jan - april 2011
Issue No. 24
Photo by Akshay Vishwanath
A PUBLICATION of Ecotourism Kenya
must never Die
The proposed Arusha-Musoma highway traversing 54 kilometers of Serengeti National Park to link Loliondo and Mugumu areas is slated for construction in 2012, according to Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete. Bisecting the northern portion of the park, the highway is set to undoubtedly jeopardize the annual migration of wildebeest and zebra, a spectacle comprising nearly two million animals.
It is understandable that this region of Tanzania needs infrastructural development. However, this must not be at the cost of the world heritage and livelihoods of millions of families dependent on tourism both in Tanzania and neighboring Kenya. More so, the economic repercussions arising from low tourism due to negative publicity from the negative impacts caused by the road development will be difficult to amend.
Price to Pay For one, the highway will completely change the topography of the area. This has a potential threat of throwing the SerengetiMara ecosystem into disarray.
Linking Communities, Tourism & Conservation
Cont. on Pg 3
Word from the Chairman - most recently at Save The Elephant (STE) Trust. He has served as an Honorary Game Warden with the Kenya Wildlife Service. He received the Disney Wildlife Conservation Trust 2006 Conservation Hero Award. To his credit also are numerous voluntary positions, scholarly papers, scholarships, and awards in conservation. Kahindi is eminently qualified to lead EK at this time, and I am happy to welcome him on board.
Andrew Muigai, Chairman, Ecotourism Kenya
EK has a new CEO- Kahindi Lekalhaile. With the departure of Edith Bosire, who had served as CEO for 2 years, the board commenced a search leading to the hiring of Kahindi. His first day of work was 21st February 2011. Kahindi brings to EK an outstanding record of over 14 years involvement in conservation. He holds a Masters degree in Environmental Studies, and has held senior management positions in various organizations
In the last newsletter, I appealed that you sign an online petition advocating against the construction of the roadthrough the Serengeti. The road proposed through the Serengeti is the single biggest sustainable tourism challenge facing our region today. Various scientific studies show that the great wildebeest migration for which the Serengeti ecosystem is famed will not survive the road. The government of Tanzania has sadly not been very attentive to voices other than those advocating for building of the road. The World Bank’s offer to finance an alternative route serving many more people has been rebuffed. The obvious threat the road will pose to Serengeti’s World Heritage status has been deemed to be of no consequence.
Ecotourism Kenya is a stakeholder in this issue. The Maasai Mara is part of the Serengeti ecosystem. The proposed road will clearly diminish the Mara - the anchor of Kenya’s tourist product. In 2010, Kenya earned USD 920 million from tourism and the industry, directly and indirectly- supports millions of livelihoods. The Kenya government’s goal of raising tourist arrivals from 1.1 million in 2010 to 3 million by 2015 will be a mirage if the Mara- the crown in Kenya’s tourist jewelloses its lustre. It is therefore surprising how disengaged the Kenya government has been on this issue. Tanzania has kept everybody at bay by claiming the Serengeti road is a sovereign matter. This clearly does not apply in the case of Kenya, as the road will negatively affect the country in so many ways. And that is why any credible environment impact assessment addressing all issues- including externalities- would never recommend the road. EK will in the following months seek to be heard on the issue of the Serengeti road. We will open a campaign on three fronts to engage: the Kenya and Tanzania governments, and the worldwide community. Please be ready to give your support in this campaign: Serengeti Must Not Die!
Message from the CEO I am grateful for this opportunity to serve as the team leader of Ecotourism Kenya. My appointment coincides with a time when interest in ecotourism is growing rapidly worldwide. There are more calls than ever for the tourism sector to embrace sustainable tourism practises to conserve the environment and show concern for the welfare of local and indigenous people through responsible travel. Simply, this is what ecotourism is all about! Through ecotourism, mass tourism can become a strong Conservation force and agent of community development. Therefore, Ecotourism Kenya has been trying to make this happen in different ways. However, more ecotourism innovation and commitments are required for tourism to have the desired impact on conservation and community development growth in Kenya. EK’s challenge at the moment is to serve its membership satisfactorily through disseminating information, education and awareness; offering unique schemes for ecological rating and gauging compliance to environmental protection principles; networking and outreach; research and consultancy. I would like to see our society grow its membership base and see more tour and travel operators adopt ecotourism principles in their business and operations. Also, I wish Ecotourism Kenya could bring together the government and private sectors, and conservation and tourism interests closer to begin transforming Kenya into an ecotourism destination. Kenya has a lot to offer the ecotourist, who is usually driven by environmental consciousness rather than market promotion. There is space for all of us in ecotourism. So let us make it happen at EK! Kahindi Lekalhaile - EK CEO
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Ecotourism Kenya>Jan - April 2011 >Issue No. 24
Contd from Pg.1
Serengeti must never Die Experts have pointed out that the interaction between the highway commuters and the animals could introduce new diseases, increase wildlife poaching, animal harassment and road kills adversely effecting the wildebeest, zebra and gazelle populations whose spectacular assemblage and migration bewilders the world. These factors would reduce the populations effectively end the trans-boundary migration. Stress associated with poaching and high vehicle traffic may affect the reproduction rate of the antelopes thus contributing to population declines. The massive volume of the herd is a major reason that the animals migrate to afford either park time to recover by growing more fodder. Restricting the animals to one side would be devastating to the population.
Underlying Implications Tourism is a major bone in the economies of the East African states and more so Kenya and Tanzania. Serengeti and Mara ecosystems contribute immensely to this sector and their instability can have devastating effects to the sector. The two parks make up a single ecosystem allowing unlimited movement and dispersal of animals. Therefore, anything affecting either side of the park will be felt directly on the other side.
the interaction between the highway commuters and the animals could introduce new diseases, increase wildlife poaching, animal harassment and road kills adversely effecting the wildebeest, zebra and gazelle populations whose spectacular assemblage and migration bewilders the world.
In a survey carried out among international travel companies the results showed a lot of skepticism about the entire project. On a scale of 1–5, an average of over 70% expressed extreme concern over the highway with an average of 2% seeing no impact. Millions of families derive their livelihood either directly or indirectly from the tourism industry. Last year, the sector contributed 74 billion to the Kenya Economy. This is no mean feat considering it is still struggling to fully recover from the effects of the violence of 2008. The disruption of the Serengeti ecosystem would deal a blow to the tourism sector that experts think would be almost impossible to pull out of. The likely scenario would be closure of hotels due to a reduction of tourists. This would force investors to relocate to more profitable locations like South Africa with those that remain having to downscale their workforce to maintain profitability. There would be a massive injection of jobless people to the already overcrowded arena which would see the rates of crime sour. The economy is likely to suffer further from the loss of revenue from taxation of these formerly salaried individuals. The damage to the ecosystem may also speed up the desertification of the region as the natural checks to the same would have been removed.
The disruption of the Serengeti ecosystem would deal a blow to the tourism sector that experts think would be almost impossible to pull out of. This would force investors to relocate to more profitable locations in returns as it will connect five more communities and will leave the SerengetiMara ecosystem intact. Tanzania National Parks has ample experience with the negative impacts of putting a commercial highway through a National Park. Mikumi National Park was bisected by a tar highway linking Dar es Salaam with Lusaka, Zambia. The highway has had a very negative impact on conservation, security, driver safety and park revenues.
Shall not die
Speeding vehicles often hit wild animals, resulting in injury and death to both people and animals and economic loss. Additionally, some tourists and unscrupulous tour operators deprive the park of revenue by driving through on the public road and not paying park fees.
Tanzania should consider the alternative route going round southern portion of the vast national park. Experts say that the route, although longer, will offer more
The road will affect Kenya’s tourism negatively. Therefore, Ecotourism Kenya supports the opposition to construct it.
Ecotourism Kenya>Jan - April 2011>Issue No. 24
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NEWS B
NEWS BRIEFS • NEWS BRIEFS • NEWS BRIEFS • NEWS BRIEFSNEWS BRIEFS • NEWS BRIEFS • NEWS BRIEFS • NEWS BRIE
Leadership & Mentorship Scheme
Earthwatch Kenya Workshop Earthwatch Institute Kenya workshop was held on 25thFeb 2011 at Bomen Hotel, Isiolo, Kenya. What came out clearly out of the workshop is the urgent need to conserve the diverse biodiversity in the semi-arid region of Kenya. It emerged that unless something is done as a matter of urgency, the increased human-wildlife conflict in the area may doom the existence of especially some of the most endangered species. EK in its advocacy for responsible tourism is developing a model to try arrest the situation.
EK is currently developing a scheme that will engage University students and partners in the tourism industry to provide job placement opportunities for university graduates where they will get hands on experience and foster partnerships with educational institutions. Check out the EK website for more details.
Lale’enok Resource Centre
KWSTI Reviews Curriculum Kenya Wildlife Service Training Institute (KWSTI) invited Ecotourism Kenya to assist as it reviewed it’s curriculum to entrench eco-tourism as a unit of study. In this era of climatic uncertainties, it is becoming necessary that we foster a culture of responsible tourism to students who take the knowledge out into the job market. As a discipline, the unit will stress tourism that promotes environmental conservation and protects cultures while making economic benefits.
Officially opened on the 4th of March, Lale’enok Resource Centre was initiated by the African Conservation Centre (ACC) and is to be run by Lale’enok Women Group in Kajiado County. It is a place where researchers can find materials about the community and other cultural facts on the African continent. Researchers will pay a fee to access the center which will be used to start development projects for the local communities. Being an employer of the locals, it will be a place where the women can market and sell their homemade products to guests. This partnership with the ACC which has a partnership with numerous institutions of higher studies both locally and abroad is set to ensure a steady flow of guests, materials and thus income to the community.
The Tourism Bill is at the committee stage having gone through two readings on the floor of parliament. As stakeholders in the tourism sector, we have and continue to raise our concerns on the bill. For starters, it is very weak on community participation in the tourism industry. There is very little input for community based organizations and no acknowledgement of local people’s role in promotion of responsible tourism and travel. We know that these communities are the custodians of most tourism facilities and their exclusion is an unfortunate omission that may breed a lot of problems later. We have also noted that the bill does nothing to promote Kenya as a favorite ecotourism destination. In fact, it has nothing that embraces responsible tourism, a culture that has taken root all over the world. Finally, we are very apprehensive of some terms that are used vaguely in the bill but which could later be a recipe for mischief. We would like a clear definition of what NATIONAL TOURISM UMBRELLA ASSOCIATION and TOURIST SERVICE VEHICLES are supposed to be. As huge stakeholders in the industry, we demand that our views be taken and considered before the bill proceeds further.
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BRIEFS
EFSNEWS BRIEFS • NEWS BRIEFS • NEWS BRIEFS • NEWS BRIEFSNEWS BRIEFS • NEWS BRIEFS • NEWS BRIEFS • CONFERENCES COMING UP Traveller’s Philanthropy Conference The 3rd Traveller’s Philanthropy Conference will be held in San Jose and Monteverde, Costa Rica from July 20 - 23, 2011. Travellers’ philanthropy is a relatively new concept, but it is rapidly growing into a worldwide movement and becoming part of the definition of responsible travel. At its core, travellers’ philanthropy is about tourism businesses and travellers ‘giving back’ to tourism destinations by providing financial support, volunteer expertise, and material contributions to local projects and community initiatives. For more details, visit www.travelersphilanthropy.org
TIES International Conference
International Conference on Tourism & Technology 2011
The Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC) 2011 will be held from September 19th-21st, 2011 at Hilton Head Island, SC, USA Sept. 19-21, 2011.The conference seeks to bring together 500+ business leaders, industry professionals and community stakeholders, the ESTC 2011 will feature dynamic sessions, public forums and social functions that offer eye-opening insights into the latest on sustainable business strategies and unparalleled networking and knowledge-sharing experiences. Conference registration for the ESTC 2011 will be opening in spring 2011. Stay tuned and sign up for ESTC eNews for regular updates. Visit http://www.ecotourismconference.org for more details.
1st International Conference on Tourism & Technology 2011 (Banking & Insurance Sectors Involvement) is scheduled to be held in IIT Campus, New Delhi from July 07 - 09, 2011. The conference seeks to focus on Next Generation Technology Solutions. For more details, contact Mr. G.V.R. Sastry, Organizing Secretary - ICTT 2011 on +91-9811183048 or check out www.icttindia.com
INDABA 2011 - Africa’s Top Travel Show INDABA is one of the largest tourism marketing events on the African calendar and one of the top three ‘must visit’ events of its kind on the global calendar. INDABA is a four day trade event that attracts well over 13000 delegates from the travel tourism and related industries, this year, it will be held at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre (Durban ICC) & Durban Exhibition Centre (DEC) , Durban, South Africa from 7 – 10 May 2011. It showcases the widest variety of Southern Africa’s best tourism products, and attracts international visitors and media from across the world. INDABA is owned by South African Tourism and organised by Witch & Wizard Creative (Pty) Ltd. For more details visit http://www.indaba-southafrica.co.za
Karibu Travel and Tourism Fair Arusha The Karibu Travel and Tourism Fair is jointly organized by Tanzania Association of Tour Operators, Tanzania Tourist Board together with the Ministry of Natural Resource and Tourism. This year, the fair will be held at Magereza open grounds Arusha Tanzania from 3rd to 5th June 2011. For more details visit, http://www.karibufair.com/ pages/about.htm
Lake Turkana Cultural Festival The fourth edition of the L. Turkana Festival by the Kenya Museums is set for 11th to 17th of May 2011 at Loiyangalani. This is a small town located on the southeastern coast of Lake Turkana and is home to the El Molo, an almost extinct group, amongst other communities. The seven day festival offers an opportunity to experience and appreciate the cultures of the L. Turkana people while having fun. Planned tours include that of Kenyatta House, Desert Museum, Rock Art, El Molo villages and shrines, plus fun activities like Cultural Dances, Swimming by the lake, Local Food tasting, Camel rides, 4 x 4 desert challenges and many more. For more information and booking, please visit: http://www.privatesafaris.co.ke/ Turkana.asp
Ecotourism Kenya>Jan - April 2011>Issue No. 24
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Oldonyo Wuas:
The long journey towards developing a long partnership The Maasai is a community whose pastoral lifestyle has worked against them in many instances. Due to their mobile way of life, modern amenities such as schools and hospitals have been slow to penetrate into the community. Their traditional belief that no man should own land has also seen the community cheated out of large tracts of their land area. In 1980, about 4000 community members of Imbirikani in the Oldonyo mountain ranges came together to form the Imbirikani Group Ranch. With a section of the expansive ranch reserved for wildlife, an investor came along and put up the Oldonyo Wuas Lodge. The members formed a committee to oversee the running of the ranch and manage the proceeds accruing from the same. During the years however, the committee has been accused of misappropriating the proceeds. A buildup of tension begun with the committee members, comprised of the older and select few, on one side and an upcoming
T
he sprawling slum of Kibera is no Muthaiga, with tree lined avenues and landscaped lawns. It is no Kileleshwa with highrise apartments and pretty hanging gardens either. The slum of Kibera is a tough place of narrow crowded streets with paddles of dirty water everywhere. It is a place where you learn too late that the thing that fell on you from the skys is not an injured bird.
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Ecotourism Kenya>Jan - April 2011 >Issue No. 24
political elite on the other. The youth, feeling disenfranchised also formed a youth group –ECODA that was vowing to bring down the ‘aged’ committee. The investor in the ranch got very concerned and contacted the Ford Foundation and Ecotourism Kenya for assistance.
as to learn and hopefully come up with one that would work best back home. We took them to Olare Orok settlement scheme in the county of Narok where they witnessed and learned the shortcomings of land subdivision. They also toured Shompole in the South Rift and finally the highly successful Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa. After these educational tours, the community was able to come up with its own model where they incorporated the local elders and area chiefs through a technical committee. For the first time, a woman was allowed to be a part of the leadership circle, a huge concession in the part of the Maasai men. They were also able to demand minimum land compensation from the investor, Ksh23 000000 up from the previous figure of 13 M. Ownership of structures, whose state had changed during previous lease negotiations with the investor, was addressed.
After assessing the problem, we decided that no solution would be permanent to the problem unless it came from the community itself. We organized trips for some key members to visit other models similar to theirs so
There emerged an emphasis on training of locals who should later form the bulk of employees in the ranch but perhaps the biggest achievement was getting their constitution registered. This meant that they had had a legal system that was binding to govern how the community investment was to be run. Oldonyo Wuas is a story where timely intervention converted a potentially explosive situation into a success story.
But Kibera is also home to an innovation that may revolutionalize communal life, the Jiko ya Jamii or Community Cooker. This invention by Nairobi-born architect Jim Archer with help from Mumo Musuva burns waste materials as fuel, producing a clean and efficient fire with a flue temperature of up to 879°C. Considering the abundance of refuse in Kibera, the Jiko provides a means to a cleaner environment while cut-
ting costs for the residents. For as little as five shillings, one is able to cook a meal for their family and get heated water for bathing. The cooker is made of welded steel and has eight circular hotplates on the top. The big sufurias (metal cooking pots) are partially submerged into the hotplates to gain and retain heat from the fiery firebox at the bottom. The fire is fed by a wide metal chute that maintains a constant flow of rubbish from the storage racks. A cost of 2 million to build one may sound like much but the accruing long term benefits are immense. A study done by Environmental Engineer, H. James Archer showed that a community cooker running for eight hours a day, every day on rubbish instead of charcoal will save the carbon equivalent of 2400 trees per year. It is further estimated that the Jiko burns about 12 Kilos of waste in an hour. The Community cooker is a testimony of how you can do a good deed to the environment while profiting from the same.
Own Model
Engaging
Community Based Tourism Enterprises (CBTEs) CBTEs are mainly groups registered as Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and engaging in mainly small tourism enterprises. They could also be an individual run tourism enterprise like accommodation facilities, campsites or cultural villages. These establishments are a noble idea but are faced with a myriad of challenges. One of the main handicaps that they have is the lack of a capacity to market their products. This is mainly due to lack of a skilled marketing team as many are either semi-illiterate or will be in no position to run a marketing campaign. In an attempt to bridge this gap, Ecotourism Kenya (EK) is opening a web portal where CBTEs can display their products. This site is intended to link players in the tourism industry where they can just go online and make orders of the products that they would wish to buy. The quantity of products these enterprises are able to hold at a time is also a big impediment to their growth. In most cases, they will have a very limited stock that they dispose of before beginning all over to make the next. It is a process that stagnates the whole process and totally retards
growth as the producer of the product will double up as the seller and will manufacture the next product once they have disposed and consumed all the proceeds from the sale. The CBTEs are also unable to capitalize on their strong points but instead, strive to compete with the industrially produced goods. One of the strongest advantages that goods produced by these community enterprises has is the uniqueness of each product since they are almost always handmade. The materials used to make these products are usually eco-friendly and recyclable. The inability of the CBTEs to exploit such an advantage over the mass produced goods means that they remain in the fringes while the lesser quality industrial goods prosper in the markets.
One of the main handicaps that they have is the lack of a capacity to market their products. Ecotourism Kenya (EK) is opening a web portal where CBTEs can display their products. There is also a problem of a standard of quality that buyers can relate to. In an attempt to solve this, Ecotourism
Kenya is working to establish a certification program for CBTEs to raise standards. This is advised by a successful concept in South Africa, FTTSA, which has been promoted as a brand and mark of quality. We intend for the program to set quality standards that will not just be a quality assurance symbol to the customers but also a guide to the producers on the pricing of their products. The government on its part through Kenya Tourism Board could from an arm to specially deal with CBTEs. This arm could help the enterprises market their products and offer ground officers to advice the players just like they do in agriculture. It could also assist them to form linkages with the mainstream industries to sell their products next to theirs, not as competition but as a different line all together.
Join Ecotourism Kenya now & help support sustainable tourism! The Membership categories are as follows: 1> Corporate - Ksh.10,000 or US$ 150 2> CBO - Ksh.1,000
3> Individuals - Ksh.2,500
4> Student (excl. Master & PhD) - Ksh.1,000 5> Sponsor Payment can be made either via Cheque, Cash or M-pesa. To join pick the Application Forms from our offices or send a request to: Ecotourism Kenya, P. O. Box 10146 00100 - GPO, Nairobi, Kenya.
Ecotourism Kenya>Jan - April 2011>Issue No. 24
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gauge how involved an establishment is at protecting the environment. We look at the sources of energy, water and how efficiently the resources are handled. We also look at waste management and whether regulatory and statutory requirements are met.
Eco-rating is not a reward/punishment system but rather a means for recognizing environmental friendly practices and also a source of expert advice on the same. We give practical pointers to tourism enterprises on how to be better custodians of their environment which is at the heart of responsible tourism.
The final sphere is the social-economic. Here we like to find whether the community receives an equitable and fair price for participating in tourism which includes employment, leasing of land, purchasing and supplies.
The scheme follows three main spheres. First, there is the environmental where we
The second sphere is the social-cultural and we like to establish how much a business is involved in protecting and promoting the culture of the community in which it is based. We like to find out whether the establishment is doing anything to educate guests on the local culture and if the architecture is a reflection of the local people.
The scheme has three levels of recognition: bronze, silver and gold, which is the highest level. The certification is subject to renewal every two years.
Ecorated Facilities* Gold Eco-rated facilities Basecamp Masai Mara www.basecampexplorer.com Campi ya Kanzi www.maasai.com
Silver Eco-rated facilities Kenya Camps/ Lodges Amboseli Porini Camp www.porini.com Elsa’s Kopje www.chelipeacock.com Joys Camp www.chelipeacock.com Kitich Camp www.kitichcamp.com Mara Porini Camp www.porini.com Ol Seki Mara Camp www.olseki.com Olonana Camp www.sanctuarylodges.com Porini Lion Camp www.porini.com Porini Rhino Camp www.porini.com
Sasaab Samburu www.saasab.com Subira House www.subirahouse.net Tortilis Camp www.chelipeacock.com Turtle Bay Beach Club www.turtlebay.co.ke
Tanzania Camps/ Lodges Chada Katavi Camp www.nomad-tanzania.com Greystoke Mahale www.nomad-tanzania.com
Bronze Eco-rated facilities Kenya Camps/ Lodges Amboseli Serena www.serenahotels.com Amboseli Sopa Lodge www.sopalodges.com Baobab Beach Resort www.baobab-beach-resort.com Bateleur Camp www.ccafrica.com Elephant Pepper Camp www.chelipeacock.com
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The Eco-rating scheme is soon unveiling a certification for city hotels and tour operators, which will extend the certification product to reach a wider section in the industry. More details on the same with a list of all our accredited members and how to join the voluntary scheme can be found on our website: www.ecotourism Kenya.org Alternatively, you can email Chris at: ecorating@ecotourismkenya.org
Il Ngwesi Lodge www.ilngwesi.com Keekorok Lodge www.discoverwilderness.com Kicheche Mara Camp www.kicheche.com Kichwa Tembo Tented Safari Camp www.ccafrica.com Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge www.serenahotels.com Kilima Camp www.kilimacamp.com Koija Starbeds www.loisaba.com Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge www.sopalodges.com Lake Nakuru Lodge www.lakenakurulodge.com Lewa Safari Camp www.lewasafaricamp.com Loisaba Kiboko Starbeds www.loisaba.com Loisaba Lodge www.loisaba.com Mara Explorer Camp www.heritage-eastafrica.com Mara Intrepids Camp www.heritage-eastafrica.com Mara Serena Safari Lodge www.serenahotels.com
Managing Editor Kahindi Lekalhaile Assistant Associate Editor Kimathi Mutegi Contributors Kahindi Lekalhaile, Kimathi Mutegi, Joan Kabugu, Chris Magero, Gonzaga Mungai and Phoebe Munyoro Advertising Phoebe Munyoro Circulation Odhiambo Abong’o
Tourism businesses subscribing to the Ecorating certification has doubled in the past two years to reach fifty with thirty three bronze, fifteen silver and two gold certified facilities. We attribute this encouraging growth to increased awareness by businesses of the importance of having responsible environmental practices. The certification also presents an enterprise in a favorable light to consumers.
Masaai Mara Sopa Lodge www.sopalodges.com Oltukai Lodge www.oltukailodge.com Samburu Serena www.serenahotels.com Samburu Sopa Lodge www.sopalodges.com Sarova Shaba Game Lodge www.sarovahotels.com Saruni Safari Camp www.sarunicamp.com Serena Beach Hotel & Spa www.serenahotels.com Siana Springs www.heritage-eastafrica.com Sunbird Lodge www.sunbirdkenya.com Sweetwaters Tented Camp www.serenalodges.com Tassia Lodge www.tassiasafaris.com
Tanzania Lodges/ Camps Fundu Lagoon Resort www.fundulagoon.com Sand Rivers Selous www.nomad-tanzania.co.nz *Eco-rated facilities as at January 2011
Ecotourism Kenya • P. O. Box 10146 00100 -Nairobi, Kenya • Telephone: 254 20 2724403 • Fax: 254 20 2724755 • Mobile (M-pesa): 254 0726 366080 • e-mail: info@ecotourismkenya.org • Website: www.ecotourismkenya.org
Design & Layout: Sunburst Communications • info@sun.co.ke
As the effects of global warming and climate change continue to ravage our world, there is an increasing need to encourage responsible practices from the tourism businesses. This sector, directly and indirectly contributes to the destruction of natural resources and local communities. The impact of tourism on the natural and social environment continues to grow with development needs sometimes overriding environmental conservation. Eco-rating certification provides a feasible platform where tourism businesses aspiring to be agents of responsible tourism subscribe to minimum set standards and are provided with a certification.