For many years now I hear and see about the development of rainforest ecotourism in Gabon. Fay's Megatransect, the establishment of the 13 National Parks, documentaries in magazines and on TV all contributed to a wider notion of what Gabon has to offer. But now your blueprint "Vision for Tourism, Parks and Sustainable Development in the 21st Century" puts everything in a context, this is the way to go. I have gone through the Ivindo and Moukalabo-Doudou documents on changemakers.net and the Minkebe one I found on gabonmagazine.com. I recognize many issues and problems tourism in a rainforest needs to cope with. However, when WWF's Bas Huijbrechts years ago said to me that "Minkebe is too difficult for tourism", I disagreed with him. Rightly so.

Our non-profit Transjungle project (www.transjungle.com/en) organizes jungle expeditions demanding a little bit more effort of people. In marketing-speak, I would say, targeting the somewhat older adventure traveller, having a good physical condition, but in no need to go for whitewater rafting. We go mainly on foot, camp in the forest, taking lightweight food with us, respecting the environment. In the style of the "reconnaissance" missions WWF and WCS undertake. People appreciate this way to get in contact with the forest, but in the end they want to see the animals. Very often I have explained that the forest is not a zoo, but that there is a chance we run into an elephant. All we do is increase our chances by doing it the way we do. To make seeing animals more predictable, less dependant on accidental encounters, you envisage infrastructure like canopy bridges and tree lodges, I can see that. And of course, habituating the ape-like, but this takes years. I have heard people say "we have seen Uganda's gorilla's, now we would like to see Gabon's", bypassing the rest of Gabon's beauty. So my task is exactly as it is stated in one of your vision documents: "Gabon’s marketing must be careful not to promise gorillas or chimps, but rather to emphasize a rainforest experience where every day is a different adventure." But, admitted, you need pictures of animals to promote Gabon, a law of marketing unfortunately. In that respect the Minkebe document is an example of giving people false hope: the sleeping giants you can climb, but how big is the chance to see a leopard?

For summer 2009 we plan an expedition in Ivindo. We planned it for this year actually, but there appeared to be insufficient interest. It looks like there is for coming year. The route was going to be Makoukou - Kongou - Djidji - Langoué - Ivindo station, but since a couple of months I understand Langoué will be closed for the public then. I was informed about the motivation and I suppose it has everything to do with the vision for the future. Am I correct? I read that "WCS is to write a critical report reviewing the pilot in order that a sensible, informed decision can be made as to the future of tourism activities in and around the bai." My question would be: the future of tourism activities has now been described by you, hasn't it? What would be in the critical report? I hear that the government will decide on a new strategy for tourism in Langoué early next year once the WCS report has been evaluated. You think there is a chance that tourism will be allowed in a new form later that year?

On May 28, 2008, the judges reviewed the entries for the Changemakers “Geotourism Challenge” and would like to pass on this feedback for your entry. Thank you for applying and for your hard work in the field. We are excited to archive your entry to serve as a leading solution for the worldwide community of sustainable tourism innovators. We wish you continued luck with your sustainable, innovative, and socially impactful initiatives.

All the best, The Changemakers Team

“This was a fantastic vision! The vision is extraordinarily important and a definite step in the right direction. This project needs to be publicized to inspire people to think big.”

“This is an innovative initiative in context of place. Their upcoming partnership with the Chinese to do logging in land that is supposed to be preserved seems like a great step, but I’m concerned about what’s next. They need solid corporate partners and more publicity to be financially sustainable.”

-Changemakers Geotourism Judges: National Geographic Society, Past President the Ford Foundation, whl.travel - World Hotel Link, ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth.

I JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW TO VOTE

It is a wonderful thing to talk about a country which is as an eldorado, concerning environment and tourism. In fact, Gabon is in my souvenir as as a good king for his people. My father talked about it to me when I was in Guinea(my originary country) ; because I left Gabon 15 years ago.But the past only is not my argument to defend Gabon,neither because I have this nationality . But the actuality allows me well to choose Gabon for the first country among all of those quotated countries. And more Gabon is the first country to create virtual museum in the world. So, at least without to like to finish, I think that it is its merit.

Gabon is earth as God's garden. Perfect climate, friendly people. It sits between plus one and minus one degree on the equator. This is the most stable climate on the planet in that the temperature varies very little. Perfect weather for skin, I used to think. I lived there for a time and the view off my front porch in the mornings would make me sing. Early mornings the sun would rise behind my house and the morning mist in the valley below would shroud the forest below in shimmering clouds of brilliant white. The impression was not unlike walking out onto a cloud. The sky would be brilliant blue with only the tops of neighboring hills to remind you that earthbound you were still. My neighbors got a real kick out of my daily serenade to the mist covered valley below.

Orchids grow at your feet and in the trees. The fruit contains not pesticides. O'tanga's are ... O'tanga's, and I would love a warm bowl full right now.

At night, we would sit on the porch and listen to the Howler monkeys in the valley below sound out their positions to each other. You could tell from the cries they were getting closer and closer. Once they found each other, the bush would go silent. A full moon overlooking my valley, on a clear night, a cold Regab, and those warm, scented, tropical breezes, take me back to another time and place. Stars so close, you could almost reach out and touch them.

When my son gets a little older, we will make the trip. He/we deserve it.

I visited Gabon in 2004 and was stunned by the unspoiled landscape, the abundant wildlife and the potential for Gabon to become the leading rainforest destination in Africa. It offers an unparalleled opportunity to develop a model of sustainable ecotourism and a lot of hard work and talent has gone into the remarkable progress so far. This award is well deserved and would be much needed impetus for greater outreach to investors--something that is critical at this time.

Let me say that the country of Gabon is first and foremost a wealth of beauty, wildlife and culture that I had the privilege of seeing and participating in. The work that WCS has done there has furthered the ability of Gabonese to preserve and promote their beautiful country to travelers like myself. I'd say the gorillas at Ivindo National Park were the most awesome sight I've ever seen. The people in Gabon are friendly and welcoming. I hope more people can experience what I did through the winning of this contest!!!

C'est toujours avec une grande fascination et un grand étonnement que l'on découvre combien est beau et attractif ce pays d'Afrique central, bercé par la mer à l'ouest et traversé par l'Equateur.
On peut y découvrir sa faune et sa flore si diversifiées. Il est grand temps que le monde entier vienne partager la vue de ses paysages et la joie de vivre de ses habitants. Je recommande à tous de prendre le train de jour de la gare d'owendo vers Franceville, de visiter le Canyon de Léconi, d'admirer le coucher du soleil sur les belles plages de Mayumba, d'admirer les formes sinusoïdales du fleuve Ogooué, de visiter les lacs de la région de Lambaréné ou de visiter toutes les autres attractions que comptent le Gabon comme atouts dans ses neuf provinces. Que de beaux paysages formés par cette végétation luxuriante pleines de mystères et d'histoires.
Une partie du monde l'avait compris, mais pas encore le monde entier.
Une occasion unique est donnée au Gabon pour faire découvrir ses valeurs et sa grande richesse culturelle vieille de plusieurs milliers d'années. L'écotourisme nous donne ainsi la possibilité de faire émerger le Gabon dans le concert des grandes nations touristiques. Nous soutiendrons tous le Gabon

I support my sister Aimee and her Gabonese team of wonderful and dedicated environmentalist. I love the design of her new hotel in Mayumba. My hopes are for the efforts put forth by the volunteers will not go unnoticed by the world. The beauty it holds and the heart and soul of the people in the villages shouldnt be passed by. Lots of Love for the turtles!!! XOXOX nikki
P.S.- HI RICH and PEANUTBUTTER!

I'm very pleased to see how WCS transform dreams to reality with passion, hard work and the believe of people like Lee or Mike or Caroline and others conservationists.

Gabon worth it... Keep up the good work; we're part of this amazing journey.

Serge

I used to live in Gabon, many years ago. I made there memories of jumping dolphins, barracudas, close up gorillas, hippos, elephants, sitatungas, "magnans", humming touraco wings, leopards, river hogs, pristine rivers and more. I will never forget the feel of the great forest. It is truly a unique and magical place. It used to pain me to no end to see that most French expats living there at the time did not give a damn about conservation.

The potential of the country for eco/adventure travelers is tremendous. Imagine a sea kayak trip from Pointe Denis down to Port Gentil, along the shores of Wonga-Wonge? Then Kayak up the Ogoue to Lambarene? Or keep going down to Loango?

However, there is one considerable obstacle in developing that potential: getting there is long, difficult and costly. Even for Europeans, the air fare is quite pricey. Any budget for a trip to Gabon is going to include a disproportionate share of air travel expenses. Of course, some may want to have a little stopover in Paris, but how many, given a choice, would rather skip that and discover what Equatorial Africa is about without getting jipped in airport fees and hotel nights paid in Euros?

The US ecotourism public would love Gabon; problem is that most of that public can afford a complete week in Costa Rica for the price of just the airplane tickets necessary to take them to Paris first and then to Libreville, and back. Part of the problem is the privileged relation between Air Gabon and Air France and the de-facto monopoly on air service to and from Gabon held by Air France.

Twice monthly flights between any US major airport (New York and Miami are good candidates) and Libreville would go a long way to solve that problem. There are ways to achieve that, even without Air Gabon/Air France. Charters could be organized. Possibly one of the best options would be South-African Airways flights with a stop in Libreville. Unfortunately, any of these solutions is going to require Omar Bongo to end Air France's monopoly.

If the good WCS folks manage to convince the president of that, they might just kick start the ecotourism drive in Gabon for good. It's quite simple: require ecotourists to spend $1.5k on airfares, instead of 3k+, and they will come (especially if they save on a hotel night in Paris too).

Fascinating project in a part of the globe that has so much to offer and is so little known by the world community at large. This project couldn't be more timely -- rain forest destruction continues to march on at an alarming pace. Dr. White and his partners have put together a plan that calls for execution now, with not a minute to waste, while the winds are in their favor, and the trees are still standing.