Creating Competitive Advantage through Responsible Tourism Practices

Creating Competitive Advantage through Responsible Tourism Practices

ByAlbert Teo

Advisor, The International Ecotourism Society,Fellow/Adjunct Lecturer, Edith Cowan University, Australia

Borneo Eco Tours/Sukau Rainforest Lodge/BEST Societywww.borneoecotours.com/www.sukau.com/www.bestsociety.org

30th October 2014Sands Expo and Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

http://www.borneoecotours.com/www.sukau.com/www.bestsociety.org

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Triple Bottom Line“Shareholder value does not equal economic values”.

Michael Porter

Borneo Eco Tours / Borneo Ecotourism, Solutions and Technologies Society (BEST)

(people) (profit)

(planet)

Responsible Tourism is a Sustainable Development Concept

Sustainable Tourism

Ecotourism

Borneo Eco Tours / Borneo Ecotourism, Solutions and Technologies Society (BEST)3

1. BORNEO ECO TOURS SDN.BHD. (1991)- Developing human, business and knowledge capital

2. SUKAU RAINFOREST LODGE SDN.BHD. (1995) - Developing natural, human, business and knowledge capital

3. Borneo Ecotourism, Solutions and Technologies or B.E.S.T SOCIETY (2007)- Non profit foundation (for community/environment profit)- Developing human, knowledge capital

4. CAMP LEMAING – Sir Hugh Low’s Expedition Camp (2014) - Developing natural, human, business and knowledge capital

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Four Models of Responsible Tourism


1. Borneo Eco Tours

Set up in 1991


To create and provide the most memorable holiday experience for our clients

To make Borneo Eco Tours the No.1 service provider through passion for excellence in our work by developing

the leadership potential of our staff, commitment to integrity, good attitude, and concern for the community

and environment

Our Vision

Our Mission

1. COMMITMENT Make our company a No.1 service provider

2. CONSISTENTThrough passion for excellence

3. COMPETENCEDeveloping the leadership potential of our staff 4. CHARACTERCommitment to integrity, good attitude 5. CAREConcern for the community and environment

1.Design2. Construction3.Operation4.Education5.Promotion

6Borneo Eco Tours / Borneo Ecotourism, Solutions and Technologies Society (BEST)

Code of Practice Since 1999

1. Minimize negative impact on nature and culture.

2. Education, interpretation, right behavior.3. Conserving natural area4. Benefiting local community.

Principles of RT Operator


5. Infrastructures are developed in harmony with the environment.

6. Provision of good information before tours.

7. Training program for local guides.



8. Provide local employment and support local businesses.

9. Meet and interact with local communities.

10. Work with stakeholders to improve management of visitor experience



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2. Sukau Rainforest Lodge

www.sukau.com

Characteristics of Ecolodge

1. Use alternative and sustainable means of water acquisition and reduce water consumption

2. Meets energy needs through passive design and renewable sources

3. Provide for careful handling (reduce, refuse, reuse, recycle) and disposal of solid waste

4. Use environmentally friendly sewage treatment systems


Rain water tanks

Solar Panel

- Hitesh Mehta,Authentic Ecolodges

5. Fit into its specific physical and cultural contexts through careful attention to form, landscaping, and color as well as through vernacular architecture

6. Use environmentally friendly building and furnishing materials

7. Have minimal impact on the natural surroundings and utilize traditional building techniques during construction

8. Endeavour to work with the local community, including community members, in the initial physical planning and design stages of construction

Characteristics of Ecolodge


Gomantong Hall

Gecko Lounge

- Hitesh Mehta,Authentic Ecolodges

Characteristics of EcolodgeEmployment of Locals


1. Electric motors for river cruise 2. Guests to wear ‘sarong’ for dinner 3. Dinner served on riverfront open deck to enjoy magnificent river view4. Oil lamps at dinner tables using recycled cooking oil5. ‘Conservation Fellows’ – Each room dedicated to a conservation personality complete with bio data for education

Product Innovation


Sir David Attenborough, a ‘Conservation Fellow’

1. A Souvenir of Sabah 20082. Saving Paradise 20053. Images of Borneo 19964. Journey through Borneo 19945. Journey through Sabah (video) 19936. A Guide to Brunei Darussalam 19927. A Guide to Sandakan 19908. Sabah-land of the Sacred Mountain (video) 19909. Exotic Islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park 198910. Sabah - land of the Sacred Mountain 1988

1. Visitor Handbook on Lower Kinabatangan Floodplain 2003

2. Hornbill Boardwalk Interpretive Information on the Flora and Fauna 2003

Others

Product Innovation: Books & Videos Published


• Lighting – Reuse cooking oil• Lodge designed to minimize

energy usage• Electric Motor Boat

Green Policies: Energy


Hornbill Boardwalk & Kari Boardwalk 2002


Green Policies: Local Community Benefits

• Employment opportunities: 70-80% are local staff members

• Supply of fish and prawns

• Supply of building materials

• Contracts - jetty, plank walk and lodge repairs

• Water tanks, medical projects.


3. Borneo Ecotourism, Solutions and Technologies (BEST) Society

Formed and registered as a community and environment profit society in April 2007

“Empowering communities”


Water Tank Projects in Kinabatangan and Pitas

Community Projects


1997-98, 1999-2000, 2012-2014

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RM137,784.22 raised Benefitted 150 households

Benefitted about 2342 people benefited

Amount raised: RM83,381.68

General medical check up, Sukau 2012

2001, 2003, 2010, 2012 and 2013 – Kinabatangan & Mantanani


Community Projects

Medical Projects

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Life saving for Mohammad Razman, 10, of Kg. Abai diagnosed with acute appendicitis

Environment Projects

HRH Prince Henrik and Tengku Adlin planting a tree seedling in 2001

Kinabatangan Wildlife Corridor Rehabilitation Programme(KWICORP) Tree Planting Project (since 2000)

RM 51,845.79 spent, over 5000 trees planted


Phase 1 Site in June 2009

School children environment awareness program 2010 & 2011

Capacity Building


Moving from Charity to Social Entrepreneurship

Human Capital Development SeminarApril 2008, Kudat

Business Opportunity SeminarAugust 2010, Kudat

Seminars and workshops benefitted about 640 persons since 2008

Tindakon Beach Homestay


Somuil and Norzaili

Terongkongan Beach

Restaurant

Set up in 2010

Social Entrepreneurship Projects

Tourism Study Trip For 3 Rungus Leaders to Sukau

2006


Cold press

Ronnie and wife holding finished product (August 2012)

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Social Entrepreneurship Projects

Before After

Since 2010

Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO)

Sustainable, Capacity Building & Entrepreneurship

Kg. Rampai Besar Organic Farming 2013

Study Trip to Canaan Farmers InstituteAugust 2013


Vermicompost WorkshopApril 2014

Project funding of RM 40,000.0026

4. Lemaing, The Hugh Low Expedition Camp 2013

Project funding of RM 70,000.00

Capacity Building & Entrepreneurship

Community leaders, stakeholders


Environment and Community

Sources of Income (1996 - Jul 2014)Contribution from Borneo Eco Tours RM403,515.00 (36%)

Contribution from Sukau Rainforest Lodge (SRL) RM 236,977.08 (20%)

Contributions from others RM 536,210.91 (44%)

Grand total : RM 1,223,782.99

Amount spent on community and environment projects (As of Dec 2013)through BEST Society

RM999,378.23


"Employment is the first step out of

poverty. It's at the core of

economic development and social stability".

Juan O. Somavia. Nobel Peace Prize

winner (1969) / Director General ,ILO, 1999.

29Borneo Eco Tours / Borneo Ecotourism, Solutions and Technologies Society

(BEST)

Conclusions

1. Niche Tourism – focus, specialisation, execution.

2. Leverage, synergy.3. Capacity Building- empowerment.4. Strategic Partnership.5. Building Goodwill.6. Start small, start now.


“TERIMA KASIH”


Creating Competitive Advantage through Responsible Tourism Practices

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