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Sonam Dorji

ABTO www.abto.org.bt

Community Based Nature Tourism

A Case Study of the Nabji – Korphu

Trail Experience

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BACKGROUND

Recognizing the potential of tourism for socio-economic opportunities for the

communities.

Trend show that tourists visiting Bhutan

prefers holistic tourism packages; combining of trekking and cultural

activities.

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BACKGROUND…contd.

With the technical assistance from SNV; a Consultant from Yellow Stone

National Park, ABTO, Nature Conservation Division and SNV

conducted feasibility study in two areas

under the National Park/ protected area.

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BACKGROUND…contd.

Report of the feasibility study was presented to all stakeholders mainly to

the tour operators. Nabji Trail was identified for implementation.

Project formulation and identification of potential donor (s) carried out.

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BACKGROUND…contd.

With the project fund from UNDP GEF/SGP and matching fund from

Tourism Development Fund the project was implemented under the supervision

of ABTO.

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Project Objectives

1. To develop the Nabji-Korphu Trail as a trekking trail complemented with

community tourism activities; planned, owned and managed by the communities

living along the trail;

2. To enhance more direct benefits to the

communities.

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Project Objectives…contd.

3. To support improved tourism market chains, including tourism products and services, and

strengthening of MSE development.

4. Capacity building of the communities

5. To offset the seasonality nature of tourism by diversifying the existing products.

6. Even/ equal distribution of the tourism revenue

7. Community benefit and Poverty alleviation

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Stakeholders Involved

1. Communities of along the trail (Nimshong, Nabji, Korphu, Kubdra/

Phumzur and Jangbi)2. Trongsa District

3. Department of Tourism (DoT)

4. ABTO5. JSW National Park

6. Nature Conservation Division (NCD)7. SNV, Bhutan

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Roles and Responsibilities of the Stakeholders Involved

1. Communities:

Implement and management of the project and the

end users

2. Trongsa District

Integrates activities into district level plans to ensure community benefit and helps in link between national and local socio-economic plans.

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Roles and Responsibilities of the Stakeholders Involved

3. Department of Tourism (DoT):

Link to national policies to alleviate poverty through

tourism. Monitoring standards of tourism services and infrastructure; training on hygiene and services, and monitoring impact of tourism project

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Roles and Responsibilities of the Stakeholders Involved

4. ABTO:

Providing link to member tour operators and

marketing material. Advice on product and logistical organisation. Training for cooks and guides. Also acts as Project Manager – budget administration and initiating and monitoring project activities

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Roles and Responsibilities of the Stakeholders Involved

5. Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park:

Familiar with the area and undertakes implementation at the grass roots level. Mobilising the community, training in conservation, Natural resource management and defining limits of acceptable change .

6. Nature Conservation Division (NCD)

Provide guidelines to Park

7. SNV, Bhutan:

Advisory services and knowledge brokering

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Project Activities

1. Establishment of Project Steering Committee

2. Awareness Campaign

3. Establishment of Tourism Management Committee (TMC)

4. Construction

5. Trainings

6. Standardization of Rates

7. Village Development Fund

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Role of TMC

1. Oversee the infrastructural development

2. Involve and inform people in the

community

3. Labour organisation

4. Administration and Management of

the campsite and fund

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Trainings

1. Village Guide

2. Assistant Cook

3. Book Keeping

4. Tourism Management Committee

capacity building training (exposure trip to Nepal; Pokhara)

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Standardization of Rates

1. Campsite fee

2. Local guide and cook rates

3. Porter and pony rates

4. Optional services like Cultural

programme, hot stone bath, traditional games, waiter/ waitress

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Village Development Fund

1. Seed money- Nu. 10,000/-

2. Campsite fee-100%

3. Village guide services- 10%

4. Cook/Waiter/Dish Washer services- 10%

5. Porter/Pack & Riding pony charges-10%

6. Cultural program-10%

7. Local community product-10%

1001090Dish Washer

1001090Waiter

40040360Riding pony

1000100900Cultural Performance

Optional

15015135Village Cook

15015135Village Guide

30030270Pony

15015135Porter

100100-Campsite Fee

Mandatory

TotalCDF ChargeTourism Services

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Facilities at Campsites

1. Camping Ground

2. Serving Shed/ Amphitheatre

3. Kitchen/ Store

4. Toilet/ Shower room (At NabjiCampsite)

5. Water tap

6. Crockery and Utensils

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Familiarization Tours

1. Trail familiarization for tour operators

2. Had two groups; actual tourists during the course of implementation

3. Familiarization tour of the national tour guides

4. Familiarization tour for off-shore agents and

some travel journalists.

The feed back received from these familiarization tour was crucial in getting their feedbacks as well as bonding between the stakeholders before the actual opening ofthe trek.

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Accessibility

1. Two days’ drive away from the airport

2. Two and half hours from the Trongsadistrict town

3. Starts and ends at the lateral highway roadside

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Name of the Trail: Nabji Trail

Total Length: 70 Km, 29-32 hrs

Highest Altitude: 1,636m/5453ft(Korphu & Kuda Campsite)

Lowest Altitude: 693m/2310 ft

(Mangde chuu)

Signage: The whole trail is marked with signage.

Fact Sheet

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Cultural Resources

1. Community Temples at every campsites

2. Religious, cultural and historical sites along the trail

3. Ethnic Group

4. Traditional Games

5. Village festivals

6. Cane and bamboo handicrafts

7. Pottery

Tourism Resources

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Natural Resources

1. Wildlife

2. Birds

3. Orchid garden and wild orchids

4. Large Tree ferns

5. Broad temperate leaves forest

6. View points of nearest town and mountains

Tourism Resources

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Infrastructure

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Total Investment

1. SGP/GEF, UNDP: $49,775.00

2. TDF: $ 25,000.00

Total USD 74,775.00

Information Booth Serving Shed/ Amphitheatre

Camp # 1 - Jangbi

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Camp ground around the serving shed

Camp # 1 - Jangbi

Water tap with Toilet

Camp # 1 - Jangbi

Serving Shed

Camp # 2 - Kuda

Kuda Kitchen

Camp # 2 - Kuda

Camping ground with Kitchen and serving shed

Camp # 2 - Kuda

Serving Shed/ Amphitheatre with Kitchen

Camp # 3 - Nabji

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Water tap/ Toilets/ camping ground

Camp # 3 - Nabji

Camping ground/ Toilet/ Kitchen

Camp # 4 - Khorphu

Serving shed

Camp # 5 - Nimshong

Camping ground

Camp # 5 - Nimshong

Kitchen Toilet

Camp # 5 - Nimshong

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Booking Procedure/ Conditions

1. Each tour group can have a maximum number of 11 tourists for a single group entry.

2. A new group entry can follow after THREE days only!

3. If the group size exceeds 11 tourists (with a maximum of 16 tourists), the tour group has to split up into two. The two groups can start trekking on the same day from different entry points

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Booking Procedure/ Conditions

4. Tour group has to visit Park Office to receive briefing prior to trek.

5. The tour group has to take care of their own garbage; the degradable waste can be dumped in the garbage pit of the campsite while non degradable material can be disposed

off in the Park Range Office in Tongtongphey.

6. Group Registration has to be done with ABTO and entry slots will be available on “First Come First Serve” basis.

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Cancellation

Cancellation policy:

1. Confirmation of tour group (including details) 1 month prior to trek date;

2. Cancellation of trek 1 month prior to trek date – No Charges;

3. Last minute cancellation (less than 1 month prior to the registered trek date) - Nu.1000/- as service charge (which goes into the village development funds).

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Total Visitors

81222007

3572008

6462006

TouristsGroupsYear

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Revenue (tourists only), 06 &07

USD 4,500.00USD 29,414.82USD 84,825.00Total

USD 2,680.00USD 16,431.66USD 47,385.002007

USD 1,820.00USD 12,983.16USD 37,440.002006

Community Services

Tour Operators

Government Revenue through

Royalty

Year

Total revenue due to the trek2006: USD 52,243.16

2007 USD 66,496.66

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Indicators used during evaluation

Socio-Economic Impact Analysis:

• Findings of the Feasibility study• Value Chain Analysis• Tour Operators’ Preferences • Baseline Survey• Desk Research• Visitor Preferences• Tourism impact survey

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Indicators used during evaluation

Indicators for Economic Impacts – Direct Impacts

• Government revenue (national)

• Job creation and employment (Household)• Seasonal earnings from tourism related activities

(Household)• Economic diversification (sector)• SME development (enterprise)• Food and water adequacy (Household)• Expenditures made from tourism related earnings (Household)

• Rural-Urban Migration trend (national)

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Indicators used during evaluation

Indicators for Environmental impacts

• Short Term

1. Garbage control and sanitation2. Installation of solar lamps and cooking gas3.Pro-conservation awareness4.Resource use5. Kitchen gardens

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Indicators used during evaluation

Indicators for Environmental impacts

• Long Term

1. Cattle breed2. Pollution and waste outputs 3. Change of habitat4. Impacts on wildlife 5. Aesthetic impacts 6. Infrastructural development

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Some findings of the Impact Analysis

Tourists Arrival

Increase of around 26% from 2006

Around 50% constitute American (US)

Around 30% constitute European (UK, Germany, Italian etc..)

Remaining from other countries

Age of the visitors were between 45 – 65 years

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Some findings of the Impact Analysis

Participation and Economic Benefit:

71.9 % of the villagers participated in the tourism

activities

97.5% has benefited economically

68.7% felt tourism activities is not a deterrent to their daily work

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Marketing and Promotion

1. Through Tour Operators; especially providing them with soft copies of the trail report along with pictures.

2. Familiarization tour for offshore agents and travel

journalists

3. Through our own Websites

4.Some tour operators have registered the trail as responsible tourism product in responsible tourism website

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Future Plan

1. Monitoring and Evaluation

2. Develop Strategies on improvement of coordination and communication (TMC and Tour Operators).

Handing over of booking to TMCs.

3. Guidance on the use of VDF; for expansion of services and income generation

4. Replicate ideas in other areas

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TERIMA KASIH

THANK YOU