBLE TOURISM CAN WORK IN COMMUNITY WILDERNESS AREAS (AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT) UNWTO CONFERENCE ARUSHA, TANZANIA, OCTOBER 2012

2 ABOUT ASILIA Key Facts International Recognition Leading upmarket responsible tourism operator in East Africa. Portfolio of 9 camps and lodges in prime locations in Tanzania and Kenya Serengeti / Mara eco-system (6x) Tarangire National Park (1x) Rubondo National Park (1x) Zanzibar (1x) Fleet of 50 safari vehicles. Central support infrastructure in Arusha, Nairobi and Cape Town. Close to 500 employees. Asilia was founded in Arusha in 2004, though company roots go back to Best safari accommodation group in Africa Top-5 nominee - Good Safari Guide Awards 2012 Best guiding in Africa Winner - Good Safari Guide Awards 2011 Tanzania's Leading Tented Safari Camp Sayari Camp - WTA Awards 2012 Highest 5-star rating (1 st safari operator) GIIRS rating on Impact & Sustainability, 2012 Winner of World Pro-Poor Tourism Award Rekero Camp - WTM 2009 Top rankings for all properties on TripAdvisor 2

3 OUR EXPERTISE IN TURNING VULNERABLE WILDERNESS AREAS INTO SUSTAINABLE TOURISM/CONSERVATION ECONOMIES Northern Serengeti present Multiplication of beds, flights, tourism volumes Naboisho conservancy present From zero to >USD 2 million tourism economy Rubondo NP 2012 (starting) Now <500 visitors p. year; expected to multiply Southern Tarangire 2006 present Multiplication of bednights to the area Asilia Group-level contributions: Generating close to USD 2mn in annual revenues for national parks and protected areas More than 30% of our employees are from rural villages of the areas where we operate 3

4 WHY IT IS IMPORTANT FOR SURVIVAL OF PRISTINE ECO-SYSTEMS IN EAST AFRICA THAT LOCAL COMMUNITIES BENEFIT (I) In East Africa, many national parks and reserves are too small. They don t fully cover the pristine eco-systems which they aim to conserve. EXAMPLE: SERENGETI / MARA ECOSYSTEM The health of these pristine eco-systems therefore depends partly on successful conservation of wildlife and natural habitat in surrounding community areas. In addition, maintaining mutually supportive relationships with surrounding communities also helps the National Parks and Reserves themselves (e.g. limiting (night-) grazing, de-forestation and poaching). For pristine eco-systems to have a long-term future in East Africa, nature & wildlife must have a positive place in the livelihoods and mind-sets of surrounding local communities. Responsible tourism is one of very few available routes to success. 4

5 WHY IT IS IMPORTANT FOR SURVIVAL OF PRISTINE ECO-SYSTEMS IN EAST AFRICA THAT LOCAL COMMUNITIES BENEFIT (II) EXAMPLE: TARANGIRE ECO-SYSTEM 5

6 INTERNATIONALLY GROUNDBREAKING MODEL IN THE MAKING 200 km2 Savannah land bordering the Maasai Mara Reserve to the North East. Key part of wildlife corridor between Serengeti / Mara eco-system and Loita Plains, hosting annual migration of approximately 100,000 plains game. One of the highest concentrations of lion anywhere in the world. Land is owned by 500 Maasai families; they brought their land into a 15-year conservancy trust in partnership with 5 tourism operators. Area is now used for tourism and controlled grazing. No uncontrolled development or agriculture 6

7 WHY THERE WAS (AND IS) AN URGE TO ACT 7

8 WHY THERE WAS (AND IS) AN URGE TO ACT 8

9 WHY THERE WAS (AND IS) AN URGE TO ACT 9

10 WHY THERE WAS (AND IS) AN URGE TO ACT 10

11 WHY THERE WAS (AND IS) AN URGE TO ACT Mara-Naboisho Lion Project

12 GOVERNANCE AND FINANCIALS MAN-CO General governance / masterplan Land owners LAND TRUST Legal entity entrusted with the 500 land leases TP-CO Tourism partners coordination Tourism Partners Masterplan, NEMA license Management plan Professional management & admin 500 landowners organised through Land Trust with elected representatives 5 tourism partners organised through TP-Co Man-Co is general governing body with representation by land Trust, TP-Co and independents Long term planning documented through master plan, license and management plan Daily management outsourced to professional management company and administration office All 500 landowners get paid directly on monthly basis; total revenues approx USD 800k per year Conservation model allows for controlled grazing in the area for approximately 15,000 livestock 12

13 KEY FACTORS FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS Nurture the cow that produces the milk Value proposition: Consistent high-quality guest experience Marketing: Solid commercial clout for effective destination marketing Sustainable economics for the land: Financial yield for land-owners through tourism / conservation must be competitive with alternative forms of land use (agriculture, livestock) Solid daily area management on the ground: Policing and law enforcement when necessary; one needs to be realistic about the challenges on the ground Individuals who try to benefit both ways: collecting land rent from tourism and at the same time use the land for e.g. grazing ( have your cake and eat it too ) Free-riders : e.g. outside people entering the area for grazing. Droughts causing emergency claims for grazing Stable long-term leadership/governance and legal set-up Land-owning community members, other community members / local people Tourism partners Conservation partners Local / regional / national government 13

14 THANK YOU For more information: