Update on Loisaba Ranch Fire

On 31^st October 2013, we woke up to the news that Loisaba Lodge and Loisaba Private House had been destroyed by a bush fire; luckily no one was injured and personal belongings and artefacts were saved.

The fire is said to have started mid-morning, probably by pastoralists making tea on the north eastern boundary of the conservancy, and due to the dry bush, thick grass and very high winds being experienced that day, the fire travelled fast, often leaping 30 feet, and burned nearly 25,000 acres of grassland, as well as the Lodge and Private House, before it was put under control.

Even though precaution measures are in place in these lodges, bush fires happen occasionally, especially in the dry months. The Loisaba fire was particularly large and aggressive, but thanks to their teams, no-one was injured, and Loisaba Cottage, Kiboko Starbeds, conservancy headquarters and staff village were saved.

Loisaba community have passed their gratitude to their neighbours, the local community, the County Government and friends who committed time, men and resources to helping them fight the fire.

Due to the integrated nature of the Loisaba tourism operation, with the loss of the Lodge and the Private House the Loisaba management has had to take the tough decision to close down its tourism operations until further notice. Cheli & Peacock which are the lodge booking and marketing unit, released a brief on 5^th November stating that it was in their firm belief that Loisaba would rise like the mythical Pheonix from the ashes of that tragedy to shine like the seven stars from which it takes its name.

We send our heartfelt apologies to the Loisaba Team and look forward to the reconstruction of the Lodge and private house.

Responsible Travel: Part 3

Hopefully we have made a responsible traveler out of you, thereafter we spelled out the differences between a genuine green destination and a green washed one. In the third part of our responsible travel series, we take you through what you should look for in a green tour operator as a continuation from our part 1 and part 2. A green tour operator is really where it all begins and to prove that, here are some pointers in what you should look for in a green tour operator:

1.      Find out about the carbon profile of your business, sometimes a less-obvious area of inquiry than ecotourism practices. Make an effort to reduce your carbon footprint by adopting energy-efficient initiatives and using less carbon-intensive modes of transport. If you provide accommodation and food for your guests, research the carbon footprint of those areas of the business. For example, locally sourced and seasonal ingredients incur far less of an emissions burden than those hailing from far away, imported for an ecologically-disconnected menu

Work with the camps and lodges to create alternatives to flying and driving safaris by suggesting nature walks, cultural talks and tours, cycling safaris, boat safaris etc

2.      Do you have a relationship with the local community you explore? A less-sustainable tours and travel agency may not funnel much or any of its proceeds toward social issues in its region, while a more conscientious one incorporates locals into its operations and takes the time to give back to the community that draws in its patrons. This touches on sustainability in more ways than one. Locals that feel involved and respected in a tourism venture structured around its familiar landscapes, wildlife and cultural heritage are more likely to value those components and make responsible decisions regarding the preservation of natural resources.

Give some of your net profit back to the local community and wildlife projects.

Choose a project that interests your company, such as rhino conservation or village water supplies, and set yourself a goal. Create the timeline with your staff and then inform your clients of your goal. Update everyone involved on your progress throughout the year.

3.      Specialize in tours of natural areas. Strike a balance between exposing outsiders to the wonders of a particular ecosystem and protecting that very ecosystem against excessive use and disruption. For example, tours that use baiting to attract animals may be unsustainable. Such activity habituates creatures to human presence and accustoms them to handouts, which alters their normal behavior; thereby decreasing their chances of long-term survival while increasing the likelihood of an antagonistic encounter that could lead to an animal's destruction

4.      Read through comments from other travelers, which may give a fuller picture of the tour company's attitude and practices.

5.      Give your clients tips on what to purchase i.e. refer your client to a local handicraft shop in the area they will be visiting. When buying gifts for your clients, purchase locally made items.

Set a policy on waste reduction and recycling. Ensure your staff is aware of it. Perhaps you can create a competition for the office staff that uses the least amount of paper or recycles the most paper.

6.      What pre-departure environmental information do you provide the traveler?

Create pre-departure information that provides helpful hints on wildlife conservation information and what natural products to buy or not buy when visiting East Africa

7.      Encourage your staff to write on eco- travel for magazines, websites and ezines? That’s free publicity for you while educating travelers at the same time!

8.      Train your staff to be eco-friendly. Have an eco-policy briefing for your staff.

9.      Get involved in regional initiatives to conserve the environment. Start looking for partners that will help you, help themselves and protect the wilderness areas at the same time!

Responsible Travel: Part 2

Following our first series of our responsible travel and that you are now bent on becoming responsible travelers.

Our second series puts its focus on the destination entity i.e. how the destination can encourage responsible travel. There is so much destinations can do, in fact listing the do’s would be endless. Not to worry though, we will be glad to give tips on how to be a responsible travel destination. So we will try a different approach.

What destinations should do to steer clear from green washing.What is greenwashing? 

Green washing is disinformation that is disseminated by an organization so as to present an environmentally responsible image i.e. a marketing gimmick.

The causes for greenwashing in travel are no different than in other sectors. Businesses run the risk of falling into the greenwash trap while attempting to increase sales to create differentiation in a highly commoditized travel market.

1.       The hidden trade off. A claim suggesting that a product is ‘green’ based on a narrow set of attributes without attention to other important environmental issues. An eco-lodge should have standards and policies they adhere to complying with responsible tourism.

2.       Proof

An environmental claim that cannot be substantiated by easily accessible supporting information or by a reliable third party certification. Join an eco tourism or responsible travel organization where your lodge can be rated without prejudice and the ratings made public.

3.       Vagueness -a claim that is so poorly defined or broad that its real meaning is likely to be misunderstood by the consumer

4.       Worshiping false labels. A product that, through either words or images, gives the impression of third party endorsement where no such endorsement exists (fake labels). There are hundreds of global tourism eco labels, certifications, accreditations, guidelines and codes of ethics that are adopted by destinations, hotels, transportation and attractions. The lack of an easily recognized certification can lead to the impression that the tourism product is certified “green” when no proper information is provided as to how it is achieved and audited.

5.       Irrelevance an environment a claim that may be truthful but is unimportant or unhelpful for consumers seeking environmentally preferable products e.g. recycling. Let your guests know what you recycle, how you recycle, why you recycle and how they use the recycled product or how the recycled product is of benefit if not to them, then to the community. It is not enough to tell your guests that you recycle. Show them the impact of recycling.

6.       Lesser of two evils

A claim that may be true within the product category, but that risks distracting the consumer from the greater environmental impacts of the category as a whole. What emits less carbon? A car, a train or a plane? Bottom line is that all of these forms of transports are powered by non-renewable energy and it ultimately comes down to relative choices about which option is less harmful to the environment.

7.       Fibbing: 

Environmental claims that are simply false. This is the least committed sin. Or it could be that it is hard to prove because the lodge’s documents are private and cannot be viewed.

Rwanda raise costs for gorilla permits

Effective 01st of June 2012, gorilla permit fees, excluding permits already pre-booked until the time of the announcement, will be increased from the present US Dollars 500 per person to US Dollars 750 per person as announced by the Rwanda Development Board.

‘This increase comes at a time when there is significant growth of the gorilla population as well as an increasing demand for gorilla tourism. We are very committed to sustain our efforts in conservation in order to protect their environment as well as the rich biodiversity that exist in our national parks.”  Mr. John Gara, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board which falls under the Rwanda Tourism and Conservation board said.

The extra charge is being subjected to further strengthen protective measures for the prized Gorillas, fund conservation, research, community outreach projects, all of which depend on income from the tourists who come to visit / track gorillas.

Mr. Gara also stated that Rwanda's gorilla conservation had shown significant success, saying that at present they had ten gorilla families that could accommodate a maximum of eight tourists per day per family a number that indicated a double over the past five years.

The Rwandese move has however sparked an open debate with their tri- "gorilla" nation Uganda and Congo DR, particularly Uganda who only last year had reneged from a uniform approach to the permit fees, subsequently reducing the costs to attract more tourists.

Rwanda whose tourism is on a high zenith compared to all her neighbouring East African countries, has immense tourism attractions such as mountain climbing at Volcanoes National Park, visiting Rwanda’s Genocide Memorial Sites: Kigali Memorial Site; Murambi Memorial Site; Nyanza Kicukiro Memorial Site; and Ntarama Memorial Site, canoeing, kayaking, and wind surfing on Lake Kivu at the edge of Rwanda’s Western Province and many other attractions. 

NB: For gorilla or chimp tracking safaris, refer to our website www.uniglobeletsgotravel.com 

 or email us info@letsgosafari.com