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Entry:Making a difference - easy, effective, educational, community tourism
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The Geotourism Challenge: Celebrating Places - Changing Lives
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Hi Jem,
Can you provide us with some tangible numbers that quantify your impact? Approximately how many travelers have you served? What are some other numbers that you use to gauge your impact? Please share.
Thanks
Dana Frasz
Changemakers
Hi,
Last year 209 guests participated in the programme, each paying $40 making a total of $8360 going into the pockets of the villagers directly.
There are 20 hosts participating in the project, making an average of $418 per host, although in reality some are more popular than others.
It may not seems much, but it is new money that would not have otherwise been circulating, with almost no investment.
The home stay is a relatively new addition, and I think this year the numbers will be much greater.
Jem Winston
Managing Director
Rosalie Forest Eco Lodge,
Dominica
West Indies
Internet: http://www.rosalieforest.com
Hello Jem,
Have you tried to reach out to local hotels or tourist agencies? I can imagine that what you're providing would be a neat experience that hotels or agencies would like to offer their guests. "There is no reason for every tourist to the island not to participate in at least one community tourism activity" - this could be your pitch!
Best of luck to you.
Dana Frasz
Ashoka's Changemakers
Hi Dana,
At the moemnt we are the only hotel nearby. However, what would be better than having other hotels sending their guests to our local village to join our activities, would be to persuade other hotels to provide similar experiences in their local communities. This would give guests an experience more particular to their surrounding area.
There is another hotel due to open nearby soon, and I am hoping very much that they will decide to support the activities going on in our village. Our community tourism programme is also mentioned in detail in the island pocket guide, and we do occasionally get passing trade for the activities.
Another thought we had was to offer it as a day out for cruise ship visitors. Offering this kind of activity to cruise ship tourists could not only improve cross cultural understanding and appreciation, but could also help convert tgose tourists to overnighters, a much more lucrative kind of tourism for the island in general. We are working on that one now.
Jem Winston
Managing Director
Rosalie Forest Eco Lodge,
Dominica
West Indies
Internet: http://www.rosalieforest.com
Hi Jim,
I think its a great idea to reach out to cruise ship visitors. Often their experience is so limited to the bar on the beach and they rarely get to experience the people and the culture.
Good luck!
Dana Frasz
Changemakers
And here in Dominica, the nature, people and the culture are our biggest assets, which is probably true in many developing nations.
Thanks
Jem Winston
Managing Director
Rosalie Forest Eco Lodge,
Dominica
West Indies
Internet: http://www.rosalieforest.com