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NEPAL AUSTRALIA MAITRI SANGH
Dezign by ADBIZ 0411 656 089
NEWSLETTER No. 5, 2013
NAMASTE !!!
ECOTOURISM PROJECT UPDATE
Thank you for your interest
in the welfare of the Ghosari
people of the Madi. I am writing
this brief newsletter to keep you
informed about progress in our
eco-tourism project.
The major bridge over the Reu
river has now been completed,
opening up the Madi area to the
outside world.
Travel agencies are now showing considerable interest in the
Ghosari Centre because it is the
only substantial building in the
area suitable for tourist accommodation. Two agencies - Yeti Travels
and ‘Wildlife Resort’ have recently
sent representatives to look at the
Ghosari Centre.
However our main ‘customer’ will
still be ‘Nature Treks’ an ecotourism company recommended by Dr
Bhim Gurung, an environmentalist
with the University of Minnesota,
Conservation Biology program. In
particular Bhim says that ‘Nature
Treks’ has successfully worked
with Mahabir Pun’s income generating projects in Myagdi District.
It is now the rainy season and
negotiations with ‘Nature Treks’
are under way to commence operations when the dry season comes
in October. Vimal Thapa, Nature
Treks manager, has contacted us
recently saying:“I need to discuss and know the
possibilities of community services
we can offer without affecting the
local values and culture during the
visitors trips to Ghosari. Next will
come how we can tie up marketing
and delivering the services are up
coming issues we need to discuss.
As far as marketing is concerned,
we will be marketing in our own
way or best would be with the community. You also have the website
that can be used.
So lets hope and work this will
go further to making the Ghosari
community sustainable and we
running the sustainable and environment friendly business.
Lets do it”.
Regards
Vimal Thapa Nature Treks
As you can see from this communication Nature Treks is a business
highly attuned to environmental
and community considerations. I
believe they are the ideal people to
assist in income generation for the
Ghosari.
Our newly appointed manager
Krishna Neupane, who has 16
years experience in Chitwan Park
tourism, understands what is
required to run a business here,
although he and the Ghosari Centre Committee face many hurdles
before eco-tourism can be fully
established.
Finance is required to set up the
many services required by the visitors. In this regard we were greatly
relieved to hear that NAMS money
(approx. $A7000) misappropriated
by a disgruntled ex-staff member is
in process of being returned.
All possible steps have been taken
to prevent this sort of thing from
occurring again.
In sum, there has been significant
progress towards our ecotourism
goal. The scene is now set for the
Ghosari people to greatly enhance
the prosperity of their community
in the coming years.
Successful ecotourism can provide
the financial basis for a greater
sense of their independence and
self-development.
Cheers
Shobha & John