Sustainable Tourism Criteria

Around the world there are hundreds of certification systems and best practices that define sustainable tourism. Consumer interest is growing. Travel industry leaders are coming to the forefront. And governments are paving the way.

STC Sustainable Tourism CriteriaBut what does sustainable tourism really mean? How can it be measured and credibly demonstrated to build consumer confidence, promote efficiency, and fight greenwashing?

The Sustainable Tourism Criteria Initiative has been designed as a way to bring together -- for the first time -- a globally relevant set of sustainability criteria for the hotel and tour operator sectors. Through this common understanding of what sustainable tourism really means, the travel industry, media, governments, and consumers will be better positioned to differentiate, recognize, and support sustainable tourism.

Whether you represent the travel industry or other stakeholders in sustainable tourism, your involvement is critical to ensure that the criteria are usable and relevant to the industry, that they address industry needs and customer interests, and forge a path towards greater sustainability.

Please take a moment to review the criteria and complete the our online survey (http://tinyurl.com/CriteriaFeedback ). Note that your participation in the survey does not imply endorsement of the global baseline criteria, but will help shape the direction of sustainable tourism for the industry.

http://www.sustainabletourismcriteria.org/

Ship Wreck Diving in Dore Bay of Manokwari West Papua

Dore bay is one of scuba diving destinations in West Papua (formerly known as Dutch New Guinea). It is where Manokwari town is located. As the capital of the newly formed West Papua province, the town stretches along the shore of Dore bay.

View of Dore bay seen from Mansinam island, Manokwari - West Papua

During the Pacific War (World War II), Japanese troops made it as one of their bases putting cargo and warships in the bay. This is a beautiful deep water bay which is also a natural harbour surrounded by Arfak mountain range. When allied forces led by General Mc Arthur attacked Dutch New Guinea, they sunk some of Japanese ships sailing or anchoring in this bay. There are more than twenty wrecks in this bay but only six that can be dived on. There are two islands in the middle of the bay, Mansinam and Lemon island. Coral reefs can be found around these islands.

Town of Manokwari, West Papua

One of the best ship wreck worth of diving is Shinwa Maru. It was a cargo ship with five holds. Its length is around 120 meters and lies on its port side. The ship was bombed. Divers can see big holes, bottles, cables, batteries and other equipments.

Scuba divers like to do night diving because the ship wreck attracks fish and various marine creatures. Beside Shinwa Maru wreck, there are other wrecks such as Pasir Putih wreck (navy coastal patrol boat), Pillbox wreck, Cross wreck, Mupi Wreck, and Australian plane wreck (P-40 Kitty Hawk fighter plane).

Read also:

• An affordable lodging in Manokwari: http://charlesroring.blogspot.com/2008/07/affordable-inn-for-eco-travellers-in.html
• New diving sites in North Sulawesi: http://charlesroring.blogspot.com/2008/07/new-diving-sites-should-be-introduced.html
• Sail bunaken 2009: http://charlesroring.blogspot.com/2008/07/bunaken-national-marine-park-to-host.html
• Cleaning up Bunaken Marine Park: http://charlesroring.blogspot.com/2008/07/cleaning-up-bunaken-diving-site.html

Combining Music, Dancing, and Food in Gourmet Tourism

by Charles Roring

 

Recent rising in food price has influenced many restaurant owners to make adjustments in their businesses. Besides reducing the variety of food menu, mixing food and entertainment is considered a good solution. More empty seats mean lower profit and higher overhead spending. When facing this unfavorable situation, some restaurant owners in Indonesia launch special night package for their customers.
The package incorporate a two hour contemporary dancing and music entertainment as addition to delicious dinner presented on every table. This package is sold for 100 to 150 US dollars per table of 10 seats. Employers of big companies, as the usual frequent customers of the restaurants, have shown their interest to this kind of package as an affordable way to treat their staff. This package is considered cheaper than one week holiday package to famous tourist destinations in the country. Besides, the employees do not have to leave office when celebrating their achievement. In addition, they can bring all their family or friends to enjoy the food and entertainment in the restaurants.
High school and university students are recruited as contemporary dancers whereas only professional singers are allowed to perform on the stage. Every dancer can get more than 20 US dollar for every performance, the amount which is considered high in Indonesia.
"Double Happines," one of the restaurants in Surabaya city of Indonesia that incorporates food and entertainment program can fill all its fifty tables with corporate customers.
Through this kind of program, gourmet tourism will not only rely on the taste of the food and experienced chef but also in mixing food and entertainment.

New Diving Sites should be introduced to visitors to reduce pressures on Bunaken Marine Park

by Charles Roring

The conservation of Bunaken Marine National Park has been the main objective of all stakeholders to create a sustainable eco tourism industry. This effort can only be done if there is a profesional management system doing the job with adequate logistical supports such as money, community development and participation, facilities, and specific laws and regulations.
Most Marine Protected Areas generate significant funding from the entrance fee levied from visitors (both domestic and international). The money is then used to finance activities intended to protect the park. Such activities are marine patrol against destructive fishing practices, deliberate littering of the park and ilegal fishing in the No Take Zone. Villagers living in the Bunaken Park territory have to be involved in the protection or conservation works and also be supported to generate income through sustainable business schemes.
So far, the number of bombings, poisoning of fish conducted by fishermen in Bunaken diving sites has been reduced to near zero. I can also see that some businessmen in North Sulawesi have entered such sustainable aqua culture production as sea grass cultivation, pearl farming and shrimp ponds. These businesses can absorb more workers and generate significant income for them.
In the beginning, the implementation of marine patrol was intended to protect the park from being destroyed by irresponsible people who had been practicing ilegal fishing techniques. It has to be the principle duty of the marine patrol and it should not become a secondary objective. Another additional task of marine patrol in Bunaken park is the supervision on visitors diving or snorkeling in the park on whether they have purchased the entrance tickets.
As a matter of fact, solid waste from the Manado city, flowing out from the rivers or drifting to the park, is the real threat to the coral reefs underwater environment. Therefore, local government must allocate large amount of provincial budget to process them. The money obtained from the entrance tickets is not enough to finance the project. But it can be used to launch public awareness campaign in the city telling the citizens not to throw garbages to the rivers. Public notice boards and advertisements placed in the newspapers and magazines will also inform the citizen about the negative impacts of marine pollution to the underwater environment of Bunaken coral reefs.
Certain dive sites around Bunaken islands receive more divers during high season period i.e. May - September. This raises concern over the reef carrying capacity. For the diving sites whose capacity have been exceeded, the disturbances from divers on the habitat will reduce the number of fish population, and influence the growth of the reefs. The management of Bunaken Marine National Park must implement and distribute diving quota to operators in order to lower pressures on certain coral reefs that have exceeded their carrying capacity. To minimize diver impacts, new diving sites such as Lembeh strait, Bentenan, and Bangka island should be introduced. Bentenan is located in the sourthern part of the province of North Sulawesi. Bentenan islets have coral reefs that are potential to be developed as another tourist destination in the province. Unfortunately, the roads connecting the Bentenan village to the city are still in poor condition. If the government are serious in developing these diving sites, good facilities have to be constructed in the Bentenan similar to what have seen in Bunaken National Marine Park.
Through the distribution of fair naumber diving quota to operators, and the development and introduction of new diving sites, the sustainable eco tourism industry in North Sulawesi will bring more benefits to local people as well as maintain the quality of underwater environment in its best condition.

Pilatus Porter, a suitable aircraft for travelling across mountainous region

While I was about to board into a Boeing 737 200 on a trip to Surabaya, I saw a small plane parking on my left. It was Pilatus Porter. It belonged to AMA (Association of Mission Aviation), a Catholic missionary airliner which has been operating in West Papua for years.

Travelling across mountainous region and other areas that are inaccessible by land transportation can only be done by using airplanes. Most of Papuan population live in many small villages scattered throughout the mountainous region of the island. The construction of roads to connect these villages needs enormous amount of money. Therefore, the fastest way to connect them to the outer world is by using airplanes. Most villages in West Papua have airstrips. Unfortunately they are unprepared, rough and short.

Small airplanes can serve these airstrips without needing the construction of modern airstrip. Supplies from nearby towns such as food, oil, clothes, office equipments, and other products of modern civilisation as well as passengers are transported by these Pilatus Porter aircrafts. On their return flights to towns, they will carry the villagers and vegetables, meat and other agricultural products.

Pilatus Porter aircraft is designed and manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft Limited. The company was founded in 1939. It is one of the market leaders in manufacture and sale of small turbo prop aircraft. Its headquarter is in Central Switzerland employing 1,100 workers.

http://www.pilatus-aircraft.com

Missionary airliners in West Papua prefer to use this type of aircraft due to its versatile performance. It can carry up to 1,000 kilograms of goods and 12 passengers.

Besides having high payload in comparison to its size, the aircraft also has STOL capabilities which enable it to operate in rough airstrips or unprepared areas only reachable by helicopters. It can even land on sloped airstrip. There is a video showing how Pilatus Porter landed on this kind of inclined airstrip in Apowo of West Papua.

The capability, reliability, and versatility of Pilatus Porter will make this small aircraft the most preferred choice for many communities living in remote regions around the world. by Charles Roring
Also read: Pilatus Porter a robust aircraft