As part of the Sanctuary Travel Operators for Tigers (TOFT) Wildlife Tourism Awards 2014, local guide Ramesh Suyal operating in Corbett tiger reserve has been awarded the Billy Arjan Singh Memorial Award for Wildlife Guide of the Year. The award sponsored by Indian Wildlife Experiences also carries a cash award of Rs20,000. The Sanctuary TOFTigers Wildlife Tourism Awards were announced recently at a function in New Delhi.
An outstanding local guide who has gone the extra mile to use his passion to enthuse others - visitors and community alike - about wildlife and conservation, Suyal is said to have helped bring employment to other local drivers, guides and businesses. A proportion of his earnings are given to assist with local projects such as improving local schools and educating local children about the value of wildlife. The Wildlife Tourism Related Community Initiative award carrying Rs50,000 cash prize was given to Corbett foundation active in Corbett, Kaziranga, Kahna and Bandhavgarh. An NGO dedicated to wildlife conservation, forest dependent communities and environmental sustainability founded by the owner of Infinity Resorts, the Corbett Foundation has engaged more than 350 villages in initiatives bringing new ecotourism related business and employment opportunities.
Amongst the other winners are Orange County, Kabini and Kipling Camp, joint winners of the Most Inspirational lodge of the Year. Pugdundee Safaris won Wildlife Promotion Operator of the Year and Satpura Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, the Visitor Friendly Destination of the Year award.
TOFTigers chairman Julian Matthews said, “With the new government’s focus on the tourism industry and the Ministry of Tourism’s recently released guidelines to sustainable tourism, it’s time to celebrate the best of the best in nature tourism in India. Nature tourism is no longer a niche industry but a large and critical component for conservation funding and support, for poverty alleviation and of the ‘Tiger brand’ that is quintessentially India.”
“Sanctuary and TOFTigers have one common objective and that is to turn the booming wildlife tourism sector into a responsible conservation tool capable of fuelling both habitat protection and local community participation, with a dignified share in tourism revenues,” said the well-known environmentalist and Sanctuary magazine editor Bittu Sahgal.